Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans

Biographies of military personnel from Santa Cruz County.

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About this Collection

Biographies of military personnel from Santa Cruz County.

The majority of this collection is compiled from the work of local researcher Robert L. Nelson. The information is taken from his two books, "Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County" and "Remembering Our Own" the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010."

For more information about this collection see the About page "Remembering Our Own."

Copies of "Remembering Our Own" are available through the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.

Also included in this collection are video recordings of interviews with American war veterans. These interviews were conducted as part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

Items in Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans

Opal F. Chilcote (1941/05/31)

The first Santa Cruz County World War II casualty to be listed in Watsonville's Roll of Honor was a thirty-one year- old army nurse.

Opal Fern Chilcote was born in Hanley, Iowa, on July 21, 1909, to Thomas and Estelle Chilcote. Also included in…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Richard P. Kirby (1941/07/18)

The first recorded death at Camp McQuaide, near Watsonville, California, was of a local youth.

Richard P. Kirby was born in Watsonville to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kirby on November 22, 1922. Included in the Kirby family with Richard were sons…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Dade O. Youngs Jr. (1941/09/02)

Dade's date with destiny ended in a car in a garage before he could live out his Navy role.

Dade Oliver Youngs Jr. was born to Dade and Christina Youngs on January 29, 1924, in Lemoore, California. When he was still young, the family moved to…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Henry S. Hayden (1941/09/19)

Accompanying the name "Henry Stokes Hayden" on the December 2, 1942, Watsonville Register-Pajaronian Roll of
Honor, was the comment, "Missing in Alaska."

Selective Service Records indicate that Henry Hayden was born in New Jersey in 1920. No…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Clifford T. Janz (1941/12/07)

A world-class event brought an end to the life of a navy lieutenant during a day of infamy.

US Census information suggests that Clifford Thurston Janz was born in New York about 1911. That same 1920 census lists him as a boarder in the household…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Robert R. McLennan was born to Mr. and Mrs. William R. McLennan in Texas in 1913. The family later moved to Watsonville, where Robert lived for an undetermined period of time. His enlistment records note that he had graduated from high school,…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Ralph W. Thompson (1941/12/11)

A quiet country boy from North Carolina with a strong singing voice heard a different sound on December 7, 1941.

Ralph William Thompson was born in Hendersonville, North Carolina, on April 21, 1917, to Frank and Christine Thompson. Two sisters…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Henry Schipper Jr. (1941/12/25)

Christmas Day 1941 was long remembered in the Schipper family, but not for bringing good tidings of great joy.

Henry Schipper Jr. was born on January 15, 1910, in Duluth, Minnesota, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schipper Sr. The Schipper's later moved to…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

December 24, 1941, was not the joyful holiday that Loiya Burns had prepared for her husband.

William Richard Burns was born about 1906. No information is available as to his parents, place of birth, siblings or formative years.

Burns joined…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT

Melvin L. Orr (1942/01/04)

His request for duty in the Philippines was granted and with it, an appointment with death.

Melvin Orr was born on May 25, 1920, to Mr. and Mrs. Mervin L. Orr of Fresno, California. In addition to Melvin, the Orr family included sons Vernon,…

Date: Undated
Source: Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Type: OBIT