VIRTUAL MEMORIAL HALL

Honor Our Fallen Heroes 2023

The alumni below were specifically remembered by family, shipmates, and friends at the Honor Our Fallen Heroes event at the Naval Academy on November 11, 2023.

Following the event the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association created this video:

1LT RONALD D. WINCHESTER, USMCR

Ronald Winchester

Class of 2001
1st Lieutenant | US Marine Corps Reserve
September 3, 2004 (25 years old)
KIA Iraq 1st Battalion, 7th Marines Global War on Terrorism Ground HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 25th Company
1LT TRAVIS J. MANION, USMC

Travis Manion

Class of 2004
1st Lieutenant | US Marine Corps
April 29, 2007 (26 years old)
KIA Iraq Global War on Terrorism Ground Silver Star Bronze Star HOFH23 HOFH24 Ship Namesake USNA 18th Company
2LT JOHN W. DOHERTY, USMC

John Doherty

Class of 1966
2nd Lieutenant | US Marine Corps
July 2, 1967 (22 years old)
KIA 1st Battalion, 9th Marines Vietnam Ground HOFH23 USNA 6th Company
2LT RONALD W. MEYER, USMC

Ronald Meyer

Class of 1965
2nd Lieutenant | US Marine Corps
June 16, 1966 (23 years old)
KIA 1st Battalion, 5th Marines Vietnam Ground Silver Star HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH23 HOFH24 USNA 27th Company
2LT THOMAS J. WEISS, USMC

Thomas Weiss

Class of 1967
2nd Lieutenant | US Marine Corps
May 18, 1968 (23 years old)
KIA 3rd Battalion, 27th Marines Vietnam Ground Bronze Star HOFH23 USNA 28th Company
CAPT GERALD F. DECONTO, USN

Gerald DeConto

Class of 1979
Captain | US Navy
September 11, 2001 (44 years old)
KIA 9/11 Terrorism HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 7th Company
CAPT JENNIFER J. HARRIS, USMC

Jennifer Harris

Class of 2000
Captain | US Marine Corps
February 7, 2007 (28 years old)
KIA Iraq Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 364 Global War on Terrorism Helicopter HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 Woman USNA 18th Company
CAPT SETH R. MICHAUD, USMC

Seth Michaud

Class of 1998
Captain | US Marine Corps
June 22, 2003 (27 years old)
Operational loss Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461 Ground Fratricide HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 5th Company
CAPT STANFORD H. SHAW, III, USMC

Stanford Shaw, III

Class of 2006
Captain | US Marine Corps
March 10, 2015 (31 years old)
Operational loss 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion Helicopter Bronze Star HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 6th Company
CDR JACK I. HOEL, USN

Jack Hoel

Class of 1958
Commander | US Navy
September 11, 1974 (38 years old)
Operational loss Fixed Wing Passenger HOFH19 HOFH22 HOFH23 USNA 6th Company
ENS JOSHUA K. WATSON, USN

Joshua Watson

Class of 2019
Ensign | US Navy
December 6, 2019 (23 years old)
KIA Global War on Terrorism Navy and Marine Corps Medal Terrorism Video HOFH23 HOFH24 USNA 10th Company
LCDR CHRISTOPHER C. TRAGNA, USN

Christopher Tragna

Class of 1991
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
April 2, 2002 (32 years old)
Operational loss Naval Test Pilot School Fixed Wing Meritorious Service Medal HOFH19 HOFH22 HOFH23 USNA 24th Company
LCDR DANIEL P. STEPHENS, USN

Daniel Stephens

Class of 1959
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
May 22, 1968 (33 years old)
Operational loss USS Scorpion (SSN 589) Submarine HOFH23 USNA 9th Company
LCDR DAVID B. LLOYD, USN

David Lloyd

Class of 1956
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
May 22, 1968 (33 years old)
Operational loss USS Scorpion (SSN 589) Submarine HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 18th Company
LCDR ERIK S. KRISTENSEN, USN

Erik Kristensen

Class of 1995
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
June 28, 2005 (33 years old)
KIA Afghanistan Global War on Terrorism Helicopter Bronze Star SEAL HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 Naval Academy Cemetery USNA 2nd Company
LCDR FRANK C. WITTWER, USN

Frank Wittwer

Class of 1994
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
January 18, 2006 (35 years old)
Operational loss Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97 Fixed Wing HOFH23 HOFH24 USNA 33rd Company
LCDR JOSEPH F. KING, JR., USN

Joseph King, Jr.

