Six years ago, Janna Hoehn and her husband made their first trip to Washington, D.C. When they set out to see memorials, the Vietnam Veterans Wall was first on her list.
“The Vietnam war was going on while I was in high school,” Hoehn said. “Even though I never knew anyone killed in Vietnam, I wanted a rubbing of one of the names.”
The name she chose was Gregory John Crossman, listed as missing in action. When Hoehn returned home, she decided to research Crossman and find his family.
“In the event they were never able to go to the Wall, I would send them the etching, hoping they would share a photo with me of Gregory,” Hoehn said.Unsuccessful at first, she enlisted her cousin, the family’s historian, and was able to find a college photo of Gregory after six weeks of searching.Jump forward two years and Hoehn, a resident of Maui, Hawaii, saw a story about the “Faces Never Forgotten” for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The goal, to put a face with every name that is etched on the Wall.
Hoehn sent in the photo she had of Gregory Crossman. Five days later she received an email from Jan Scruggs, the founder and president of the Vietnam Wall, saying it was the first for that soldier and asking her if she could help him find the photos for the 42 Maui County soldiers who were killed in Vietnam.
“I told him it would be an honor,” said Hoehn, adding that she always hoped she could to do something for the Vietnam veterans because of the way they were treated when they returned home.
“What I thought would be a very easy project, with Maui being so small, was anything but easy,” Hoehn said.
She combed phone books, calling every like name of each soldier and found 10. Next, she searched archived yearbooks for every high school on Maui and found a few more soldiers. Finally, the Maui News ran an online story about her efforts and over time she found all of the photos.
Next she turned her efforts to her hometown, Hemet, Calif., and eventually the whole state.
“I have collected over 1,200 photos since May 2013,” Hoehn said.
Now her search has turned to King County.
Hoehn has collected the names of soldiers (see list below) from King County without a photo to link with the Wall.
“If anyone is related, a friend or a classmate to any of the young men on the list I would very much appreciate hearing from you,” Hoehn said. “Even if you don’t have a photo, but know which school any of these young men attended, it would be so helpful.”
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall has the names of 58,300 etched on its face. To date, only 39,500 photos have been collected.
Those who have photos or information can contact Hoehn at neverforgotten2014@gmail.com. She also is seeking a volunteer to “do some footwork” in the community if all the photos aren’t found.
NAME – DOB-DOD- City/Town/Home of Record
William M. Adair 1945-1970 Bellevue
Charles L. Anderson 1948-1967 Seattle
Ciro J. Andreassi 1944-1967 Seattle
Jerry E. Barker 1949-1969 Seattle
Dan W. Beargeon 1946-1966 Seattle
Dewey L. Beatty 1948-1967 Seattle
Lawrence P. Berech 1947-1967 Seattle
Troy Bethea 1948-1969 Seattle
David P. Betts 1943-1967 Seattle
George M. Binns 1949-1969 Kent
Guy R. Bristol 1922-1970 Seattle
John E. Brix 1946-1968 Seattle
Patrick E. Brower 1947-1969 Auburn
John C. Browning 1944-1969 Renton
Sidney L. Bryant Jr. 1946-1966 Seatlle
Joesph M. Buchanan 1948-1969 Seattle
Gary L. Carlson 1948-1968 Seattle
Donald G. Davenport 1931-1966 Snoqualmie Falls
William L. Dazey Jr. 1946-1968 Bellevue
Patrick L. De Water 1949-1968 Kent
David R. Devik 1948-1968 Bellevue
Donald D. Douglas 1950-1970 Seattle
