Birth 27APR46 Rank PFC Date of Death 01DEC66 P. of birth Venice, Italy Service Army (Draft) Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Seattle Unit Co B, 5th Bn, (Airmobile), 7th Cav, 1st Cav Div Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown Seattle service # 56390719 Panel 12EAST - 131 married Single Enlisted 01DEC66 Medals Medal of Honor Tour Date 02AUG66 Comment   Cemetery Evergreen Washelli, Seattle

PFC. Lewis Albanese Funeral. Rosary for Army Pfc. Lewis Albanese, 20 of 1135 Sturgis, Av. S., who died in action in Viet-Nam 2 Dec (actual date 1 Dec 1966) will be said at 7:15 o'clock tomorrow evening in Manning & Sons' chapel. Requiem Mass will be said at 9 o'clock Tuesday at St. James Cathedral, with burial in Washelli. A native of Italy, Private Albanese lived in the United States 18 years. Surviving are his father, Ralph Albanese; his mother, Mrs. Giannina Albanese, and a sister, Rosita Albanese, all of Seattle. (Evergreen Washelli, Seattle WA Interment Records)

Seattle Soldier To Be Awarded Medal of Honor
    A Seattleite whose brovery in Vietnam saved many members of his Army platoon will be awarded the Medal of Honor posthomously tomorrow in Pentagone ceremonies.
    Pfc. Lewis Albanese, 20, was killed on a combat operation 2 Dec 1966 while protecting his platoon from Communist snipers.
    Secretary of the Army Stanley R. Resor will make the presentation to Albanese's mother, Mrs. Giannina Albanese, 1135 Sturgus Ave. S., the Associated Press reported.
    Albanese was a member of the 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, which came under attack near Phu Muu 1 Dec 1966.
    "Heavy fire from the left flank of the platoon promted Private Albanese to fix his bayonet and move aggressively into a well-organized complex of enemy defenses, " Army officials said in Washington.
    "Disregarding the danger to himself, he advanced 100 meters along the ditch and killed six snipers armed with automatic weapons. When his ammunition was exhausted, he engaged and killed two more enemy soldiers in fierce hand-to-hand combat."
    Many other members of Albanese's platoon would have fallen to the heavy enemy sniper fire if it had not been for his one-man attack, the Pentagone said.
    Albanese, born in Italy, had been in Vietnam three months. He graduated from Franklin High School in 1964. He was employed by the Boeing Co. before entering the Army in October, 1965.
    Surviving besides his mother are his father, Ralph Albanese, Seattle, and a sister, Rosita Albanese, Seattle.
    The mother and daughter will be in Washington for the ceremony.
    Albanese was not related to Sgt. Luigi Albanese, 19, of Seattle, who was killed 27Jan (1968) in Vietnam. (Seattle Times, Seattle WA, 15 Feb 1968)

Albanese Was Ordinary Good Citizen - Teacher by Marty Loken
    Lewis Albanese was not a school leader or all-star athlete - just an average, well-behaved student, one of his former Franklin High School teachers said today.
    Albanese who died 2 Dec 1966 in Vietnam while attempting to save the lives of other men in his Army platoon, graduated in 1964 from Franklin. He will be awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest medal, tomorrow.
    "He was an all around good citizen; just one of the boys who come and go and don't attract too much attention because they're good citizens," said George Ehrgott, Albanese's former woodshop and stage-crew teacher.
    "He would have made a fine citizen." Albanese enrolled in three woodshop classes in 1962 and 1963, and worked with Ehrgott on the stage crew in the first semester of his senior year. His grades, were, on the whole, no better than average. Ehrgott gave Albanese a B and two Cs in woodshop and a B for his work on the stage crews.
    Other teachers, some of them gone from Franklin today, gave the young Italian immigrant a B in technical drawing, B in art and C in architectural drawing.
    "I don't recall anything unusual about him," Ehrgott said, "but then, most of the best people never do get in the limelight until they do something like he did." (Seattle Times, Seattle WA, 15 Feb 1968)