Class of 1983
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
March 13, 1997 (35 years old)
Operational loss Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 3 Helicopter HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 25th Company
LT CHARLES A. KNOCHEL, USN

Charles Knochel

Class of 1962
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 22, 1966 (26 years old)
KIA Attack Squadron (VA) 176 Vietnam Fixed Wing Distinguished Flying Cross MIA HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 15th Company
LT CLARENCE K. MILES, USN

Clarence Miles

Class of 1965
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 18, 1968 (25 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 195 Fixed Wing HOFH21 HOFH23 USNA 22nd Company
LT EARL D. HACKMAN, JR., USN

Earl Hackman, Jr.

Class of 1943
Lieutenant | US Navy
August 6, 1945 (25 years old)
KIA Pacific USS Bullhead (SS 332) WWII Submarine HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 1st Company
LT FREDERICK E. TRANI, USN

Frederick Trani

Class of 1963
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 26, 1968 (28 years old)
KIA Vietnam Ground Silver Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star SEAL HOFH19 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH25 USNA 19th Company
LT JAMES L. FEENEY, USN

James Feeney

Class of 1969
Lieutenant | US Navy
July 11, 1974 (27 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 93 Fixed Wing HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 32nd Company
LT JASON E. JAKUBOWSKI, USN

Jason Jakubowski

Class of 1993
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 14, 1997 (27 years old)
Operational loss Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 15 Fixed Wing HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 Naval Academy Cemetery USNA 31st Company
LT JOHN J. WILEY, USN

John Wiley

Class of 1961
Lieutenant | US Navy
April 10, 1963 (23 years old)
Operational loss USS Thresher (SSN 593) Submarine HOFH21 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 11th Company
LT MATTHEW J. COLOMBO, USN

Matthew Colombo

Class of 1982
Lieutenant | US Navy
June 18, 1987 (27 years old)
Operational loss Fighter Squadron (VF) 33 Fixed Wing HOFH23 USNA 8th Company
LT RICHARD L. LAWS, USN

Richard Laws

Class of 1962
Lieutenant | US Navy
April 3, 1966 (26 years old)
KIA Fighter Squadron (VF) 24 Vietnam Fixed Wing HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH23 USNA 11th Company
LT RONALD J. MOBAYED, USN

Ronald Mobayed

Class of 1991
Lieutenant | US Navy
October 3, 1995 (27 years old)
Operational loss Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 6 Helicopter HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 36th Company
LT V. PATRICK BUCKLEY, USN

V. Patrick Buckley

Class of 1966
Lieutenant | US Navy
December 16, 1969 (25 years old)
KIA Light Photographic Squadron (VFP) 63 Vietnam Fixed Wing HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 KIA-combat flight USNA 11th Company
LTCOL FRANK P. KOLBE, JR., USMCR

Frank Kolbe, Jr.

Class of 1960
Lieutenant Colonel | US Marine Corps Reserve
July 19, 1981 (45 years old)
Operational loss Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 772 Helicopter HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 USNA 11th Company
LTCOL MARIO D. CARAZO, USMC

Mario Carazo

Class of 1991
Lieutenant Colonel | US Marine Corps
July 22, 2010 (41 years old)
KIA Afghanistan Headquarters Squadron Marine Aircraft Group 39 Global War on Terrorism Helicopter Bronze Star HOFH22 HOFH23 USNA 19th Company
LTCOL ROBERT J. JOHNSON, JR., USMC

Robert Johnson, Jr.

Class of 1964
Lieutenant Colonel | US Marine Corps
October 9, 1982 (41 years old)
Operational loss Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312 Fixed Wing HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 11th Company
LTJG DOUGLAS D. VAUGHAN, USN

Douglas Vaughan

Class of 1966
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
May 20, 1969 (25 years old)
KIA Naval Advisory Group Vietnam Ground Bronze Star HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 34th Company
LTJG MARK S. GONTKOVIC, USN

Mark Gontkovic

Class of 1976
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
December 6, 1979 (26 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 35 Fixed Wing HOFH19 HOFH21 HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 28th Company
MAJ DAVID G. BUELL, USMC

David Buell

Class of 1969
Major | US Marine Corps
November 4, 1983 (35 years old)
Operational loss Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 115 Fixed Wing HOFH23 HOFH24 USNA 32nd Company
MAJ DEAN H. MATZKO, USMC

Dean Matzko

Class of 1966
Major | US Marine Corps
March 14, 1979 (35 years old)
Operational loss Marine Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron (HM&S) 24 Fixed Wing HOFH23 USNA 24th Company
MAJ THOMAS N. BAKKE, USAF

Thomas Bakke

Class of 1952
Major | US Air Force
December 10, 1964 (38 years old)
Operational loss 6550th Air Base Group Fixed Wing HOFH23 HOFH25 USNA 14th Company