The VVA Veteran

The Official Voice of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress

July/August 2005 FROM THE NATIONAL CHAPLAIN
Taps
BY REV.PHIL SALOIS, M.S.

Harold "Sarge" Schaffer: 1947 to 2005

Jesus Arredondo died recently in Montebello, California. He was born October 18, 1948. Arredondo was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Long Beach Chapter 756.

Gerald L. Brand died January 9 in Winona, Minnesota. Brand was a veteran of the Vietnam War and an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Minnesota.

Johnny C. Bruno died recently in Salem, Oregon. He was born November 25, 1950. Bruno was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Salem Chapter 754.

James Dennis Burkhalter died January 24 in Amberg, Wisconsin. He was born April 16, 1943. Burkhalter was a veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Green Bay Chapter 224.

Richard I. Casoli died January 31, 2002, in Hanson, Massachusetts. Casoli was a veteran of the Vietnam War and was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Providence (Rhode Island) Chapter 273.

William A. Cherry died March 10 in Niagara Falls, New York, of a massive heart attack and a stroke. He was born February 6, 1943. Cherry served in the U.S. Army from 1961-67, with a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was a member and Chapter Chaplain of Vietnam Veterans of America-Tonawanda Chapter 77.

Richard L. Collett died April 25, 2004, in Paint Lick, Kentucky. He was born July 5, 1945. Collett was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Kentucky.

Paul Cook died February 18 in Sylacauga, Alabama. He was born January 3, 1947. Cook served in the U.S. Army, with a tour of duty in Vietnam from 1967-68. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Sylacauga Chapter 945.

Carl Bruce Courville died February 25 in Kinder, Louisiana, of a massive heart attack. He was born March 25, 1949. Courville served in the U.S. Army, with a tour of duty in Vietnam with the 1/93rd Field Artillery. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Kinder Chapter 215 and served as a member of its honor guard.

Rollin B. Crane died in 2004 in La Jolla, California. He was born October 1, 1943. Crane was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-California.

Melvin R. Crowl died March 7 in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. He was born April 12, 1947. Crowl served in the U.S. Army from 1965-68 and was a Vietnam-era veteran. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Hartford Chapter 120.

Terrance J. Darragh died January 31, 2002, in Brick, New Jersey. Darragh was a veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Brick Chapter 200.

Kermitt Duke Davis died recently in Asheboro, North Carolina. He was born October 13, 1913. Davis was a veteran of the Vietnam era. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Asheboro Chapter 782.

John E. Douglas died March 15 in Wake Village, Texas, of an accidental fall. He was born October 11, 1939. Douglas served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam era from 1956-59. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Texarkana Chapter 278.

Frank Fassl died October 26, 2004, in Vineland, New Jersey. He was born December 6, 1947. Fassl served in the U.S. Army from 1962-66 and was a Vietnam-era veteran. He was a permanently hospitalized member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Mays Landing Chapter 825.

Alfred Fowler died recently in Sanford, North Carolina. He was born September 26, 1942. Fowler was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-North Carolina.

Jimmie F. Glaz died December 8, 2003, in Dafter, Michigan, of Agent Orange-related cancer. Glaz was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Sault Sainte Marie Chapter 180.

Edwin F. Grimes, Jr., died September 15, 2004, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was born April 5, 1948. Grimes served in the U.S. Army from 1967-69, with a tour of duty in the Vietnam War. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-New Brunswick Chapter 233.

James W. Gross died July 16, 2004, in Newport, North Carolina. He was born March 1, 1934. Gross was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Morehead City Chapter 749.

Jeffrey L. Habeck died October 7, 2004, in Shawano, Wisconsin. He was born November 11, 1956. Habeck was a veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Shawano Chapter 206.

Jack Hibbard died November 1, 2004, in Lexington, Kentucky, of metastatic colon cancer. He was born December 21, 1942. Hibbard served in the U.S. Army, with a tour in Vietnam from 1965-66. He was an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Kentucky.

Otis J. Hull, Jr., died January 31 in Richland, Indiana. He was born October 25, 1935. Hull served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Rockport Chapter 769.

Hubert Jerue died recently in Hastings, Michigan. He was born May 17, 1915. Jerue was a veteran of the Vietnam era. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Fort Smith (Arkansas) Chapter 467.

Harold James Kline died February 4 in Friendship, Wisconsin, of cancer. He was born February 20, 1941. Kline served in the U.S. Army, with a tour of duty in the Vietnam War. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Castle Rock (Adams, Wisconsin) Chapter 729.

William T. Larson died recently in Wyandotte, Michigan. Larson was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Taylor Chapter 259.

