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Edsel Ford Teacher Works to Keep Memories of Dearborn’s Vietnam Heroes Alive

Each spring, Lisa Lark, a teacher at Edsel Ford High School, takes part in a Memorial Day ceremony to honor the men from the high school who died in Vietnam.

She says it was this annual ceremony that moved her to begin researching the men from Dearborn who died during the Vietnam War. Since July, she has been actively researching the 68 men with ties to Dearborn. While she has made some great strides, Lark said she still has a long way to go.

Lark contacted Deepsaidwhat.com and requested that we let others know about her project in the hope that by increasing the visibility of her work she could keep the memories of these men alive.

”I would love to hear from people who knew these men and would be willing to share pictures or memories,” Lark said. ”My goal for this project is to keep the memories of these men alive, and to share the stories of their lives and their heroism. I believe these stories also tell about an important time in Dearborn’s history.”

”I am firmly ensconced in the research portion, and need as much help as I can find. While some families have been easy to locate, others have spread all over the country and the world. What I am looking for is anyone who knew any of the young men that I have identified. No amount of information is too small: childhood memories, who they had for math class, where they went to church, where their parents worked. Photos would be most welcomed as well.”

Lark has set up an email where people can reach her dearbornsvietnam@gmail.com and has set up a Facebook page (search Dearborn’s Vietnam Heroes or click HERE.) where people can see photos of the men and connect with others who knew them.

The list of the 68 men identified by Lark are listed below:

Anderson, Richard Meredith

Angel, Tommie Ray

Antol, David J

Bird, Edwin Byron

Bonnici, Robert John

Borowski, Raymond John

Brannon, David Craig

Brock, James Barrett

Brown, David Allen

Clark, Jerry Wayne

Cochrane, John Floyd

Daily, Thomas B

Davis, James Leonard

Dillinder, Randy Eugene

Dyer, Jay Cee

Dziengowski, Michael J

Elwart, Paul Dean

Emmons, Gerald E

Fleming, James Martin

Foxworth, Roger Christophe

Fugett, Henry J

Gambotto, Larry Louis

Gandolfo, Philip Nick

Gentinne, Thomas Henry

Germany, Franklin Wallace

Hanselman, Charles Leon

Harla, Robert Kent

Hath, James Stuart

Hintz, James R.

Hosnedle, Alan R.

Huard, James Linton

Jackymack, Rudolph S.

Kaartunen, Alan C

Karr, Charles Lee

Kowitz, David Ralph

Logan, Bradley John

McCann, Cecil Darrell

McCormick, Louis J

McIlroy, Douglas Steven

McKenna, Robert Charles

Morrow, James Francis

Mueller, Ralph Thomas

Naughton, Thomas David (Daniel)

Navarre, John A

Niezgoda, Michael Allen

Nozewski, Robert

Patterson, James Barnett

Patterson, Michael Richard

Pearce, William C IV

Pennell, Wilbert Gene

Pietrzyk, Mark Edward

Reynolds, Bruce M

Robertson, Mark

Rowley, Donald A

Schmaltz, William A III

Siegwald, George C II

Smith, David Leon

Smith, Earl

Smith, Ronald C.

Snell, Stuart G

Stancroff, Dennis Charles

Stubblefield, James Edward

Terwilliger, David W.

Tinker, Gary Lynn

Trescott, Charles R.

Troyan, Michael Joseph Jr.

Wells, John Curtis

Yokom, Robert W. Jr

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 9th, 2010 at 12:15 am and is filed under Around Town. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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6 Responses to “Edsel Ford Teacher Works to Keep Memories of Dearborn’s Vietnam Heroes Alive”

  1. john says:
    October 9th, 2010 at 10:58 am

    Thanks for letting us not forget the guys who have made it possible for us to live the life we live because of their ultimate sacrifice. Good job Lisa, keep up the good work.

  2. Michael D. Albano says:
    October 9th, 2010 at 2:10 pm

    I was in my 1st semester of 10th grade at EFHS in 1966 when I met Chuck in gym class. A very large, well known bully, for reasons unbeknown to me, had just grabbed my t-shirt and threatened me. Out of nowhere came Chuck who poked this bully in the chest and then kept pushing him farther and farther away from me. Chuck tells him, “You’d better leave the kid alone, or you’re going to have to mess with me”, or something to that effect. This so-called tough guy backed down and never bothered me again. Chuck then came up to me and introduced himself.

    I witnessed Chuck do the same for other underclassmen and these memories have stayed with me for life. The best way I could describe Chuck is that even though he looked like a tough guy, he was one fine young man who cared about others and he only got “tough” when it was absolutely called for to protect others.

    I have no way to verify this, but I had heard he somehow died while saving other soldiers. Knowing Chuck was such a protector of others, it would not surprise me that he died a hero. But it still makes me sad to think of such a promising life lost at such an early age.

    Chuck will always be a hero to me. May he RIP…

  3. Michael D. Albano says:
    October 10th, 2010 at 8:59 am

    Sorry, I forgot to mention that the Vietnam vet that I was referring to above was Corporal Charles “Chuck” Hanselman who graduated from EFHS in January 1967. He was killed in action in Vietnam on January 10, 1968 and was only 19 years old.

    If there ever was a real Fonzie, one who put thugs and bullies in their place and protected the underdogs, it was Chuck. He was only a “tough guy” when it was absolutely necessary to protect others. To this day I think of him often.

  4. It's a Start says:
    October 13th, 2010 at 7:04 pm

    Good work Ms. Lark. And on a related note, between all the incredibly important news about the local tin horns and neighborhood whiners, when was the last time you saw a significant article in our local papers or blogs about the heroic effort our young and not-so-young people are making in Afghanistan and Iraq?

    They’re expected to rebuild the country and infrastructure, play policeman AND kill Taliban and Al-Qaeda all at the same time. A mission that appears next to impossible on its face.

    They’re doing a great job and deserve more public recognition and support, especially from a town that wears its patriotism on its sleeve.

  5. Lisa says:
    October 14th, 2010 at 8:13 pm

    Thanks for sharing my project, Said. I have had some good responses thanks to your coverage.

    It’s a start: while I can’t speak to why there is no news coverage of the current wars, I will tell you that my students are aware of the young men and women serving and giving their lives. Last spring my kids sent letters of thanks to the families of men & women killed recently defending our country.

  6. Judy (Long) Greer says:
    June 24th, 2011 at 7:15 pm

    Lisa…I’ve been in Florida for many years now. My fave thing in D. C. is the Wall where I saw my friend, Al Hosnedle’s, name inscribed. I remember him from Michigan State where we were friends until he enlisted in the service to go to Viet Nam. The amazing thing is, as Ii remember, he did not HAVE to go since he was the sole son in a family owned business, a slaughterhouse, so was exempted…How cool is that?? think he had two older sisters. He was part of our gang of friends at MSU and loved hanging our with his then girlfriend, Denise, and the rest of us as we had pig out contests at pancake houses and pizza joints.

    I am thankful I knew Al and very thnkful for the huge sacrifice he made so I could live to 64 and enjoy my kids and grandkids…

    Thanks to you for keeping him “alive” and honoring what he did.

    Judy Greer
    Tampa