Vietnam Heroes

LCPL Donald Anthony DiSapio USMC: Born May 15, 1945, he was a resident of 1008
Peace Street in Pelham Manor, and raised a Roman Catholic. He attended PMHS leaving in
January 1962 joining the Marines the next year where he completed his high school
equivalency diploma. In Vietnam he served with the Headquarters and Service Company of
the 1st Amtrac Battalion of the Third Marine Division. On June 13, 1966, less than two weeks
before he was due to come home, he fought in a ground battle at Quang Nam near Da Nang
South Vietnam, and was killed by multiple fragmentation wounds. Donald was 21 and single
at the time of his death. He was survived by an older brother Edward, and a younger sister
Loretta

On June 22, 1966 Pelham Town Supervisor Robert Cremins addressed a Memorial Service
held on the Town Hall steps saying to the family, "We do not know the words to comfort you
in your sadness. The words we use are to tell you that we care, that we are deeply aware of
what Donald did for us and will do our best not to let his death have been in vain."

Congressman Ogden Reed said, "What he believed in became reality in Viet Nam and is
important for all of us here in Pelham". "It is for those living in civilian life to so live as to
justify the sacrifice of the dead soldier", the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Vincent W. Jeffers, pastor of Our
Lady of perpetual Help Church, said during his prayer of commemoration.   The Rev. Dr.
William S. Schram, pastor of Huguenot Memorial Church, urged self examination as a
prelude to the removal of the prejudices that lead to the passions of war. He asked God to
"Create a right spirit with in us" to render the continued sacrifice of our young men no longer
necessary."

"Prayer for the slain soldier, for his cause, and for his relatives and friends is a necessity if
his death is not to be in vain" the Rev. Richard O. Phillips rector of the Church of the
Redeemer told the assembly. The Rev. Arthur Evans, acting pastor of the community
Church of the Pelhams, prayed for comfort to the bereaved and expressed "deepest
sympathy for this hero of a most terrible war".

Commander Adolph Russillo of Pelham Post 50 of the American Legion placed a wreath at
the Veterans Tablet in Memorial Park, Boy Scouts lined the walk, and an honor guard from
the Second Riffle Co. of the US Marine Corps., fired three commemorative rounds. Cam
Whitford of Boy Scout Troop 1 played taps.

Donald DiSapio is honored on the Vietnam Wall Panel 08E Line 44.
The Standard Star June 15 and 23, 1966.
(Updated Sept. 23, 2007)

Charles Herbert Exizian, US Army; lived with his parents Herbert and Olga Exizian at 51
Fifth Avenue in Pelham. A member of the PMHS class of 1969, he was the first young man
from Pelham to be drafted under a lottery system based on birth date. Charlie was inducted
into the Army on Jan. 23rd 1970 and received his basic training at Fort Dix, NJ. He had been
serving as an air defense technician.

On Thursday, Sept. 17, 1970, he died of injuries which he received during tank maneuvers
at Fort Bliss, Texas. Private Exizian, had just celebrated his twentieth birthday several days
before. His father, an Army veteran of World War II, was a past commander of Pelham Post
50 of the American Legion. A requiem mass was celebrated at St. Catherine's Church on
September 24th 1970. He is interred at Section J, Site 15838A. Long Island National
Cemetery, 2040 Wellwood Avenue, Farmingdale, NY. The Standard Star Jan. 22nd & Sept.
24, 1970.
(Updated Sept. 23, 2007

2LT JOHN LANCE GEOGHEGAN, USA,   grew up in Pelham and was a 1959 graduate of
Iona Prep and Brigade Commander, class of 1963 at Pennsylvania Military College now
Widener University.

He went to Vietnam on August 18, 1965.   In the central highlands of Vietnam on November
15, 1965, Lt. Geoghegan’s unit was airlifted into the Ia Drang Valley where they found
themselves surrounded and intensely fired upon. One of his men, Willie Godbolt an African
American soldier from Jacksonville, FL was seriously wounded and cried for help. Lt.
Geoghegan left his position to go to his aid, but was mortally wounded by enemy fire.

The incident was described in the book “We Were Soldiers Once …and Young” by Harold
Moore and Joseph Galloway and recreated in the movie that starred Mel Gibson. After a
funeral mass at St. Catherine's Church in Pelham. He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in
Danbury, CT. The name of Willie Godboldt is next to Jack Geoghegan on the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Panel 3E Line 56. (Updated Sept. 29, 2007)

Widener University:

Clan Geoghegan

Medal of Honor Recipients Portrayed on Film

Capt. JOHN ALEXANDER HOUSE, US Marine Corps - Regular
Born on April 16, 1939 Capt. House grew up at 153 Harmin Avenue, in Pelham the son of
John and Dorothy House. He was a member of the track team at PMHS and a 1963 graduate
of Oregon State University receiving a degree in Forestry Management. In college, he was a
member of the riffle team which won the Secretary of the Navy Cup and he was awarded a
gold medal for marksmanship. A member of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps he
was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marines in 1963.

