Major Robert P. Perry, USA
Assistant Army Attaché, Jordan: 1 February 1936 - 10 June 1970
On June 10, 1970, Palestinian gunmen in Jordan shot and killed Major Robert P. Perry, DIA’s Assistant Army Attaché in Amman. The gunmen shot Perry through the door of his home when they attempted to enter. Perry’s wife and children were present at the time. His house was located in an area of Amman that was experiencing heavy fighting between the Jordanian Army and Palestinian fighters. After the incident, a spokesman for Al Fatah, a Palestinian terrorist organization, took responsibility for the killing. The U.S. briefly considered sending troops to Jordan in a contingency operation, but the violence ended two days later.
Perry was born in Chicago, Illinois. A 1958 graduate of Yale University, he entered the Army in June of that year and later obtained a master’s degree in Arabic studies from the American University in Beirut. He was a fluent Arabic speaker. He had been at his post in Amman since March 1967. Before that, he served as Assistant Army Attaché with the U.S. Embassy in Beirut from September 1963 to July 1966. He was married and had two sons and daughter.
Ms. Celeste M. Brown
Defense Attaché Office, Saigon · 12 September 1926 – 4 April 1975
Celeste M. Brown died on 4 April 1975 in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C5-A GALAXY cargo plane during the evacuation of Saigon. The Massachusetts native was on the first flight of Operation BABYLIFT, designed to bring Vietnamese orphans to the U.S. The plane carried 250 children, 29 crew members, including Air Force medical personnel, and 50 dependents and U.S. Embassy personnel. Soon after take off, the cargo door locks failed and the door blew off, damaging the hydraulic lines in the plane’s tail and destroying most of the controls. The C-5A crashed two miles short of Tan Son Nhut Air Base in a muddy rice paddy. The impact crushed the cargo deck, killing 153 of those aboard, including Brown and four other members of the U.S. Defense Attaché Office staff.
Ms. Vivienne A. Clark
Defense Attaché Office, Saigon · 26 August 1918 – 4 April 1975
Vivienne A. Clark died on 4 April 1975 in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C5-A GALAXY cargo plane during the evacuation of Saigon. She was on the first flight of Operation BABYLIFT, an operation designed to bring Vietnamese orphans to the U.S. The plane carried 250 children, 29 crew members, including Air Force medical personnel, and 50 dependents and U.S. Embassy personnel. Soon after take off, the cargo door locks failed and the door blew off, damaging the hydraulic lines in the plane’s tail and destroying most of the controls. The C-5A crashed two miles short of Tan Son Nhut Air Base in a muddy rice paddy. The impact crushed the cargo deck, killing 153 of those aboard, including Clark and four other members of the U.S. Defense Attaché Office staff.
Ms. Dorothy M. Curtiss
Defense Attaché Office, Saigon · 24 February 1930 – 4 April 1975
Dorothy M. Curtiss died on 4 April 1975 in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C5-A GALAXY cargo plane during the evacuation of Saigon. The native Virginian and single parent of two daughters was on the first flight of Operation BABYLIFT, an operation designed to bring Vietnamese orphans to the U.S. The plane carried 250 children, 29 crew members, including Air Force medical personnel, and 50 dependents and U.S. Embassy personnel. Soon after take off, the cargo door locks failed and the door blew off the plane, damaging the hydraulic lines in the tail and destroying most of the controls. The C-5A crashed two miles short of Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The impact crushed the cargo deck, killing 153 of those aboard, including Curtiss and four other members of the U.S. Defense Attaché Office staff. Curtiss had worked at the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company and at the DC transit system before coming to DIA in 1968 as the secretary to the Scientific and Technical Intelligence Directorate. She accepted a position at the Defense Attaché Office in Saigon in 1974 only after her daughters were grown and on their own. She enjoyed her assignment and had applied for an extension before being ordered to evacuate Saigon.
