We remember and honor our classmates
who gave their lives protecting ours. . .

 

The Greater Cleveland Veterans Memorial (GCVM) website was created as a living memorial to honor those Greater Clevelanders who lost their lives in the wars of the 20th Century.   We are proud to honor our classmates who are memorialized there.  For more information, visit their website at: http://www.clevelandvetsmemorial.org.

Preston Mentall '64
Terry Davis '66
Terence Kilbane '66
Ronald Kerner '66
Edward Heifner '67
Gregory Fischer '67
Thomas Ewalt '68
Carl Ange '64
Willian D. Rollason '68
Jeffery L. Whitcomb
Daniel E. McGrath '64
Edward E. Scott, Jr.
Phillip C. Molina '66
Ronald J. Becksted '69
Thomnas J. Zelenka '66
Michael J. Akos '87

THOMAS JOSEPH ZELENKA - Class of ‘66
U.S. ARMY—SP5; 41ST ENG CO 92ND ENG BAT 159TH ENG GR 20TH ENG BDE

Army SP5 Thomas Joseph Zelenka, son of Joseph C. and Valeria (nee Hadam) Zelenka, 7524 Kenilworth Avenue, Parma, was killed in non-hostile action July 6, 1969. His family was informed that the bridge erection boat on which he was working sprang a leak and sank, taking him with it and he drowned while at work on the Saigon River. He was a member of an Army Engineer port construction unit stationed at Long Binh. Born August 20, 1948, Specialist Zelenka was a 1966 graduate of Valley Forge High School and was drafted in 1968. He went to Vietnam on May 28. His parents said he had hoped to study oceanography upon completion of his military duties. He and his fiancee, Nella DiBenedetto, were planning to be married in September of 1970. He was the brother of Ronald and the grandson of Mrs. Stella Hadam and Mrs. Mary Zelenka. 

Specialist Zelenka is interred at Holy Cross Cemetery.  Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, July 17, 18 & 21, 1969.

 

 

WILLIAM DAVID ROLLASON - Class of ‘68
US Army—SGT; 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION

SP4 William David Rollason, 21, son of Arthur and Florence Rollason, 7575 Dawn Haven Drive was killed July 18, 1970 during the Army's Operation Ripcord in northern South Vietnam. He was fatally injured during a mortar attack when the enemy overran Fire Base Ripcord, atop a 1500 foot mountain. The Army abandoned the firebase after 21 Americans were killed and 345 wounded during a three week siege. Rollason, an hourly worker for Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., was married to a Riverside, California girl, the former Janet Dombrady, February 1, 1969, two months before he was drafted. Their romance began in the fifth grade. He was drafted in April 1969 and sent to Vietnam in September with the 101st Airborne Division. Born December 8, 1948, he was graduated from Valley Forge High School in 1968. His letters home always avoided reference to danger. He wrote about the rain, the heat and wanting to come home. Two sisters, Mrs. Margaret Everett, of Pittsburgh, and Nancy Kae, of the Dawn Haven address, also survived. He was the grandson of Joseph W. and Maude Rollason and Mrs. Clara Rohlmeyer of Wisconsin.

Specialist Rollason is interred at Lakewood Park Cemetery.
Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, July, 27 & 28, 1970.

DANIEL EDWARD MC GRATH - Class of ‘64
US Navy—CM2; PUBLIC WORKS NAVSUPACT DANANG USNAVFORV

Navy construction engineer CM2 Daniel Edward McGrath, 23, son of Frank E. and Patricia McGrath, 13300 Drake Road, died after a collision between a jeep and a truck he was driving outside Danang on July 20, 1969. The month he was to have come home. McGrath went to Vietnam in 1968 on his second tour of duty. Born May 10, 1946 in Cleveland, he attended Valley Forge High School, Parma, and joined the Navy at 17. His wife, Bertha (nee Lawson), and their two children, Daniel Jr., and Tammy, lived with Mrs. McGrath's parents in Brunswick. His wife was a schoolmate. He was also survived by a sister, Deborah. He was the grandson of Mary Worden and Mary McGrath.

Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, July 23, 24 & 31, 1969.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TERENCE JOSEPH KILBANE  - Class of ‘66
U. S. Marines—LCPL; F CO 2ND BAT 3RD MARINES MA3RD MARINE DIVISION

A few days before second degree sunburns took him out of combat for a day or so, Terry Joseph Kilbane wrote that "It will really be a pleasure to shovel snow again." He said the temperature in his part of Vietnam was 120. Kilbane, a 20-year-old Marine lance corporal, was a son of Joseph F. and Alice (nee Galehouse) Kilbane, 7250 Mayberry Drive, Parma. His father was a veteran Cleveland policeman, and a member of the Detective Bureau. The younger Kilbane had been with the Third Marine Division, Third Marines, in Vietnam since December 1966. He had fought in some of the fiercest battles of the war, including the bloody fight for Hill 881 in the DMZ, but had never been wounded. His letters to his parents provided a vivid picture of one man's reactions to war. These are excerpts: "I saw my first man shot today. He was 40 yards ahead of me.... When I got to him, he was already dead. He was a corporal from New Jersey and had a two month old baby he never saw." After telling about a victory: "I just can't help it. Every time I kill a man, I get a terrible feeling inside, even if he is a Viet Cong." "Just back from a patrol:.... On the outskirts of a small village we found the bodies of two men and women severely mutilated by the Viet Cong. All four had their tongues cut out. The men were castrated and the women had their breasts cut off.... The VC are animals." In a February battle, Cpl. Kilbane wrote: his platoon was outnumbered 20-1 and suffered 65% casualties in hand to hand fighting. But after Hill 881, he wrote: "I'm not going to tell you much that happened.... I want to try and forget about it. To sum it up, out of our company of 250 men there are only 26 left. And by the grace of God I'm one of them."

A picture of Kilbane, not identified, appeared in the February 27, 1967 U.S. News and World Report. The young Marine attended Holy Family School, Parma, and Valley Forge High School. Born January 31, 1947, he enlisted June 29, 1966. "This Marine will go straight to heaven because he's spent his time in hell," wrote LCpl. Terry Kilbane in a letter to his parents. His father knows that Terry is right.

Young Kilbane was killed July 6, 1967 by shrapnel from a mortar, five miles south of the demilitarized zone in South Vietnam. Terence was killed on what his father called a suicide mission. LCpl. Kilbane was based on the USS Tripoli off the coast and would be flown by helicopter to trouble spots where the need for help was desperate. He died presumably on such a mission near the Demilitarized Zone when mortar fragments struck him. He had been seven months in Vietnam and only a year in the Marine Corps. He enlisted shortly after graduation from Valley Forge High School in Parma, fulfilling a boyhood ambition. He hoped to go to college and study law after his discharge. He had worked summers as a "fly boy" or helper in the press room of The Press. He was survived by his parents, a sister Judy and a brother, Kevin and was the grandson of Mr. Mildred Galehouse.

LCpl. Kilbane is interred at Holy Cross Cemetery. Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, July 2, 7 & 14, 1967.

EDWARD WILLIAM HEIFNER - Class of ‘67
U. S. Marine Corp.—PFC; F CO 2ND BAT 26TH MARINES 3RD MARINE DIVISION

Pfc. Edward William Heifner, 18, of 9755 Westview Drive, Parma, died from gunshot wounds in the neck and body during fierce fighting near the demilitarized zone in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam on January 25, 1968. He was on patrol at the time. Born April 13, 1949 in Berea, Heifner was an all-conference football player while attending Brecksville High School. He later transferred to Valley Forge High school in Parma Heights where he was graduated. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in June 1967 and went to Vietnam Thanksgiving Day. Pfc. Heifner had tried to find a job after finishing Valley Forge High School and then decided to join the Marines, enlistig for five years. Heifner was survived by his father, William E., of 2994 Sprague Road, Broadview Heights; his mother, Mrs. Bernice Hartshorne, and half-sister, Dawn Faith, of Parma, and a sister, Mrs. Billie Jean Speeth of Olmsted Falls.

Pfc. Heifner is interred at Knollwood Cemetery.  Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, January 30 & February 9, 1968.