Joining the Marines in 1963 he became an experienced helicopter pilot, the holder of ten air
medals, and was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Cross. On June 30, 1967 as a
member of the Third Marine Division, he was able to land a CH46A helicopter that was
severely damaged by enemy fire near Phu Bai, (Thua Thien), South Vietnam saving the lives
of seven Marine passengers.

A Marine official commented, “Through conspicuous gallantry and skillful airmanship in force
landing his helicopter, Jack House was able to save the lives of seven Marines before
sacrificing his own.” Capt. House at age 28 and four years of service in the USMC was
reported Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered and remains on the active Vietnam "Missing In
Action" list.   He was married to the former Amy Emiko Sugai, the father of a month old son,
Eric Layne House, who he never met. He had two brothers Robert Alan House of Redding,
California and Mark House of Pelham.   He is remembered on the Vietnam Memorial Panel
22E Line 87. The Standard Star July 1967 (Updated Sept. 24, 2007

LTC ELI Tim (PAGE) HOWARD JR - O5 - Army - Regular
196th Light Infantry Brigade

Lt. Col. Eli Page "Tim" Howard, USA was a co-captain of the undefeated 1945 PMHS football
team which outscored its opponents 183 to 13. He went on to athletic success at Morgan
State College in Baltimore, where he was a member of the ROTC program.

Lt. Col. Howard served as a Marine during WWII and was later commissioned an Army officer,
serving in both South Korea and Vietnam. He began a second tour in Vietnam on January
21, 1969 during which he served as commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 196th Light
Infantry Brigade. While leading forces during a fierce battle on August 19, 1969 at Quang
Tin, near Da Nang, his helicopter was shot down with no survivors. A twenty year veteran of
the US military, he is interred at section 39 of Arlington National Cemetery near the gravesite
of his father, a WWI veteran. LTC Howard is honored on panel 19W row 68 of the Vietnam
Wall. The Standard Star August 1969. (Updated Sept. 24, 2007)

Vietnam War Memorial Panel 19W - Line 68

Airman Second Class Lewis Arnold LaGrange, US Air Force, born in New Orleans, he
came to Pelham with his family at age six. He grew up in Pelham Manor at 480 Esplanade
and attended Siwanoy Elementary School. He was a member of the PMHS Class of 1965,
and was a member of the school track team. He served as an acolyte and choir boy at Christ
Church in Pelham Manor.

After graduation he joined the Air Force and became a member of the 433rd Troop Carrier
wing where he was assigned to the Clark Air Field in the Philippines. His death resulted from
injuries he received in a motorcycle accident near the Mactan Air Force Base near Cebu on
May 25, 1967.

He was survived by a younger sister Anne and his parents Mr. & Mrs. Lester J. LaGrange Jr
His Father was a Pelham WWII veteran.
(Updated February 8th, 2008)

ANTHONY GEORGE PRIOR, CAPT - O3 - Army - Reserve, a graduate of PMHS ’60 and
the Citadel ’64. He went on to be a three year member of the U.S. Army’s special forces, the
Green Berets and began a tour of duty in Vietnam on Jan. 10, 1968. On June 4, 1968 in
Vietnam at Binh Long north of Saigon, he was a passenger on a helicopter traveling on a
mission to help evacuate wounded. The aircraft was fatally struck by hostile enemy fire. The
member of Christ Church in Pelham is remembered on the Vietnam Memorial Panel 65W
Line 13. (Updated Sept. 24, 2007)

Vietnam War Memorial Panel 65W - Line 13

CHARLES EDWARD REINER, PFC - E3 - Army - Selective Service
9th Infantry Division

Born on Sept. 21, 1943 he was a graduate of PMHS and C.W. Post College on Long Island.
He was drafted into the US Army and became a member of the 42nd Infantry, 9th Infantry
Division. He began a tour of duty in Vietnam on March 11, 1968. On May 17, 1968 in Long
An South Vietnam was reported Missing in Action and later determined to have been killed by
small arms fire and his remains identified. PFC Reiner was 24 years old at the time of his
death in service to our country. He is honored on the Vietnam Memorial Panel 62E Line 10.
(Updated Sept. 24, 2007)

Vietnam War Memorial Panel 62E - Line 10

Post 50 SAL 50 appreciates receiving any available information on Pelham
residents killed in service to our country. Please contact Ken Kraetzer at 914-684-
2735 or kgk914@aol.com.

Memorial Websites:

Virtual Wall

Perspectives of the Vietnam Memorial

Sons and Daughters In Touch

NY Residents Killed in Action or Missing in Action During Vietnam War

Honoring Americas Post Vietnam Casualties

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