"Yea
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil," (Psalm 23:4)
This page is dedicated to Brent Leslie Swabby, Jerry Robert Miller, and my other friends and classmates from Baldwin Park and El Monte. They are gone, but not forgotten. El Monte lost thirty of her sons and heroes and their names will be added later. If I added the names of the casualties of neighboring towns in the San Gabriel Valley, we would have hundreds of them.
BRENT LESLIE SWABBY
SP4 - E4 - Army - Selective Service 25 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Dec 02, 1942, Casualty was on May 24, 1968, in GIA DINH, SOUTH VIETNAM
From EL MONTE, CALIFORNIA Length of service 1 year. His tour of duty began on Feb 21, 1967
Non-Hostile, died of illness/injury, GROUND CASUALTY, SUICIDE, Body was recovered
Religion, PROTESTANT, Panel 69E - - Line 3
Submitted by Jesse Haye, Family friend
Huldenberg, 3040 Belgium
Thanks Brent!
Dear brother Brent,
I don't really know where to start, I have so much to say and ask you. Let me begin with thanking you and your parents Vesper and Leslie for sponsoring our family to come and live the "American dream" in El Monte. How can any of us forget that wonderful furnished and fully stocked house on San Pierre drive that you and the First Christian Church provided us with? There are now two more generations of us living in the states and all of my siblings have achieved the goals they set for themselves. Edward and I more or less returned to our roots in Europe after the war. We have wonderful families and all our children are American citizens.
My thanks to you specifically Brent, for your encouraging words and prayers two months before you left for Vietnam to become a Chaplains assistant. The memory of your visit with me, on December 26, 1966 at the hospital in Fort Ord is burnished in my soul forever. God, there I was, a casualty of a car crash, caused by a drunken sailor, lying midst the mangled bodies and minds of the casualties of war. I was so scared of my future Brent and believed I would end up the same way or worse. I came very close to joining you brother on September 23, 1969, but luck was on my side, as it was on many other occasions before and after the war.
I was in Karlsruhe when your light went out Brent and it broke all of our hearts. Why Brent, why did you do what you did after helping the dying for more then a year? Why didn't you go home when you tour of duty was up in February 1968? That was the month I arrived in Vietnam. What made you stay and do what you did? Was it Belshabub testing your faith, or was it your Lord who wanted you for him? If your faith was correct Brent, then regardless of you taking your own life, you must be in Paradise with your parents and Dad, so please give them my love, for I will probably not join you there. If your faith was true, I will join a lot of friends from El Monte and Baldwin Park, with Lucifer and will probably end up kicking ass or getting it kicked in Hell. Fifteen months of comforting the wounded and dying makes you a saint Brent, and I salute you for the courage you showed in dealing with death and the dying.
Please forgive me for not keeping in touch, but it was very hard touching your name on the wall, back in January 1989, on the Mall in Washington where a Memorial has been created for all of you heroes. You and the many others will be with me, until the moment I pass to the other place.
We all love you and will never forget you brother Brent!
RICKY FAY ADAMS
LCPL - E3 - Marine Corps - Regular
19 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Oct 03, 1948
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Feb 05, 1968
Casualty was on Mar 01, 1968
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT
Panel 42E - - Line 12
JOSE B CISNEROS
CPL - E3 - Army - Regular
20 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Nov 14, 1948
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Jan 20, 1969
Casualty was on Jul 12, 1969
in QUANG NGAI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 21W - - Line 106
OCIE DANIEL COOLEY
PFC - E2 - Marine Corps - Regular
18 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Aug 11, 1948
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
Length of service 1 year.
Casualty was on Jul 21, 1967
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Panel 23E - - Line 98
MICHAEL DENNIS DAVID
SP4 - E4 - Army - Selective Service
101st Airborne Division
24 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Dec 03, 1943
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Feb 28, 1968
Casualty was on Jun 15, 1968
in THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT
Panel 57W - - Line 24
LARRY A DE LA ROSA JR
CPL - E3 - Army - Selective Service
9th Infantry Division
23 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Aug 23, 1944
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Oct 06, 1967
Casualty was on Feb 25, 1968
in DINH TUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
MULTIPLE FRAGMENTATION WOUNDS
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 41E - - Line 19
ALAN TIMOTHY GEE
CPL - E3 - Army - Regular
198th Light Infantry Brigade
19 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jan 30, 1950
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Sep 02, 1969
Casualty was on Oct 17, 1969
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Religion
JEHOVAHS WITNESSES
Panel 17W - - Line 86
DONALD GEORGE GREEN
CAPT - O3 - Air Force - Reserve
33 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jul 27, 1932
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
Length of service 12 years.