GREGORY WILLIAM FISCHER - Class of ‘67
U.S.Marine Corp.—PFC; K CO 3RD BAT 7TH MARINES 1ST MARINE DIVISION

Marine Pfc. Gregory William Fischer, 19, was killed in Vietnam February 22, 1968, while on patrol as a radioman for the 1st Marine Division about 20 miles from Danang. Born in Cleveland, February 5, 1949, Fischer, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mario Piastrelli, 11061 Schwab Drive, Parma, enlisted in June 1967 immediately after graduating from Valley Forge High School. He left for Vietnam the day after Thanksgiving. While in Vietnam, he wrote a letter to his stepfather "to be opened only if I don't return." In it he said he wanted his insurance money to be used for his 11-year-old sister, Debby, when she married, and the education of his 8-year-old brother Joey. "I think he knew he was going to die," said his mother. "I knew it when he called us the last time from Camp Pendleton at Thanksgiving. I knew it would be the last time I would hear his voice." Fischer had hoped to enter college following service. Fischer wrote often to his parents and friends about his experiences in Vietnam. He was optimistic about his future as a radioman in Vietnam, but pessimistic about the war. He felt he should do what he was doing, but he couldn't see how this war could be won - he couldn't see the enemy. He was the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Pinkerton of Florida and Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Fisher of AZ.

Pfc. Fischer is interred at Sunset Memorial Park.   Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, February 28 & March 4,1968.

 

 

 

 

 

RONALD JAMES BECKSTED - Class of ‘69
U.S.Army—SGT; C CO 1ST BAT 46TH INF 198TH LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

Middleburg Heights Army Sgt. Ronald J. Becksted, 20, was one of 33 Americans killed when North Vietnamese sappers swept through fire base Mary Ann, a U.S. artillery base south of Danang, March 28, 1971. The Associated Press reported the Viet Cong, who carried explosive charges in satchels, blasted their way through barbed-wire defenses and threw dynamite bombs into foxholes and trenches. It had been the highest number of casualties suffered by an American unit in a single action in more than two years. Wire reports told how many of the men in firebase Mary Ann, 50 miles southwest of Danang were scheduled for return to the U.S. and apparently had relaxed security when the enemy crept into the camp and set off satchel charges.

Born February 16, 1951, Sgt. Becksted, one of nine children, was graduated from Valley Forge High School in 1969. He enlisted in the Army in May that year and was due to return in May of 1971 from Vietnam, where he was a platoon sergeant in Co. C, 1-46, of the 196th Brigade, part of the Americal Division. Ronald had hoped to enter the electronics field when he came home. Sgt. Becksted was the son of Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Becksted, 16819 Brinbourne Ave. One of his brothers, Robert Jr., also fought in Vietnam and was listed as missing in action for a short time. His mother, Janis K., lived at 9235 North Church Dr., Parma Hts. He was the brother of Robert J. Jr., of Chicago, Katherine Mrasek of Norfolk, Va., Mary Ann, Richard J. and Patricia L., step brother of Yvette, Trina and Lisa, brother of Brian Sean, uncle of Mark Mrasek of Norfolk, and Robert Sean of Chicago.

Sgt. Becksted is interred in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, April 1 & 6, 1971.

 

DONALD THOMAS EWALT - Class of ‘68
U. S. Army—SP4; 336TH AVN CO 13TH AVN BN 164TH AVN GRP 1ST AVN BDE

Army SP4 D. Thomas Ewalt, 19, who dropped out of his senior year at Valley Forge High School to enlist, was killed February 18, 1968, in Vietnam. Ewalt, son of Donald and Mildred Ewalt, 7195 Parma Park Boulevard, Parma, was reported to have been on duty as a gunner in a helicopter that was shot down. "It's bad at night when we get mortared," Ewalt wrote in his last letter home. "It gets kind of cold up there in the helicopter. The weather here is terrible and the insects are by the millions, including some I've never seen before. "We have a darn good reason for being here. It's to keep communism from spreading any farther than it has. If I can help it, it won't." His mother said he was planning to return to school and continue his education after the service. Born Donald Thomas Ewalt, September 16, 1948, he enlisted because he couldn't wait out the war. "The Army called him D. Thomas Ewalt," his mother said. "We just called him Tom. Ewalt was the brother of Mrs. Judith Brown, Mrs. Susan Zbikowski, Christine and Jill. He was the grandson of Mrs. Mary Ewalt and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clark, all of Mt. Vernon, OH.

