Raymond Aguirre, age 19, from Gardner, Colorado, Huerfano county.
Parents: Porfiria Aguirre Jr.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, March 27, 1970
Death details: Killed in action in Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)
Bernie Montoya, age 24, from Colorado, Huerfano county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Sergeant Bernie Montoya, who joined the U.S. Army from Colorado, was a member of Company B, 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion. In late October of 1950, Company B was positioned near Unsan to support ROK forces in the area. After midnight on November 1, U.S. units in the area were ordered to withdraw to avoid encirclement by the enemy. Company B was caught behind enemy lines, and many of its members either were captured or went missing in action. Sergeant Montoya went missing during the moving battle. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and he remains unaccounted for. Today, Sergeant Montoya is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Enoch Pacheco Montoya, age 20, from Tioga, Colorado, Huerfano county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Sergeant Enoch Pacheco Montoya joined the U.S. Army from Colorado and was a member of C Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 2, 1950, C Company was near Unsan with the 1st Battalion when it was attacked by the enemy and forced to withdraw. It was during this fighting that SGT Montoya went missing, though specific details regarding his loss are unknown. He was never reported as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the war. Today, Sergeant Montoya is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Minneapolis Star Tribune