Our Veterans (Directory) • Our Community in Vietnam • In Memory Honor Roll
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CWO James Edward Butler
U.S. Army
Killed March 20, 1970 in Vinh Binh Province.
Chief Warrant Officer James Edward Butler was 42 years old and was known as “Chief Pappy” in Vietnam. He had flown during the Korean War. On March 20, 1970, Capt. Robert G. Cozart and he took off on a visual reconnaissance mission over Vinh Binh Province. The Cessna 0-1 Birddog disappeared without a trace. One section of the plane was recovered on Oct. 23, 1970, but there were no traces of the two flyers.
The Vietnamese released the remains of Capt. Cozart in 1989 and remains positively identified as Butler were released in 1997.
His remains were laid to rest at the Spring Hill United Methodist Church in Lillington, NC on April 30, 2000. He is remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 12W, Line 24.
PFC James Edward Byrd, Jr.
U.S. Army
Killed April 2, 1970 in Dinh Tuong Province.
Private First Class J.B. Byrd of Dunn was killed in a helicopter accident on April 2, 1970. He was 22 years old and was not married. A companion in Vietnam said Byrd fulfilled a dangerous role. “JB’s job was to react to every situation in those jungles,” wrote Anthony Dobson on Byrd’s page on the Wall of Faces. “With any sighting or contact with the enemy, the Air Rifle Platoon would be sent in by helicopter (slicks) to initiate or join in the battle.
“Being in the Cavalry, we performed almost every combat duty known to man. We fought from M-48 Tanks and M-113 Armored Personnel Carriers. Other times we strapped on our ruck sacks and either humped into the jungle or were loaded on those slicks for a heliborne assault.”
Byrd is buried at the Resthaven Memorial Park in Dunn, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 12W, line 79.
PFC Donnie Rae Campbell
U.S. Marine Corps
Killed August 1, 1968 in Quang Nam Province.
Private First Class Donnie Rae Campbell joined the Peace Corps after his sophomore year at Coats High School and later worked as a driver at a convent in Tennessee before joining the U.S. Marine Corps.
He arrived in Vietnam on Aug. 1, 1968 and was killed in an ambush on Aug. 30. His entire unit was killed.
Campbell is buried at Lakeside Memorial Gardens in Lillington, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 45W, Line 5.
SP4 Jerry Allen Dennis
U.S. Army
Killed Oct. 31, 1970 in Quang Ngai Province.
Specialist 4 Four Jerry Allen Dennis was wounded twice while in Vietnam and received two Purple Heart medals.
The Erwin native was killed in an explosion on Oct. 31, 1970. He was 21 years old.
Dennis is buried at Erwin Memorial Park, Erwin, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 6W, Line 31.
LCPL Isaac Ray Draughon
U.S. Marine Corps
Killed July 13, 1968 in Kuang Tri Province.
Lance Corporal Isaac Ray Draughton was a native of Dunn and was killed on July 13, 1968 by artillery fire.
He was 20 years old and had a wife and a two-year-old daughter.
Draughton is buried at Resthaven Memorial Park in Dunn, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 52W, Line 22.
SSGT Marvin Arthur Gies
U.S. Army
Killed January 21, 1969 in Khana Hoa Province.
Staff Sergeant Marvin Gies was a Special Forces medic and was killed on Jan. 21, 1969 while pulling a wounded soldier to safety. Two other helicopters had been shot down while attempting to evacuate a wounded soldier before Gies’ aircraft landed under heavy fire.
He managed to get the soldier to the helicopter and evacuated, although Gies was wounded in the process. He died of his wounds.
He received a Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, a Bronze Star, a Combat Medic Badge, a Purple Heart Medal and other decorations. He was 34 years old and had been a Lillington police and small store owner before enlisting.
Gies is buried in Libertyville, Il. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 34W, Line 48.
CPL James Luther Hall
U.S. Marine Corps
Killed April 1, 1969 in Quang Nam Province.
