HESTER, WILLIAM ★ 10 MAY 49 - 1 JUL 68 LAMBERSON, CARL ★ 9 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 69 DOHERTY, JOHN ★ 20 DEC 44 - 2 JUL 67 OGBURN, FRANK ★ 3 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 66 VAUSE, JAMES ★ 6 FEB 44 - 2 JUL 66 LOPINTO, FRANK ★ 1 OCT 47 - 2 JUL 67 BELL, LEON ★ 2 MAY 46 - 2 JUL 67 TASSEY, MALCOLM ★ 3 JUN 43 - 2 JUL 67 ALBANESE, ROBERT ★ 25 OCT 31 - 3 JUL 69 LAYTON, ROBERT ★ 23 JUL 44 - 3 JUL 69 CATLING, ROBERT ★ 29 JUL 46 - 3 JUL 66 BILENSKI, JOHN ★ 6 JUL 39 - 3 JUL 68 SYDOR, DENNIS ★ 24 JUL 50 - 4 JUL 69 DIXON, CECIL ★ 13 NOV 38 - 4 JUL 67 SCHMUTZ, ANTHONY ★ 28 APR 43 - 4 JUL 67 STEFANIAK, STEPHEN ★ 15 FEB 48 - 4 JUL 68 MICKENS, CARL ★ 9 APR 44 - 4 JUL 70 TERRY, FREDERICK ★ 3 JUN 37 - 4 JUL 68 HICKS, JOSEPH ★ 30 MAR 47 - 4 JUL 67 WOODROW, ROBERT ★ 20 DEC 46 - 4 JUL 67 BORREGO, ANTHONY ★ 25 MAR 42 - 5 JUL 67 LAWRENCE, BRUCE ★ 12 JAN 43 - 5 JUL 68 ALAMO, GABRIEL ★ 18 NOV 18 - 6 JUL 64 NAWROSKY, MICHAEL ★ 18 JUN 41 - 6 JUL 68 ACKERMAN, DAVID ★ 5 OCT 45 - 6 JUL 69 PIASCIK, MICHAEL ★ 28 NOV 45 - 6 JUL 66 BAGLEY, DENNIS ★ 19 MAR 47 - 6 JUL 69 SLATTERY, ROBERT ★ 15 JUL 46 - 6 JUL 67 HOVANEC, DONALD ★ 10 DEC 49 - 7 JUL 69 DAVIS, HARLAND ★ 4 JUN 35 - 7 JUL 72 WEBER, WILLIAM ★ 19 NOV 46 - 7 JUL 68 DODSON, ROBERT ★ 17 MAY 43 - 7 JUL 68 COLEY, BRUCE ★ 30 MAY 48 - 7 JUL 69 COYLE, HUGH ★ 24 MAY 31 - 7 JUL 68 BIBBS, WARREN ★ 2 APR 45 - 7 JUL 68 MCLAUGHLIN, THOMAS ★ 27 AUG 46 - 7 JUL 67 PISCIOTTA, WAYNE ★ 7 DEC 50 - 8 JUL 71 HUMES, FRANK ★ 5 DEC 48 - 8 JUL 69 JOHNSON, ANTHONY ★ 6 OCT 40 - 8 JUL 67 DEVORE, CRAIG ★ 21 JUL 47 - 8 JUL 68 MOSES, DONALD ★ 4 AUG 45 - 9 JUL 66 LUTTGENS, JAMES ★ 7 MAY 49 - 9 JUL 70 STRANGEWAY, JAMES ★ 15 MAR 43 - 9 JUL 68 ANDERSON, STEVE ★ 12 JUL 46 - 10 JUL 69 MANIAS, ROBERT ★ 23 DEC 47 - 10 JUL 71 MCCONNELL, JAMES ★ 13 AUG 46 - 10 JUL 68 CHRISTENSON, WILLIAM ★ 22 MAR 45 - 10 JUL 69 RETZLAFF, ARTHUR ★ 2 DEC 42 - 10 JUL 67 HAYWARD, ARNOLD ★ 4 NOV 32 - 11 JUL 69 LIVELY, WARREN ★ 26 JAN 51 - 11 JUL 70 USILTON, JOHN ★ 29 JUN 41 - 12 JUL 69 YOHNNSON, GEORGE ★ 10 APR 47 - 12 JUL 66 JUDGE, CHARLES ★ 30 SEP 46 - 12 JUL 67 COSTA, MARIO ★ 9 FEB 50 - 12 JUL 68 MORRIGGI, JOSEPH ★ 15 AUG 48 - 13 JUL 69 MOORE, JEROME ★ 29 JAN 47 - 14 JUL 67 MCCALL, GERALD ★ 13 JUN 40 - 14 JUL 68 COWEN, CHRISTOPHER ★ 6 JUL 47 - 15 JUL 68 VIEHMANN, GEORGE ★ 5 AUG 47 - 15 JUL 69 TENCZA, ANTHONY ★ 13 MAY 19 - 15 JUL 62 BERG, JOHN ★ 16 MAY 46 - 15 JUL 67 GOLDBERG, JOSEPH ★ 27 SEP 30 - 15 JUL 62 HAAS, LEON ★ 3 APR 43 - 17 JUL 72 CUCCINELLI, ROBERT ★ 30 APR 49 - 17 JUL 68 BACON, ROBERT ★ 3 JUL 45 - 17 JUL 69 VARS, JONATHAN ★ 28 SEP 43 - 17 JUL 69 HARTMAN, RICHARD ★ 1 MAY 35 - 18 JUL 67 ANASIEWICZ, RICHARD ★ 26 OCT 45 - 18 JUL 66 ZUKOV, STEPHEN ★ 22 OCT 46 - 19 JUL 66 BESCHEN, JAMES ★ 1 JAN 45 - 19 JUL 66 RIGGINS, SIM ★ 12 DEC 46 - 19 JUL 66 ALFONSO, JOHN ★ 22 SEP 46 - 19 JUL 67 GERTSCH, JOHN ★ 29 SEP 44 - 19 JUL 69 HEGGAN, DONALD ★ 17 AUG 44 - 20 JUL 68 OUTWATER, ALBERT ★ 25 MAR 46 - 21 JUL 67 GILCH, JAMES ★ 6 MAY 45 - 21 JUL 66 JAMES, RODNEY ★ 30 MAR 46 - 22 JUL 66 ORTIZ-BURGOS, JOSE ★ 1 MAR 49 - 23 JUL 68 VOLPONE, DANTE ★ 3 MAR 47 - 23 JUL 67 EUCKER, FRANKLIN ★ 24 OCT 45 - 24 JUL 66 VIRGILIO, LAWRENCE ★ 16 APR 42 - 24 JUL 67 JENNINGS, MICHAEL ★ 24 FEB 50 - 25 JUL 69 CHAMBERS, HILLMAN ★ 30 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 68 ASMUTH, ROBERT ★ 29 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 70 MAJESKI, MICHAEL ★ 30 NOV 49 - 27 JUL 68 RENCEVICZ, CHESTER ★ 16 OCT 49 - 27 JUL 68 CAMPBELL, DONALD ★ 31 MAY 36 - 28 JUL 68 SMOYER, WILLIAM ★ 2 OCT 45 - 28 JUL 68 SHOOK, BOYD ★ 10 APR 52 - 28 JUL 70 KRUPINSKI, FREDERICK ★ 19 JAN 45 - 28 JUL 68 VALLONE, RICHARD ★ 22 DEC 45 - 29 JUL 67 CAMPEAU, FRANCIS ★ 28 MAY 45 - 29 JUL 67 FELVER, GALE ★ 2 JUL 46 - 29 JUL 66 KEIN, ROBERT ★ 19 MAY 49 - 29 JUL 69 AMENDOLA, JAMES ★ 13 OCT 44 - 29 JUL 69 LAVELLE, JOHN ★ 30 SEP 50 - 29 JUL 70 BERZINEC, WILLIAM ★ 11 DEC 30 - 30 JUL 68 BATES, RONALD ★ 4 NOV 49 - 31 JUL 69 HESTER, WILLIAM ★ 10 MAY 49 - 1 JUL 68 LAMBERSON, CARL ★ 9 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 69 DOHERTY, JOHN ★ 20 DEC 44 - 2 JUL 67 OGBURN, FRANK ★ 3 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 66 VAUSE, JAMES ★ 6 FEB 44 - 2 JUL 66 LOPINTO, FRANK ★ 1 OCT 47 - 2 JUL 67 BELL, LEON ★ 2 MAY 46 - 2 JUL 67 TASSEY, MALCOLM ★ 3 JUN 43 - 2 JUL 67 ALBANESE, ROBERT ★ 25 OCT 31 - 3 JUL 69 LAYTON, ROBERT ★ 23 JUL 44 - 3 JUL 69 CATLING, ROBERT ★ 29 JUL 46 - 3 JUL 66 BILENSKI, JOHN ★ 6 JUL 39 - 3 JUL 68 SYDOR, DENNIS ★ 24 JUL 50 - 4 JUL 69 DIXON, CECIL ★ 13 NOV 38 - 4 JUL 67 SCHMUTZ, ANTHONY ★ 28 APR 43 - 4 JUL 67 STEFANIAK, STEPHEN ★ 15 FEB 48 - 4 JUL 68 MICKENS, CARL ★ 9 APR 44 - 4 JUL 70 TERRY, FREDERICK ★ 3 JUN 37 - 4 JUL 68 HICKS, JOSEPH ★ 30 MAR 47 - 4 JUL 67 WOODROW, ROBERT ★ 20 DEC 46 - 4 JUL 67 BORREGO, ANTHONY ★ 25 MAR 42 - 5 JUL 67 LAWRENCE, BRUCE ★ 12 JAN 43 - 5 JUL 68 ALAMO, GABRIEL ★ 18 NOV 18 - 6 JUL 64 NAWROSKY, MICHAEL ★ 18 JUN 41 - 6 JUL 68 ACKERMAN, DAVID ★ 5 OCT 45 - 6 JUL 69 PIASCIK, MICHAEL ★ 28 NOV 45 - 6 JUL 66 BAGLEY, DENNIS ★ 19 MAR 47 - 6 JUL 69 SLATTERY, ROBERT ★ 15 JUL 46 - 6 JUL 67 HOVANEC, DONALD ★ 10 DEC 49 - 7 JUL 69 DAVIS, HARLAND ★ 4 JUN 35 - 7 JUL 72 WEBER, WILLIAM ★ 19 NOV 46 - 7 JUL 68 DODSON, ROBERT ★ 17 MAY 43 - 7 JUL 68 COLEY, BRUCE ★ 30 MAY 48 - 7 JUL 69 COYLE, HUGH ★ 24 MAY 31 - 7 JUL 68 BIBBS, WARREN ★ 2 APR 45 - 7 JUL 68 MCLAUGHLIN, THOMAS ★ 27 AUG 46 - 7 JUL 67 PISCIOTTA, WAYNE ★ 7 DEC 50 - 8 JUL 71 HUMES, FRANK ★ 5 DEC 48 - 8 JUL 69 JOHNSON, ANTHONY ★ 6 OCT 40 - 8 JUL 67 DEVORE, CRAIG ★ 21 JUL 47 - 8 JUL 68 MOSES, DONALD ★ 4 AUG 45 - 9 JUL 66 LUTTGENS, JAMES ★ 7 MAY 49 - 9 JUL 70 STRANGEWAY, JAMES ★ 15 MAR 43 - 9 JUL 68 ANDERSON, STEVE ★ 12 JUL 46 - 10 JUL 69 MANIAS, ROBERT ★ 23 DEC 47 - 10 JUL 71 MCCONNELL, JAMES ★ 13 AUG 46 - 10 JUL 68 CHRISTENSON, WILLIAM ★ 22 MAR 45 - 10 JUL 69 RETZLAFF, ARTHUR ★ 2 DEC 42 - 10 JUL 67 HAYWARD, ARNOLD ★ 4 NOV 32 - 11 JUL 69 LIVELY, WARREN ★ 26 JAN 51 - 11 JUL 70 USILTON, JOHN ★ 29 JUN 41 - 12 JUL 69 YOHNNSON, GEORGE ★ 10 APR 47 - 12 JUL 66 JUDGE, CHARLES ★ 30 SEP 46 - 12 JUL 67 COSTA, MARIO ★ 9 FEB 50 - 12 JUL 68 MORRIGGI, JOSEPH ★ 15 AUG 48 - 13 JUL 69 MOORE, JEROME ★ 29 JAN 47 - 14 JUL 67 MCCALL, GERALD ★ 13 JUN 40 - 14 JUL 68 COWEN, CHRISTOPHER ★ 6 JUL 47 - 15 JUL 68 VIEHMANN, GEORGE ★ 5 AUG 47 - 15 JUL 69 TENCZA, ANTHONY ★ 13 MAY 19 - 15 JUL 62 BERG, JOHN ★ 16 MAY 46 - 15 JUL 67 GOLDBERG, JOSEPH ★ 27 SEP 30 - 15 JUL 62 HAAS, LEON ★ 3 APR 43 - 17 JUL 72 CUCCINELLI, ROBERT ★ 30 APR 49 - 17 JUL 68 BACON, ROBERT ★ 3 JUL 45 - 17 JUL 69 VARS, JONATHAN ★ 28 SEP 43 - 17 JUL 69 HARTMAN, RICHARD ★ 1 MAY 35 - 18 JUL 67 ANASIEWICZ, RICHARD ★ 26 OCT 45 - 18 JUL 66 ZUKOV, STEPHEN ★ 22 OCT 46 - 19 JUL 66 BESCHEN, JAMES ★ 1 JAN 45 - 19 JUL 66 RIGGINS, SIM ★ 12 DEC 46 - 19 JUL 66 ALFONSO, JOHN ★ 22 SEP 46 - 19 JUL 67 GERTSCH, JOHN ★ 29 SEP 44 - 19 JUL 69 HEGGAN, DONALD ★ 17 AUG 44 - 20 JUL 68 OUTWATER, ALBERT ★ 25 MAR 46 - 21 JUL 67 GILCH, JAMES ★ 6 MAY 45 - 21 JUL 66 JAMES, RODNEY ★ 30 MAR 46 - 22 JUL 66 ORTIZ-BURGOS, JOSE ★ 1 MAR 49 - 23 JUL 68 VOLPONE, DANTE ★ 3 MAR 47 - 23 JUL 67 EUCKER, FRANKLIN ★ 24 OCT 45 - 24 JUL 66 VIRGILIO, LAWRENCE ★ 16 APR 42 - 24 JUL 67 JENNINGS, MICHAEL ★ 24 FEB 50 - 25 JUL 69 CHAMBERS, HILLMAN ★ 30 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 68 ASMUTH, ROBERT ★ 29 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 70 MAJESKI, MICHAEL ★ 30 NOV 49 - 27 JUL 68 RENCEVICZ, CHESTER ★ 16 OCT 49 - 27 JUL 68 CAMPBELL, DONALD ★ 31 MAY 36 - 28 JUL 68 SMOYER, WILLIAM ★ 2 OCT 45 - 28 JUL 68 SHOOK, BOYD ★ 10 APR 52 - 28 JUL 70 KRUPINSKI, FREDERICK ★ 19 JAN 45 - 28 JUL 68 VALLONE, RICHARD ★ 22 DEC 45 - 29 JUL 67 CAMPEAU, FRANCIS ★ 28 MAY 45 - 29 JUL 67 FELVER, GALE ★ 2 JUL 46 - 29 JUL 66 KEIN, ROBERT ★ 19 MAY 49 - 29 JUL 69 AMENDOLA, JAMES ★ 13 OCT 44 - 29 JUL 69 LAVELLE, JOHN ★ 30 SEP 50 - 29 JUL 70 BERZINEC, WILLIAM ★ 11 DEC 30 - 30 JUL 68 BATES, RONALD ★ 4 NOV 49 - 31 JUL 69

Ross Applegate - Specialist 4

Hometown:
Bergenfield
D.O.B.:
August 5, 1949
County:
Bergen
Rank:
Specialist 4
Branch:
Army
Date of Casualty:

March 26, 1968

Casualty Status:
Killed In Action
Country of Incident:
South Vietnam

Ross Applegate was born on August 5, 1949, in Queens, NY, to Francis and Theresa Applegate. He grew up in Bergenfield, NJ, with his brother, Joel. He graduated from Bergenfield High School in June 1967. His interests included baseball and football. As a young man, he played baseball in the town PAL, Pony and Little League and was very involved in the Boy Scouts and the Explorers, for which he became the assistant advisor. Ross sang in the concert choir. He was a faithful acolyte at Christ Church, Teaneck, NJ, from confirmation until enlistment.

Although Ross was very happy-go-lucky, he also had a serious side. He could be described as responsible. For example, he was a member of a four-piece rock band. He listened to Bob Dylan and absorbed every word. He was able to understand the poetry behind Dylan’s music and was able to introduce the other band members to the seriousness of the lyrics. He was a band member in high school.

Applegate decided to enlist in the US Army when he did not get into the college of his choice. He attained the rank of Specialist 4 (SP4). He would complete his military service and then attend college. He served with the 191st M.I. Detachment, 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam from 1967-1968.

Even after he was sent to Vietnam, he still had a lighthearted attitude towards everything. He sent letters home talking about the games of football he had organized and was pleased that he had thrown a touchdown pass. It was not until his military intelligence detachment became involved in the Tet Offensive that he looked to the real reasons for fighting the war in Vietnam.

He was described by a fellow soldier, who served with Applegate as “a consciencious, competent and cheerful soldier who was always dependable and pleasant to be around.” Walter Mizell (who served with Applegate, noted that, “Ross was a good man and a good soldier. His parents, his other kinfolk, and his friends have good reason to be proud of him. Those of us who served with him were shocked and saddened by his death. Ross served his country willingly and cheerfully, and wore the uniform proudly.”

On March 26, 1968, at the age of 18, Ross Applegate was killed in action in South Vietnam, Thua Thien Province during a mortar barrage at Camp Evans. His death shocked all his family and friends back in the US. In a letter from a commanding officer, the officer declared that he was surprised at the age – 18 – because he thought Ross was 26. He is buried in Atlantic View Cemetery in Manasquan, NJ.

Applegate received numerous awards and decorations including a Bronze Star, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Rifle M16, and the National Defense Service Medal. The government of the Republic of Vietnam awarded him the Military Merit Medal and the Gallantry Cross with Palm. Ross posthumously received the Purple Heart as well.

Sources: Theresa Applegate (mother), Walter Mizell (served with) and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024

Other Heros From Bergenfield

Golon, Wayne - Corporal

Hometown: Bergenfield