Quantcast

Obituaries

Gary Kurtz, ''Star Wars'' producer and Vietnam-era Marine Corps veteran, died Sept. 23, 2018, in North London, England, after battling cancer.<br>Courtesy of Wikipedia
Gary Kurtz, ''Star Wars'' producer and Vietnam-era Marine Corps veteran, died Sept. 23, 2018, in North London, England, after battling cancer.<br>Courtesy of Wikipedia

'Star Wars' producer, former Marine Gary Kurtz dead at 78

Gary Kurtz, “Star Wars” producer and Vietnam-era veteran, died Sunday in North London, England, after battling cancer.

Jozef Zawitkowski<br>Rutland-Corwin Funeral Home, Inc.
Jozef Zawitkowski<br>Rutland-Corwin Funeral Home, Inc.

Last surviving soldier from underground Polish Home Army unit dies at 96 in New York

Jozef Zawitkowski was the last surviving soldier from his unit in the underground Polish Home Army in World War II. He was due to receive another medal in Poland later this year, which one of his nephews now will accept.

Tommy Thayer, lead guitarist for the rock band KISS, with his father, Brig. Gen. James B. Thayer, in 2013.<br>Oregon National Guard
Tommy Thayer, lead guitarist for the rock band KISS, with his father, Brig. Gen. James B. Thayer, in 2013.<br>Oregon National Guard

Brig. Gen. James Thayer, World War II vet and father of Kiss guitarist, dies at 96

Brig. Gen. James B. Thayer died Sunday at age 96, according to an announcement from the rock band Kiss, in which Thayer's son, Tommy, is a guitarist.

Robert J. McIsaac dies; WWII veteran was pharmacology professor, musician

Robert J. McIsaac, of Amherst, N.Y., a professor at the University at Buffalo, musician and World War II veteran, died Sept. 9 in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst. He was 95.

At left, 2nd Lt. Albin Irzyk in 1940; Retired Brig. Gen. Irzyk, seen at right, died Sept. 10, 2018. He was 101.<br>Family photos
At left, 2nd Lt. Albin Irzyk in 1940; Retired Brig. Gen. Irzyk, seen at right, died Sept. 10, 2018. He was 101.<br>Family photos

Florida veteran of WWII and Vietnam dies at 101

When Gen. George Patton raced his 3rd Army across Europe in World War II, a 27-year-old brigadier general commanding a tank battalion for him was Albin F. Irzyk.

Atilano B. ‘Al’ David died at age 97 on Aug. 23 in Albuquerque. The World War II veteran was a Bataan Death March survivor.<br>Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Foundation of New Mexico, Inc./Facebook
Atilano B. ‘Al’ David died at age 97 on Aug. 23 in Albuquerque. The World War II veteran was a Bataan Death March survivor.<br>Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Foundation of New Mexico, Inc./Facebook

Video

WWII veteran, Bataan Death March survivor remembered at funeral service

While his wartime exploits were notable, Atilano “Al” David didn’t let them define him. “He enjoyed life and he told me he was lucky to live in a country that allowed him to be whatever he wanted,” his close friend, Richard Luena, said.

Niki Rosen holds a peace flag in Newburyport, Mass., in 2009.<br>Jim Vaiknoras/The Daily News
Niki Rosen holds a peace flag in Newburyport, Mass., in 2009.<br>Jim Vaiknoras/The Daily News

Peace vigil planned to celebrate life of Mass. activist

When President George W. Bush sent U.S. troops into war in Iraq more than 14 years ago, Niki Rosen went to Market Square to stand for peace – something she continued to do almost every Sunday until her age caught up to her and her health declined. Rosen died in late August at the age of 84.

Cecil D. Hill<br>Courtesy photo
Cecil D. Hill<br>Courtesy photo

Obituary

Three branches of service and three wars: Texas veteran dies one day after 91st birthday

After serving aboard the USS Lexington during World War II, Cecil D. Hill went on to become a pilot serving in Korea and Vietnam. According to his obituary, Hill served in the Navy, Army and Air Force and died August 26, one day after his 91st birthday.

WWII veteran Army Staff Sgt. Frank Denius.<br>The Veterans Project
WWII veteran Army Staff Sgt. Frank Denius.<br>The Veterans Project

Obituary

Frank Denius, soldier who helped to hold a vital hill in World War II, dies at 93

Frank Denius was a 19-year-old staff sergeant when he and 700 other men of the U.S. Army's 30th Infantry Division – "Old Hickory" – found themselves on a hill in Mortain, Normandy, France, in August 1944 surrounded by four German Panzer divisions, including hundreds of tanks and heavy guns, and 40,000 Nazi troops, among them members of Hitler's elite SS forces.

Ken Dierdorf<br>
Ken Dierdorf<br>

Veteran who wanted final flight dies after reunion with Army buddies

Ken Dierdorf wanted nothing more than to fly in a Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” one last time with the men he fought alongside during his year-long tour in Vietnam. He reunited with them last week, and died Wednesday morning at age 68.

President Donald Trump speaks at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, July 24, 2018.<br>Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS
President Donald Trump speaks at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, July 24, 2018.<br>Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS

Trump brags about VA changes, but affected workers say result not good for veterans

Three executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in May to address what he considers a bloated and inefficient federal workforce are working as intended, administration officials say, although Department of Veteran Affairs workers and union members say the implementation is hurting workers — and veterans.

Francis "Red" Grandy poses next to a portrait he took of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Grandy, a longtime Stars and Stripes photographer, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018. He was 96.<br>Stars and Stripes
Francis "Red" Grandy poses next to a portrait he took of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Grandy, a longtime Stars and Stripes photographer, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018. He was 96.<br>Stars and Stripes

Francis J. 'Red' Grandy: Stripes' prolific veteran photographer, dead at 96

Francis J. "Red" Grandy was known for some of the most iconic photos in the world, including one that caught the priceless look on Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's face at the precise moment he learned that Gen. Douglas D. MacArthur had been dismissed as Korean War commander

<br>U.S. Marine Corps photo
<br>U.S. Marine Corps photo

Marine, Silver Star recipient who served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam gets emotional burial at sea

Robert Berry Sinclair, a highly decorated Marine Corps aviator who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, was celebrated during a burial at sea Monday, Aug. 13. Sinclair died July 14. He was 96.

<br>U.S. Navy photo
<br>U.S. Navy photo

John Murphy, Pearl Harbor survivor, dies at age 97

Born Jan. 7, 1921, in Oxnard,John Murphy joined the Navy in 1939 shortly after graduating from high school and was assigned to the Vestal, a retrofitted cargo ship with a service record pre-dating World War I.

The graves at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery at Seringes-et-Nesles, France, are decorated with French and American flags for the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the World War I Oise-Aisne Offensive, Saturday, July 28, 2018. Graves of soldiers from the 42nd Division, known as the Rainbow Division, had their graves also marked with a Rainbow Division flag. <br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES
The graves at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery at Seringes-et-Nesles, France, are decorated with French and American flags for the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the World War I Oise-Aisne Offensive, Saturday, July 28, 2018. Graves of soldiers from the 42nd Division, known as the Rainbow Division, had their graves also marked with a Rainbow Division flag. <br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES

Arsène Tchakarian, World War II resistance fighter in France, dies at 101

Arsène Tchakarian, the last surviving member of the Armenian-led Manouchian network, which fought alongside the French resistance against the Nazi occupiers during World War II, died Aug. 4 at a hospital in Villejuif, south of Paris. He was 101.