Citation - MEDAL OF HONOR
ALBANESE, LEWIS Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 5th Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 1 December 1966. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 27 April 1946, Venice, Italy. G.O. No.: 12, 3 April 1968. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Albanese's platoon, while advancing through densely covered terrain to establish a blocking position, received intense automatic weapons fire from close range. As other members maneuvered to assault the enemy position, Pfc. Albanese was ordered to provide security for the left flank of the platoon. Suddenly, the left flank received fire from enemy located in a well-concealed ditch. Realizing the imminent danger to his comrades from this fire, Pfc. Albanese fixed his bayonet and moved aggressively into the ditch. His action silenced the sniper fire, enabling the platoon to resume movement toward the main enemy position. As the platoon continued to advance, the sound of heavy firing emanated from the left flank from a pitched battle that ensued in the ditch which Pfc. Albanese had entered. The ditch was actually a well-organized complex of enemy defenses designed to bring devastating flanking fire on the forces attacking the main position. Pfc. Albanese, disregarding the danger to himself, advanced 100 meters along the trench and killed 6 of the snipers, who were armed with automatic weapons. Having exhausted his ammunition, Pfc. Albanese was mortally wounded when he engaged and killed 2 more enemy soldiers in fierce hand-to-hand combat. His unparalleled actions saved the lives of many members of his platoon who otherwise would have fallen to the sniper fire from the ditch, and enabled his platoon to successfully advance against an enemy force of overwhelming numerical superiority. Pfc. Albanese's extraordinary heroism and supreme dedication to his comrades were commensurate with the finest traditions of the military service and remain a tribute to himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army. (U.S. Army Center of Military History )
Photo provided by Home of Heroes

    Walter Daryle LEACH

Birth 09DEC46 Rank SP4 Date of Death 01DEC66 P. of birth   Service Army (Draft) Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Yakima Unit 1st Cav Div, B Co, 5th Bn, 7th Cav Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Hometown   service # 56390779 Panel 13EAST - 01 married Single MIA -   Medals   Comment   Tour Date 2 Aug 66 Cemetery

    Timothy Monroe O'LEARY

Birth 02SEP32 Rank TSGT Date of Death 02DEC66 P. of birth   Service Air Force Place Pleiku, S. Vietnam Town of Record Spokane Unit 633 COS GP Death Code Non-Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Vehicle Loss, Crash Hometown   service # 19460707 Panel 13EAST - 06 married Married MIA -   Medals   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

    Donald A. WISE

Birth 19MAR34 Rank SP5 Date of Death 06DEC66 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Edmonds Unit 4th Inf Div, Btry A, 5th Bn, 16th Arty Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 19638788 Panel 13EAST - 17 married Married MIA -   Medals   Tour Date ... Comment   Cemetery

    Gerald Oak ALFRED Jr.

Birth 18OCT42 Rank MAJ Date of Event 11DEC66 P. of birth   Service Air Force Place N. Vietnam Town of Record Seattle Unit 480th Tachical Fighter Squadron, Da Nang Air Base Death Code Hostile Died Missing; Fixed Wing - Crew; Air Loss Crash - Land BNR Hometown   service # 539389907 Declared Dead 20NOV78 married Single Panel 13EAST - 31 Medals   MIA BNR Comment grad. Air Force Academy Class 1964 Cemetery

(An extraction of the MIA Report from P.O.W.Network)   Gerald Oak Alfred Jr. was born 18 Oct 1942. His dream was to be an astronaut. He went to the Air Force Academy and graduated in 1964. In Vietnam he was assigned to the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Da Nang. On 11 Dec 66 He was flying backseater to Capt. Woodcock in a F7C on an armed reconnaissance mission. The aircraft was hit by hostile fire. Capt. Lockwood headed towards the open seas and crashed very close to the USS Keppler, who was participating in Operation Sea Dragon, engaging and destroying Waterborne Logistic Craft (junks and barges). The USS Keppler's crew included Navy Seals. Rescue Aircraft dropped flares over the crash site and a rescue team from the USS Keppler found and rescued Capt. Jerry Woodcock. While no parachutes where seen, both emergency beepers did work for a short while. The procedure was that the backseater eject first and Capt. Woodcock was sure that "Alf" Alfred did so...much closer to shore. It would have been very possible that Lt. Alfred had been captured.
A more detailed report is available at POWNETWORK.org

    Dennis William ANDERSON

Birth 19SEP36 Rank SSGT Date of Death 11DEC66 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Norfolk NE Unit 4th Inf Div Death Code Non-hostile; Ground Casualty; Accidental Homicide Hometown   service # 17392844   Local Tacoma married married Panel 13EAST - 31 Medals   Tour Date 23JUL66 Comment Native American Cemetery

