Paducah Kentucky

Torian, Aaron C.
Marines Master Sergeant

Aaron C. Torian, age 36, from Paducah, Kentucky.

Spouse: Jurley Torian (Pomeroy)
Children: Elijah, 9; Avery, 2; Laura Bella, 4

Parents: Esta Smith and Joe Torian; step-father Jim Smith

School: Thomas Stone High (1995) in Waldorf, Maryland; University of Tennessee-Martin (2001)

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Date of death: Saturday, February 15, 2014
Death details: Died while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Cemetery: Arlington National

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times, Press Democrat (2014)

Heflin, Christopher Todd
Marines Sergeant

Christopher Todd Heflin, age 26, from Paducah, Kentucky, Mccracken county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: Hqbn, (K Co, 3D Bn, 1St Mar, Rct-1, 1St Mardiv), 2D Mardiv, Camp Lejeune, Nc

Date of death: Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Death details: Hostile; Fallujah, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

McElrath, Ralph Edward
Army Corporal

Ralph Edward McElrath, age 20, from Paducah, Kentucky, McCracken county.

Parents: Charles McElrath

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Lone Oak High (1969)

Date of death: Monday, July 26, 1971
Death details: Drowned in South Vietnam
Cemetery: Mount Kenton

Source: National Archives, Paducah Sun (1971)

McMurry, William Fletcher
Air Force 1st lieutenant

William Fletcher McMurry from Paducah, Kentucky, McCracken county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: April 15, 1952
Death details: Body not recovered.

On April 15, 1952, a B-26 Invader (tail number 44-34089) with a crew of four took off from Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, on a night intruder operation over North Korea. Shortly after takeoff, the Invader lost altitude and crashed into the Yellow Sea. After the incident, the remains of two crew members were located and identified, and the Invader’s wreckage was also located underwater. Divers did not retrieve the remains of the other two crew members, likely killed in the incident and still inside the downed plane.

First Lieutenant William Fletcher McMurry, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Kentucky, was a member of the 8th Bombardment Squadron, 3rd Bombardment Group (Light). He was the pilot of this Invader when it went down on April 15, 1952, and he was likely killed in the crash. He was not recovered or identified following the loss of the aircraft, and he remains unaccounted-for following the incident.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Allison, Hal Jake
Navy Fireman 2nd class

Hal Jake Allison, age 21, from Paducah, Kentucky, McCracken county.

Parents: Henry Neal and Opal M. Allison

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Oklahoma. Accounted for October 14, 2021
Cemetery: Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Owensboro Messenger (1950)

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