~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Terry Kilbane

TERENCE JOSEPH KILBANE
LCPL - E3 - Marine Corps - Regular
20 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jan 31, 1947
From PARMA, OHIO
Length of service 1 year.
Casualty was on July 06, 1967

in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Body was recovered
Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC

Panel 23E - - Line 20
Terry was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery
Brookpark Road
Brookpark Ohio
I was informed Terry was buried there July 17, 1967
and moved to Arlington National Cemetery, Va., March 25, 1993

The Association's - "Windy" was the number one song the week Terry died

Terry too joined the Marines and was not drafted

Terry was the first of my friends to die.
I met Terry through friends at Holy Family Church on York road -
Terry was the spark the makes a car run - the center of attention -
Just A great guy to know --- He occasionally played football with us at Dennis Tepper s House.

Here is a startling co-incidence -
Terry's Father, Joe was a Cleveland Police Detective,
and worked with my father, WHO WAS A NARCOTICS DETECTIVE in Cleveland
Terry was also a classmate of mine @ Valley Forge
Again, Terry has been gone for 47 years as of July 6th 2014

In another case of a degree of separation --
Me and Terry shared the same jobs
as he was a "flyboy"
sort of a Jr apprentice
at the Cleveland Press and Cleveland Plain Dealer
previous to his joining the Marine in The summer of 1966
I started working there in June of 1967
But having never been aware Terry too worked there until recently when I read
His bio at
the site found Here
http://www.clevelandvetsmemorial.org

Yet One more strange event:
On Oct 2nd 2007
I was revising this page and
I still did not have a picture of Terry Kilbane
after many attempts to contact Valley Forge High School
I remember saying to myself I wish I had a pic of Terry to include on my page

The picture of Terry included here was found
The very next day - Oct 3rd 2007 in an email I received:
Here is that email:

Hi

I’m Terry Kilbane’s younger brother and came across your website.
What a wonderful thing you are doing for all these brave
guys who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
I’m forwarding some info on Terry so hopefully
you can incorporate it in your site.

Thanks and God Bless!!

Kevin Kilbane

Here is the info he forwarded to me
It is where I found THE PICTURE
NOW included on this page

It is copyrighted Greater Cleveland Veterans Memorial Page
Click Here
http://www.clevelandvetsmemorial.org
to get a glimpse into what Terry endured
in Viet Nam and how his family has dealt with his passing

I believe that Terry, Bill, Greg, are still very active
- guiding, protecting and helping us ALL

Just ask them

God Bless Them

*********

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I worked with the next Heroes Brother, Jim Steffen in the pressrooms
@ The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Press and Art Gravure Corporation Of Ohio

Alan Ralph Steffen
SSGT - E5 - Air Force - Regular
PARMA, OH
Date of Birth Jan 14, 1939
Marital Status: Married

Length of service 8 years
Casualty was on Nov 26, 1966
In GIA DINH, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, FIXED WING - CREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered
Panel 12E - Line 123

The Supremes - "You Keep Me Hangin On" topped the music charts the day Alan Died

~~~~~~~~~

Here is an entry found on Alan Steffens Memorial Page @ the Viet Nam Wall Site

from Manuel Pino Jr.
Fellow Vietnam Vet

REFLECTIONS FROM THE MOVING WALL".
I am a monument to a black period in this countries history
I am the Vietnam Memorial Wall
composed of two angled granite walls
inscribed with the names of over fifty eight thousand, two hundred American men and women
who died in the hell that was Vietnam

Many people come to see me.
Strangely they come mostly in silence
old people, young people, children, mothers, fathers, widows, friends and other veterans
All for reasons of their own
They bring gifts, pictures, letters, flowers, poems and cigarettes
The letters speak of grief and loneliness and regret
They ask forgiveness
They are an out pouring of pain
The people who come softly touch names on my face
They water my grass with tears
Then they leave in silence and I hope in peace
For I am more than two stone walls
I am a thank you from a nation that forgot
I am a long past due apology
I am healing for wounds too long left untended
I am a tribute paid to fallen warriors
I AM THE VIETNAM WALL.

America has forgotten the war
will she remember her warriors"?
You may be gone, BUT YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

~~~~~~~~

Here is a message I received through my Face Book Page
I feel honored the family would allow me to post this

Brenda Underwood June 24 at 12:35am
I just visited your site and was speechless while listening and reading
the tributes. It really touched my heart because my brother
Lonnie A. Floyd was KIA 1-14-67 while serving with the 173RD ABN. He was 19.
Just today I received an email from a fellow who had been in basic
training with my brother and he told me many things I had not either
remembered or ever knew about Lonnie during their training. I was only
14 then and 16 when Lonnie was killed. I wish you had known him.
If you have a chance please visit Lonnies Viet Nam Veterans Memorial Fund site
http://www.vvmf.org/index.cfm?SectionID=110&Wall_Id_No=16532
maybe you read a little bit about this wonderful soldier who will
always be young in my heart. Thank you for allowing me to visit your
site and learn a bit about your friends.
God Bless.
Brenda Floyd Underwood

And a follow up to the first message:
Brenda Underwood June 24 at 11:12am
Good morning Bill. I will be honored to have Lonnie's link posted to your
site among your fallen friends. He would be proud & you would've be
proud to have him as a friend. His grave has never gone one day
without a flag & flowers and I've made sure thru my children &
grandchildren that his legacy and memory will always be in their
hearts. My mother visited The Wall with our local Vietnam Veterans
Chapter when the Wall was dedicated and never missed a Veteran's Day
til the year before she died in '03. My husband & I have always
visited the Wall on Memorial Day and ridden with the Rolling Thunder
Group on the Sunday before. It's a trip that grows more dear to me
each year. I know Lonnie is looking down on us & while at the Wall I
can almost hear him say "I love you Little Sis". Thanks Bill for your
service and sacrifice & next year at The Wall I will look for your
friends names & leave a part of my heart with them too. Thanks so much.
Brenda Floyd Underwood-Hixson, TN.

Now Please join me in remembering Lonnie Allen Floyd

Lonnie Allen Floyd.

Lonnie ALLEN FLOYD is honored on Panel 14E, Row 27 of the Viet Nam War Memorial

Full Name: LONNIE ALLEN FLOYD
Wall Name: LONNIE A FLOYD
Date of Birth: 7/29/1947
Date of Casualty: 1/14/1967
Home of Record: CHATTANOOGA
State: TN
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: SP4
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: BINH DUONG

The Number 1 song the week Lonnie died was The Monkees - I'm A Believer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The picture above is from someone who saw my one of my other pages
and wrote to me and sent this last picture ever of their brother
-- I have lost the info that goes with it
If the sender ever sees this page again
Please contact me and resend the text that you would like to go with this picture

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I often think about these friends and the others -
their faces are as clear today as when I last saw them for the last times over 43 years ago.

Sometimes I sit on my lanai and listen to Kenny Rogers song
"2O YEARS AGO " and find myself actually weeping.

I think about my life and the successes I have had and the failures I have succumbed to -
the good things and the bad -
these good men - and MANY of the other 58,249 men and women
who died in Viet Nam NEVER had a chance to experience these things -

What would they have accomplished if they had lived -
if they had children
what heights would they reach -
in most cases we would never know

.

We were all just kids
-- so young with so many ambitions -
so many hopes and dreams -
What a tragedy

One thing I am sure of
We are ALL RICHER FOR HAVING HAD THESE brave young men and women walk amongst us
and poorer for having lost them
BUT Heaven is a better place

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HERE
http://www.vietnamphotography.com
is a web page with a collections of Photos From Viet Nam
The Photographer is award winner Robert Hodierne

I must warn you some are very graphic
I add them to educate those of you too young to remember
what type of war our countrymen had to fight in

Visit www.WomenInVietnam.com for a real history lesson!

Here is an email I received I received from a woman who remembers those days:

Hi Bill;
I am listening to your web-site as I write this.
I was a young lady during the Viet Nam conflict,
and did not understand why the troops were being treated so badly,.

So I sent letters through the USO and would receive answers for awhile
--- then one day the letters would stop........I have never ask why,
I only prayed that a son came home. That a husband was reunited with his family,
or that old buddies were sharing a drink with friends at the local gathering spot.

Once in awhile, in a dream I will remember a name-but never while awake
--so I did not look through the lists.
Thank you, Bill for taking so much trouble to remember these men and women
----I will think of them as Grandparents and angels and love them still.