His tour of duty began on Nov 16, 1965
Casualty was on Nov 16, 1965
NORTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing
FIXED WING - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH AT SEA
Body was not recovered
Panel 03E - - Line 66
STEVEN MORRIS HASTINGS
SSGT - E6 - Army - Regular
1st AVN BDE
25 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Oct 11, 1948
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Aug 01, 1968
Casualty was on Jun 13, 1974
in PHUOC LONG, SOUTH VIETNAM
Non-Hostile, died missing
HELICOPTER - CREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was not recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT
Panel 50W - - Line 44
ROBERT RANDEL HUFF
CPL - E3 - Army - Regular
11th Light Infantry Brigade
18 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Aug 07, 1949
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
Length of service 1 year.
His tour of duty began on Dec 01, 1967
Casualty was on May 29, 1968
in QUANG NGAI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT
Panel 63W - - Line 7
CHARLES HOWARD JOHNSON
SGT - E5 - Marine Corps - Regular
25 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jul 09, 1943
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
Length of service 4 years.
His tour of duty began on Jun 25, 1968
Casualty was on Jun 13, 1969
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 22W - - Line 41
JERRY ROBERT MILLER
CPL - E3 - Army - Regular
173rd Airborne Brigade
19 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Mar 07, 1948
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
Length of service 1 year.
His tour of duty began on Aug 23, 1966
Casualty was on Apr 07, 1967
in TAY NINH, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
MULTIPLE FRAGMENTATION WOUNDS
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT
Panel 17E - - Line 117
Submitted by Jesse Haye
Good friend.
Kleinwaverstraat 42
Huldenberg, 3040 Belgium
Gone but not forgotten.
Its been about 35 years since you left us Jerry, but your friends have not
forgotten you. I touched your name on the "Wall" back in 1989, and
said a
prayer for you and the others from Baldwin Park, who paid the ultimate
price. I lived through it buddy, with only minor damage, but the images of
"Nam" will be with me forever. I am grateful for the years of
friendship we
enjoyed with the likes of Dickie Thomas, Randy Huff, Felix Lara, Jim and
Richard Schweppe. Man, we were bad at times, but everyone loved us anyway!
Monday, May 06, 2002
DANIEL NAPIERSKIE
SP4 - E4 - Army - Regular
1st AVN BDE
18 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jan 24, 1951
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
Length of service 1 year.
His tour of duty began on Jan 23, 1969
Casualty was on Sep 20, 1969
in DINH TUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - CREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 18W - - Line 117
LAWRENCE CLAUDE SMITH
SP4 - E4 - Army - Regular
19 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jan 09, 1952
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Sep 28, 1971
Casualty was on Nov 26, 1971
in THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - NONCREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT
Panel 02W - - Line 73
JOSEPH VINCENT STACK
PFC - E3 - Army - Regular
9th Infantry Division
20 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jul 20, 1948
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Oct 29, 1968
Casualty was on Nov 25, 1968
in DINH TUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 38W - - Line 61
STEVEN WALDRON
SA - E2 - Navy - Regular
18 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on May 10, 1948
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
Length of service 1 year.
Casualty was on Feb 09, 1967
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ACCIDENTAL HOMICIDE
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 15E - - Line 13
DENNIS CHARLES WARD
PFC - E3 - Army - Selective Service
198th Light Infantry Brigade
20 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on May 12, 1949
From BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA
His tour of duty began on Dec 10, 1969
Casualty was on Jan 23, 1970
in KONTUM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
MULTIPLE FRAGMENTATION WOUNDS
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT
Panel 14W - - Line 61