Wayne county Ohio

Runkle, John M.
Army 1st lieutenant

John M. Runkle, age 27, from West Salem, Ohio, Wayne county.

Parents: John and Christine (Root) Runkle

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Northwestern High (2002)
Military history: 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Date of death: Thursday, May 26, 2011
Death details: Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Killed were 1st Lt. John M. Runkle, Staff Sgt. Edward D. Mills Jr., Staff Sgt. Ergin V. Osman, Sgt. Thomas A. Bohall, Sgt. Louie A. Ramos
Cemetery: Ohio Western Reserve National, Rittman

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times, Matteson Funeral Home

Dreher, Richard E.
Air Force Captain

Richard E. Dreher from Orrville, Ohio, Wayne county. Their last known residence was in Orrville.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 27, 1972
Death details:  On March 27, 1972, an HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant (tail number 68-10359, call sign “Jolly Green 61”) with a crew of five took off from Nakhon Phanom Airfield, Thailand, as the number two aircraft in a flight of three aircraft on a escort mission over Cambodia. While over Stoeng Treng Province, Cambodia, southeast of the city of Siempang, one of the other aircraft on the mission radio attempted contact with “Jolly Green 61” and did not receive an answer. The pilot of the other aircraft then tried to locate “Jolly Green 61” visually and spotted a column of black smoke coming from the jungle below. Aerial investigation determined that the helicopter had crashed and the smoke was coming from its burning wreckage. A pararescue specialist was lowered to the ground at the crash site to check for survivors, but due to the intense heat of the flames, he could not approach the wreck closely. Three hours later a second rescue specialist was deployed, but reported the wreckage was still burning. The five crew members aboard “Jolly Green 61” remain unaccounted for.

Captain Richard E. Dreher entered the U.S. Air Force from Ohio and he was a member of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. He was the pilot of this helicopter and was lost with the aircraft when it crashed. His remains were not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Marshall, Dennis Craig
Army Corporal

Dennis Craig Marshall, age 19, from Wooster, Ohio, Wayne county.

Parents: George E and Martha Marshall

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Wooster High (dropped out to enlist in the Army

Date of death: Sunday, September 13, 1970
Death details: He was on night patrol in Vietnam when he stepped on a booby trap
Cemetery: Sherwood

Source: National Archives, Akron Beacon Journal (1970)

Fetzer, Leo E.
Army Private 1st class

Leo E. Fetzer from Ohio, Wayne county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Monday, July 31, 1950
Death details: Died while missing

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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