Edward M Sieben, Army
Served in Vietnam
KIA: 08/02/1966
The Purple Heart, The National Defense Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal w/ a Bronze Star and The Vietnam Campaign Medal
Edward Michael Sieben was born on July 9th, 1946, and served in the United States Army as an Infantryman. Prior to joining the Army, Ed was a basketball and track star at Naperville Central High School. He was the captain and leading scorer for the 1963 and 1964 conference and regional championship basketball teams. He also took third place at state in the high jumping event. Ed was inducted into the Naperville Central Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. He will forever be missed. A heartfelt thank you to all veterans
who made the ultimate sacrifice and to all those who have returned.
Michael Galajdik Fireman 1st Class United States Navy
Pearl Harbor Attack on the Battleship USS Oklahoma
KIA: 12/07/1941
Michael was born October 25, 1916 in Joliet, IL. He served his country honorably and unselfishly on the USS Oklahoma (BB-37) during the Pearl Harbor attack. After 75 years, Michael’s remains have been identified through DNA and dental records. He served in the United States Navy from April 1940 until his death on December 7, 1941. He also served in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1935-1940.
SSGT Henry (aka “Jimmy”) C. Boylin, Jr. US ARMY
World War II
KIA October 9, 1944
3 Silver Stars, 2 Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, Combat Infantrymen’s Badge, 2 Distinguished Unit Citations, Bronze Service Arrowhead and EAME Ribbon, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, French Fourragere, Belgium Fourragere
Jimmy served with the 1st Infantry Division, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, H Company from March 1941 to his death. He was killed-in-action (KIA) at the battle of Aachen Germany on October 9th, 1944. He served as platoon leader for an 81mm mortar platoon attached to H Company, which was a heavy-weapons company. He was also the forward observer for his platoon. His full life story is told in the upcoming book, To the Last Man, which tells the story of the men of “H” Company of the 1st Infantry Division, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion.
Jimmy participated in the following military campaigns: Operation Torch (North Africa) – 1st Silver Star, Operation Husky (Sicily), Operation Overlord (Normandy) – 2nd Silver Star, Operation Cobra (Northern France) – 3rd Silver Star and 2 Bronze Stars, and the Battle of Aachen, Germany – Purple Heart.
SGT Thomas Francis Smith Jr.
Vietnam
KIA 1967
Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Thomas F. Smith, Jr. (1945 – 1968) entered the US Navy and served off the coast of Vietnam during the 1960s. When his Navy enlistment was up he enlisted in the US Army and was sent back to Vietnam as a rifleman. It was during his third month in-country in Vietnam he was killed in action. His father, Thomas F. Smith, Sr. saw service with the US Army Air Force as a radio operator and was captured as a prisoner of war for over 18 months by the Germans when his plane was shot down during a raid against the Ploesti oil fields in Romania.
PFC John Joseph Giblin
WWII European Area
KIA March 13, 1945
Purple Heart
John was the youngest of 4 siblings who cared very much about his family and loved his mother. John grew up on the west side of Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood where he would attend daily mass as Blessed Sacrament Church every day. He was on a path to become a priest when he was called to duty. He responded to his country’s call to fight for justice, freedom and democracy. John succumbed to wounds received from fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. His family was never the same without him and he was sorely missed as he was young and had his whole life ahead of him. His family tried to take comfort in knowing that John made the ultimate sacrifice for us all and was now in the company of his savior Jesus Christ watching over them.
PFC John J Campa, US Army
Vietnam
KIA 07/21/1967
Bronze Star Purple Heart
John was a close friend’s brother when I was 18. Still remember today when I first heard from my friend about his brother John’s death, the impact it had on their family, the community and everyone who knew John.
S SGT Lawrence J. Conley US Army
WWII
KIA February 01, 1945
Purple Heart
Lawrence J. Conley was born October 26, 1911 in Moscow, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Before being drafted into the service, he worked for the Delaware-Lackawanna & Western Railroad. He entered the Army on December 7, 1942; less than 2 months after I was born.
He served with the Infantry and was killed in action in Belgium, leading his men in combat on February 01, 1945; in the Battle of the Bulge. After burial in US Military Cemetery at Henri Chapelle, Belgium, Grave 75, Row 4, Plott MMM, for several years, he was returned from Cemetery 1240 to Gettysburg National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, (13 Nov 1947, Sec.3, Grave 208, WW II). The grave site is located in the first row behind the Gettysburg Address Memorial. He was survived by a wife and 2 children; I was two and my brother was three.