Corporal James Luther Hall was killed by an explosive on April 1, 1969 in Quang Nam Province.
He was a graduate of Lillington High School and was assigned to the Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Amphibious Forces
Hall is buried in Spring Hill Methodist Church Cemetery in Mamers. He is remembered at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 28W, line 103.
FSGT Albert Lee Johnson
U.S. Army
Killed Aug. 25, 1970 in Quang Tin Province.
First Sergeant Albert Lee Johnson was killed when the helicopter in which he was riding was shot down by ground fire on Aug. 25, 1970. The crash of the Chinook helicopter killed four crewmen and 27 passengers. He was 42 years old and was a native of Angier. He was a veteran of the Korean War.
Johnson is buried at Devotional Gardens Cemetery in Dunn, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 7W, Line 11.
MSGT Denning Cicero Johnson
U.S. Air Force
Killed April 14, 1975 in Bien Hoa Province.
Master Sergeant Denning Cicero “D.C.” Johnson was killed when a military transport aircraft crashed while flying 247 Vietnamese orphans to the United States as a part of “Operation Baby Lift” on April 14, 1975. The C 5-A’s rear loading ramp locks failed at an altitude of 23,000 feet, resulting in an explosive decompression and massive structural damage.
The pilot and copilot managed to return the aircraft to Saigon, but the severe damage prevented the plane from reaching the landing strip. The plane broke into four parts while making a crash landing.
144 of the orphans, all of whom had been adopted by United States families, perished.
LTC William Willis of Coats also was killed in the crash.
Johnson was a native of Dunn. He was married and had two daughters. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn, NC. and honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 1W, line 121 and
SP4 Roy Ronald Lee
U.S. Army
Killed November 21, 1967 in Quang Ngai Province.
Specialist 4 Ronald Lee was from Dunn and was a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He was killed on Nov. 21, 1967 in Quang Ngai.
He volunteered to advance against an enemy sniper when his patrol was penned down. He was almost immediately shot.
Lee is buried at Lee-Johnson Cemetery in Dunn, NC. He is remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 30E, Line 57.
PFC Kenneth Mac Lee
U.S. Army
Killed March 8, 1969 in Quang Tin Province.
Private First Class Kenneth Mac Lee was walking point on a platoon on March 8, 1969 when he was killed. A sniper’s bullet went through the arm hole of his vest, killing him instantly. He was 20 years old and was a native of Dunn.
Lee is buried at Grove Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Dunn, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 30W, Line 78.
PFC Richard Floyd Mason
U.S. Army
Killed November 23, 1967 in Kontum Province.
A friend of Private First Class Richard Floyd Mason wrote on his Wall of Faces page: Richard was a poor boy from a small cotton mill town (Erwin). He loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was a genuine person, no “airs” about him. Richard left school before graduation to serve his country as a Paratrooper in the United States Army.”
He was killed on Nov. 23, 1967 by a mine detonation.
Mason is buried in Erwin Memorial Park. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 30E, Line 72.
CPL Larry D. McKoy
U.S. Army
Killed July 12, 1969 in Tay Ninh Province.
Corporal Larry D. McKoy received a Silver Star, the nation’s third highest military honor, while serving in Vietnam. He was killed by small arms or grenade on July 12, 1969.
He was 20 years old and was from Coats.
McKoy is buried at Black River Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 21W, Line 109.
SGT Robert David McMillian
U.S. Army
Killed March 5, 1968 in Quang Duc Province.
Sergeant Robert David McMillian of Dunn was killed by small arms fire in Quang Duc Province on March 5, 1968.
McMillian is buried at Resthaven Cemetery in Dunn, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 43E, Line 9.
PVT Lonnie Earl McNeil
U.S. Marine Corps
Killed February 4, 1968 in Quang Tri Province.
Private Lonnie McNeil was killed by small arms fire in an ambush on Feb. 4,1968.
The after-action report said the Marine squad encountered a large enemy force around 11:15 p.m., and a fierce firefight took place. The Marines called in 60 mm and 81 mm mortar fire as well as artillery. Reinforcements, supported by a tank, arrived and the enemy broke contact.
