Harahan's Heroes
Harahan Heroes WWII
Philip Zeringue
Philip Zeringue
Philip Zeringue
- Machinists Mate, 1st Class Philip Zeringue died March 26, 1942 while serving aboard the USS Atik
- USS Atik (a “Q-Ship”) sunk by German U-123, 300 miles from Norfolk; 144 souls lost
- Memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at East Coast Memorial, New York City, USA
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ Combat Action Ribbon ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Navy Presidential Unit Citation ★ Navy Good Conduct Medal ★ Navy Expeditionary Medal ★ World War II Victory Medal
Felix Zeringue
Philip Zeringue
Philip Zeringue
- Staff Sergeant Felix Zeringue died between February 24th and March 30, 1944
- SSgt Zeringue’s B-24 was shot down on February 24, 1944. Germans recorded his death on March 30th
- Buried at Plot K Row 32 Grave 30, Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation ★ Army Good Conduct Medal ★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ★ World War II Victory Medal ★ Air Medal
Thomas Picone
Philip Zeringue
Lionel Vicknair
- Private Thomas Picone, died on Jul 2, 1942
- One of 797 men that died that month in Cabanatuan Prison Camp #1 in the Philippines - possibly of malaria
- Buried at the Manila American Cemetery Plot J, Row 6, Grave 19
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ Prisoner of War Badge ★ Philippine Defense Medal ★ World War II Victory Medal ★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ★ American Defense Medal ★
Lionel Vicknair
Lionel Vicknair
Lionel Vicknair
- Seaman, 2nd Class Lionel Vicknair died August 13, 1943
- Was aboard the USS John Penn when it was struck by a Japanese torpedo
- Memorialized on the “Tablets of the Missing” and among the over 17,000 buried U.S. serviceman killed in action at the American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ World War II Victory Medal ★ Purple Heart ★ Combat Action Ribbon ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Navy Presidential Unit Citation ★ Navy Good Conduct Medal ★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ★ Navy Expeditionary Medal
Guy Donaldson
Lionel Vicknair
Guy Donaldson
- 2nd Engineer, US Merchant Marines Guy Donaldson, (brother of Joseph Donaldson, see below) died September 13, 1942
- Gary was aboard the SS John Penn (not to be confused with the USS John Penn)when it was struck by a German torpedo as part of an Arctic Convoy, travelling across the Norwegian Sea
- Commendations: ★ Mariners Combat Bar with Silver Star ★ Mariners Medal ★ National Service Defense Medal ★ Merchant Marine Combat Medal ★ Atlantic War Ribbon ★ World War II Victory Ribbon
Jacob Knipper
Lionel Vicknair
Guy Donaldson
- Coxswain Jacob Knipper died November 24, 1943
- Aboard the USS Liscome Bay when it was struck by a Japanese torpedo.
- At about 05:10am a torpedo from submarine I-175 detonating the bomb magazine room, causing a devastating explosion that engulfed the ship and sent shrapnel flying as far as 5,000 yards away. 53 officers and 591 sailors were killed.
- He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines
- Commendations: ★ World War II Victory Medal ★ Purple Heart ★ Combat Action Ribbon ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Navy Presidential Unit Citation ★ Navy Good Conduct Medal ★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ★ Navy Expeditionary Medal
Jules Haydel
Sherwood Millet
Sherwood Millet
- Jules Haydel died on September 17, 1944 from wounds received near Buchet, Germany along the Siegfried Line
- Part of the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6th, 1944 coming ashore at Utah Beach
- On 14 September, his 3d Battalion broke through the Siegfried Line near Buchet.
- Jules Haydel is buried at Plot G Row 6 Grave 10, Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium
- Commendations: ★ World War II Victory Medal ★ Bronze Star ★ Purple Heart ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation ★ Army Good Conduct Medal ★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
Sherwood Millet
Sherwood Millet
Sherwood Millet
- Private Sherwood Millet died on October 4, 1944, while fighting the Germans in Italy along the Gothic Line.
- Landed in Italy after the disastrous invasion at Anzio. American troops faced some a Hitler’s most seasoned units.
- The details of Sherwood’s death are not well documented, but he died while trying to clear out the Idice Valley and reaching Monte Bibele.
- Millet was initially buried at a temporary American Cemetery in Castlefiorentino. His family requested that his remains be returned and is buried in the St. Michel Cemetery in Convent, Louisiana.
- Commendations: ★ World War II Victory Medal ★ Purple Heart ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation ★ Army Good Conduct Medal
Salvador Rando
Sherwood Millet
Salvador Rando
- Private Salvador Rando, USMC died on March 1, 1945 - he was 17 years old
- On March 1st, 1945, Rando’s regiment attacked a network of heavily fortified Japanese bunkers. At some point during the attack, he was mortally wounded. Temporarily buried on Iwo Jima, Salvador Rando was returned to Louisiana
- His final resting place is at Carrollton Cemetery No. 2
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ Combat Action Ribbon ★ Marksmanship Badge ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation ★ Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal ★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ★ Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
Joseph Donaldson
Salvador Rando
Joseph Donaldson
Joseph Donaldson
Joseph Donaldson
- Joseph Donaldson, (brother of Guy Donaldson, see above) served very actively as a Merchant Mariner for at least 8 years prior to and during World War II.