Thomas Shaun Laverty died February 22 in Fargo, North Dakota, of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He was born July 24, 1947. Laverty served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1968-71, with service in the Vietnam War. He was a member
of Vietnam Veterans of America-Queens Chapter 32. He later became heavily involved in North Central Plains (Mayville) VVA Chapter 374.

Michael Lawton died February 4 in Saint Albans, Vermont. He was born August 6, 1951. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-St. Albans Chapter 753.
Walter Doug Link died March 10, 2002, in Cleveland, Tennessee, as a result of suicide. Link was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Cleveland Chapter 596.

Leonard J. Mansolino died December 29, 2004, in Vineland, New Jersey. He was born November 10, 1945. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1965-69, with a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was a permanently hospitalized veteran member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Mays Landing Chapter 825.

John P. Marceau died June 3, 2001, in Portsmouth, Virginia. He was born June 2, 1933. Marceau was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Virginia.

Buenaventura Marrero-Santos died January 24 in Corozal, Puerto Rico, of acute myocardiac infarction and coronary heart disease. He was born July 15, 1927.

Marrero-Santos served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam and retired after 20 years at the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-San Juan Chapter 59.

Melvin Mason, Jr., died February 28 in Philadelphia of an acute brain aneurysm. He was born October 31, 1948. Mason served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Liberty Bell (Philadelphia) Chapter 266.

Alan Robb McLean died February 11 in Wenatchee, Washington, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was born January 26, 1943. McLean served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a platoon leader. He served in Vietnam in 1967 and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Lynchburg (Virginia) Chapter 196.

Jessie N. Menchaca died March 3 in Victoria, Texas. He was born May 16, 1947. Menchaca served in the U.S. Army with a tour of duty in Vietnam from 1968-69. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Victoria Chapter 898.

Walter B. Moderack died recently in Manchester, New Jersey. He was born October 25, 1946. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Kentucky.

John A. “Chief” Namath, Jr., died February 19 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. He was born December 1, 1931. Namath served in the U.S. Army and retired after serving both in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Freedom Chapter 862.

James E. Pate died October 3, 2004, in Savannah, Georgia, of cancer. He was born May 18, 1934. Pate served in the U.S. Air Force from 1956-67. He was a Vietnam-era veteran. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Savannah Chapter 671.

Ralph M. Phelps died August 2, 2004, in Mechanicsville, New York, of pancreatic cancer. He was born January 6, 1942. Phelps served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Springfield (Massachusetts) Chapter 111.

George E. “Bunky” Pleshaw died May 22, 2004, in Exeter, New Hampshire, from complications from a strangulated inguinal hernia. He was born November 11, 1946. Pleshaw served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam with the First Infantry Division, 551st Military Police Company. He was an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-New Hampshire.

Lawrence W. Poe died January 16 in Hueytown, Alabama, of Agent Orange-related lung cancer. He was born September 26, 1946. Poe served in the U.S. Army from 1964-67, with a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was an at-large life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Alabama.

Phillip A. Poisson died February 17 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Poisson served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Lakeshore (Sheboygan) Chapter 618.

Eugene Rath died December 31, 2004, in Selden, New York. He was born December 12, 1942. Rath was a veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Farmingville Chapter 11.

James E. Rex died October 29, 2003, in Crown Point, Indiana. Rex was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Merrillville Chapter 285.

Marcia C. Richardson died last year in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Richardson was born September 13, 1919. She was a member of Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America-Myrtle Beach (South Carolina) Chapter 925.

Paul B. Robison died October 30, 2002, in Del Ray Beach, Florida. He was born July 4, 1919. Robison was a veteran of the Vietnam War and an at-large member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Massachusetts.

Donald E. Smith died December 22, 2001, in Port Neches, Texas. He was born July 22, 1930. Smith was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Orange Chapter 348.

Jimmy Lee Smith died February 12 in Johnson City, Tennessee. He was born July 16, 1942. Smith served in the U.S. Navy from 1962-65 during the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Elizabethton Chapter 824.

Larry M. Smith died May 14, 2003, in Warren, Michigan. He was born July 22, 1940. Smith was a veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Detroit Chapter 9.

Patrick H. Taylor died recently in Chino Hills, California. He was born April 26, 1928. Taylor was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America-El Paso Chapter 574.

Marilyn L. Warner died July 18, 2004, in Jamestown, New York, of a heart attack. She was born November 27, 1940. Warner was a member of Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America-Jamestown Chapter 865.

Thomas Calvin Whaley died March 4 in Lawton, Oklahoma, of a heart attack. He was born March 31, 1940. Whaley served in the U.S. Army from 1958-80, retiring at the rank of Sergeant First Class, and served a tour of duty in the Vietnam War. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America-Lawton Chapter 751.

The Official Voice of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ® An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress

The Official Voice of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress