MICHAEL J. OHLER, CAPT, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

CAPT Michael Ohler, '77 USMC was killed in action in Lebanon on October 16, 1983 during a firefight with militia. He was a pilot who was assigned to the First Battalion, Eighth Marines as an aviation liaison.

In the Lucky Bag: He enjoys "the great outdoors and has been the foremost camping and backpacking authority in the company… A finer and more loyal friend than Mike could not be found."

A native of Huntington, New York, Michael was survived by his wife, two-year-old daughter, three-month-old son, and parents.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/MICHAEL_J._OHLER,_CAPT,_USMC

MARK A. LANGE, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT Mark Lange '79, USN was killed in action on December 4, 1983 when the A-6E Intruder he was piloting was shot down by Syrian air defense forces in Lebanon. He was able to eject but was badly injured and died shortly afterwards. His bombardier/navigator survived and was captured.

From the March 1984 issue of "Shipmate:"

Lt. Lange was appointed to the Naval Academy from the State of Michigan and was graduated with the Class of 1979, whereupon he entered flight training and was designated naval aviator in 1981, serving with VA-85. During his Academy years he was an active member of the Masqueraders and he had been a member of the Glee Club for four years. He was also a member of the Glee Club at Pensacola.

After having made a six-month deployment in FORRESTAL, he was flying off KENNEDY at the time that he was shot down.

He is survived by his widow Cheryle; a daughter, Jamie Christina; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Lange; three brothers and a sister; his maternal grandparents and his paternal grandmother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/MARK_A._LANGE,_LT,_USN

FRED B. CANNON, JR., ENS, USNR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

ENS Fred Cannon, Jr., USNR '40 was only at the Naval Academy for 9 months prior to his resignation. He returned home to West Virginia, and by 1940 was working at the Federal Security Agency, Social Security Board in Clarksburg, WV. A tall and skinny young man -- his draft registration lists him as 6' tall, 140 lbs -- he was commissioned an Ensign in the Naval Reserve sometime before April 1942.

On June 10, 1942 he left aboard USS Mizar, a contracted stores ship, with task force 39, centered around USS Wasp (CV 7). At some point in the next three months he moved to WASP; he was aboard that ship when she was torpedoed on September 15, 1942. One hundred ninety two of Fred's shipmates died when WASP sank, including five other alumni.

Fred was survived by his parents.

His photograph was only recently discovered by volunteer researcher Kathy Franz.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/FRED_B._CANNON,_JR.,_ENS,_USNR

Battle of Tarawa

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

The Battle of Tarawa began 80 years ago today, on November 20, 1943. Over 1,000 US Marines were killed in the battle, which lasted only three days. Two alumni of the Naval Academy were among those killed.

Captain Kenneth Brown, USMC '41 was an artillery officer with the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines. He was awarded the Navy Cross in part for taking command of a group of infantrymen who had become separated from their regular units and leading them against a dug-in Japanese machine gun.

Lieutenant Colonel David Claude, USMC '24 was a non-graduate alumni who'd resigned in February of his 2/c year at the Naval Academy. He appears to have been commissioned in early 1925; he spent many most of the rest of the 1920s in Norfolk, Quantico, and Nicaragua. A tour aboard USS Wyoming (BB-32) was followed by the Naval Academy, San Diego, another two battleships (Utah and Idaho), Quantico, then schools at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Promoted to Captain in early 1936, he spent time at the Army Infantry School, Ft. Benning, Georgia before commanding Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines. At the time of his death he was temporarily attached to the 2nd Marine Division as a "Senior Observer;" his own command, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines was training in California. He was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery at Tarawa. David is buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/KENNETH_L._BROWN,_CAPT,_USMC

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAVID_K._CLAUDE,_LTCOL,_USMC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tarawa

Beirut Bombing

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Forty years ago today - October 23, 1983 - four Naval Academy alumni were among those killed in the bombing of the Marine barracks at Beirut, Lebanon.

Captain Vincent Smith, USMC '76

Lieutenant James Surch, Jr., USN '77

1st Lieutenant Donald Woollett, USMC '80

1st Lieutenant David Nairn, USMC '81

All were members of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines.