- On August 3rd, 1944 Joseph fell ill and suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while working aboard the newly christened Liberty ship Carlos J. Finlay out of Texas bound for New York City. Ironically, his ship was scheduled to stop in New Orleans before heading to the Atlantic. He is buried in Metairie Cemetery
- Sadly, his wife Gertrude Kovac gave birth to a daughter on Long Island, New York on July 13th, 1944. Because of travel restriction during WWII he was unable to meet his only child. Joseph had planned to be in New York in a few days aboard the Finlay. Such was the life of a Merchant Mariner.
- Commendations: ★ Mariners Combat Bar with Silver Star ★ Mariners Medal ★ National Service Defense Medal ★ Merchant Marine Combat Medal ★ Pacific War Ribbon ★ Atlantic War Ribbon ★ World War II Victory Ribbon
Joseph Donaldson
Joseph Donaldson
Harahan Heroes Vietnam
Kenneth Ainsworth
Kenneth Ainsworth
Kenneth Ainsworth
- Began his tour on October 16, 1967
- Attached to 1st Aviation Brigade, 212th Aviation Battalion, 16th Aviation Group, 131st Aviation Company
- During Kenneth's service in the Vietnam War, Army Specialist Five Ainsworth experienced a traumatic event which ultimately resulted in loss of life on February 2, 1968; Thua Thien province
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation ★ Vietnam Gallantry Cross ★ Army Good Conduct Medal
Michael Farrell
Kenneth Ainsworth
Kenneth Ainsworth
- Began his tour on May 9, 1967.
- Farrell had the rank of Specialist Four. His military occupation or specialty was Light Weapons Infantry.
- Michael was reported missing and declared dead on October 17, 1967. His valor and death were highlighted in the award-winning book They Marched Into The Sun which told the story of the Battle of Ong Thanh, Binh Long province
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ Combat Infantryman Badge ★ Marksmanship Badge ★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation ★ Vietnam Gallantry Cross ★ Army Good Conduct Medal
Salvador Monte Jr
Salvador Monte Jr
Salvador Monte Jr
- Began his tour on April 26, 1967
- Attached to 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, K Company
- Salvador died on December 1, 1967 through hostile mortar attack in Quang Tri province.
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ Combat Action Ribbon ★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal ★ Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation ★ Vietnam Gallantry Cross ★ Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal ★ Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
Mason Ragland
Salvador Monte Jr
Salvador Monte Jr
- Began his tour on December 10, 1969
- Private First-class Ragland was assigned to the 1st Logistical Command, 523rd Transportation Company
- "Rags" died on April 25, 1970. His Transportation Battalion convoy was traveling south on Highway QL-1 in Binh Dinh Province, when it was ambushed four miles south of Qui Nhon
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation ★ Vietnam Gallantry Cross ★ Army Good Conduct Medal
Harahan Hero Korea DMZ
Thomas Rayburn, III
- SPC4 Thomas Rayburn died on January 4, 1971
- Attached to the Army's 2nd Infantry Division, Tommy lost his life while patrolling the Korean Demilitarized Zone - still recognized today as a combat zone
- Since the Ceasefire Agreement signed on July 27, 1953 through 2022, there have been thousands of firefights with and dozens of infiltrations by North Korean soldiers resulting in hundreds of U.S. casualties and kidnappings of South Korean civilians
- Commendations: ★ Purple Heart ★ Korean Defense Service Medal ★ National Service Medal ★ Distinguished Service Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation ★ Army Good Conduct Medal
Harahan Hero Operation Iraqi Freedom
Robert DuSang
- Army Specialist Robert L. DuSang died on June 30, 2004 during Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Assigned to the Army's 2nd Armored Calvary Regiment, 1st Squadron "War Eagles", 1st Howitzer Battery, Robert lost his life on MSR (Main Supply Route) "Tampa" between Al-Kut, Iraq and Camp Doha, Kuwait - he was returning home with his Squadron after an 18-month deployment
- A graduate of Mandeville High School, Robert's Father and Step-Mother Don and Esther DuSang are residents of Harahan
- Commendations: ★ Bronze Star ★ National Service Defense Medal ★ Iraq Campaign Medal ★ Combat Infantryman Badge ★ Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ★ Army Service Ribbon ★ ★ Army Good Conduct Medal ★ Overseas Service Ribbon
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Contact Us
For more information please email: Harahan.ParkOfHeroes@gmail.com
Keynote Speaker: Colonel (Ret) Pete Crean
Vice President, National World War II Museum and Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army
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