FACES FROM THE WALL

VIETNAM WAR
IDAHO

1970 January - May

    DAVID SAMUEL JONES
Birth 29AUG49 Rank LCPL Date of Death 04JAN70
P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Nam, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		FERNWOOD Unit F CO 2 BN 5 MAR 1 MAR DIVDeath Code Hostile, Died; Other Explosive Device; Ground Casualty
Hometown   service # 519527974 Panel 15WEST - 125
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 12MAR69 Comment   Cemetery  

    JOHN ALLEN HURST
Birth 31OCT49 Rank SP4 Date of Death 07JAN70
P. of birth   Service Army (Drafted) Place Tay Ninh, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		DUBOIS Unit 1st Inf Div B Co 2nd Bn 18th InfDeath Code Non-hostile, Died Illness/Disease; Other Accident; Ground Casualty
Hometown   service # 518600100 Panel 14WEST - 08
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 10DEC69 Comment   Cemetery  

    NEILE COOPER MACKAY
Birth 17APR45 Rank CPL Date of Death 10JAN70
P. of birth   Service Army (Drafted) Place Thua Thien, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		WEISER Unit 101st Abn Div A Co 1st Bn 501st InfDeath Code Hostile, Died; Gun, Small Arms Fire; Ground Casualty
Hometown   service # 519546082 Panel 14WEST - 23
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 16NOV69 Comment   Cemetery  

    MORRIS EDWARD WILLIAMS
Birth 09NOV51 Rank SP4 Date of Death 06FEB70
P. of birth   Service Army Place Thua Thien, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		BOISE Unit 101st Abn Div 326th Medical DetDeath Code Non-hostile, Died Other; Air Loss, Crashed on Land; Helicopter - Crew
Hometown   service # 518661423 Panel 14WEST - 110
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 17OCT69 Comment   Cemetery  

    JAMES EDWARD PIVA
Birth 20MAR48 Rank CPL Date of Death 27FEB70
P. of birth   Service Army (Drafted) Place Hua Nghia, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		CHALLIS Unit 25th Inf Div D Co 3rd Bn 22nd InfDeath Code Hostile, Died; Artillery, Rocket, Mortar; Ground Casualty
Hometown   service # 519563635 Panel 13WEST - 64
Married Single In Service   Medals Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Valor, Combat Infantry Badge Military Merit medal and the Gallantry Cross with Palm
Tour Date 18DEC69 Comment   Cemetery  


      “The Challis Messenger newspaper read:
Pvt. James E. Piva, U.S. Army has completed basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington. Upon completion of the training, he was awarded the Certificate of Achievement as the Outstanding Trainee. He is now taking advanced infantry training at Fort Lewis. Piva is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Piero Piva of Challis.”
      From there Piva went to Vietnam in December. He served with Company D, Third Battalion, 22nd Infantry.
      On February 27, 1970, James (Jim) was at the Tay Ninh Base Camp, Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam. At approximately 12:15 a.m., the base camp received enemy mortar fire and he sustained severe fragmentation wounds to his entire body. He died instantly.
      Information from obituary:
Jim’s survivors included his parents, Challis, four sisters, Mrs. Jon (Judy) Troeson, Chico, CA; Mrs. Mike (Robin) Gallagher, Idaho Falls; Patricia Piva, and Gina Piva, both at home; two brothers, Bob Piva and Pete Piva, and maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Verne McGowan, all Challis. His fiancé, Cora Lee McGuire, Challis, was planning to meet him on his rest and recuperation leave and they were to be married.
      The Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Valor, Combat Infantry Badge was some of the medals that this outstanding young soldier received. However, his most outstanding award came from the Vietnamese who honored him posthumously with the Military Merit medal and the Gallantry Cross with Palm. Lt. Col. E. P. George, a Representative of the Commanding General, Sixth United States Army, from the National Guard at Twin Falls presented the medals to Mr. and Mrs. Piva at their ranch home near Stanley on Saturday, Sept. 18th.
      The Gallantry Cross with Palm is the Vietnamese Government’s highest award for valor. The citation accompanying the Military Merit medal states: “Servicemen of courage and rare self-sacrifice, they displayed at all times the most tactful cooperation while aiding the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam to repel the Red wave undermining South Vietnam and Southeast Asia. “With ready zeal and commendable response, they fought on to the end in every mission and set a brilliant example for their fellow soldiers. They died in the performance of duty. Behind them they leave the abiding grief of their former comrades-in-arms, Vietnamese as well as American.”
      The Vietnam Military Merit Medal was the highest military decoration of South Vietnam during the years of the Vietnam War. Created August 15, 1950, the Military Merit Medal was modelled after the French Médaille militaire, and was the Vietnamese equivalent to the United States Medal of Honor and was authorized to those soldiers who had performed extreme acts of bravery or had given their lives in armed combat with enemy forces of Vietnam. The United States military authorized the Vietnam Military Merit medal as a foreign decoration and permitted the medal to be worn on U.S. uniforms. A high number of bestowals, however, were made posthumously as the medal was more often awarded to United States enlisted personnel who had been killed in action fighting the forces of North Vietnam or the guerrilla forces of the Viet Cong.
      The kind of bravery and outstanding performance of James (Jim) Piva can only be called, “above and beyond the call of duty.”
      We cannot express the gratitude we feel for the valor of this young man. We salute you, Jim Piva, and thank you for you have paid the highest price known to man for the service of our country.
American is This Hero
By Roger J. Robicheau

American is this hero
In uniform standing tall
Ready, willing, and able
To march, the will to face all
The proudest of our service
Steadfastly meeting each call
The bravest of our country
As were those upon The Wall
Displaying awesome courage
A treasure you cannot install
Filled with total commitment
To serve us for the long haul
America know this Hero
Thank God and always recall
©2003Roger J. Robicheau

