Marietta Georgia

Forde, Omar W.
Army Sergeant 1st class

Omar W. Forde, age 28, from Marietta, Georgia.

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas

Date of death: Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Death details: Died in a helicopter crash. Killed were Randy L Billings, Joshua B. Silverman, Peter C. Bohler, Omar W. Forde, Jesse L. Williams, Terry K.D. Gordon

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Little, Corey A.
Marines Lance corporal

Corey A. Little, age 25, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Parents: Wanda Little
Spouse: Nicole Little

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Sandy Creek High (2004)
Military history: Based at Camp Pendleton, California.

Date of death: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Death details: Died when an AH-1W Cobra and a UH-1 Huey helicopters crashed during a routine training exercise along the California-Arizona broder. All aboard were killed. They were: Maj. Thomas A. Budrejko, Capt. Michael M. Quin, Capt. Benjamin N. Cerniglia, Sgt. Justin A. Everett, Lance Cpl Corey A. Little, Lance Cpl Nickoulas H. Elliott, Capt. Nathan W. Anderson.

Source: Associated Press, Houston Chronicle, The Times-Picayune, TheCitizen.com

Fleming, Scott J.
Marines 1st lieutenant

Scott J. Fleming, age 24, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Date of death: Friday, September 17, 2010
Death details: Died while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Cemetery: Arlington National

Source: Department of Defense, findagrave.com, Military Times

Peney, Jonathan K.
Army Specialist

Jonathan K. Peney, age 22, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Parents: Sue L. Peney
Spouse: Kristin E. Peney (Felton)

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 1st Battalion, 7th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. Enlisted 2005. Purple Heart, Bronze Star.

Date of death: Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Death details: Died in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when he was shot by enemy forces while giving solider medical aid.
Cemetery: Memorialized with naming of Peney Aid Station at Fort Benning

Source: Department of Defense, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ledger-Enquirer, Military Times

Clayton, Hayes Jr
Army Captain

Hayes Clayton Jr., age 29, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: Team Iraq, Bn Mtt, (Hq 4-25 Id Bde)

Date of death: Monday, December 25, 2006
Death details: Hostile; Balad, Iraq
Cemetery: Georgia National

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Johnson, Stephen Franklin
Marines Lance corporal

Stephen Franklin Johnson, age 20, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: G Co, 2D Bn, 8Th Mar, (Rct-5, I Mef Fwd), 2D Mar Div, Camp Lejeune, Nc

Date of death: Sunday, October 8, 2006
Death details: Hostile; Saqlawiyah, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Fonseca, Jesus
Army Private 1st class

Jesus Fonseca, age 19, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: C Company, 1St Battalion, 503D Infantry, (1 Mef), Fort Carson, Co

Date of death: Monday, January 17, 2005
Death details: Hostile; Ar Ramadi, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Smallwood, John Jackie
Air Force Captain

John Jackie Smallwood, age 25, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Saturday, June 16, 1973.

On June 16, 1973, an F-4E Phantom II (tail number: 67-00374; call sign “Wolf 07”) conducted a forward air controller (FAC) mission over Cambodia. It was the lead aircraft in a flight of two on the mission, and was responsible for marking targets for the other aircraft. This Phantom’s pilot spotted an enemy-controlled bridge and maneuvered to mark it for the other aircraft, but while attempting this, crashed for unknown reasons. The wingman’s crew observed the crash and reported seeing no ejections and receiving no rescue beeper signals. Immediate search and rescue forces failed to locate the downed Phantom or either crew member. Due to enemy forces in the area, no ground search was conducted, and the two crew members remain unaccounted-for.

Captain John Jackie Smallwood, who entered the U.S. Air Force from Georgia, served with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. He was the radar intercept officer aboard this Phantom when it crashed on June 16, 1973. He was not recovered following the incident. Today, Captain Smallwood is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Rider, Arnold Tilman
Army Staff sergeant

Arnold Tilman Rider, age 39, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Parents: Jesse Rider
Spouse: Helga Rider
Children: Two sons and a daughter

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Friday, April 3, 1970
Death details: Died in Vietnam

Source: National Archives, Clarksville Leaf Chronicle (1970)

Roper, Joel Clyde
Army Private 1st class

Joel Clyde Roper, age 19, from Marietta, Georgia, Cobb county.

Service era: Vietnam
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, October 9, 1967
Death details: Bronze Star citation: For heroism in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 9 October 1967 Private First Class Roper distinguished himself while serving as a Rifleman in Company A, 1/35th Infantry conducting a search and destroy mission near LZ Mary Lou. Private First Class Roper’s platoon was moving up the side of a hill when it was taken under fire by a reinforced NVA company. The enemy were using automatic weapons and firing from prepared positions, well-concealed in the thick underbrush, and their heavy fire killed several in the platoon immediately. Several others were wounded, and when they fell they lay still exposed to enemy fire. Private First Class Roper saw the plight of the wounded men. Unhesitatingly, he dashed through the intense hostile force to one of the wounded men, and he had another solider evacuate him. He then returned to the exposed area and, placing accurate fire on the enemy positions, he covered the removal of another stricken man. He was mortally wounded in the course of this heroic action, but, as a result of his bravery the lives of two men had been saved. Private First Class Roper’s self-sacrificing valor is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Cemetery: Toccoa Baptist Church, Blue Ridge

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association

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