Scioto County Ohio

Fannin, Shawn D.
Army Sergeant

Shawn D. Fannin, age 32, from Wheelersburg, Ohio, Scioto county.

Spouse: Amparo Fannin
Children: Isabella Fannin and Gracie Fannin

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Glenwood High, New Boston (1997)
Military history: 404th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas. Enlisted November 2004

Date of death: Friday, November 12, 2010
Death details: Died in a non-combat related incident in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan.
Cemetery: Memorial Burial Park, Wheelersburg

Source: Department of Defense, Portsmouth Daily News, Military Times

Etterling, Jonathan Edward
Marines Lance corporal

Jonathan Edward Etterling, age 22, from Wheelersburg, Ohio, Scioto county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: C Co, 1St Bn, 3D Mar, 31St Meu, 1St Mar Div, Kanoehe Bay, Hi

Date of death: Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Death details: Korean Village, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Applegate, Tony R.
Army Staff sergeant

Tony R. Applegate, age 28, from Portsmouth, Ohio, Scioto county.

Parents: Dolly Bellomy; Henry Applegate and stepmother Teresa Applegate.
Spouse: Lisa
Children: Two children

Service era: Gulf War
Schools: Portsmouth High graduate

Date of death: Wednesday, February 27, 1991
Death details: Killed in action, friendly fire.

Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Gulf War Chronicles, Washington Post, Fort Pierce Tribune (1991)

Eggers, Charles Ronald
Army Specialist 4

Charles Ronald Eggers, age 20, from Scioto County Lucasville, Ohio .

Parents: Charles S. Eggers

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Friday, December 31, 1971
Death details: Non-hostile, South Vietnam

Source: National Archives, Daily Reporter (1972)

McCoy, Albert Jr.
Army Staff sergeant

Albert Jr. McCoy, age 26, from Friendship, Ohio, Scioto county.

Spouse: Maria E. McCoy

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Thursday, April 29, 1971
Death details: Hostile, South Vietnam
Cemetery: McKendree in Buena Vista, Ohio

Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1971), findagrave.com

Noel, Michael David
Army Specialist 4

Michael David Noel, age 21, from Lucasville, Ohio, Scioto county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Friday, September 11, 1970
Death details: Hostile, South Vietnam
Cemetery: Rushtown

Source: National Archives, Chillicothe Gazette (1970)

Ward, Paul
Army Specialist 5

Paul Ward, age 25, from Rarden, Ohio, Scioto county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Saturday, August 22, 1970
Death details: Hostile, South Vietnam

Source: National Archives

Arms, John Walter
Air Force 1st lieutenant

John Walter Arms from Portsmouth, Ohio, Scioto county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, June 6, 1954
Death details:  Just after sunrise on June 5, 1953, an LT-6G Texan (tail number 47-9787, call sign “Mosquito Adverb 2”) departed Chunchon (K-47) Air Base with a crew of two aviators. The briefed mission was a prestrike tactical reconnaissance operation as a Forward Air Controller in an area north of the U.S. 25th Infantry Division’s main line of resistance, known as Black Bear Sector. As the aircraft arrived over the target area, the Texan began to receive heavy ground fire from enemy rifles and machine guns, but the crew still managed to locate a series of targets, enemy artillery, bunkers, and a tank, and radio for fighter-bomber support. With the fighter-bombers en route, “Mosquito Adverb 2” flew low through heavy gunfire over the targets, marking them with white phosphorus rockets. The aircraft repeated this maneuver with each target, coordinating the attack of sixteen fighter-bombers. All totaled, “Mosquitor Adverb 2’s” crew helped to destroy the tank, several enemy fighting positions, and two ammunition bunkers. However, as the pilot of “Mosquito Adverb 2 ” was in the middle of calling for additional airstrikes, his transmission suddenly ended. According to Army witnesses on the ground, the plane was in a shallow bank at roughly 1,000-1,500 feet when its tail section was hit by enemy machine gun fire, sending the aircraft into a loose spin. As the aircraft was recovering, Army personnel heard the pilot gun the engine just before the aircraft crash-landed south of Hill 190, which is in the present-day Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). A forward observer on the ground at the time reported seeing at least one of the crew members exit the wreckage only to be captured by enemy forces and taken into a nearby bunker, but neither crew member could be located following the incident.

Arms entered the U.S. Air Force from Ohio and was assigned to 6148th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 6147th Tactical Air Control Group. He was the pilot of this Texan when it was shot down. No returning POWs mentioned having contact with 1st Lt Arms in captivity, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, First Lieutenant Arms is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Routt, Howard D.
Army Private

Howard D. Routt, age 18, from Scioto County Ohio.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, July 14, 1953
Death details: On July 13, 1953, the U.S. Army’s 555th Field Artillery Battalion was positioned to support the Republic of Korea (ROK) 6th Division along a stretch of line known as the Kumsong Salient, when the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive night attack. The 555th Field Artillery continued to fire in support of the ROK forces during the initial stage of the attack, despite coming under heavy enemy artillery fire themselves. However, early on July 14, CCF troops penetrated the ROK lines and were able to attack the 555th’s own positions. Several battery positions were overrun by the numerically superior attackers before a withdrawal order was received. By that point, few men were actually able to withdraw. Some managed to evade enemy forces and work their way back to friendly lines over the following days, but a number of the 555th Field Artillery’s men were captured by the enemy or went missing. The battlefield now lies on the North Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. Private First Class Howard David Routt, who entered the U.S. Army from Ohio, served with Battery C, 555th Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. He was reported missing following the CCF attack on July 14, 1953, although specific details regarding his loss are not known. His remains were not recovered at the time, and subsequent search efforts have been impeded by the fact that the loss area now lies in North Korean territory. Today, Private First Class Routt is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Thompson, James Oscar
Army Master sergeant

James Oscar Thompson, age 35, from Scioto County Ohio.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), tasked with replacing the 5th Marine Regiment on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack against the soldiers and Marines at the inlet. The 31st RCT managed to repel the numerically superior CCF’s initial attack; however, the enemy continued to attack over the next two nights. On December 1, the 31st RCT began its withdrawal from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Master Sergeant James Oscar Thompson Jr., who joined the U.S. Army from Ohio, served with the Medical Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. On the night of November 27, 1950, MSgt Thompson was part of a medical convoy that left Hudong-ni, North Korea en route to the P’ungnyuri Inlet at Chosin Reservoir to aid the 31st RCT. The CCF ambushed the convoy at the base of Hill 1221, halfway to the inlet. Master Sergeant Thompson managed to escape the enemy and made his way back to Hundong-ni, where he volunteered to guide an armoured relief force to the site of the ambush. When the relief force reached Hill 1221, MSgt Thompson was killed by a sniper as he and two officers conferred over a map. The relief force was forced to withdraw before they were able to recover his body. After the war, MSgt Thompson’s remains were not identified amon those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Master Sergeant Thompson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives

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