These Stories of Valor are part of an ongoing oral history program of the Honor Project to ensure the experiences of our combat wounded and those who gave their all in the service of America are remembered for generations to come.
In 1940, Luke had graduated from West Huntsville High School, and he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Oct. 5, 1940. Two months later, he joined the crew of the Battleship U.S.S. Arizona on December 4, 1941. A Seaman First Class gunner’s mate serving on board the U.S.S. Arizona, Isom was killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the event that triggered the U.S. entry into the war.
Read MoreA member of the prominent Dockweiler family of Los Angeles, he attended Loyola High School before attending the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating 10th in his class in 1924. He later received a master of science degree in naval construction from MIT.
Read MoreSteven "Gus" Gustuson enlisted in the Navy in August 1965 and served for the next four years including deployments during Operations Sea Lords and Giant Slingshot.
Read MoreJames Bouchard enlisted in the Navy in February 1967 and served for the next three years as a member of the 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Marine Division, including a tour in Vietnam.
Read MoreOriginally from Los Angeles, California, George Stavropoulos enlisted in the U.S. Navy, entering the service in July 1965. He was deployed to Vietnam where he was awarded four Purple Heats as a result of wounds he suffered.
Read MoreJack Hanson joined the U.S. Navy Reserves in 1965, during his senior year of high school. After graduating in 1966, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps where he served on active duty for six years. Deployed to Vietnam in November 1967, then-PFC Hanson was awarded the Purple Heart as a results of fragment wounds he suffered from exploding shrapnel and mortar shells during a clash on January 8, 1968, near Thau Thien, South Vietnam.
Read MoreMarcus V. Arroyo was born on August 5, 1950 in the South Bronx of New York. His father was a sailor in the Merchant Marines, who sailed during World War II in the Atlantic, delivering desperately needed supplies through dangerous, submarine-infested waters to England. One of his father’s ships was blown up and he was
Read MoreWarren Craig received his Purple Heart for injuries he suffered near Guadalcanal in late 1942. The United States had been in World War II for less than one year. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had destroyed most of the United States Navy’s Pacific Fleet. Most of our battleships and destroyers were in the Atlantic supporting
Read MoreRichard R Gerbeth, Jr. was born November 18, 1972 in the Bronx. He grew up in Lake Carmel in Putnam County, New York. Both of Richard’s parents were teachers, and his father was a Navy Vietnam War era veteran. He had a happy childhood, participating in karate and sports such as baseball and soccer. He wanted to play football in
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