The annual Beirut Memorial Observance is scheduled for 10:30AM today (Monday, 10/23), at Lejeune Memorial Gardens, 100 Montford Landing Road, Jacksonville, North Carolina. Organized by the Beirut Memorial Advisory Board and the City of Jacksonville (NC) in cooperation with MCB Camp Lejeune, the observance honors those killed and the survivors of the Beirut bombing. This ceremony is open to the public, and will also be live-streamed on the City of Jacksonville Facebook page and available for viewing on G10TV, G10TV.org, and the City's Youtube channel. (Thank you to CAPT Allan Nadolski, USN (Ret.) '77 for this information.)

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/Category:Beirut_Bombing

DAVID S. GREENE, LTCOL, USMCR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LtCol David Greene, USMCR '86 was killed in action on July 28, 2004 when he was struck by ground fire while piloting an attack helicopter in Anbar Province, Iraq.

David was a native of Camden, New York. The author of his Lucky Bag biography wrote, "Dave never confused his priorities, with academics running a cool last place."

He served on active duty until 1997, and was recalled in January 2004 to serve with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 775. As a civilian he was a project manager at BF Goodrich Aerospace in Vergennes, Vermont.

David was remembered as having "unassuming nobility," and a "humor, wit and a perpetual smile for all around him. He effortlessly enriched the lives of all with whom he came in contact."

He was survived by his wife Sarah, children Wesley and Jena, parents, two sisters and a brother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php?title=DAVID_S._GREENE,_LTCOL,_USMCR

MARIO D. CARAZO, LTCOL, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

From the September-October 2010 issue of "Shipmate":

Lieutenant Colonel Mario “Sugarbear” Carazo, USMC, ‘91 was lost to enemy action in Afghanistan, on 22 July 2010. His AH-1W Cobra was shot down while supporting Marines engaged in a firefight. He was 41 years old.

Born on 25 May 1969 in Inglewood, CA, to Alvaro and Ana Carazo, Mario entered the Academy where he graduated in 1991, with a B.S. in history, as a member of the 19th Company.

Mario went on to fly the AH-1W Cobra with the World Famous HMLA-369 “Gunfighters” at Camp Pendleton, CA. He did two Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployments, followed by a tour as an instructor at the Fleet Replenishment Squadron. He attended the Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico, VA, and then went back to Camp Pendleton for another tour as a “Gunfighter.” “Sugarbear” attended the United States Naval War College, Newport, RI, as a Major, where he received a M.A. in national security and strategy. He was not satisfied with one M.A., so he attended the School of Advanced Warfighting in Quantico and received his second in Operational Studies.

He took this newly found knowledge, and as only he could do, applied it on another deployment—in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in December 2007 and returned from Iraq in August 2008 to Camp Pendleton, becoming the executive officer of MAG-39, and ultimately the commanding officer of Headquarters Squadron 39. He then deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Mario spent his life focusing on taking care of the people in his life. There was always the “Sugarbear” smile to pick you up, or the “What’s going on, kid,” to begin a bull session, but there was the certainty that he would do whatever was possible to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone he cared about—his family, both immediate and extended.

He is survived by his wife, Jennifer; their son, Mario, and daughter, Milla; his parents, Alvaro and Ana; his brother and two sisters, Alvaro, Ana, Sandra and their families. Mario was interred with full military honors and an AH-1W fly-over at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, CA. The family has established an education fund for the children, “Carazo Education Fund,” at California Bank & Trust, 1127 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/MARIO_D._CARAZO,_LTCOL,_USMC

KYLAN A. JONES-HUFFMAN, LT, USNR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT Kylan Jones-Huffman, USNR, '94 was lost on August 21, 2003 near Hilah, Iraq, when he was shot by an unidentified gunman while riding in an SUV. He was an intelligence officer and the first mobilized naval reservist to be killed in action in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Kylan was fluent in Arabic, Farsi, French and German, and earned a master's degree in history from the University of Maryland. He had been accepted into the doctorate program in history at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., but had not started.

He grew up in Aptos, Calif. the oldest of three children. His father was a career Army officer. As a teenager, he attended York School, an independent school in Monterey.