McNeil is buried at Elizabeth Chapel AME Cemetery in Godwin. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 37E, Line 26.
SSGT William Brice Parnell
U.S. Army
Killed February 22, 1966 near the Củ Chi District.
Staff Sergeant William Brice Parnell of Coats was killed by small arms fire on Feb. 22, 1966 near Cu Chi Air Force base. While in Vietnam, he was awarded two Purple Hearts and two Oak Leaf clusters.
Parnell is buried at Devotional Gardens in Dunn, NC. He is honored at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 5E, Line 62.
PVT Leonard Monroe Parrish
U.S. Marine Corps
Killed August 14, 1968 in Quang Nam Province.
Private Monroe Parrish was born in Lillington and was killed by small arms fire on August 14, 1968.
Parrish is buried in Harnett Memorial Cemetery in Lillington, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 48 E, Line 14.
SPC6 Gerald Arthur Phillips
U.S. Army
Killed in June 19, 1968 in Binh Dinh Province.
Specialist 6 Gerald Arthur Phillips was killed in a helicopter collision on June 19, 1968. He was born in Tacoma, Wash., but called Erwin home after spending time at Fort Bragg. He was a 14-year Army veteran who had fought in the Korean War. He reenlisted during the Vietnam War. He was 36 years old, was married and had three sons.
Phillips is buried at Aiken Memorial Gardens in Aiken, SC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 56W, Line 37.
CPL Robert Louis Smith
U.S. Army
Killed March 8, 1967 in Long An Province.
Coporal Robert Louis Smith was killed by small arms fire on March 8, 1967. He was from Angier.
Smith is buried at Lakeside Memorial Gardens in Angier. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 16E, Line 42.
SSGT Donald David Stewart
U.S. Air Force
Killed December 11, 1965 in Phu Yen Province.
The remains of Staff Sergeant Don Stewart were buried in Angier 50 years after he was killed in a plane crash on December 11, 1965. His wife, Wandra, and daughter Dona went to Vietnam in 2000 and found the crash site deep in the jungle. They brought home artifacts and clothing scraps from the wreckage and they asked the U.S. Air Force to have the site excavated. Eventually, remains were discovered that DNA confirmed were Stewart’s.
Eighty-one Vietnamese and four Americans were killed when the plane crashed into a mountainside in dense fog. U.S. efforts to reach the crash site were prevented by enemy forces.
Among Stewart’s awards and decorations are The Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Medal with Thirteen Oak Leaf Clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Stewart is buried at Lakeside Memorial Gardens in Angier, NC. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 4E, Line 11.
CPL Eugene Wesley Wicker
U.S. Army
Killed September 5, 1968 in Binh Dinh Province.
Corporal Eugene Wesley Wicker was a native of Lillington and was married. He was killed on Sept. 5, 1968 in a vehicle crash.
Wicker is buried at Spring Hill Methodist Church Cemetery in Lillington, NC. He is honored at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 45W, Line 46.
LTC William Sherrill Willis
U.S. Air Force
Killedin April 3, 1975 in Bien Hoa Province.
Lieutenant Colonel William Sherrill Willis was killed when a military transport aircraft crashed while flying 247 Vietnamese orphans to the United States as a part of “Operation Baby Lift” on April 3, 1975. The C 5-A’s rear loading ramp locks failed at an altitude of 23,000 feet, resulting in an explosive decompression and massive structural damage.
The pilot and copilot managed to return the aircraft to Saigon, but the severe damage prevented the plane from reaching the landing strip. The plane broke into four parts while making a crash landing.
78 of the orphans, all of whom had been adopted by United States families, perished.
Willis was a native of Coats and had served in the Korean War. He was the Commander of Flight Operations for the airplane, one of the largest aircraft in the world, standing six stories high.
Willis is buried in the Coats City Cemetery in Coats, NC. He is remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel W1, line 122.