VVA Chapter PI 887

Allen “Pop” Reeves American Legion Post 123 nt1nSpon cihrsoored ·

The Following information is provided by the Casualty Office of the American Legion Post 123 It is the sad duty of the Casualty Office to inform you that other Comrades have fallen and they are: 20-IC-19 Donald Keith Holcomb, MSgt, U.S. Air Force Retired, age 87 passed away on Monday, June 22, 2020 at Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Hospital, Calanipawan Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines. He was laid to rest with an Interment Burial at Leyte Memorial Park, Tacloban City. Case # 20-53 Romeo Castro Celestino, MSG, U.S. Navy Retired, age 66 passed away on Saturday, July 11, 2020 at The Medical City Clark, Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, Philippines. Approved for Wednesday, July 15, 2020, 10:00 AM, rendering of Military Honors and the 2- Bell Ceremony. Upon completion of Military Honors he will be cremated & be laid to rest with an Inurnment Burial at Tierra Santa Memorial Park in Mabalacat City.

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Funeral Arrangements and Family Information are Pending on the following Comrade:

Case # 20-41 James Leon Gass – Military Retired, age 74 who passed away on Friday, May 8, 2020 at The Medical City Clark, Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat City. We are still awaiting Military Information and Burial Arrangements from his widow & family. There is now a question about his First & Middle Name Some documents have his Middle Name as his First Name and the First Name as his Middle Name. The Casualty Office has Closed this Case 20-41 after being informed by the Family that the U.S. Embassy would be assisting the family in the repatriation to the United States. ******************************************************************* Burials at Clark Veterans Cemetery, Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga. Restrictions for Burial have been lifted for Public Burials as of 6 July 2020. However, the following requirements by ABMC and VA for all Interment & Inurnment Burials are required are as follows:

*No more than Twenty-Five Family Members may attend

*All Attendees Must Maintain the Required Social Distancing

*All Attendees Must Wear Face Mask

Final Approval by ABMC and CFZ has been received for the following Burials of the following:

All Military Honors will be held at at Clark Veterans Cemetery Gate 1 Area at Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City Parking for the Services will be at Gate 2 Parking Area.

Date and time Change for

Case # 20-27 John Michael Son, U.S. Navy Veteran, scheduled for rendering of Military Honors & the 2-Bell Ceremony has been change from Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 10:30 AM to Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 09:00 AM. ——————————————————————————— Case # 20-42 William Lee Frye, World War II / US Navy Retired, scheduled for rendering of Military Honors & the 2-Bell Ceremony on Thursday, July 21, 2020 at 10:00 AM, followed by Inurnment Burial at Holy Mary Memorial Park in Angeles City. ———————————————————————————- The FOLLOWING BURIALS ARE AWAITING FINAL APPROVAL BY ABMC & CFZ FOR THE FOLLOWING FALLEN COMRADE:

Case # 20-IC-15 Joseph Anthony Fenderson, U.S. Army Veteran, scheduled for an Inurnment Burial with rendering of Military Honors on Thursday, July 16,, 2020 at 09:00 AM. ********************************************************************* THE FOLLOWING BURIALS OR REQUEST FOR MILITARY HONORS ARE BEING PREPARED FOR SUBMISSION TO ABMC & CFZ FOR THE FOLLOWING FALLEN COMRADE:

Case # 20-51 Thomas Irwin Elliott, U.S. Navy Veteran/Korean War Veteran. There will be One (1) Memorial Service before rendering of Military Honors and the 2-Bell Ceremony followed by an Inurnment Burial on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 10:00 AM in Clark Veterans Cemetery. ********************************************************************* Due to current travel restrictions imposed regarding COVID-19, repatriation has been delayed to the Philippines & will be scheduled upon the arrival of the fallen comrade once travel & local restrictions are lifted for the following:

Case # 20-IC-16 Archie (Indy) Turner – US Army Veteran / Recipient of the Silver Star / Bronze Star / Purple Heart & Combat Infantry Badge, age 75 who passed away Thursday, April 30, 2020 at the Hospice of the Valley / Eckstein Center in Scottsdale Arizona. Direct Cremation was at the Angels Crematorium and Burial in Mesa Arizona. ********************************************************************** BURIAL IN THE UNITED STATES

Due to the Current Restrictions imposed regarding COVID-19, repatriation has been delayed to the United States for a Columbarium (Urn) Burial with Full Military Honors at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, California & will be scheduled once VA Restrictions for Burials are lifted for the following Fallen Comrade:

Case # 20-44 William Berotte Jr – Major US Marine Corp Retired, age 66 who passed away May 22, 2020 at The Medical City Clark Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat City. MILITARY HONORS AT CLARK VETERANS CEMETERY OR IN A LOCAL CEMETERY IN THE PHILIPPINES. ********************************************************************** The Rendering of Military Honors will be held at a later date for the following Comrade:

Case # 20-IC-17 Bruce Dimitri Tunsil – CMSgt, U.S. Air Force Retired, age 66 who passed away Thursday, April 9, 2020 at Manila Doctors Hospital, in Ermita Manila, Philippines. He was laid to rest at St. Therese Columbarium (Urn) in Manila on the May 6, 2020.

Case # 20-IC-18 David Charles Levenduskey – SSgt, U.S. Army Reserve / US Navy Retired, age 63 who passed away May 8, 2020 at The Dr. Pablo O Torre Memorial Hospital in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. He was laid to rest under Philippine Health Guidelines with an Interment Burial at the Bacolod Roman Catholic Cemetery, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines.on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.

Case # 20-36 Alan Longno Talahuron – PO-2 US Navy (Marine Corps Corpsman) Retired* age 45 who passed away on Sunday, March 29, 2020 at St Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City after a brief illness. He was transferred to Angeles City. An Interment Burial was held at Clark Veterans Cemetery at CFZ in Angeles City on Friday, June 19, 2020. ******************************************************************** The US Embassy ACS is still in the process of trying to Locate and Notify the Next of KIN and also Checking Military Status for the following:

Case # 20-35 Robert Joseph Costa – age 59, a Homeless American who passed away on Saturday, March 29, 2020 at the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (Ospital Ning Angeles) (ONA) in Angeles City.

*Updates to follow.

Sincerely,

Neil J. McAuliffe, Sr. Casualty Assistance Officer American Legion Post 123 Burial Consultant for the VFW, VVA Chapter 887, DAV Chapter #3, Non Veterans & Foreign Nationals