To Remember June 20, 2008

Well, I wear this to remind me. This is my second for the same person.
The first I lost when I was Med-Evaced. Not a day will go by that I
will remember 20 June 2008. Some things you will never forget, and
some, no matter how hard you try, you can't forget every painful detail.

j.

For Fallen Comrade Cpl. Richard Bennett

I wear my Memorial Bracelet for my fallen comrade Cpl. Richard Bennett who paid the ultimate sacrifice while flying on an AH-1W SuperCobra he was testing during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006.  Misfit 42, we will never forget you "Lonewolf".   Sgt. Gregory Branch HMLA-169 Flightline Division, USMC Currently in Al Anbar Province, Iraq

For Pfc Charles Martin who died in Vietnam

I ordered the Memorial Dog Tags for my wife whose uncle died in 1968 in Vietnam. While growing up her parents never talked about her uncle Charles Martin who died the Vietnam war. Both me and my wife feel that anyone who gives all for their country should be remembered and honored, and we want our kids to understand what it sometimes takes to keep us free. We feel all military men/women are our heroes and it is an honor to have so many in our family.

 

 

Pfc Charles T. Martin

Vietnam 1968

For Maj San Fransico, USAF (MIA)

In the fall of 2005, I joined the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Central Washington University.  I had never seen a POW/MIA bracelet until I met one of the Juniors there.  Being the dazed and confused Freshman that I was, I never asked him about it though and what it meant.  Two years later (his senior year) though, we had become pretty good friends.  On his commissioning night, he came up to me and explained what the bracelet was all about... 

Maj San D. Francisco graduated and commissioned from our detachment some years ago.  As a 1st Lt during the Vietnam war, he was deployed to serve his country.  On 25 Nov 68, while riding backseat in an F-4, he and his pilot were shot down.  Though both ejected and landed safely, radio contact with Francisco was lost about half an hour later.  A combat search and rescue was scrambled to go in the same day, but was unable to get to the pilots due to small arms fire near the area of the crash.  The next day, Maj Morrison (the other pilot) was able to reestablish communication with a Forward Air Controller (FAC) but when the rescuers arrived on scene, the weather had gotten worse and were unable to make visual contact with Morrison.  No contact was ever reestablished with either of the two.  On 26 Nov, a Vietnamese newspaper congratulated the people responsible for downing an F-4 and capturing both pilots.  The two were listed as POWs.  Unfortunately, after the release of many POWs in 1973, neither of the two were among those lucky enough to make it back home.  Since then, Francisco's status has been changed to MIA and has also been promoted to the rank of Major. 

Lt Rowbotham (the senior who told me the story) then took off the bracelet--which I had never seen him without in the two years I'd known him--and told me that it was traditon for a graduating senior to hand down the bracelet to either a freshman or sophomore on or around commissioning night.  That night, the bracelet was being transfered over to my care and to be placed under my responsiblity.  He went on to say that after our Detachment found out about what had happened to Francisco, the Det (detachment) bough a bunch of these bracelets.  Over the years, people have lost them or kept them, with the exception of this one bracelet which has stayed in the Det.  It went without saying, though he made a point of it, to NOT LOSE IT.  The second part of the this tradition is that every person who has worn the bracelet has gotten a coveted pilot slot.  Now I had a lot riding on me not to both lose the bracelet or break the "good luck" which came with it...I needed to get a pilot slot my junior year. 

Two years, and a wicked tan line, have gone by since I was given the bracelet.  This Saturday (13 Jun '09), I will ask a certain cadet (sophomore) to talk with me in private. I'll tell him the story of Maj Francisco.  I'll also tell him, though it goes without saying, not to lose it.  And I'll explain the tradition behind the bracelet.  I'll tell him that every cadet who has worn it has gotten a pilot slot (I'll be going to Laughlin AFB, TX in Dec and will begin my pilot training there!)  He will have two years to find a worthy cadet.  A cadet that will make it through the program, that knows how to push it up, and is very likely to get a pilot slot, but most importantly, a cadet that will be proud to wear Francisco's personal memorial. 

