Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Joshua A. Born, age 25, from Niceville, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Date of death: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Death details: Died of wounds suffered in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan when his unit came under small arms fire.
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Ryan J. Cook, age 29, from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Parents: Kathleen (Cook) Silva and Ronald Sullivan (preceded in death)
Spouse: Kari Cook
Children: Keira James Cook
Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Date of death: Sunday, September 18, 2011
Death details: Died in Takhar Province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Cemetery: Beal Memorial
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times, Emerald Coast Funeral Home
Michael Justin Anaya, age 23, from Crestview, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Parents: Carmelo Anaya Sr. and Cheryl Anaya
Spouse: None
Children: None
Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company A, 2D Battalion, 27Th Infantry, 3 Bct, Schofield Barracks, Hi
Date of death: Sunday, April 12, 2009
Death details: Hostile; Mosul, Iraq
Cemetery: Heritage Gardens
Source: Department of Defense, Heritage Gardens Funeral Home
Preston Ray Medley, age 23, from Baker, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company D, 1St Battalion, 26Th Infantry, 3D Brigade, Fort Hood, Tx
Date of death: Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Death details: Hostile; Qazi Bandeh, Afghanistan
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Tracy Lee Laramore, age 30, from Okaloosa, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: B Co 1St Battalion 18Th Infantry Regiment, Apo Ae 09033 (Schweinfurt, Ge)
Date of death: Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Death details: Died of injuries sustained when his military vehicle went over an embankment and into a river in Tikrit, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
John Lee Oelschlager, age 28, from Niceville, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Service era: Gulf War
Date of death: Thursday, January 31, 1991
Death details: During the Battle of Khafji, the AC-130 he was aboard was hit by a shoulder-fired missile as the plane attacked rocket launchers threatening U.S. Marines. Air Force officials said no one could have survived the crash. Only five of the 14 men lost were positively identified after remains were recovered from the plane, which was missing for more than a month before discovered on the bottom of the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia.
Cemetery: Barrancas National, Pensacola
Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Gulf War Chronicles, Department of Veterans Affairs, Associated Press (1991)
James B. II May, age 40, from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Service era: Gulf War
Date of death: Thursday, January 31, 1991
Death details: During the Battle of Khafji, the AC-130 he was aboard was hit by a shoulder-fired missile as the plane attacked rocket launchers threatening U.S. Marines. Air Force officials said no one could have survived the crash. Only five of the 14 men lost were positively identified after remains were recovered from the plane, which was missing for more than a month before discovered on the bottom of the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia.
Cemetery: Florida National, Bushnell
Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Gulf War Chronicles, Department of Veterans Affairs, Associated Press (1991)
Robert K. Hodges, age 28, from Hulburt Field, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Spouse: Rita Hodges
Service era: Gulf War
Date of death: Thursday, January 31, 1991
Death details: During the Battle of Khafji, the AC-130 he was aboard was hit by a shoulder-fired missile as the plane attacked rocket launchers threatening U.S. Marines. Air Force officials said no one could have survived the crash. Only five of the 14 men lost were positively identified after remains were recovered from the plane, which was missing for more than a month before discovered on the bottom of the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia.
Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Gulf War Chronicles, Associated Press (2001)
William D. Grimm, age 28, from Hulburt Field, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Service era: Gulf War
Schools: Brigham Young University
Date of death: Thursday, January 31, 1991
Death details: During the Battle of Khafji, the AC-130 he was aboard was hit by a shoulder-fired missile as the plane attacked rocket launchers threatening U.S. Marines. Air Force officials said no one could have survived the crash. Only five of the 14 men lost were positively identified after remains were recovered from the plane, which was missing for more than a month before discovered on the bottom of the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia.
Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Gulf War Chronicles, Provo Daily Herald (1993)
Barry M. Clark, age 26, from Hulburt Field, Florida, Okaloosa county.
Service era: Gulf War
Date of death: Thursday, January 31, 1991
Death details: During the Battle of Khafji, the AC-130 he was aboard was hit by a shoulder-fired missile as the plane attacked rocket launchers threatening U.S. Marines. Air Force officials said no one could have survived the crash. Only five of the 14 men lost were positively identified after remains were recovered from the plane, which was missing for more than a month before discovered on the bottom of the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia.
Cemetery: Barrancas National, Pensacola
Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Gulf War Chronicles, Military Times, grave marker