6
10
85
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
Any textual data included in the document.
After three months in Vietnam, Rodriguez considered himself an "old timer."
Benito Bobo Rodriguez was born on April 1, 1948, in Blythe, California, to Bocanegra and Betty Rodriguez. At an early age he moved with his family to Freedom, California, where he and his brothers Charles, Joe and Sandy attended Freedom Elementary School. Young Rodriguez also became involved in the community through the Valley Catholic Church and later served as an altar boy at Sunday mass. During his pre-teen years, he was a pitcher on the church-sponsored Padres little league baseball team. In the fall of 1963 Benito enrolled in Watsonville High School and remained there until January 1966 when he dropped out during his junior year.
Following his eighteenth birthday in April, 1966, Benito Rodriguez enlisted in the US Army. He completed basic training at Fort Ord, California, advanced infantry training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and sniper school and paratrooper training at Fort Benning, Georgia. As a 101st Airborne, "Screaming Eagle," sniper he was posted to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, before leaving for Vietnam in January 1968.
When Rodriguez arrived in Vietnam, he joined Company C, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, serving in the central highlands. The 501st Infantry Regiment's primary mission was to intercept and destroy supplies arriving through the Ho Chi Minh trail.
On April 6, 1968, five days after his twentieth birthday, Sergeant Benito Bobo Rodriguez was on a search and destroy mission in Thua Thien Province when an enemy anti-tank round exploded near him taking his life. His body was returned to Watsonville and buried in Pajaro Valley Memorial Park. Benito was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, in addition to service awards.
(VVMW; WHSM; WRP April 8, 1968 1:6; April 20, 1968 2:1; http://www.lzsally.com/sally2/archives/history_of_the_101st_ airborne_di.htm, [16 September 2008] 101st Airborne, History)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RO-RODRIGUEZ,B
Title
A name given to the resource
Benito B. Rodriguez (1968/04/06)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Rodriguez, Benito
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
TEXT
Language
A language of the resource
EN
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/4a7d94131c5b97ab8427aa78a2548c9a.jpg
4c91e96ae653cba1cb208beeed612c21
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
Any textual data included in the document.
George Naylor Penniman II, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John K. Penniman, was born February 9, 1946, in Santa Cruz California, a third generation Santa Cruzan. His early years were spent growing up in Santa Cruz; however, when his father accepted a teaching position in Santa Clara County, the family moved to Los Gatos, California. Although George's new home was twenty miles distant, he and his family considered Santa Cruz their hometown.
George attended schools in Los Gatos until his graduation in 1964, and involved himself in as much school and other activities as his study time would allow. During those years, he was enthusiastic about sports and spent his free moments with friends and family bicycling, skiing, swimming, playing tennis, fishing or camping. Outdoor activities led George to the Boy Scouts, which were an especially enjoyable experience for him. His exposure to music in the lower grades inspired him to continue participating and studying in high school, where he became proficient in the saxophone. He was a member of the Los Gatos High School orchestra, the dance band and for three years, student coordinator and drum major for the marching band. In 1964, George was the recipient of the John Philip Souza Band Award for outstanding achievement.
Immediately after finishing high school in June 1964, George enlisted in the US Navy and following boot camp, was assigned to the USS Bennington. He remained as a member of the crew until his death in March 1968. Between December 1966 and April 1967, George was assigned to Task Force Seventy-Seven Kitty Hawk during its highly effective combat operation in Vietnam. Following that tour, he returned to the USS Bennington and his squadron, Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Eight. It was during this period that the Bennington became the primary ship in the Pacific assigned to the Saturn V-501 recovery operation for the Apollo 4 landing, November 9, 1967.
In 1968 the Bennington was preparing to re-deploy to Vietnam for the third time; however, due to the few months remaining prior to his discharge, George's deployment was cancelled. In March he selected a college to attend and had begun the process of completing entrance requirements when the fateful accident occurred.
On March 26, 1968, while participating in helicopter recovery maneuvers alongside the Bennington in American waters, George was lost at sea. His family and many close friends remember George for his warm, fun-loving personality, his engaging smile, his honesty and loyalty, and cheerful willingness to help others. His assigned duties in the Navy fulfilled this propensity. As Emiddio Massa, his commanding officer, noted in a personal letter to the family, "His [George's] personal contributions will live in the performance of the men he personally guided and trained and in those who had the opportunity to observe and benefit by his example."
