Photos of Inland Northwest Vietnam casualties sought for tribute
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., lists the names of 58,286 servicemen and servicewomen who died in the war. Now there’s an effort to put a face and story to each name on the wall, including more than 100 who hailed from the Inland Northwest.
The Faces Never Forgotten project is part of a planned museum to be called the Education Center at the Wall. Over 34,000 photos have been tracked down so far, and volunteers are working on finding the rest.
“Putting a face with a name changes the whole dynamic of the Wall; it keeps these soldiers alive and will honor them,” said Janna Hoehn, a volunteer for the project who lives in Hawaii.
Anyone with a photo of a loved one or fellow veteran whose name is on the memorial may submit it to neverforgotten2014@gmail.com. More information is available at www.vvmf.org/thewall.
Hoehn said organizers are still in need of photos for 44 casualties from Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Here are their names, hometowns and the years of their birth and death:
Spokane County
Spokane: Charles E. Anderson, 1941-1966; Larry E. Anderson, 1948-1968; Deloss W. Anderson Jr., 1931-1964; James E. Bowden, 1948-1968; Michael P. Boyle, 1949-1968; Prentice F. Brenton, 1926-1967; Richard T. Dutro, 1947-1968; James K. Emch, 1950-1970; Ralph H. Franck Jr., 1947-1968; Larry E. Graham, 1950-1969; Timothy J. Hall, 1948-1969; Ray E. Hombel, 1949-1969; Douglas A. Howard, 1951-1972; Roy M. Johnson, 1946-1968; Edwin L. Koenig, 1934-1966; John E. Laipple, 1949-1968; Patrick E. Lindstrom, 1948-1968; Charles B. Mason, 1947-1968; Timothy M. O’Leary, 1932-1966; Royal P. Oden, 1950-1969; Jerry L. Pierce Jr., 1947-1968; Don L. Rock, 1947-1969; Ronald J. Russell, 1946-1966; Kaley A. Sonner, 1946-1968; John P. Southwick, 1950-1969; Joel P. Staunton, 1943-1967; William A. Taylor, 1946-1967; Henry K. Weitz, 1949-1970; John A. Welsford Jr., 1949-1969; Kim W. Widmer, 1950-1970; James A. Wimmer, 1948-1970
Fairchild Air Force Base: Paul A. Benkert, 1945-1967
Geiger Heights: Michael E. McNeal, 1947-1967
Espanola: John A. Jensen, 1947-1967
Stevens County
Addy: Robert B. Crane, 1946-1967
Whitman County
Pullman: David M. Bradley, 1945-1967
Colfax: Gregory Scott, 1948-1969
Tekoa: Greg E. Weightman, 1947-1970
Kootenai County
Coeur d’Alene: William D. Blenkinsop, 1951-1970; Franklin D. McNary, 1934-1967; Eugene E. Wolters, 1951-1970
Post Falls: Steven H. Nipp, 1948-1969
Shoshone County
Smelterville: Richard L. Dennis, 1929-1967
Boundary County
Bonners Ferry: Michael H. Richards, 1950-1971