Clancy G. Drake 1931-1965 Kirkland
Van L. Durham 1947-1968 Seattle
Henry A. Dye Jr. 1949-1969 Auburn
Garrett E. Eddy 1944-1970 Seattle
James F. Ellis 1948-1968 Seattle
Melvin R. Ellis 1927-1966 Seattle
Alan C. Erickson 1947-1967 Seattle
William L. Erickson Jr. 1948-1969 Seattle
Richard D. Feiro 1937-1968 Seattle
William Fernan 1942-1968 Seattle
Walter L. Ferrell 1946-1969 Vashon
Ronald E. Fitzgerald 1950-1970 Auburn
Thomas R. Foster 1947-1969 Seattle
Amos L. Franklin 1945-1968 Seattle
Allan M. Fredricksen 1948-1968 Seattle
Fredrick I. Frenier 1946-1967 Seattle
Edward T. Frodsham 1947-1966 Seattle
Robert E. Furstenwerth 1945-1971 Seattle
Enrique L. Garcia Jr. 1941-1968 Seattle
Richard W. Geyer 1918-1963 Seattle
Glenn A. Gordon 1936-1969 Seattle
Bradford M. Graham 1950-1971 Mercer Island
Wendell J. Graham Jr. 1949-1969 Seattle
Leonard O. Graves 1947-1968 Seattle
David T. Hake 1945-1966 Burton
Jesse L. Hancock 1932-1966 Seattle
Thomas F. Harding 1948-1967 Seattle
Thomas J. Harty 1947-1967 Seattle
Gary W. Harvey 1948-1969 Seattle
Michael A. Hawk 1949-1969 Black Diamond
Joseph E. Heiman 1947-1968 Seattle
Walter M. Henry 1949-1968 Seattle
Robert D. Hickox 1948-1968 Seattle
George M. Hightower 1942-1966 Seattle
John A. Hoggatt 1943-1968 Seattle
Stanley R. Honea 1950-1969 Seattle
Jeffrey L. Hulbert 1949-1969 Kirkland
Robert P. Ilsley 1949-1969
James A. Johansen 1944-1968 Mercer Island
Larry V. Johnsen 1945-1968 Seattle
Ronald J. Johnson 1947-1967 North Bend
Pierce M. Kimball 1946-1968 Seattle
Steve W. Kinghammer 1946-1967 Renton
Rand G. Kittleson 1947-1970 Seattle
Paul G. Knighton 1946-1967 Seattle
Richard C. Langsjoen 1948-1967 Seattle
Michael E. Linderman 1946-1968 Auburn
Moon W. Lock 1942-1965 Seattle
Ralph T. Lomen 1949-1969 Seattle
James A. Long 1938-1971 Seattle
David W. Maclurg 1951-1970 Kent
Richard C. 1946-1968 Seattle
Richard E. Martinez 1934-1969 Renton
Patrick T. Mathews 1944-1972 Seattle
Ted E. McClintock 1922-1969 Seattle
Emmett R. McDonald 1939-1966 Bellevue
Michael P. McLaughlin 1947-1968 Seattle
Ronald R. Meyer 1950-1969 Seattle
Robert A. Montgomery 1947-1967 Fall City
Archie W. Morris 1944-1967 Seattle
Charles T. Morton 1950-1970 Seattle
David W. Moseley 1949-1968 Seattle
David L. Nelson 1943-1971 Kirkland
Gregory J. Niccoli 1946-1969 Kent
Roger D. Otto 1951-1970 Seattle
Charles R. Petchnick 1947-1967 Renton
Wayne A. Pettersen 1943-1967 Seattle
John F. Pettigrew 1949-1969 Seattle
Carroll W. Powell 1947-1966 Seattle
Ralph D. Raber 1948-1969 Seattle
Edward L. Rayburn 1950-1971 Milton
Leonard W. Roberson 1947-1967 Redmond
Robert R. Sanford 1949-1969 Kent
Kenneth E. Sargent 1936-1965 Auburn
Allen F. Scranton Jr. 1947-1966 Kent
Richard S. Sedies 1943-1967 Seattle
John H. Sherman 1946-1967 Seattle
Harry E. Smith 1947-1968 Kirkland
Phillip R. Smith 1940-1966 Bothell
Richard D. Smith 1951-1970 Bellevue
Warren L. Spink 1946-1969 Seattle
Dennis E. Springsteen 1946-1966 Seatttle
Lance W. St. Laurent 1949-1969 Seattle
Benny A. Starr 1939-1966 Seattle
Ronald L. Stroomer 1945-1968 Auburn
Clarence J.Sweeney 1933-1967 Seattle
Tagipo V. Tauala 1945-1971 Seattle
George M. Taylor 1948-1967 Kent
Lawrence G. Thode 1938-1970 Seattle
Everett B. Thompson 1947-1965 Maple Valley
Richard L. Thompson 1944-1966 Seattle
Dennis A. Trimble 1946-1967 Seattle
Alfred L. Turner 1934-1969 Bothell
James E. Vernor 1948-1968 Maple Valley
Richard L. Vinge 1947-1968 Seattle
Raymond A. Voss 1949-1969 Seattle
James R. Waldowski 1947-1969 Mercer Island
Charles E. West 1929-1967 Seattle
Albert R. Wilson 1939-1966 Seattle
Norman R. Wilson 1940-1966 Seattle
Douglas G. Wingert 1947-1967 Auburn
William R. Zeyen 1950-1971 Seattle