Alan Sherman Goff, age 19, from Bakersfield, California, Kern county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Tuesday, July 6, 1971
Death details: Killed in Southeast Asia
Source: National Archives, Napa Valley Register (1971)
Stephen Chavira, age 28, from Wasco, California, Kern county.
Parents: Joe M. Chavira
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, May 28, 1971
Death details: On May 28, 1971, an OH-6A Cayuse (tail number 67-16670) carrying two crew members took off as one of four aircraft on a visual reconnaissance mission in the northern A Shau Valley, Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam. During an area recheck, one of the other pilots on the mission saw a rocket-propelled grenade round strike the Cayuse, causing the aircraft’s tail boom to bend and double. The aircraft exploded and crashed and burned on a small knoll at grid coordinates YD 284 087. None of the witnesses reported seeing anyone thrown clear of the helicopter during the mid-air explosion or the ensuing crash. No ground search was conducted due to the enemy activity in the area, and aerial searches failed to locate any signs of survivors or the crew’s remains. Specialist 4 Stephen Chavira entered the U.S. Army from California and was a member of Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He was the observer aboard the OH-6 and was lost with the aircraft when it crashed. His remains were not recovered. After the incident, the U.S. Army promoted Specialist 4 Chavira to the rank of Specialist 5. Today, Specialist 5 Chavira is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, San Francisco Examiner (1971)
Leroy Ernest Halbert, age 32, from Delano, California, Kern county.
Parents: Leroy El Halbert Sr.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Thursday, December 31, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)
Ramon Hernandez, age 20, from Mcfarland, California, Kern county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, November 27, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives
Raymond Hugh Apellido, age 21, from Bakersfield, California, Kern county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Sunday, September 20, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives
Larry Wayne Rasey, age 22, from Taft, California, Kern county.
Parents: Charles E. Rasey
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Sunday, July 26, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives, San Francisco Chronicle (1970)
Jimmy Carlus Montana, age 21, from Lamont, California, Kern county.
Spouse: Bonnie L. Montana
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Sunday, June 14, 1970
Death details: Died in Indichina
Source: National Archives, San Francisco Examiner (1970)
Gary Lyn Giles, age 23, from Bakersfield, California, Kern county.
Spouse: Vera M. Giles
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Tuesday, June 2, 1970
Death details: Died from natural causes in Southeast Asia
Source: National Archives, UPI (1970)
Robert Paul Cote, age 20, from Tehachapi, California, Kern county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Thursday, May 21, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives
Douglas Ernest Hobbs, age 22, from Bakersfield, California, Kern county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, May 16, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives