Marines, LCPL Ralph Mario Valencia was also awarded the Bronze Star for Bravery, his unit was pinned down by an enemy ambush, he charged the enemy position which gave his unit time to re-group. He died of wounds suffered during this encounter. Many lives were saved by the actions this brave marine.

Army, entered service in 1941 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, 720th Amphibian Tractor Bn., Co. C, 51st Infantry. Battles & Campaigns: Central Pacific GO48WD45. Was also awarded: American Campaign Service Medal, Asiactic Pacific Service Medal & Victory Medal.

Army, S/Sgt. Vandercar has been nominated for the Medal of Honor, the case is still pending.

Marines, His obit from his reburial in Houston February 1949 stated: "A member of the First Marine Division, he was killed May 4, 1945, on Okinawa. He was acting sergeant at the time of his death. Corporal Vandergriff was killed by a bomb in the fighting in the southern section of Okinawa. He previously had taken part in the Battles of Cape Gloucester and Peleliu." Niece's Note: Corporal Vandergriff was in the Third Squad, L Company, Third Bn., 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was killed along with 8 or 9 other members of his squad at the same time.

Everett was a member of Co. F, 194th Glider Infantry, mos was 309-telephone operator, also awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Parachutist's Badge, American Defense Service Ribbon, European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with 4 bronze Battle stars, 7 overseas Service Bars, and the Purple Heart.

orn {sic} Lima Peru, Currently lives in Longhorn, Pennsylvania. It was early morning, about 5am. North Viet Namese Regulars, outside Plei Ku. I was a paratrooper with Combat Engineers, 182nd Airborne Division. We were taking a bath in a creek, and they threw fragmentation grenades. I was hit by shrapnel in the left leg. We were able to get out of the water, and take cover. We called for reinforcements, which came later by helicopters from the 1st Cav. We had two machine guns, grenade launchers & M16s to protect ourselves until 1st Cav arrived. Five of us all together were hit. One, Richard Dunlap, was very badly hurt & they flew him to Saigon. I was in the hospital for four weeks and then returned to service, with my company in Viet Nam. Returned Stateside the first week of April, 1968.

U. S. Army Air Corps; They were shot down by a direct hit just after crossing the Rhine on the way to a bombing mission of a gasoline storage facility in Weisenhorn, Germany. My father apparently was trapped in the escape tunnel as the cockpit was in flames. An eyewitness report from the pilot of another B-24 on the same mission, Capt. Alve, states that my Dad's pilot, Lt. Mills was seen struggling in the flames. Three crewmen were able to bail out. They were the navigator, Lt. Ford, the top turret gunner, Sgt. Demroe, and the left waist gunner, Sgt. William Dennis (now deceased). They were POWs until the end of the war as far as I know.

My Dad and the other six could not be identified individually as the bomber exploded in the air. They then "rained" down over Westhafen, Germany where their remains were located. They were first buried in the American cemetery in Belgium. In 1949, they were brought home and buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo. It is a group burial. They have a beautiful resting place as I was honored to visit in 200l along with my Goddaughter who is my Dad's grand niece. My mother and older brother had already died unfortunately so I'm the only one to have seen my Dad's final resting place.

My father also received the Air Medal for meritorious service in the performance of his duties as a nose turret gunner on a B-24 bomber. He was also awarded a Citation of Honor, and a Presidential Unit citation. He died along with six of his crewmates.

Army, Dec. 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Wounded by two Japanese bullets, spend almost 18 months in hospital. 97th Army Coast Artillery.

Army, Ralph was killed after clearing a bunker of enemy NVA during a firefight in which he took the lead and aggressively pursued the enemy. A sniper shot him dead. this was during operation lamar plain in I Corps. He was a Christian and a good man.

Army Air Corps, Radio Operator; Killed in a plane crash, has a memorial stone along with the crew in the Andrew Jackson cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

Marines, wounded Appx. 5 Mi. West of hill 55. Wounded when a land mine went off.

Was also awarded USMC Good Conduct Metal {1st. & 2nd. Awds.}, National Deffence Service Metal, Vietnam Service Metal, AF Longevity Service Ribbon {w/4 Clusters}, Armed Forces Res. Metal, AF Meritorious Service Award, AF NCO PME Ribbon, Sml. Arms Expert Marksmenship Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campain Metal, USMC Rifel Sharpshooter Metal, AF m-16 Marksmenship Ribbon, Navel Meritorious Service Metal

Retired as a Master Sgt. from the USAF.