    Benny Arnold STARR

Birth 07SEP39 Rank 1LT Date of Death 11DEC66 P. of birth Azle TX Service Army (Reserve) Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Seattle Unit Co. C, 1st BN, 16th Inf. Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Hometown   service # 05326325 Panel 13EAST - 37 married Married MIA -   Medals   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle WA

Vietnam War Claims Lt. Starr of Edmonds
    Army First Lieutenant Benny A. Starr, 27, of Edmonds, father of three young children, became a victim of the Vietnam conflict when he was killed in combat there 11 Dec (1966).
    Starr's wife, Francine, a native of France, and three children, Carole 6, Kathy 3 and Richard 16 months, live at 233 3rd Ave. N. in Edmonds.
    Lt. Starr had completed officer candidate school in 1965 after entering the service as an enlisted man. He was in Vietnam with the First Infantry Division.
    Born in Azle TX, he grew up in Spokane and was graduated from high school there. He had been on active duty with the Army for eight years and had spent two years in the reserves.
    He had been in Vietnam since 30 Jun (1966).
    Starr and his wife met and were married in France where he was stationed for five years. In a letter Mrs. Starr received only last Tuesday, her husband had told her he was being sent to an area to guard engineers constructing an airport. It was later the same day she was notified by the Defense Department that he had been killed.
    Starr was the son of Mrs. E. L. Worlow of Seattle. Also surviving are two brothers Sam Starr of Edmonds and J. L. Starr of Seattle; and two sisters, Jeanne Starr of Honolulu and Mrs. Helen Hagberg of Seattle. Military services for Lt. Starr are planned for Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the chapel of Beck's Funeral Home, Edmonds. Burial will be in the veteran's section of Washelli. Chaplain Floyd Merrill of Spokane will officiate. (Edmonds Tribune - Review, Edmonds WA, )

Remembrance - Steve Pennington
Darilee, once again I want to thank you for all the great work you have done with Faces. I look at it often and reflect on the boys whose faces look out from my monitor screen. Were we ever that young? For Christmas this year my sister in law and brother in law gave me a book entitled "The Greatest War Stories Ever Told." It is a compilation of 24 stories by several different authors. One of the stories, "The Perfect Deadfall," tells the story of the battle in Vietnam in 1966 in which Lt. Benny Starr of Edmonds, WA was killed in action. It is a well researched story and told by Gen. S. L. A. Marshall, USAR, (ret) who wrote many books on military history including "Pork Chop Hill," later made into a Hollywood movie. I wanted to share this with you so you might add it to the biography of Lt. Starr. You are truly a wonderful person and do all of us who served in Vietnam a great honor. Steve Pennington, Edmonds, WA (email received 29 Dec 2008)

    Larry Allen MOSS

Birth 03APR47 Rank PFC Date of Death 12DEC66 P. of birth Spokane Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Spokane Unit 25th Inf Div, B Co, 1st Bn, 5th Inf Death Code Hostile Died Wounds; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 1983657 Panel 13EAST - 39 married Single Link Bobcats Medals   Comment   Tour Date 26 Sep 66 Cemetery

He Wanted Action
SPOKANE SOLDIER DIES IN VIETNAM
    A youthful Spokane service man who volunteered to be transferred to Vietnam because he told his parents, "That's where the action is," died Monday of wounds received in combat. The soldier, Larry Moss, 18, died a little more than two months after he arrived in Vietnam.
    Pfc. Moss, according to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Moss, E10620 Mission, was stationed in Germany until recently. "Then he asked for a transfer," his father said, "because he was bored with duty in Germany. He always wanted to see action."
    Arrived Sept. 30.
    He arrived in Saigon 30 Sep (1966) and was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. The War Department telegram received by the Moss family Tuesday said his unit was in action close to Saigon at the time the youth received his fatal wounds. There were no further details of the circumstances in the message. However, he had told his parents in letters Home that he was operating a flame thrower with his unit.
    Pfc. Moss, who was not married, was born in Spokane, 13 Apr 1948. and was an Explorer Scout. He was a member of Spokane Valley Methodist Church. A graduate of Central Valley High School, he also attended North Pines Junior High and Opportunity grade schools. He enlisted in the Army June of 1965.
    Besides his parents, he is survived by two sisters, Barbara and Denise; five brothers, Norman, Darrell, Kenneth, Lyle and Ronald Moss, all at Home.
    The body is to be sent to Thornhill Valley Funeral Home.
    (Spokane Review, Spokane WA, 15 Dec 1966)

