Obituaries

Jerrie Cobb prepares in 1960 to operate the Multi-Axis Space Test Inertia Facility at the Lewis Research Center in Ohio. In 1961 Jerrie Cobb was the first female to pass all three phases of the Mercury Astronaut Program. NASA rules, however, stipulated that only military test pilots could become astronauts and there were no female military test pilots. Cobb, NASA's first female astronaut candidate, died in Florida at the age of 88 on March 18, 2019.<br>NASA

NASA's first female astronaut candidate, Jerrie Cobb, dies

America's first female astronaut candidate, pilot Jerrie Cobb, who pushed for equality in space but never reached its heights, has died.

U.S. Marine veteran R. V. Burgin, 93, salutes during the 76th Annual Memorial Day Service at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas on May 30, 2016. Burgin, whose book about grueling jungle combat during World War II became a basis for the HBO miniseries "The Pacific," died April 6, 2019, at his home in Texas. He was 96. <br>David Woo, The Dallas Morning News/AP

R.V. Burgin, author and Marine portrayed in HBO’s ‘The Pacific,’ dies at 96

Texas native R.V. Burgin's unflinching account of several battles he survived during the war helped inspire “The Pacific,” a miniseries produced by HBO in 2010.

World War II veteran and former Illinios circuit clerk C. Barney Metz dies at 93

C. Barney Metz was in the Army from July 1943 to January 1946 and served under Gen. George Patton in Germany. In 2016, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., presented Metz with medals recognizing his service during World War II, including European, African and Middle Eastern campaign medals.

Youa True Joseph Vang, also known as Lt. Col. Ntaug Nrw, of St. Paul, in military uniform in 1972.<br>Vang family

Obituary

One of the last surviving Hmong war heroes has died

Youa True Joseph Vang, one of the last surviving Hmong heroes from the Vietnam War era and a prominent St. Paul leader, pastor and businessman, died Wednesday. He was 83.

World War II veteran Richard Cole, of Doolittle's Raiders fame, attends the 2014 Memorial Day parade in Washington, D.C. Cole, the last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, died Tuesday, April 9, 2018. He was 103.<br>Stars and Stripes

Obituary

Last living Doolittle Raider dies in Texas at 103

Retired Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Cole was one of 80 members of the first U.S. strike against Japanese mainland targets in World War II, credited for bringing optimism of winning the war to the American people.

This image provided by Larry Robbins shows a 1997 numbered outline self portrait of Dan Robbins, who created the first paint-by-numbers pictures and helped turn the kits into an American sensation during the 1950s.<br>Courtesy of Larry Robbins via AP

Paint-by-numbers art innovator, WWII veteran Dan Robbins dies

Dan Robbins, an artist whose idea for paint-by-number sets sparked a hobby craze and, decades later, inspired an exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, died Monday at age 93.

Col. Mark Smith, whose prolific letters about his Marines were widely circulated during his command of the Marine Reserves 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment in Iraq, was buried Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in Indianapolis, Ind. He was 54.<br>U.S. Marine Corps

Marine colonel known for heartfelt Iraq War letters laid to rest

Retired Col. Mark A. Smith, who wrote dozens of letters praised for their compassion and eloquence to the families of his Marine Reserve battalion during a deployment early in the Iraq War, was remembered this week as a “Marine’s Marine.”

Howard V. Lee died at the age of 85.<br>Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Howard Lee, Medal of Honor recipient who led long-odds defense, dies at 85

He volunteered to rescue a beleaguered platoon that had embarked on a reconnaissance mission and helped the Marines stave off North Vietnamese forces for six hours.

Homeless Vietnam veteran Danny Brumfield lived on the streets for 27 years.<br>Washington Post/Family photo

Obituary

Danny Brumfield, Vietnam vet who led a homeless life on the streets, dies at 67

Danny Brumfield, a Marine Corps veteran of the war in Vietnam, an office assistant and security guard who had been homeless, unemployed and living on the streets since 1992, died Feb. 27 at an Alexandria, Virginia, hospital. He was 67.

Joe Bellino, Navy's 1960 Heisman Trophy winner.<br>AP

Joe Bellino, Navy's first Heisman Trophy winner, dies at age 81

Navy football lost one of its legends Thursday when Joe Bellino died in his home state of Massachusetts at the age of 81. Bellino, the 1960 Heisman Trophy winner as a standout halfback for the Midshipmen, had been in failing health for some time.

In a 2012 file photo, Tuskegee Airman Dr. Robert T. McDaniel poses with Col. Kurt Gallegos, 301st Operations Group commander, during a celebration of the opening of the movie "Red Tails."<br>Martha Whipple/U.S. Air Force

Tuskegee Airman Robert T. McDaniel dies at 96

Fort Worth's last surviving member of the Tuskegee Airmen died Tuesday at the age of 96. Robert T McDaniel was one of the elite black airmen who flew combat aircraft in World War II at a time when the military was segregated.

Johnstown, Pa. Veterans Day parade loses its leader with the passing of Harry Plows

“Johnstown’s loss is Heaven’s gain, I’ll tell you that much,” said former U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus, who got to know Harry Plows when attending the city’s annual Veterans Day activities.

Sen. Birch Bayh in 1973. <br>Margaret Thomas/The Washington Post

Birch Bayh, Indiana senator who championed Title IX, dies at 91

Former senator Birch Bayh, the author of two major constitutional amendments as well as legislation that dramatically improved women's rights in classrooms and on athletic fields, died March 14 at his home in Easton, Maryland. He was 91.

Ralph Hall, WWII veteran and 17-term congressman, dies at 95

Ralph M. Hall, a Texas Democrat-turned-Republican who was elected 17 times to Congress, where he became dean of his state's delegation, one of the last veterans of World War II on Capitol Hill and the oldest person in history to serve in the House, died March 7 at his home in Rockwall, Texas. He was 95.

An undated Dalton family photo shows, standing from left to rightBob, Rufus, Jim and Harry Dalton. Seated are their parents Robert and Edith, and younger sister Sally.<br>Dalton Family

Bob Dalton, oldest of four Charlotte brothers who served in World War II, dies at 97

Robert “Bob” Dalton Jr. — a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and French Legion of Honour recipient who helped the Army liberate several areas of France after the 1944 D-Day invasion at Normandy — was the oldest of four brothers who all served in World War II.