(The remembrances of his mother, Mrs. Margaret L.B. Penniman December 2006)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RO-PENNIMAN
Title
A name given to the resource
George N. Penniman II (1968/03/26)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Penniman II, George
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
TEXT
Language
A language of the resource
EN
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/98041edcd1447cffef8220f369a50cfb.jpg
3352e6975ef6399b93d75175e74a6f70
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
Any textual data included in the document.
On March 18, 1968, Eddie's journey back to his southern roots became permanent.
Eddie Dean Gant was born on the second day of the year 1949, in Covington, Tennessee. His mother's name was Margaret. Eddie, his brother Thomas and sister Gwendolin grew up in the greater Memphis area until 1959, when his parents relocated to Watsonville. Eddie attended local Pajaro Valley grammar schools and in the fall of 1963, enrolled in Watsonville High School. While in high school, he became an active member of the Future Farmers of America. In 1966 Gant moved to Grenada, Mississippi, where his grandparents lived, and transferred into Grenada High School.
Eddie Gant left high school in March 1967 to enlist in the US Marine Corps. His basic training took him to Paris Island, South Carolina, followed by additional instruction at Camp Pendleton, California, and Camp Jejune, North Carolina. In October 1967 he completed his marine rifleman training and was sent to Vietnam.
Upon arrival in Vietnam Private First Class Gant was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division, which was stationed near Da Nang.
“By fall of 1967, the 1st Marines were operating permanently in the northern sector of the I Corps tactical zone. The following winter the communists launched their all-out Tet New Year Offensive. Hue, the old imperial capital, was overrun by the enemy. Between 31 January and 2 March 1968, and elements of the 1st Marines, along with other US Marine and South Vietnamese units, fought to regain control of the city. The battle was characterized by bitter street fighting and hand-to-hand combat.”
On March 18, 1968, Lance Corporal Eddie Dean Gant, fighting in the vicinity of Hue in Thua Thien Province, was killed in action. Eddie's remains were returned to Grenada, Mississippi, and buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.
(VVMW; VVVW; WHSM; WRP March 23, 1968; Global Security. Org, 1st Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usmc/1mar.htm, [16 September 2008])
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RO-GANT
Title
A name given to the resource
Eddie D. Gant (1968/03/18)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Gant, Eddie
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
TEXT
Language
A language of the resource
EN
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/c3d8a742015f3fc2ea6326e531ca34e3.jpg
a44856def1521efa52957d7b6de25fa8
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
Any textual data included in the document.
George went to war with a wealth of life experiences and left them in Vietnam.
George Walter Skakel entered the world on January 12, 1946, in Moab, Utah. The names of his parents or details relating to his formative years have not surfaced. The family, which also included his sisters Nancy and Sally, likely relocated to Ojai, California, where George attended Nordhoff High School. After his graduation in June 1964, he hit the road and traveled throughout France, Spain, Germany and England. After completing a class at Oxford, he worked as a merchant seaman earning his passage to India, Thailand, Saigon and Northern Australia, where he worked in a uranium mine. Skakel returned to the US and entered the University of California, Santa Cruz, with its pioneer class of 1965, but only remained through his freshman year. The UCSC newspaper City on a Hill later noted that he was drafted because he had not made "normal educational progress" when he dropped out of school for a year and a half.
George Skakel entered the US Army about February 1967. Following basic and advanced training, he was sent to Vietnam on May 6 and assigned to D Company, 1st Squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, which was serving in the Bong Son Plain district in northern Binh Dinh Province. While in Vietnam, Skakel submitted articles to the UCSC newspaper The City on a Hill under the pen name CPL Callibernus.
Following the Tet New Year Offensive in January 1968, his unit was moved to Hue. At that time he was leading a squad of what he described as "Two old-timers and nine college kids." Dick Miller, a former platoon member, shared his remembrance of George Skakel on the Vietnam Memorial Fund Internet Website:
“I didn't like him at first. He was too aggressive for me, always looking for trouble and poking into things on patrol that I preferred to ignore or avoid. Later, when I got to know him better, I came to appreciate his attitude and we became friends. He was an energetic, assertive, and tough trooper, yet he maintained his compassion for everyone and his examples of humanity and morality were inspiring. I was next to him when he was hit and with him when he died, which was almost instantly. Clarence Young and I recognized the mortal nature of his wound, and lay next to him and spoke to him constantly until there was no doubt of his demise. We didn't know if he could hear us, but we wanted him to know that he was not alone and was being tended to by those who loved him.”
