Randall county Texas

Anderson, Nathan W.
Marines Captain

Nathan W. Anderson, age 32, from Amarillo, Texas.

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: Based in Yuma, Arizona.

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, findagrave.com

Tate, Darren Ethan
Navy Aviation ordnance airman.

Darren Ethan Tate, age 21, from Canyon, Texas, Randall county. Their last known residence was in Canyon.

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Texas
Military history: Assigned to the USS Iwo Jima, and deployed as an Individual Augmentee to Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan.

Date of death: Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Death details: Died of non-hostile causes at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Das, Eric Bruce
Air Force Captain

Eric Bruce Das, age 30, from Amarillo, Texas.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: 333D Fighter Squadron, Seymour-Johnson Afb, North Carolina

Date of death: Monday, April 7, 2003
Death details: Hostile; , Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Thomas, L. V. Jr.
Army Private 1st class

L. V. Jr. Thomas, age 23, from Potter County Amarillo, Texas .

Parents: L. V. Thomas

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Palo Duro High (1961), Amarillo College

Date of death: Wednesday, March 30, 1966
Death details: Killed in Vietnam while on an evacuation mission.
Cemetery: Llano

Source: National Archives, Amarillo Globe Times (1966)

Blair, Donald Ray
Army Captain

Donald Ray Blair, age 27, from Randall County Canyon, Texas .

Parents: I. R. Blair
Spouse: Bonnie Evans Blair

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: West Texas State University (1960)

Date of death: Saturday, January 8, 1966
Death details: Killed in Vietnam when his convoy was ambushed.

Source: National Archives, Canyon News (1966)

Jobe, Lewis Earl
Army 2nd lieutenant

Lewis Earl Jobe, age 23, from Texas, Randall county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, July 8, 1953
Death details: On July 6, 1953, a large Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) unit attacked and overran the U.S. Army outposts on Pork Chop Hill in an attempt to seize whatever territory possible before the impending armistice agreement. After fighting for the position for four days, on July 10, the 7th Infantry Division Commander determined that the CCF disregard for casualties and desire to hold the outpost outweighed the position’s tactical value, and ordered a withdrawal that was eventually completed on July 11. The U.S. never again controlled Pork Chop Hill, preventing thorough recovery efforts for those who were killed or went missing during the fighting. Second Lieutenant Lewis Earl Jobe, who joined the U.S. Army from Texas, served with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing on July 8, 1953 (later determined to have been killed in action) during the attack on Pork Chop Hill. His remains could not be recovered or identified following the battle and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Second Lieutenant Jobe is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

McCoy, Cecil Robert
Marines Private 1st class

Cecil Robert McCoy, age 21, from Canyon, Texas, Randall county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Cecil Robert McCoy joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Oklahoma and served with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 18th Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, during the Battle of Tarawa. Although he was reported buried in Main Marine Cemetery, Cemetery #33 on Tarawa Atoll, his remains could not be identified after the war. Private First Class McCoy is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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