Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Justin M. Hansen, age 26, from Traverse City, Michigan, Grand Traverse county.
Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Date of death: Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Death details: Died while conducting combat operations in Badghis Province, Afghanistan.
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Matthew S. Schwartz, age 34, from Traverse City, Michigan, Grand Traverse county.
Spouse: Jenny Schwartz
Children: Three children
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Traverse City Central High (1996)
Military history: 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, Fort Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming
Date of death: Thursday, January 5, 2012
Death details: Died in Shir ghazi, Helmand Province, Afghanistan when his vechile was struck by an improvised explosive device. Killed were Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, and Airman 1st class Matthew R. Seidler.
Source: Department of Defense, TV 7 & 4, Military Times
Dillon B. Foxx, age 22, from Traverse City, Michigan, Grand Traverse county.
Parents: Trina Pfua and Robert Lentz
Child: Kaiden Levi
Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Date of death: Friday, February 5, 2010
Death details: Died in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Enlisted May 2006.
Source: Department of Defense, WOOD TV,, U.S. Air Force, Mlive
Spencer Clark Akers, age 35, from Traverse City, Michigan, Grand Traverse county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company B, 1St Battalion, 125Th Infantry (Ii Mef), Saginaw, Mi
Date of death: Thursday, December 8, 2005
Death details: died Dec. 8 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, of injuries sustained Nov. 21 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Habbaniyah, Iraq.
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Richard Henry Defer, age 40, from Grand Traverse County Traverse City, Michigan .
Parents: Leo DeFer
Spouse: Mary
Children: Connie, Richard Jr., Martin, Mitchell
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Michigan State University graduate
Date of death: Monday, October 18, 1971
Death details: Hostile, killed, Laos
Source: National Archives, Arizona Republic (1971)
Ralph Henry VonDerHoff, age 22, from Traverse City, Michigan, Grand Traverse county.
Parents: Madelyn F. VonDerHOff
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, August 28, 1970
Death details: Hostile, killed, South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, UPI (1970)
Gerald Douglas Tomlinson, age 20, from Traverse City, Michigan, Grand Traverse county.
Parents: Carl L. Tomlinson
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Wednesday, February 4, 1970
Death details: Hostile, killed, South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, UPI (1970)