SP4 Ewalt is interred in Moundview Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Ohio.
Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, March 2 & 8, 1968.

 

 

 

CARMELLO ANGE JR - Class of ‘64
U. S. Army—PFC; A CO 1ST BAT 6TH INF 198TH LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

Army Pfc. Carmello (Carl) Ange, 23, of 8646 Wyatt Road, Broadview Heights, was killed in offshore maneuvers near Chu Lai, on Thursday, April 23, 1968. He had a two-month-old son, Ronald A. Ange, whom he had never seen. Ange, born in Cleveland December 2, 1944, was a 1964 graduate of Valley Forge High School and a lineman for Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. before he was drafted in August 1967. He was sent to Vietnam in February 1968. His wife, the former Linda Osborn, 8646 Wyatt Rd., Broadview Heights, was informed he had been killed by enemy gunfire while serving with his infantry unit in the 198th Light Infantry Brigade. He had been in Vietnam three months. He and Linda were married in January 1966. Survivors also included his parents, Carmello (Carl) Ange, and Mrs. Edith DeMarco, both of Cleveland, and two brothers, Thomas, who was in the Army stationed in Korea, and Robert P. He was also the father of Dean T. who was deceased. He was the grandson of Louis & Rose Ange, and Frank & Eunice Powell.

Pfc. Ange is interred at West Park Cemetery.
Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, April 30 & May 7, 1968. This American Hero is sponsored by John S. Pyle.


MICHAEL J. AKOS - Class of '87
MAJ   US AIR FORCE

VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 07/03/1992 - 08/07/2002
DATE OF BIRTH: 05/06/1969
DATE OF DEATH: 08/07/2002
DATE OF INTERMENT: 09/04/2002
BURIED AT: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY SECTION 66  SITE 7134

TERRY LEE DAVIS - Class of ‘66
U. S. Navy —DET QUI NHON - IUWG1 TF 115 USNAVFORV

To BM3 Terry Lee Davis, 20, the war in Vietnam was a bloody business that had to be fought out because the Communists had to be stopped somewhere. He wrote this to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Davis, 11491 Ronald Dr., Parma. He was counting the days until he was due to come home. Davis, bosun's mate third class on a river patrol boat, was killed February 24, 1967, when his craft stopped a sampan for a routine inspection near Qui Khon. A grenade or other explosive device was tossed aboard his boat and Davis was fatally wounded. Born December 27, 1946, Davis joined the Navy in December, 1964, and was planning to accept discharge in December. He originally expected to make the Navy a career, but his mother said he changed his mind later and had hoped to be married to the Parma Heights girl to whom he was engaged and to study mechanics in a trade school. Besides his parents he was survived by a sister, Charlot Murmann and a brother, Charles Jr. He was the grandson of Mrs. Catherine Shingleton.

BM3 Davis is interred at Brooklyn Heights Cemetery. Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, February 28 & March 3, 1967.

RONALD KERNER - Class of ‘66
U. S. Army—A CO 2ND BAT 8TH CAVALRY 1ST CAV DIVISION

Pfc. Ronald Brian Kerner, son of Kenneth and Laura (nee Petsinger) Kerner, 5536 Hauserman Road, Parma, was killed in action on September 10, 1967. Pfc. Kerner had been in Vietnam only 27 days when he was killed by an enemy hand grenade. He was stationed at Bong Song in the First Air Cavalry Division and had been in action almost from the day of his arrival, according to his mother. She said he flew to combat in helicopters. Born August 19, 1947 in Butler, PA, Pfc. Kerner had lived in Greater Cleveland 12 years and graduated from Valley Forge High School before enlisting. He was the brother of Kenneth Jr., Gail and Mrs. Eleanor Campbell.

Pfc. Kerner is interred in West Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press & Plain Dealer, September 12 & 17, 1967.

EDWARD E. SCOTT, JR. - Class Unknown

The Defense Department reported the death in Vietnam on February 22, 1971, of Army Pfc. Edward Earl Scott Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward E. Scott Sr., 11541 Sharon Dr., Parma. The family was too distraught to talk with The Press reporter who visited the address, and no further information about Pfc. Scott was available at that time. He was born October 12, 1952.

Information as gathered from the Cleveland Press, March 2, 1971