    KAY KAZU KIMURA
Birth 01NOV43 Rank 1LT Date of Death 07MAR70
P. of birth   Service Marines (Reserves) Place Thua Thien, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		NAMPA Unit HMM-263 16 MAG 16 1ST MAW Death Code Non-hostile, Died Other; Air Loss, Crashed on Land; Helicopter - Crew
Hometown   service # 518503536 Panel 13WEST - 92
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 14JAN70 Comment   Cemetery  

Kay K. Kimura MNampa
    Memorial services for Kay K. Kimura, 26, who was killed March 7 in a helicopter crash in Vietnam, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Ontario Buddhist Church, Ontario, Ore., with the Rev. T. Hirota officiating. Military services were scheduled to be held this afternoon at Tongue Point, Seattle, Wash.
    The parents of 1st Lt. Kimura, United States Marine Corps, were advised of their son's death Sunday. They are Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kimura of Nampa.
    The telegram, sent from Washington D.C. follows:
"I deeply regret to confirm that a determination of death has been made in the case of your son, First Lieutenant Kay K. Kimura, USMC. Your son was the co-pilot of a CH46D Sea Knight helicopter that was flying in support of the First Marine Divison. Information received from Vietnam reveals that your son's aircraft crashed in the coastal waters of Thua Thien Province, approximately five miles from land. Indications are that the aircraft impacted the water with no advance warning, with extreme force, and broke up. It is believed that your son could not have escaped the impact and that he perished at sea. The single survivor was thrown clear upon the impact. Search and rescue operations met with negative results. The official casualty report that will be prepared by this headquarters will show that your son's death occurred on 7 March 1970, and that his remains were not recovered. In behalf of the United States Marine Corps I wish to assure you of all possible assistance and to extend my heartfelt condolences in your bereavement."
Signed: L. W. Walt, General, USMC, acting commandant of the Marine Corps.
    Lt. Kimura was born Nov. 1, 1943, at the Relocation Center at Poston, Ariz. He moved with his parents to Caldwell the next year and attended elementary schools at Caldwell and Midway. He moved with his parents to Nampa in 1958 where he graduated from Nampa High School in 1962. He received a football scholarship to Idaho State University and Treasure Valley Community College. He worked for Boeing in Seattle before joining the Marine Corps in November of 1968. He took his officers candidate school training at Quantico, Va., and his helicopter training at Fort Worth, Tex. He went overseas on Jan. 8 of this year.
    He is survived by his parents and his wife, Naomi (Nagai) Kimura, whom he married at Seattle Aug. 8, last year.
    Also surviving are the following sisters; Mrs. Lilly Kiyokawa, Portland, Ore., Mrs. Blanche Fujii, Sacramento, Calkf., Mrs. Frances Kaneshige, Portland, Mrs. Jane Wing, Portland, and Mrs. Teruko Honda, Japan; six brothers, Hitoshi, Japan, Tadashi, Japan, Fred, Fortland, Frank, Caldwell, Dick, Seattle, and Ted, Nampa; and his grandmother, Mrs. Yonedo Matsuoka, Japan.
Idaho Free Press & Caldwell News-Tribune, 24 Mar 1970)

    LOUIS CRAIG EMERY

Birth 27SEP50 Rank SGT Date of Death 16MAR70
P. of birth   Service Army (Drafted) Place Tay Ninh, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		PARMA Unit 25th Inf Div C Co 4th Bn 23rd InfDeath Code Hostile, Died; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds; Ground Casualty
Hometown   service # 518627882 Panel 12WEST - 05
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 09JUL69 Comment   Cemetery  

    THOMAS OLIVER AHLBERG
Birth 03FEB51 Rank SGT Date of Death 04MAY70
P. of birth   Service Army Place Thua Thien, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		IDAHO FALLS Unit 101st Abn Div A Co 101st Avn Bn Death Code Non-hostile, Died Other; Air Loss, Crashed on Land; Helicopter - Noncrew
Hometown   service # 518668464 Panel 11WEST - 94
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 09NOV69 Comment   Cemetery  

    TOMMY L KEARSLEY
Birth 01JUL47 Rank CWO Date of Death 04MAY70
P. of birth   Service Army (Reserves) Place Thua Thien, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		BUHL Unit 101st Abn Div A Co 101st Avn BnDeath Code Non-hostile, Died Other; Air Loss, Crashed on Land; Helicopter - Pilot
Hometown   service # 519548604 Panel 11WEST - 95
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 21MAY69 Comment   Cemetery  

    STEVEN DEE MERRELL
Birth 28JAN50 Rank CPL Date of Death 15MAY70
P. of birth   Service Marines Place Thua Thien, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		POCATELLO Unit  Death Code Hostile, Died; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds; Ground Casualty
Hometown   service # 518625268 Panel 10WEST - 46
Married Single In Service 1yr Medals  
Tour Date 07AUG69 Comment   Cemetery  

    LESTER NEAL MOULTON
Birth 13MAY42 Rank 1LT Date of Death 25MAY70
P. of birth   Service Army (Reserves) Place Binh Dinh, S. Vietnam
Town of
Record 		VICTOR Unit 173rd Abn Bde B Co 1st Bn 503rd InfDeath Code Hostile, Died; Gun, Small Arms Fire; Ground Casualty
Hometown   service # 518520958 Panel 10WEST - 99
Married Single In Service   Medals  
Tour Date 20AUG69 Comment   Cemetery  

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Ellie Grover, Idaho genealogist


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