The body of Sergeant George Walter Skakel was recovered; however, his gravesite has not been located.
(VVMW; VVVW; 7th Infantry "First Team," 7th Cavalry Regiment-Vietnam War http://www.first-team.us/journals/7th_rgmt/7thndx04.html; Skakel-"Callibernus" Killed in Action, UCSC City on a Hill Press, 1968, http://www.nordhoff64.com/class_profile. cfm? member_id=233053, Nordhoff HS Memorial [April 5, 2009])
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RO-SKAKEL
Title
A name given to the resource
George W. Skakel (1968/03/06)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Skakel, George
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
TEXT
Language
A language of the resource
EN
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/31a9a11dd075e4d50623f6ab28338e04.jpg
6ffb66bd567ce6d803e3cc089eb2260b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
Any textual data included in the document.
After only twenty days of duty in Vietnam, the tour and life of William Choi came to an end.
No information has been found to explain the hyphenated surname of Choi-Rakofsky. Military service records list him as William David Choi, whereas the surname Rakofsky is the name he shared with his brothers, Jack and Glenn.
William David Choi was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on September 7, 1947. His mother's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Yu, lived in Hawaii and his mother's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Welch, resided in Soquel, California. While he was quite young, his mother brought William, his two brothers and one sister to Watsonville, where she married Jack C. Tindle. William attended Mintie White and E.A. Hall elementary schools in Watsonville before entering Soquel High School. After his graduation from high school in 1965 and prior to 1967, William was married to Anita Winifred.
William Choi-Rakofsky entered the army in August 1967 and after completing basic and advance training, was assigned to the 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division.
On February 8, 1968, Private Choi joined his unit serving in the Phong Dinh Province of Vietnam. At that time the 60th Infantry Regiment was committed to the fighting in the Mekong Delta during the Tet New Year Offensive. "Jitterbug tactics," in which airmobile units were deployed within a dozen meters of the enemy with split second timing, were being used to help deter the communist offensive. It may have been during such an operation that Private First Class William David Choi-Rakofsky was killed in action on February 26, 1968. His body was recovered and returned to Santa Cruz for burial within the Oakwood Memorial Park.
(VVMW; SCSn March 3, 1968 1:4; Global Security.Org, 2nd Battalion 60th Infantry Division "Scouts Out" http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2-60in.htm, [16 September 2008])
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RO-CHOI-RAKOFSKY
Title
A name given to the resource
William D. Choi-Rakofsky (1968/02/26)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Choi-Rakofsky, William
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
TEXT
Language
A language of the resource
EN
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/09cbfde8d12622b1a220c7591dd661e1.jpg
c2c24c96db003f878c64f9ab375bc250
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
Any textual data included in the document.
High School classmate Dallas Wolf described Lennie Scharff as a "Fine guy, super athlete, good looking…the whole package."
Lennie Harold Scharff was born on August 31, 1948, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Scharff. The Scharff family, which also included his brother Dennis, resided in Iowa until 1961, when they moved to Ben Lomond, California. Scharff finished grammar school and enrolled in nearby San Lorenzo Valley High School. In high school he was remembered for his football ability and gutsy endurance under adversity. On one occasion he continued to play in a football game with a painful shoulder injury without a complaint.
Lennie Scharff enlisted in the US Marine Corps on September 26, 1967. After completing basic and school-of-infantry training at Camp Pendleton, he was assigned to H&S Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regt. in the 1st Marine Division stationed in Thua Thien Province of Vietnam. During the 1968 Tet New Year Offensive, his battalion was engaged in the heavy fighting near the ancient city of Hue.
On February 21, 1968, Private First Class Lennie Harold Scharff was killed in action by small arms fire. The final chapter in his story is best recounted by his friend Dennis Belville who shared his recollection of Lennie's death and funeral on the Internet web site, Remembrance from the Wall.
”I remember that cold winters night when a hush went over the gym. So very strange, the utter silence, the sobbing cheerleaders the shocked disbelief on the faces of the parents. The thought that one of ours has died on the battlefield was a crushing blow. My brother and I were asked to be pallbearers at his funeral. Both of us in our dress navy uniforms proudly put Lenny to rest that day. I can still hear the single bugler playing taps as it drifted through the redwoods. He gave everything he had on the gridiron for the SLV Cougars and he ultimately gave his life for his country. 'Red right 33 Red' 'break'."
Lennie was buried in the Felton Cemetery on March 9, 1968.