Lovingly, Mrs. Kitty Scheuerman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.soldiersangels.com
Click Here for a Great Tribute and Help Site to Our Soldiers

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Here is something I could NEVER understand
For years over 30,000 people PER YEAR have died / been injured in the U.S. from guns
that equates to 87 per day

That number far exceeds the daily numbers of those killed / wounded in every war except our civil war and WWII
Where are the protesters to change our guns laws ?
It seems they were out in the 10's of millions against the Viet Nam war
and yet we still are killing and maiming each other
in record numbers (30,000 PER YEAR ) right here at home
I am sure the boys and girls who died in our wars did not want to die
so we would have the "right" to kill or hurt each other
although that is what the gun lobby would have you believe

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I lived just 5 miles
from one of the only 4, full sized replicas, of the Iwo Jima Flag Raising Statue in Ft Myers

******

Visit Justice For All
and read about the restoration
of THE Statue commemorating the Iwo Jima Flag Raising
http://www.andjustice4all.org
Founder Marian B. Scirrotto
....There is More on the battle of Iwo Jima Below

~~~~~~~~

It is amazing that JUST OVER 1 million U.S. soldiers and U.S. combatants
have died in all the wars we have fought since 1776
most OF THOSE ( 600,000 ) WERE killed in Our Civil War,
with over 51,000 dying in the three day battle July 1 to 3rd 1864
BUT OVER 1,200,000 have been Killed / injured by guns on our streets JUST since 1970
shame on us

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now the statistics on wars The U.S has fought in the last 100 years
The numbers OF THOSE KILLED AND WOUNDED IN ACTION
ARE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF WAR.

I have added an average daily death toll for each conflict
to compare that to the 85 people still being Killed each DAY in the U.S. from Guns
If you don't believe that figure go HERE
85 people per day
are Killed by guns in the U.S. that equates to OVER 31,000 per year -
In the 5 years since the war in Iraq started
we have lost 4000 soldiers or 2.1 per day
My point here is -
Why aren't the people who are protesting the war
- trying to stop the slaughter on our streets

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Killed in WW I
1914 - 1917
= Total served = 4,734,991 ~ killed in action = 53,402 ~
and 63,114 (non-combat)
~ wounded 204,002
Roughly 37 killed per day

World War II
7 Dec 1941 — 2 Sep 1945 approximately 1400 days
Total served = 16,112,566 ~ total killed = 404,997 ~
291,557 Killed In Combat plus
~ 113,420 = died in non combat action ~
wounded = 670,846
Which is nearly 290 deaths per day

The bloodiest single battle ever in U.S foreign wars
was the period from Feb 18 1945 to March 25th
During the battle for Iwo Jima

nearly 7000 Marines and Navy personnel lost their lives
The Flag raising statue in the pic is located near Ft Myers FL
and is One of only 4 full size replicas of the original sculpture

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Korean War
25 Jun 1950 — 27 Jul 1953
Approximately 1100 days
Total served = 5,720,000 ~ Killed = 54,246 ~ Military Combat = 33,686
and Non-Combat deaths = 20,560 ~
Wounded 103,240
That is 48+ per day killed from all cause

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vietnam / South East Asia

Approximate length = 3220 days
From 4 Aug 1964 ( this date is not set in stone ) as The U.S. had troops in Vietnam for many years
But is considered to be the Date a major commitment of troops was made
— to March 29, 1973 - The day the last remaining American troops
withdrew from Vietnam as President Nixon declared it
"the day we have all worked and prayed for has finally come."
Actual date of large troop arrival was March 13th 2005

Total served = 8,744,000 ~~ Killed in Military Combat = 47,457 ~
Died from Non Combat wounds / injuries = 10,796 ~
wounded = 53,303
Total Dead in Viet Nam = 58,235 of which 8 were women
That equates to just over 17 per day killed

~~~~~~~

Iraq 1 = 1991 = 269 killed in an action
from all causes
The fighting lasted approximately 70 days ( 3.9 per day )

~~~~~~~~~~

Updated Aug 20th
Because The present Iraq war ( Enduring Freedom ) = 2003-2009 = is Ongoing
and we are now approximately 2380 days into it as of This update
These figures may be off by a small margin
I will attempt to update them frequently
American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4398 have died
37,120 wounded

That is approx. 1.8 deaths per day

As of Jan 2012 Most of the 4389 U.S Troops killed in Iraq
since the 2003 action began
were killed since the war Officially ended (5/1/03)

The low per day death toll is due mainly because of the quick response
and improved methods of getting wounded to medical facilities

Here is a daily update of the casualties HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Afghanistan

Now the focus of our EFFORTS AGAINST TERRORISM is Afghanistan

The death toll is rising in this god forsaken country as we send more troops into the conflict

US Military Deaths 2001 to 2014 - Afghanistan US 1705
that is one U.S. death every 2.4 days

The lowest daily ratre in ANY war -
This war has escalated and keeping up with the numbers is a daunting process
HERE is a site which gives daily updates on Soldiers from all nations Killed In Afghanistan
God Bless their souls For a more complete AND accurate up to date numbers on those killed
in any of the wars The U.S. has been in - in the last 100 years go
to this link HERE

.

Then make sure you stop
@ the following link for a site that lists all those killed in Viet Nam
This site has areas to leave comments - memorials as well as
tributes & insights into those men who died in that land
- put your birthday in the search box and see a list of men born on the same day as you who might be as old as you
the names you will see have been gone --over 50 years
Stop HERE for "The Online Viet Nam Memorial Wall" Page

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then click HERE

for a page dedicated to those who have died in Iraq
with names and pictures and numbers of killed and wounded
God Bless Them ALL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Others Memories and Stories of Friends Lost

From Ron M -
Class of 1965 @ Valley Forge High School
Parma Heights, OH.
My Memory of Henry Sanford
Our Class 45TH Reunion Page is @ This link HERE
Henry was a Parma High School graduate.
Henry was one of my best boyhood friends from 7th grade class
@ a school we attended together while living in Des Moines Iowa

In 1960 we both moved elsewhere and as things like that go we lost track of each other.

As incredulous as this sounds --- years later, I was in the Parma post office buying 1 stamp
I noticed a guy whom, at that second, resembled my old 7th grade friend
I approached him and we talked & and it turned out -
after all the moving ( 3 times for me & 2 times for him )
we both lived in Parma less than a mile from each other
divided only by the Parma High School & Valley Forge HS dmz line
Unfortunately I found out he was killed in Viet Nam only months later by a Viet Cong boobie trap
Henry Sanford was a great GREEN BERET
God rest his soul
Ron M - Valley Forge HS Class of 1965

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HENRY CHARLES SANFORD JR

SGT - E5 - Army -
Regular MACV Advisors
21 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Aug 29, 1946
From PARMA, OHIO
Length of service 2 years.
His tour of duty began on Dec 21, 1967
Casualty was on Jun 12, 1968
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 57W - - Line 3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill,
Please add Bill Rollason to your list.
He lived in Parma and graduated from Valley Forge in 1968.
He was my brother's best friend.
John R Basehore CRS GRI (Class of 66)
Associate Broker
RE/MAX Achievers
10555 N 114th Street #105
Scottsdale, Az 85259
480-603-4610 Direct

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WILLIAM DAVID ROLLASON

SGT - E5 - Army - Selective Service
101st Airborne Division
21 year old Married, Caucasian, Male Born on Dec 08, 1948
From RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Sep 18, 1969
Casualty was on Jul 18, 1970
in THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Body was recovered
Religion LUTHERAN & MISSOURI SYNOD
Panel 08W - - Line 29

It's Done Mr. Basehore
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Again, make sure you
STOP

and visit the following link to leave comments and memorials and insights
into those men who died in that land
- PUT YOUR CITY or a name in the search box --
then follow the links to an area for each soldier where you can leave a tribute & Pictures of your own
Lets Not let these Brave Boys EVER be forgotten

Stop HERE at the Vietnam Memorial Wall Website Online

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a request from another person ( Adam Misztal )
who wants his friend remembered
Gilbert Feliciano

I went to Lincoln High
graduated in 1965. Served in Nam in 1971 with 101st AB
Please add Gilbert Feliciano to your list of heroes
He was a Marine KIA in 1967.
He had a 75 yard punt against St.Ignatius in 1963.

Adam Misztal

Adam I was at that game, I graduated from Valley Forge but went to Ignatius from 1961 to Dec 1964

GILBERT FELICIANO
Marine Corps - PFC - E2
Age: 20
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Date of Birth Feb 21, 1947
From: CLEVELAND, OH
Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC
Marital Status: Single

GILBERT FELICIANO
PFC - E2 - Marine Corps - Regular
Length of service 0 years
Casualty was on Jul 4, 1967
In QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Panel 23E - Line 2

********************

Here are 2 exceptions but these men none the less deserve to be remembered :

My father Adolph A. Tock -

a Cleveland Policeman for 25 years from
June 20th 1946 to June 20th 1971
He served as a Military Police Officer in The Iraq, Burma, India Theater during World War II
reaching the Rank Of 1st Lieutenant

He joined the Cleveland Police Force in 1946 and rose to detective for 19 of his 25 years
working in mostly on the Narcotics Squad, but also did duty in Bunco, and Finally Selective Service / Extradition
bringing back draft dodgers and prisoners from out of state

He was My Hero and he passed Aug 1993

*******

1965 Valley Forge classmate and friend - Fred Vacha was a Cleveland Policeman and
A Former Unites States Marine too
Only to be gunned down doing his job protecting others

He was killed in the line of duty
June 20th 1973

~~~~~00~~~~~