Santa Clara California

Lew, Harry
Marines Lance corporal

Harry Lew, age 21, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Parents: Allen Lew

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Santa Clara High (2008)
Military history: 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Enlisted in August 2009.

Date of death: Sunday, April 3, 2011
Death details: Shot himself with his automatic rifle during a patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan after he was allegedly beaten and hazed by other in his unit for falling asleep while on sentry duty.

Source: Department of Defense, Reuters, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Mission College, Militry Times

Frampton, Gregory Michael
Army Staff Sergeant

Gregory Michael Frampton, age 37, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company D 1St Bn 160Th Soar Fort Campbell, Ky

Date of death: Thursday, January 30, 2003
Death details: Killed in a MH-60 Black Hawk crash during training in  Bagram, Afghanistan

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Stephenson, Bruce Donald
Army Sergeant

Bruce Donald Stephenson, age 19, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Parents: Arthur E. Stephenson

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Saturday, April 24, 1971
Death details: Body recovered
Cemetery: Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose

Source: National Archives, findagrave.com, Hanford Sentinel (1971)

Jojola, Harry Daniel
Army Staff sergeant

Harry Daniel Jojola, age 21, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, April 7, 1970
Death details: Silver Star citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Staff Sergeant [then Sergeant] Harry Daniel Jojola (ASN: US-572664794), United States Army, for gallantry in action. Sergeant Jojola distinguished himself by heroic actions on 7 April 1970, while serving with Company C, 3d Battalion, 22d Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in the Republic of Vietnam. On 7 April 1970, Company C was acting as a blocking force on the edge of a jungled area when they came in contact with a large enemy force. Upon receiving fire, Sergeant Jojola organized his squad and engaged the enemy. Sergeant Jojola then maneuvered his men into strategic fighting positions where they placed maximum effective suppressive fire on the insurgents. When one of his advance elements came under fire and received several injuries, Sergeant Jojola, with complete disregard for his own safety, began moving into the woodline to evacuate the fallen men. During this attempt, he was fatally wounded. His valorous actions contributed immeasurably to the success of the action and the thwarting of the hostile force. Sergeant Jojola’s bravery, aggressiveness, and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

Source: National Archives, Military Times

Young, John Edward
Army Corporal

John Edward Young, age 20, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Parents: Jack Young

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, April 1, 1970
Death details: Body recovered

Source: National Archives, Record Searchlight (1970)

Auston, Kenneth Joe
Army Corporal

Kenneth Joe Auston, age 18, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Parents: Billy Auston and Mr. and Mrs. John E. Helmer

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Cheney High

Date of death: Thursday, March 12, 1970
Death details: Killed in an ambush in the Mekong Delta

Source: National Archives, Spokesman Review (1970)

Pappas, Don Lee
Army Private

Don Lee Pappas, age 20, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Parents: Dan N. Pappas

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, February 17, 1970
Death details: Body recovered

Source: National Archives, San Francisco Examiner (1970)

Thomas, Darwin Joel
Navy Ensign

Darwin Joel Thomas from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Friday, October 14, 1966
Death details: Ensign Darwin Joel Thomas, who joined the U.S. Navy from California, served with Attack Squadron 152. On October 14, 1966, ENS Thomas piloted an A-1H Skyraider (bureau number 139731, call sign “Locket 511”) that took off from the USS Oriskany (CVA-34) on a combat mission against enemy ground targets in Vietnam. While over the target area, ENS Thomas was directed by his flight leader to make a rocket attack on a ground target. The flight lead saw ENS Thomas fire his rockets but then heard a garbled radio transmission from him, and moments later, observed an elongated fireball in the vicinity of (GC) 48Q WG 349 652. There were no further transmissions and no emergency signals from ENS Thomas, and the strong enemy presence prevented formal searches. ENS Thomas remains unaccounted-for. Today, Ensign Thomas is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Maus, Donald James
Army Major

Donald James Maus, age 19, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Monday, March 3, 1952
Death details: On March 2, 1952, a Landing Craft Personnel, Large (LCPL) departed the USS Chittenden County (LST-561) in the Yellow Sea off the western coast of North Korea. The LCPL was carrying nine U.S. service members and three Allied service members on a reconnaissance mission to investigate a small island near the 38th Parallel. While heading toward the mission area, the surf became too rough and the LCPL turned back, but it never returned to the Chittenden County. There were no reported communications following the landing craft’s withdrawal from the mission area. Three to four days later, clothing and pieces of the LCPL were found and the discovery of this floating debris led the U.S. Navy to determine that the crew was lost in the location of the island of Yonp’yong Do, where enemy guerrillas had been active on March 2. Of the nine U.S. service members on board, the body of one U.S. Army officer washed ashore on a small island off the west coast of the Korean peninsula and was recovered; however, the eleven others on board were not found. Major Donald James Maus entered the U.S. Army from California and served in the 8240th Army Unit, Far East Command/Liaison Detachment-Korea. He was serving as commander of Task Force WOLFPACK operations against enemy forces in extreme southwestern areas of North Korea, and was aboard this LCPL when it went missing. He was lost with the vessel and remains unaccounted for. Today, Major Maus is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual’s case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Waterbury, Carl William
Army Master sergeant

Carl William Waterbury, age 36, from Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara county.

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. Master Sergeant Carl William Waterbury entered the U.S. Army from Kansas and served with Company B of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 2, 1950, Company B was in defense positions with the 1st Battalion near Unsan when it came under attack and was forced to withdraw. Master Sergeant Waterbury went missing during this combat, though circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. He was never reported as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the war. Today, Master Sergeant Waterbury is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Los Angeles Times (1954)

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