Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Jason James Beadles, age 22, from La Porte, Indiana, La Porte county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: 887Th Eng Company, 20Th Eng Brigade, Mnd-B Task Force Baghdad, Fort Campbell, Ky
Date of death: Thursday, April 12, 2007
Death details: Baghdad, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, legacy.com
David Michael Heath, age 30, from La Porte, Indiana, La Porte county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: B Company, 1St Battalion, 41St Infantry (1Ad) , Ft. Riley, Ks 66442
Date of death: Monday, August 16, 2004
Death details: Hostile; Sadr City, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Francis William Harter, age 21, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte county.
Parents: Rita B. Harter
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Monday, November 9, 1970
Death details: Hostile in South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)
Allan John Moore, age 21, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte county.
Parents: George J. Moore
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: LaPorte High graduate
Date of death: Friday, May 8, 1970
Death details: Hostile in South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Indianapolis Star (1970)
Lawrence Emil Lundgren, age 20, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte county.
Spouse: Kathy L. Lundgren
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Tuesday, February 24, 1970
Death details: Hostile, wounded in South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)
Douglas Alan Lemond, age 21, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte County
Service era: Vietnam
Spouse: Shirley Lemond
Parents: Mrs. Raymond Reed and Donald J. LeMond
Date of death: Tuesday, October 14, 1969
Death details: Non-hostile, illness in South Vietnam. Died from fever contracted during combat.
Cemetery: Walnut Hill, Petersburg
Source: National Archives, grave marker, South Bend Tribune (1969)
Herbert Vernon McKeehan, age 28, from Laporte, Indiana, LaPorte county.
Parents: Homer McKeehan
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. Private First Class Herbert V. McKeehan, who joined the U.S. Army from Indiana, was a member of Company B of the 70th Tank Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 1, the CCF engaged in a sneak attack on U.S. forces stationed near Unsan. Despite fierce resistance, the American battalions were forced to withdraw. While 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 8th Cavalry Regiment were able to retreat that night, the heavy enemy presence complicated the withdrawal and led to severe losses. During the retreat, the tank that PFC McKeehan was riding in possibly got jammed up in a roadblock in Unsan. He is believed to have been killed after dismounting from the tank. He was not recovered at the time of his loss, and could not be associated with any of the remains that North Korean officials returned to U.S. custody following the conflict’s armistice. Today, Private First Class McKeehan is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, South Bend Tribune (1950)
William Edeward Rambo, age 20, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte county.
Parents: Paul Rambo
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: On June 24, 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Private William Edward Rambo, missing from World War II. Private Rambo, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Illinois, served with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the amphibious assault on Betio Island, the opening salvo of the Battle of Tarawa. He was buried in a cemetery later designated Cemetery 27; however, in 1946, repatriation efforts on the island failed to locate the burial site. In 2015, the non-profit organization, History Flight (now an external provider of DPAA), located Cemetery 27 while excavating on Betio. The remains recovered from the cemetery were turned over to DPAA. In 2019, DPAA analysts identified Private Rambo from among these remains.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
William Herman Trapp, age 24, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte county.
Parents: William E. Trapp
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Okahoma. He and his brother, Fire Controlman 2nd Class Harold F. Trapp were both aboard the Oklahoma. Both accounted for November 24, 2020
Source: National Archives, Department of Defense
Harold Frank Trapp, age 24, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte county.
Parents: William E. Trapp
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Okahoma. He and his brother, Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class William H. Trapp were both aboard the Oklahoma. Both accounted for November 24, 2020
Source: National Archives, Department of Defense