    Edwin Lee KOENIG

Birth 20FEB34 Rank LCDR Date of Death 14DEC66 P. of birth   Service Navy (Reserve) Place offshore N. Vietnam Town of Record Spokane Unit 7th Fleet, VAW-12, TF 77, USS ROOSEVELT Death Code Non-Hostile, Fixed Wing Crew; Air Loss, Crash at Sea Hometown   service # 617528 Panel 13EAST - 45 married Married MIA - BNR Medals   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

(MIA report extracted from POW NETWORK) Edwin Lee Koenig was born 20 Feb 1934. He was a member of the Carrier Air Early Warning Squadron 12, Detachment 42 aboard the USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. He was a crew member aboard an E1B propeller-driven warning plane (the Willie Fudd) that was launched from the carrier on 14 Dec 66 on a routine mission. The plane crashed when one of the engines failed. The Pilot was forced to ditch into the South China Sea. Two crewmen survived the crash and were rescued. Three men including Koenig and the pilot died and their bodies were not recovered.
For more information visit P.O.W. NETWORK

    Rogner Andre 'Rocky' LARSON

Birth 07DEC45 Rank PFC Date of Death 17DEC66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Nam, S. Vietnam Town of Record Seattle Unit G Co, 2nd Bn, 5th Mar, 1st Div Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2219873 Panel 13EAST - 53 married Single MIA -   Medals   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

Remembrance for Rocky by a Class Mate
    We called him Rocky. Rocky was a running back on the '63 football team and he ran the 440 in track. Muscular and lean. A good athlete.
    He was a quiet sort. He had a '40 Mercury Coupe.
    Rocky had a little mischief in him. One hot summer day he showed up at the beach with a six pack of beer. Being football players made this a no-no, but on that hot summer afternoon he convinced me and another guy that beer was food...and actually good for you.
    (Frederick Hill, email received 15 Jan 2004)

    Darrell Wayne WILSON

Birth 08MAR47 Rank PFC Date of Death 17DEC66 P. of birth Pasco Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Kennewick Unit 1st Cav Div, D Co, 1st Bn, 12th Cav Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown Ballard (Seattle) service # 19870996 Panel 13EAST - 57 married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 04SEP66 Comment Ranger25.com Cemetery

Tri-City GI Loses Life In Vietnam. A 19 year old Kennewick man was killed in action in Vietnam a week before Christmas Eve, it was reported today. Pfc. Darrell W. Wilson, son of Mr. and Mrs., Clifford I. Wilson, 1027 W. Grand Ronde Ave., is the sixth Tri- Citian to die in the line of duty in Vietnam. Born in Pasco, and having attended Kennewick schools, Wilson enlisted in the Army for paratrooper service last February and left for Vietnam on Labor Day. He had been a partner in his father's business, Cliff's Auto Repair, Richland. The family, in receiving notice, was informed that the paratrooper, attached to the First Air Cavalry Airmobile, was killed by small arms fire in last Saturday's battle with 500 Viet Cong at An Khe. Ten years ago, 15 April 1956, Wilson's 10 year old brother drowned at the Columbian lagoon after falling off a raft while fishing. Full military ceremonies will be held for the victim. Arrangements will be handled by Mueller's Funeral Home with burial at Desert Lawn next to his brother. Other survivors are Steven, 22, Minneapolis MN., and Mark, 11, Sandy, 9, Martha, 5, and Kimberly, 3, all of the home; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. A. H Sweeney, Ocean Park, and maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.. Paul Beleen, Minneapolis. Other Tri- Citian's killed in VietNam were Pfc Mark Black, 18, and Spec. 5 Danny Neth, 28, both Richland; Sgt. Gerald Carmichael and S. Sgt. Michael Newbern, 22, both of Kennewick, and Lt. Cmdr, Clem Morisette, 33, Othello. (Tri-City Herald, Pasco, Kennewick, Richand WA, 21 Dec 1966)