Two years have gone by, and I've grown very attached to keeping the faith alive that San Francisco is still out there fighting a war to come home, and I will NEVER forget him (and my other brothers/sisters).   That is why I just bought a new bracelet.  Not one to break tradition, I'll hand over this bracelet, and will soon be sporting a new one that I will keep until San Francisco is found and comes home.  Thank you for taking the time to hear this story...and for still remembering that we have warriors still out there who need to come home.  God bless!

2d Lieutenant Michael Rivera, USAF

I will wear mine for all the OK City bombing babies

I remember the OK city bombing like it was yesterday, like the twin towers.  Where I was, how I felt. 
I remember how my heart broke for all those people, all those babies.  April 19th, I will always remember that an AMERICAN killed his own people. 
I will always remember those babies and their broken bodies. 
And I will wear my Memorial Bracelet to never forget, to remind others of what domestic terrorism can do. 
I remember Chase and Cole Smith's mother.  I think of her every April 19th.  I will wear Chase's name with pride.  Pride that his life, so short, was not a waste but a sacrifice.

To support my Marine Boyfriend

I ordered 2 of the leather bracelets. I ordered an Active Duty Bracelet for me and one for my boyfriend who is currently going through his second deployment. The one I wear shows support for him and a little saying that shows how much he means to me. His, that I will send him has a supportive message. When he is having a rough day over there he can look at his bracelet and know that I love him and that before he knows it he will be on his way back home. 

It's so important to support the troops after what they go through over there. It's what keeps them going. I'm a very proud girlfriend of a Marine and I'm so excited to get to my bracelet . It should be here any day now. I'm very happy this site is out there, we should never forget the ones who have sacrificed there lives for our country. I will be back for bracelets in the future. 

I knew about your site because my brother has lost of friend of his back in 2004. He was killed while in Iraq. My Dad found your site and has a Memorial Bracelet made for the dad of my brothers friend. My Dad and brother ran into the guy a few weeks ago and he still wears the bracelet everyday. He was so touched that my Dad gave it to him. It's so a great way to remember his son and still continues to show his support for our armed forces. 

Thank you very much for all you do .

: ) Semper Fi!

For my cousin 2LT Jeffrey C. Graham

My Cousin, 2LT Jeffrey C. Graham was Killed in Action on Feb. 19, 2004.  I Ordered This Memorial Bracelet in Honor of his Sacrifice for Our Country and to Never Forget His Courage.

For my Very Good Friend Killed in Afghanistan

The reason i came to this web site is because one of my very good friends was killed in Afghanistan from an IED blast. I will be able to wear the Memorial Bracelet as soon as i get back from Afghanistan in summer of 09. I was very pleased to know that there is a site that is making and selling Memorial Bracelets. When i first saw one, it took me a couple mins to figure out what it was but when i did, i didn't want to ask what happened cause i know how it is to lose someone close. I didn't like to bring up the memories of it, but when i found myself in the same situation of losing a friend while in combat, i realized how he felt. So when i do get back to the states, i will be wearing it every day and i bought 2 so i can put one on my rear view mirror of my car. I would like to say thank you to all the people that have one and are supporting.

So Our Child Hood Friend on the USS Cole will Never be Forgotten

Our neighbor and childhood friend of my children was killed in the USS Cole terrorist bombing in 2000...he was only 19 yrs old--serving his country.  Thanks for giving me a way to show folks he should NEVER be forgotten!!!!  

Sincerely-- Lynn

For a Friend's Son Killed in the Korengal Valley

I ordered a Memorial Bracelet in honor of the first fallen hero I stood in the flag line for as a Patriot Guard Rider. The young man was a TN State Trooper and a member of the TBI when he was called to serve in Iraq. He left behind his parents and his fiancee; next time they saw him he was in a flag-draped coffin. I have just place an order for a friend whose son was killed in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan on April 15th. It was all I could think of to do for him, besides making a donation in his son's memory. Every life lost is a tragedy; the least we can do is keep the memories of the fallen alive.
Ms T. - the second biggest troop supporter you never heard of...
My heroes wear combat boots. If you don't stand behind our troops, please feel free to stand in front of them.