A newspaper article reported:

When his parents sold their home to Dr. Larry deGhetaldi, they moved nearby. DeGhetaldi watched Kylan grow up and was so impressed, he named his first son after him. “We found in him a model for what we wanted our own children to be: poise, kindness, honor, an unquenchable thirst for learning, respect and that immediately recognizable spark that really bright young people have.” DeGhetaldi kept finding abandoned toys buried in the front lawn which he called “little time capsules.” “All of him, from the lost plastic toy soldiers in my front lawn, to the haiku focused on Iraqi children selling bayonets for food, (teach) me, (teach) us all to remember the core and the vital humanity in our soldiers.”

He married Heidi Lynn Jones on January 14, 1995 at the York Chapel. They both took the hyphenated name Jones-Huffman. Kylan was survived by her, his parents, and two younger siblings.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/KYLAN_A._JONES-HUFFMAN,_LT,_USNR

BRIAN R. HOKE

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Brian Hoke '96 was killed in action with ISIS militants outside Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on October 21, 2016. His friend, Nathaniel Delemarre, was also killed while attempting to come to Brian's aid.

A native of South Dakota, Brian became a SEAL in 1997. He served at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two and SEAL Teams Three and Seven. Brian married Christy in 2008; he adopted her two boys, Sean and Stuart. Brian's daughter, Adelaide, was born in 2015.

Through his humility, sense of humor, talent, dedication and love for others, Brian became a larger than life figure who touched the souls of people from all walks of life. Most recently, Brian devoted himself to helping those from his group who had been wounded or killed, raising thousands of dollars for those who could no longer serve and those left behind.

Brian is survived by his wife, Christy; their three children, Sean, Stuart and Adelaide; his parents, Dan and Virginia; sister, Mary; brother, Dan Jr.; and their families.

Brian loved his family, his friends and his country. He gave his life protecting those he loved. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/BRIAN_R._HOKE

STEVE MORIN, JR., SGT, ARNG

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

SGT Steve Morin '97 was killed in action in Iraq on September 28, 2005 when the vehicle he was in was destroyed by an improvised explosive device. He was a member of the Texas National Guard's 111th Engineer Battalion, 36th Infantry Division.

Prior to attending the Naval Academy he was an enlisted sailor; he returned to the fleet sometime after the beginning of his 3/c year. He served his country in the Navy for 14 years prior to joining the National Guard for two more. Steve had degrees in economics and finance from Texas Tech University.

It was at Texas Tech that he met his wife, Gwendolyn. She said of her husband, "He’s very strong willed, very determined. Humorous, a clown, but he was also very disciplined and very passionate about what he believed in. He always wanted to serve his country."

In addition to Gwendolyn he was survived by his 12 year old daughter, Brianna; 6 year old son, Esteban; his parents, Steve and Audrey; a sister and a brother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/STEVE_MORIN,_JR.,_SGT,_ARNG

RONALD D. WINCHESTER, 1LT, USMCR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

1LT Ronald Winchester, USMCR '01 was killed in action on September 3, 2004 when an IED detonated near his vehicle in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. It was his second combat tour in Iraq; his first was as a platoon commander during the invasion in March 2003.

Ron was part of a longstanding family history in the military; his grandfather had also served in the 1st Marine Division. He is survived by his parents, as well as aunts, uncles and very close friends. More than 1,000 people attended his funeral and the Southern State Parkway on Long Island was closed for the procession.

“When he came home last time, he sat in the dining room telling stories,” family friend Maureen Chiaramonte recounted, “He said, “Aunt Mo, you know what it’s like. You get a choice to sit on the bench or play the game. I don’t want to sit on the bench.”

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/RONALD_D._WINCHESTER,_1LT,_USMCR

MATTHEW C. FREEMAN, CAPT, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Capt. Matt Freeman, USMC '02 was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 7, 2009. A naval aviator, he was embedded with the Fourth Marines Embedded Training Team when he was killed by rifle fire. (His wings were those of his grandfather, a RADM, and his father, CDR Gary Freeman '76).

A Marine remembered:

As we moved in and took fire a bullet hits in between me and Capt Freeman and goes through the floor. We rush out and charge the hill with our other brothers. I remember seeing Matt majestically pull an Afghan rifleman by the belt to pull him back in the midst of fire because he was so scared he was going to get hit and wouldn’t move. Matt returned fire and talked on the radio to the apaches above and looked like a combat angel. I’ve never seen somebody so cool. We made the decision to move to higher ground and Matt and I cleared a home and made for the roof. There was a lull in the fighting. We started talking and he told me about his wife, a precious girl, and how he couldn’t wait to talk to her on the phone with her later. I then snapped a photo of us looking cool. The fighting picked back up when I felt a bullet hit near my feet and I said we need to get down. “You go first, I’ll cover you.” Those were the last words he said to me.

I still hurt ten years later. I miss a friend I only knew for about 16 hours more than anyone should. And getting to know his precious family has been a joy. Matt will be remembered as the coolest, strongest, most courageous man I know. My sons will know him and honor him like I do. Matt, you are sorely missed, even ten years later. I love you, man. I can’t wait to finish our conversation as we praise God together in Heaven.

Matt was survived by his wife, parents, grandparents, two sisters, brother, and many other loving nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is buried at the Naval Academy Cemetery.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/MATTHEW_C._FREEMAN,_CAPT,_USMC

JAMES P. BLECKSMITH, 2LT, USMCR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

2LT J.P. Blecksmith, USMCR, '03 was killed in action in Fallujah, Iraq, on November 11, 2004, while leading the 3d Platoon, Company I, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines. Ed, his father: "J.P. wanted to lead his men effectively in combat, and bring them all home safely. He accomplished both of those goals. He just couldn't save himself."

Four other Naval Academy alumni, beginning with LTCOL David McDougal '33 on Okinawa, have been killed in action with our nation's enemies while serving in the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines.

J.P. was survived by his parents, his brother, and his sister.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/JAMES_P._BLECKSMITH,_2LT,_USMCR

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/Category:3rd_Battalion,_5th_Marines

BRANDON A. BARRETT, CAPT, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

CAPT Brandon Barrett, USMC '06 was killed in action in Afghanistan on May 5, 2010. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force. It was his second deployment to Afghanistan.

Known as "Bull," his friend said of him: "He never backed down from anything. There was nothing that Brandon couldn't do. There was no challenge that he couldn't overcome. He took on anything you put in front of him. He was just such a great guy."

Brandon was promoted posthumously from 1st Lieutenant to Captain, and is survived by his parents, Brett and Cindy, his sisters, Ashley Benavidez and Taylor Barrett, and his brother, Brock. He is buried in Indiana.

His page on Virtual Memorial Hall has many photos and a heartfelt remembrance from his classmate & friend, Major Ryan Pallas, USMC.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/BRANDON_A._BARRETT,_CAPT,_USMC

JOHN S. WILLEY, 1LT, USA

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

1LT John Willey, US Army was a former member of the Class of 1944; he resigned in April 1941. On August 30, 1943 he was a pilot of a P-38 Lightning fighter with the Army Air Forces over Italy when he was killed in action. He was a member of the 71st Fighter Squadron, and escorting a group of heavy bombers at the time. His fighter group consisted of 44 aircraft; they were engaged by 75 German fighters. Thirteen of the American aircraft were lost in the engagement, though not all of the pilots were killed.

His high school yearbook wrote "he was a hit with all the gals, noted for his conceit ... named Apollo in the school horoscope ... in the future, he owns an escort bureau ... bequeathed his green satin shirt to xx to make the girls jealous with."

A recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, he was survived by his mother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/JOHN_S._WILLEY,_1LT,_USA

NORMAN S. IVES, CAPT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Captain Norman Ives, USN '20 was lost on this date (August 2) in 1944, in perhaps one of the oddest naval actions of the European theater of the war. He was the director of the recently-captured port of Cherbourg, France, and leading a reconnaissance party of nearly 100 sailors (and four war correspondents) towards the town of St. Malo, which Captain Ives had been told was secured by American forces. In fact, it was still held by 500 German paratroops. The party wandered into an ambush that killed Norman and six others over the course of a three-hour firefight.

Norman was an accomplished submarine officer, and in 1931 was awarded the Navy Cross for his years-long efforts to create and improve submarine rescue devices and designs.