(VVMW; VVVW; SCSn February 24?, 1968 1:3, March 6, 1968 12:2; Street Fighting Lessons Learned from the Battle for Hue for 21st Century Urban Warfare, By Edward J. O'Neill, IV B.A., Kent State University, 1989 May 2003, http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0128103-183352/unrestricted/O'Neill_thesis.pdf, [16 September 2008])
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
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RO-SCHARFF
Title
A name given to the resource
Lennie H. Scharff (1968/02/21)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Scharff, Lennie
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
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Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
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TEXT
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EN
Type
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OBIT
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Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/b87cc1620356a1e530dfc778e7edaf01.jpg
4ab5b6dd472637cc36bb692cf15c3434
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
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Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
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"I can't smile, I'm supposed to look like a bulldog," was Gary Carpenter's comment to his aunt when she asked him to smile for a picture.
Gary Ralph Carpenter was born on July 6, 1949, in Fresno, California, to Ralph and Jewel Carpenter. At an early age he and his brother Lauren moved to Watsonville where his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Carpenter, raised them. Gary attended Freedom school and in 1963 enrolled in Watsonville High School. He was remembered as a cheerful industrious student who enjoyed sports, but because of an outside job was unable to participate on the school's teams. Later he joined DeMolay, an organization affiliated with the Masonic lodge, and belonged to the First Methodist Church youth group.
In June 1967, Gary Carpenter graduated from high school and six days later enlisted in the US Marine Corps. Following basic and school-of-infantry training at Camp Pendleton, Private Carpenter returned home on leave. In an interview with a Watsonville Register-Pajaronian reporter, Gary noted that over the past five months he had acquired, "a partiality for burgundy cherry ice cream and a respect for the training administered by the Marine Corps."
On Thanksgiving Day 1967, Gary Carpenter left home for the last time. After arriving in Vietnam, he was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines of the 1st Marine Division stationed near Da Nang in Quang Nam province. He was immediately subjected to combat and wrote home that the "Gosses" (term used for Communists) had hit his unit. "I had to run 100 yards to get to my foxhole and get my rifle. When I got to it, a friend was hit and bullets were going around us and I started to pray."
On January 30, 1968, while on a patrol in the Quang Nam Province near the DMZ, Private First Class Gary Ralph Carpenter was killed in action when he was shot in the head by a sniper.
His body was returned to California and was buried at Memorial Park in Selma near his birthplace of Fresno.
(VVMW; WHSM; WRP February 2, 1968 1:1)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
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RO-CARPENTER
Title
A name given to the resource
Gary R. Carpenter (1968/01/30)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Carpenter, Gary
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
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Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
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TEXT
Language
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EN
Type
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OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/34ae489807937940a20e000fbfa7d300.jpg
eb387e5052948960676dec7737384d6c
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
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Visions of the movie Bridge Over the River Kwai may have entered Robert's mind as he stepped into that river to go bathing.
Robert L. Foster was born in Colorado on January 6, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Foster. He was raised and lived in that state until about 1962 or 1963 when he arrived in Santa Cruz County, California. He and his wife, Betty, moved into the Live Oak district of the county and settled into a residence on 34th Avenue near Pleasure Point by the ocean.
It is not known when Robert Foster entered the US Army; however, by 1967 he had completed his initial training and risen in rank to specialist fifth class. Foster was assigned to the 44th Engineering Group (Construction) at Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
“In the jungles of Thailand, the US Army supported major activities for both the Vietnam War and the secret war in Laos. The 44th Engineer Group was assigned the task to build roads and a support (logistics) network based in the plateau region of central Thailand known as Korat.”
On January 22, 1968, Robert Foster's wife received news from the Sixth US Army Headquarters in San Francisco that her husband had drowned while bathing in a river near Kanchanaburi, Thailand. That river is likely the River Kwai that runs through Kanchanaburi.
Foster's body was recovered and returned to Santa Cruz where a funeral with full military honors was conducted followed by interment in Oakwood Memorial Park.