To Pay Tribute to a Wonderful Young Man

I wear my Memorial Bracelet to pay tribute and remember a wonderful young man who was lost to us in service to his country.

To Honor a Wonderful Young Man Cameron

I wear my Memorial Bracelet to honor a wonderful young man who we lost in service to his country. I was lucky enough to meet him and his wonderful family. His mother works with my best friend. Everytime now when I look down to my wrist and see this piece of metal it is with sadness that I remember Cameron but I also feel grateful.

For the Friend I Grew Up with Who Was Killed in the Gulf War

I am wearing this Memorial Bracelet for my friend whom I grew up with, went to school with and decided to defend our country with. He went on to be a Marine and I went on to be a soldier. He was killed during the Gulf War and I will always miss him and think of him.

Danny
"There is no better feeling than helping those who really need it"

For My Former Boyfriend Who Died in Afghanistan

I ordered a Memorial dog tag because my former boyfriend Chris, died in
Afghanistan on 3/2009. This tag will remind me that he was dedicated
to his family, friends and country. He belived in change. I will be
always reminded of him and his heroic actions.

Veronika G.

New Tags for Capt. Dean P. St. Pierre

Both Memorial Dog Tags are just beautiful.  This coming December, I will be touring Vietnam and I'm planning on burying my original POW/MIA bracelet if I can part with it.  I'll say a prayer in memory of Capt. Dean P. St. Pierre.  I have a new bracelet I ordered from your company that will keep him always in my memory.  Thank you for helping keep the flame alive.  

Carol

Oley Neal Adams, SSgt USAF

I wear the Memorial Bracelet of USAF SSgt Oley Adams who perished in an explosion of unknown cause of a C-130 aircraft witnessed over water off the coast of Vietnam. His remains were never found. Sergeant Adams is from my home state, Missouri.

I am creating a Memorial of the Fallen for him on the official AIR FORCE: TOGETHER WE SERVED member's website at this link:

http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=Profile&type=Person&ID=94117

I would be grateful to anyone who wishes to provide any kind of information such as a photograph of him, and any or all other personal details of his life. They may contact me at bluehawkzoomie@yahoo.com

This is part of his story:

ADAMS, OLEY NEAL  1937-1966

Name: Oley Neal Adams 
Rank/Branch: E5/US Air Force 
Unit: 12th Armament Electronic Maintenance Squadron 
Date of Birth: 27 June 1937 
Home City of Record: Green City MO 
Date of Loss: 17 June 1966 
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water 
Loss Coordinates: 125336N 1093123E (CQ398257) 
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered 
Category: 5 
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: C130E 
Refno: 0363 

"Other Personnel in Incident: Ralph B. Cobbs; Jack I. Dempsey; Stanley J. 
Freng; Edward L. Romig; M.J. Savoy; Donald E. Siegwarth; Curtis D. Collette; 
Gene K. Hess; Connie M. Gravitte; Robert A. Cairns; Larry E. Washburn (all 
missing) 

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 March 1991 from one or more of 
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence 
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. 
NETWORK 

REMARKS: EXPLODE AIR & IMPACT SEA - J 

SYNOPSIS: On June 17, 1966, a C130E "Hercules" aircraft departed Cam Ranh 
Bay, South Vietnam en route to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa on an operational 
airlift support mission. Aboard the flight were the crew, consisting of 
LtCdr. Ralph Cobbs; ADJ2 Curtis D. Collette; YN2 Jack I. Dempsey; ADR2 
Stanley Freng; Ltjg. Edward Romig; AN M.J. Savoy; and Ltjg. Donald 
Siegwarth. All were assigned to the 7th Air Transport Squadron. Also aboard
the aircraft were U.S. Air Force personnel SSgt. Robert Cairns; SSgt. Gene 
Hess; Capt. Connie Gravitte; SSgt. Oley N. Adams; and A1 Larry Washburn, and 
one other individual. 