He was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/NORMAN_S._IVES,_CAPT,_USN

DAVID D. LAIRD, FLT LT, RCAF

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

David Laird was a member of the Class of 1942 until June 1940 when he was "permitted to resign." On this date (July 26) in 1944 he was killed when the light bomber he was piloting crashed during an armed reconnaissance flight near Florence, Italy. At the time he was a Flight Lieutenant with the Royal Canadian Air Force (flying with a Royal Air Force squadron); he had joined the RCAF sometime before December 1941.

Though he was born in Iowa, he grew up near Colgate University, New York, and was appointed to the Naval Academy from that state. Prior to his RCAF time he had been working as a radio repairman in Baltimore.

He was survived by his father and grandmother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAVID_D._LAIRD,_FLT_LT,_RCAF

WILLIAM J. WIDHELM, CAPT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

CAPT William "Gus" Widhelm, USN '32 was lost on this date (July 19) in 1954 when the T-28 training aircraft he was aboard crashed near Chase Field, Texas. He was the commanding officer of Chase Field at the time.

An accomplished aviator, he was twice awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. The first was as a Lieutenant and the executive officer of Scouting Squadron (VS) 8 at the Battle of Midway. The second was later that year, when he had been promoted to LCDR and taken command of VS-8, at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. In the latter battle his aircraft was shot down and he and his rear gunner spent three days in a raft before being rescued. Later in the war he commanded the Navy's first night-fighter squadron before serving as operations officer for Carrier Task Force One.

Gus was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and children John, 10; Wendy, 8, and Sally, 4.

To Honor! ⚓

http://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/WILLIAM_J._WIDHELM,_CAPT,_USN

ALBERT E. OBERG, LTJG, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LTjg Albert Oberg '43 was lost on this date (July 5) in 1943 when his ship, USS Strong (DD 467), was sunk by a submarine off the coast of New Georgia Island in the South Pacific Ocean.

From the Class of 1943 anniversary book: "Al was born in New Rochelle, New York on 8 April, 1921 He was appointed from at-large and entered the Academy on 28 June, 1939. Upon graduation he proceeded to Bath, Maine in connection with fitting out of the destroyer USS STRONG. After commissioning and shake down the STRONG proceeded to the South Pacific and the thick of the war at sea. In the first minutes of 5 July 1943 the STRONG was providing shore bombardment in connection with cruisers and other destroyers on the Northwest coast of New Georgia Island. She broke off to pursue two radar ships which proved to be two Japanese destroyers fleeing the area, Not in time to maneuver, a torpedo was sighted that slammed the STRONG at the foreward fireroom breaking the ship's back. She was then pounded by shore batteries as she sank. Al was lost with the ship. He wore the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp and the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with one bronze star. He was survived by his mother, Mrs. Marie Lindt Oberg who at Al's death resided at 406 St. John’s Place, Brooklyn, New York."

He was the Signal Officer and Assistant Navigator.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/ALBERT_E._OBERG,_LTJG,_USN

Okinawa Marines, June 14, 1945

DAVID S. MCDOUGAL, LTCOL, USMC ‘33

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

On this date in 1945 three alumni were killed in action during the ferocious fighting on Okinawa. LTCOL David McDougal '33 was commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Day '45 was a member of 1st Battalion, 1st Marines and 2LT Lloyd Wyatt, Jr. '45 the 1st Battalion, 29th Marines. In addition to Arthur and Lloyd being classmates, they were both in the 8th Company at the Naval Academy.

While Arthur and Lloyd had been Marines for barely a year, David had been stationed aboard ships and at Marine Barracks across the country. He served 22 months in the South Pacific, including on Guadalcanal when, as a Major, he took command of his battalion when his CO was wounded or killed. After a week in the role he was wounded (in October 1942); he was wounded again at Cape Gloucester in December 1943.

We remember all three of these men. To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAVID_S._MCDOUGAL,_LTCOL,_USMC

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/ARTHUR_C._DAY,_2LT,_USMC

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/LLOYD_K._WYATT,_JR.,_2LT,_USMC

ARTHUR C. DAY, 2LT, USMC, ‘45

LLOYD K. WYATT, JR., 2LT, USMC, ‘45