(SCSn January 25, 1968 1:7, Oakwood Memorial Park records; http://www.geocities.com/koratmahknut/44thengrgp/historical.htm [29 May 2009], 44th Eng History,)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
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RO-FOSTER,R
Title
A name given to the resource
Robert L. Foster (1968/01/22)
Subject
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Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Foster, Robert
Creator
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Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
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TEXT
Language
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EN
Type
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OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/c112601f8b60c4839456e4797ed0f382.jpg
4842a177ceec48d83d24330640d1c022
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
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Wilton Ray Pickett, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray S. Pickett, was born in Los Angeles, California, on July 23, 1941. Wilton grew up in Southern California, attended LA County schools and graduated from Anaheim Union High School in 1959. In 1964 the Pickett family, which also consisted of daughters Judy and Betty Jean, moved to Santa Cruz County where Wilton and his father worked in the heating and sheet metal business. He also found employment in the crop dusting industry. His constant movement from one job to another delayed his being drafted.
In February 1966 Wilton Pickett was inducted into the US Army. Following basic and advanced training, he was assigned to Company B, 815th Engineer Battalion of the 935th Group at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. On March 23, 1967, Pickett and his unit flew to California and upon arrival boarded the troopship USNS General Walker for Vietnam.
Upon arrival in Vietnam April 15, 1967, Pickett was transported to his base at Engineer Hill near the central highland town of Pleiku. In Vietnam he drove a dump truck for the construction of bases, structures, roads, airfields, facilities, bridges and other building projects.
On January 9, 1968, at a location identified as Connell Quarry, Specialist Fourth Class Wilton Ray Pickett was killed by small arms gunfire while moving towards a bunker following an explosion. His remains were returned home and following a funeral service on January 22, 1968, were interred in Oakwood Memorial Park in Santa Cruz.
(VVMW; 815th Engineers, History Vietnam Tour, http://groups. msn.com/815thEngineers/inmemoryof.msnw, [15 May 2007 Approx.]; SCSn January 12, 1968 1:7, January 24, 1968 C4: 8; Oakwood Cemetery Survey)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
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RO-PICKETT
Title
A name given to the resource
Wilton R. Pickett (1968/01/09)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
Pickett, Wilton
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
TEXT
Language
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EN
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/bb8cedaf74e77ff23c9e1647db404e15.jpg
3d78c5c7bd5909c1eede2d04c848c166
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/3754032f5e41f2f850798fd067f7957c.jpg
8998f4bc6ef6186459be7897ecbb785a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Remembering Our Own: Santa Cruz Veterans
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Nelson, Robert L. Remembering Our Own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Nelson, Robert L. Old Soldier: the story of the Grand Army of the Republic in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2004.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Description
An account of the resource
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 <a href="/omeka/about-the-remembering-our-own-collection">About page "Remembering Our Own</a>."<br /><br />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.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
PAPER
Text
Any textual data included in the document.
Jack McKinnon's life in Santa Cruz County, California, remains a mystery. He was born on March 9, 1948, in Santa Cruz; however no record of his family, formative years or life in the county has been located.
During the early part of 1967, McKinnon was apparently living in Santa Cruz County and was drafted into the US Army. As an entering recruit he would likely have spent the eight-week basic training course at Fort Ord, California, or Fort Lewis, Washington, with an additional five weeks of advanced individual training to prepare him as an infantryman.
Private McKinnon arrived in Vietnam on April 13, 1967, and joined Company D, 4th Battalion of the 31st Infantry Regiment. That unit was in the process of moving from Tay Ninh to Chu Lai on the South China Sea to participate in Operation Oregon, which was a sweep into Binh Son Province.
About 1967 McKinnon was promoted to specialist fourth class and likely participated in additional combat operations in Quang Ngai, Chu Lai, and Que Son Valley. It was probably at one of these locations that Specialist Fourth Class Jack Wiley McKinnon Jr. was killed in action on January 3, 1968, while attempting to prevent Viet Cong guerillas and the North Vietnamese Army from capturing the coastal lowlands.
His body was recovered, returned to California and was interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery.
(CBR; VVMW; Global Security.org, 4th Battalion 31st Infantry Regiment http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/ army/4-31in.htm, [16 September 2008], 196th.Org, Untitled Document, http://www.196th.org/guestbook/Guestbook2005/ Guestbook2005archive.htm, USDVA)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
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RO-MCKINNON
Title
A name given to the resource
Jack W. McKinnon Jr. (1968/01/03)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Veterans
Wars-Vietnam War
McKinnon Jr., Jack
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nelson, Robert L.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Remembering our own: the Santa Cruz County military roll of honor 1861-2010. Santa Cruz, CA: The Museum of Art & History, c2010.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
TEXT
Language
A language of the resource
EN
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
OBIT
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Reproduced by permission of Robert L. Nelson and The Museum of Art & History.
Biography
County at War