About 30 minutes into the flight, as the aircraft was 43 miles northeast of 
Nha Trang, the crew of a naval gunboat cruising off the South Vietnam coast
observed the C130 explode and crash into the South China Sea. No hostile 
fire was observed, and the exact cause of the crash could not be determined. 
The vessel arrived at the crash scene only minutes after the impact and 
began an immediate search. The accident occurred so swiftly that it was 
assumed all aboard perished instantly. Some debris and wreckage have been 
recovered including parts of the aircraft and personal belongings. Only one 
body was recovered from the crash site. The others are listed as "Dead/Body 
Not Recovered." 

Cobbs and Siegworth were pilots, and probably the co-pilots of the aircraft, 
although this information is not included in public data relating to the 
loss. Crew positions of the remaining crew members are not available. 

Inexplicably, Cobbs' loss coordinates place him on the coast of South 
Vietnam a few miles northeast of Tuy Hoa, while the others aboard are listed 
as lost northeast of Na Trang. (This is a difference of about 55 miles.) 
Also, the entire crew of the aircraft has been assigned "Knowledge Category
4", while the passengers are in "Knowledge Category 5". Category 5 includes 
those individuals whose remains have been determined to be non-recoverable. 
Category 4 includes individuals whose loss details, such as location and 
time, are unknown and who do not fit into any of the varying degrees of 
knowledge other than category 5. No reason for this discrepancy can be 
determined. 

The Americans aboard the C130E are listed among the missing because their 
remains were never found to be returned to their homeland. They are among 
nearly 2500 Americans who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam war. The 
cases of some, like the C130E crew, seem clear - that they perished and will
never be recovered, Unfortunately, many of the missing do not have such 
clear cut cases. Some were known captives; some were photographed in 
captivity. Some were in radio contact with search teams, while others simply
disappeared." 

`````````````````````````````````

Mike Bell - USAF 1963-66, 3345th M&S Group/ATC

"Warriors are decisive in battles, not in wars."

I wear mine for my cousin

My (distant) cousin, PFC Justin W. Dreese, of the 82nd Airborne, US Army, was killed in a mortar attack in Iraq, on 2 Sept 2006.  I wear my Memorial Bracelet to honor his sacrifice, and the other (almost) 5,000 heroes from our nation's military services since 2001, that have "paid the last full measure of devotion" by laying their lives upon the altar of freedom.  I wear it constantly, as a officer of my veteran chapter that is out in the community constantly.  These are pictures of me in Arlington Cemetary (section 60, where the newest heroes are laid to rest) on February 17, 2009.
Wm. Dreese, Sgt. (ret) US Army Infantry
3/41 Inf, 2nd Armored Div.
Persian Gulf War, 90-91
V.P., SouthEast Michigan Veterans of Modern Warfare, Chapter 4

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Col. William J. Thompson - The Definition of a Hero

I wear my POW Bracelet to remember a fallen hero that stood up for something he believed in. When I decided to get a bracelet to honor someone that had served their country, I started wondering how I would choose.....there were so many people that had died, or were missing to choose from. I thought about it for a while and decided that the best way to decide was to look for someone that was local to my community, and the next criteria was that is was going to be someone that was MIA or KIA in the month of August in the year I was born. So, someone from the Houston, TX area that was MIA or KIA in August of 1968. I did not have to look far, he jumped right off the page at me. Col. William J. Thompson, USAF. I did some research on him, and found out that he went down in his F-4 Phantom in North Vietnam on a mission on August 1, 1968. They believe that he was shot down, but no wreckage or the Colonel were found. There is much more information that I found, but you get the idea. I was just being born into this world in August of 1968, and this Air Force Pilot was out fighting in a very un-popular war, but doing his job none the less.. What better way to honor him, than by wearing a bracelet bearing his name on a daily basis and sharing his story. I doubt Col. Thompson knew that he was inspiring people, but let me be the first to tell you that he did....without even knowing it!

 

Thanks you Colonel William J. Thompson for your courage and bravery under fire, thank you for your service and devotion to this country. may you rest in peace. Also, thank you to all who served in the Vietnam war, and the Gulf and Iraq wars, NONE of you are forgotten!
 

Regards,

Mark, K5EXX

US Army 87'-90'

Baytown/Chambers County CERT Coordinator
Emergency Communications, Baytown EOC

To Remember My Lost Pet

I just received my Memorial Bracelet today...I can't wait to show my sister-in-law who recently had to put her pet down as well...
  

I'm so glad I came across your site...I had just put my own pet down and wanted something to wear in his memory....The workmanship and quality is A+A+A+A+A+A+A+A+....I will recommend your site and show off my new bracelet as well...Thank-you so much for helping me honor my czar..When i'm not wearing the bracelet it will lay on his urn....
  sincerely,
  vicki

To Remember My Parents

Hello...I found out about your website from a customer at work who was wearing a Memorial Bracelet in remembrance of her uncle....I recognized the type of bracelet because i wore one for many years for an MIA/POW during/after Vietnam...I had thought of getting a bracelet with my childhood friends name on it that died on flight 77, September 11, 2001....but I am reminded everyday so it wouldn't help...so instead, I thought of remembering my parents....thank you for having this website...i have told friends who now wear your bracelets....take care

To Help Fulfill My Promise to Sgt Hewitt to Never Forget

When I was a kid my grandmother and both parents wore POW/MIA bracelets. I wanted one for myself when I got to be about 11 or 12 years old. I decided that I wanted a random name but a Marine as my father was (and still is) in the Marine Corps. I received a bracelet with the name of Sgt Samuel E. Hewitt. I lost the bracelet a few years later while swimming in the ocean but I never forgot the name. I took many trips to The Wall in D.C. and got rubbings of his name each time. I went off and joined the Marines myself and did two tours in Iraq. No matter how much I had going on, his name was never far from my thoughts. I made a promise to Sgt Hewitt some years ago to never forget. I never have and I never will. With or without a bracelet. The POW/MIA bracelet is just a reminder to others and to their families that they will never be forgotten. 

To Honor the 7 Heroes Killed During Their Deployment

I got my order yesterday.  They were the black Memorial Dog Tags.  I was truly moved when I got them. 

 

I found out about www.MemorialBracelets.com from the leather bracelets my son gave me for Christmas.  He wears the black memorial cuff every day that he received from a mom whose son was  killed  in their deployment.  He knew I would love to have one.  

There was another group of his men that were killed in a separate incident during that same deployment and he knew I would want to honor them as well so he ordered a leather bracelet for each incident in honor of these heroes.  The leather bracelets were too large for me to wear so I checked on your web site intending to order one cuff honoring all 7 heroes but since all the names wouldn't fit I ordered the black dog tags to wear.  Of course I can't hide the leather bracelets so I have them attached to my purse.

 

I will continue to wear them to honor our heroes. 

 

Thank you

To Remember Zach McBride

I wanted to continually remember Zach McBride, the son of a friend of mine who was KIA in Iraq in January 2008 during the surge of troops into the areas north of Baghdad. Zach was also a childhood playmate of my own son, who will receive his Army commission in 2010 and will probably face similar dangers. I think of all those killed in previous wars (WWII, WWI, etc.) who no one remembers except in the abstract. This remembrance. However, is real. I knew Zach. One day those who knew Zach will be gone also. Until then I will keep faith with his memory and pray for my own son.

To Honor a Fellow Woman Marine

I chose to purchase the Memorial Bracelet of SGT Jeannette Winters, a fellow Woman Marine, who was KIA during Operation Enduring Freedom.  My thoughts and prayers go to her family - Semper Fidelis Sgt Winters.... 

 

Sgt Tracie, USMC

To Keep Memories of Great Frends From Fading

I ordered both Memorial Bracelets due to the fact that both William Neil and William Jefferson were great friends. I was in the same truck with both of them the night they were killed. Its hard to lose great friends, but you can't let there memories fade. Remember there sacrifice always.