Kennewick GI Killed in Viet War. Pfc. Darrell W. Wilson, 19, Kennewick, who left for Viet Nam on Labor Day, was killed in action Saturday, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford I. Wilson, have been informed. He enlisted last February and became a paratrooper. He was in action with his unit, the 1st Air Calvalry Airmobile, battling 500 Viet Cong when he was killed by small arms fire, the family said. He was the fifth Tri-Citian to die in Vietnam. Young Wilson was born in Pasco and attended schools in Kennewick. When he enlisted he was a partner with his father in the auto repair business in Richland. His younger brother, Cliff, 10, drowned a year ago at the Columbia Lagoon after falling off a raft while fishing. Survivors include his parents and five brothers and sisters. Other Tri-Citians killed in Vietnam were Pfc Black, 18, and Spec. 5. Danny Neth, 28, both of Richland, and Sgt. Gerald Carmichael and S.Sgt. Michael Newbern, 22, both of Kennewick. Kennewick article - (Spokesman Review, Spokane WA, 22 Dec 1966)

     Edward Leroy BROCK

Birth 09MAY38 Rank SGT Date of Death 21DEC66 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Mt Vernon Unit 4th Inf Div B Co 3rd Bn 22nd Inf Death Code Hostile Died Missing; Ground Casualty; Drowned Suffocated Hometown   service # 56339216 Panel 13EAST -66 married Married MIA -   Medals   Comment   Tour Date 22 Sep 66 Cemetery

    Guy Lee GORDON

Birth 04DEC45 Rank PFC Date of Death 28DEC66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Morton Unit Mortar Btry, 1/13 Mar Div Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground casualty;Other explosive device Hometown   service # 2221573 Panel 13EAST - 91 married Single MIA -   Medals   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

Remembrance for Guy Gordon His yearbook picture was sent in by his niece Corena Fristad

    James Raymond AARDE

Birth 08JUN44 Rank LCPL Date of Death 29DEC66 P. of birth Olympia Service Marines (Draft) Place Quang Tri, S. Vietnam Town of Record Kent Unit Mortar Co., 1st Bn, 13th Mar, FMF Death Code Hostile Died Wounds; Ground Casualty; Other Explosive Device Hometown   service # 2221574 Panel 13EAST - 95 married Married MIA -   Medals   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery Evergreen - Washelli Memorial Park, Seattle WA     Mt. Rainier High School, Des Moines WA

Marine Killed in Vietnam Marine Lance Corp. James R. Aarde, 22, of 21814 Pacific Highway South, Kent has been killed by hostile fire while on duty with the 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Division, near the demilitarized zone in Vietnam, the Pentagon announced. Aarde's wife, Terre, gave birth to a daughter, Angela, three months ago after Aarde went to Vietnam. Aarde, son of John C. Aarde of Des Moines and Mrs. Margaret Aarde of Seattle, went to Vietnam in September. Born in Olympia, Aarde was graduated from Mount Rainier High School in the Highline District after moving to this area about seven years ago. He was employed by Cawdrey & Verno Inc., contractor, before entering the service. Other survivors include a sister, Mrs. Judy Derefield of McCleary, Grays Harbor County, and a maternal grandmother, Mrs. Nellie Fordham of Des Moines. (The Seattle Times, Seattle WA, Wednesday, 4 Jan 1967)

    Robert Frank RATHBUN

Birth 24DEC47 Rank PFC Date of Death 29DEC66 P. of birth Seattle Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Mansfield OH Unit 196th LIB, B Co, 4th Bn, 31st Inf Death Code Hostile, Ground Casualty; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Hometown   service # 15743095 Local Seattle married Single Panel 13EAST - 99 Medals   Tour Date 16JUL66 Comment   Cemetery Evergreen- Washelli Memorial Park, Seattle WA

Military funeral services for Pfc. Robert Frank Rathbun, 19, who died in Vietnam 29 Dec (1966), will be Monday at Butterworth's. Burial will be in Washelli. Private Rathbun, a Seattle native, died of wounds suffered when a land mine exploded. A member of the 196th Light Infantry Brigrade, he had served in Vietnam 4 1/2 months and the Army 17 months. He was 19 on Christmas eve. Surviving are his father Calvin Z. Rathbun, Anchorage, his mother, Mrs. D. O. Osburn, Mansfield OH; three brothers, Richard, Randall and Ronald Rathbun, all of Mansfield; a stepsister, Lori Osburn, Mansfield; his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Ethel Rathbun, Seattle; his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Malcom Crawford, Benica CA, and his maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Etta Dollarhide, Everett. (Seattle Times, Seattle WA, 6 Jan 1967)