Ms. Joan K. Pray
Defense Attaché Office, Saigon · 26 January 1936 – 4 April 1975
Joan K. Pray died on 4 April 1975 in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C5-A GALAXY cargo plane during the evacuation of Saigon. The Rhode Island native was on the first flight of Operation BABYLIFT, an operation designed to bring Vietnamese orphans to the U.S. The plane carried 250 children, 29 crew members, including Air Force medical personnel, and 50 dependents and U.S. Embassy personnel. Soon after take off, the cargo door locks failed and the door blew off the plane, damaging the hydraulic lines in the tail and destroying most of the controls. The C-5A crashed two miles short of Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The impact crushed the cargo deck, killing 153 of those aboard, including Pray and four other members of the U.S. Defense Attaché Office staff. Prior to her assignment to the Defense Attaché Office Saigon, Pray had worked for a number of years at DIA’s “A Building” at Arlington Hall. At Defense Attaché Office Saigon, Pray worked as an administrative intelligence assistant. Her DIA colleagues remember her for her “always sunny” disposition.
Ms. Doris J. Watkins
Defense Attaché Office, Saigon · 4 August 1945 – 4 April 1975
Doris J. Watkins died on 4 April 1975 in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C5-A GALAXY cargo plane during the evacuation of Saigon. The Tennessee native and Army veteran was on the first flight of Operation BABYLIFT, an operation designed to bring Vietnamese orphans to the U.S. The plane carried 250 children, 29 crew members, including Air Force medical personnel, and 50 dependents and U.S. Embassy personnel. Soon after take off, the cargo door locks failed and the door blew off, damaging the hydraulic lines in the plane’s tail and destroying most of the controls. The C-5A crashed two miles short of Tan Son Nhut Air Base in a muddy rice paddy. The impact crushed the cargo deck, killing 153 of those on board, including Watkins and four other members of the U.S. Defense Attaché Office (USDAO) staff.
Mr. Nicholas G. Shadrin
DIA Handbook Analysis Division of the Soviet Directorate · 19 May 1926 – 20 December 1975
Nicholas George Shadrin died on 20 December 1975 after the KGB abducted him during an operation in Vienna, Austria. When the KGB discovered Shadrin was as a double agent operating against the Soviet Union, KGB leadership began an extensive plan to lure Shadrin to Vienna to meet a new KGB controller. During the rendezvous, KGB operations officers threw Shadrin into a car, en route for Czechoslovakia. The operatives likely injected him with a sedative so powerful that it killed him.
Shadrin, a Soviet navy commander, defected to the United States in 1959. He was working in DIA’s Handbook Analysis Division of the Soviet Directorate, (cover name for the External Research Project, that produced a special weekly summary that went to the White House) but also supported the FBI as a double agent. To this day, Russia has provided no official account of Shadrin’s death and the whereabouts of his body.
He lived in the Washington, DC, area and earned a Master of Arts degree from Georgetown University and a doctorate from George Washington University. Before coming to DIA, Shadrin also worked as a contractor for the Office of Naval Intelligence for five years.
He joined DIA in 1966, where he worked with a team of Soviet bloc defectors, analysts, and translators, exploring open-source intelligence for trends, developments, and indications and DIA Handbook Analysis Division of the Soviet Directorate · 19 May 1926 – 20 December 1975 11 warning. His naval experience, acute acumen, and dedication made him a key contributor to DoD’s understanding of Soviet naval warfare capabilities, tactics, and limitations. Following the abduction, former DIA Director Lieutenant General Daniel Graham stated, “In the area of Soviet naval operations and doctrine, Shadrin was the best we had.”
Shadrin was married to Blanka Shadrin (her adopted American name; the former Ewa Gora) from 1960 until her husband’s death in 1975.
Colonel Charles R. Ray, USA
Assistant Army Attaché, Paris · 14 September 1938 – 18 January 1982
A Lebanese terrorist shot and killed Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Ray outside his Paris apartment on 18 January 1982. The terrorist group known as the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Faction claimed responsibility for the murder. Ray was killed at about 9 a.m. as he was walking to his car, which was parked about 100 yards from his apartment. A lone armed man shot Ray at close range in the head with a pistol.
Ray was born in New York City. He was commissioned in the U.S. Army in 1960. Ray had been stationed in Paris as the Assistant Army Attaché for 18 months. He was a distinguished military intelligence officer, a decorated Vietnam veteran, and on his first assignment as a military attaché. He was married and had two children.
President Ronald Reagan promoted Ray to Colonel posthumously on 3 June 1982. The President approved the promotion and met with Ray’s wife during a visit to Paris in June 1982.
Chief Warrant Officer Robert W. Prescott, USA
Defense Attaché Office, Guatemala · 29 April 1949 – 21 January 1984
Chief Warrant Officer Robert W. Prescott died in the crash of a Guatemalan Air Force plane on 21 January 1984. Prescott and ten Guatemalans were aboard the Israeli-built Avava 856 that crashed north of Guatemala City twenty minutes after takeoff. The cargo plane was carrying people and supplies to the northern province of Peten on a routine flight and had developed mechanical problems. There were no survivors.
Chief Warrant Officer Prescott was born in Sioux City, Iowa. He was a career U.S. Army intelligence specialist and had been assigned to Guatemala since March 1981. Prescott was married and had two children.
Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth D. Welch, USA
Defense Attaché Office, Beirut · 23 March 1951 – 20 September 1984
Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth D. Welch was killed in the terrorist bombing of the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, Lebanon on 20 September 1984. A suicide car bomber maneuvered through concrete barricades and gunfire to detonate the vehicle in front of the building, killing at least 23 people. Lebanese and British guards opened fire on the vehicle as it drove by. A group known as the Hizballah (Islamic Jihad) claimed responsibility after the attack. This same group claimed responsibility for the October 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in which 241 Americans were killed.
Chief Warrant Officer Welch was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was a career U.S. Army intelligence specialist and had been assigned to the U.S. Defense Attaché Office in Beirut as the Operations Coordinator since May 1984. Welch enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1970. He was a Vietnam veteran and had previously served in Defense Attaché Offices in Iran, Ireland, Cameroon and China. He was married and had two sons.
Petty Officer First Class Michael R. Wagner, USN
Defense Attaché Office, Beirut · 6 July 1954 – 20 September 1984
Petty Officer First Class Michael R. Wagner was killed in the terrorist bombing of the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, Lebanon on 20 September 1984. A suicide car bomber maneuvered through concrete barricades and gunfire to detonate the vehicle in front of the building, killing at least 23 people. Lebanese and British guards opened fire on the vehicle as it drove by. A group known as the Hizballah (Islamic Jihad) claimed responsibility after the attack. This same group claimed responsibility for the October 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in which 241 Americans were killed.
Petty Officer First Class Wagner was born in Columbia, North Carolina. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1977, and was stationed at the Dallas Naval Air Station before volunteering for duty in Beirut. He was a career intelligence specialist before reporting for duty at the U.S. Defense Attaché Office in Beirut as the Navy Intelligence Assistant in November 1983.
Captain William E. Nordeen, USN
Defense and Naval Attaché, Greece · 9 October 1936 – 28 June 1988
On 28 June 1988, moments after Captain William E. Nordeen left his home for work, a car bomb was detonated by remote control as his armor-plated car drove by. Nearly 50 pounds of TNT and plastic explosive were hidden in the trunk of a stolen car and bags of cement were stacked on one side of the car to direct the explosion towards Nordeen. The blast hurled his car across the tree-lined street, ramming it into a steel fence and killing him instantly. The next day, the terrorist group 17 November claimed responsibility for the attack.
Captain Nordeen was born in Amery, Wisconsin. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Wisconsin State College in River Falls and later received a master of arts degree in international relations from Salve Regina College in Newport, Rhode Island. A former Navy helicopter pilot, he previously served in the Pacific, including a tour aboard the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga and in Vietnam. He had served as an attaché in Athens since 1985 and was due to retire in August 1988 after 30 years in the Navy. He was married and had one daughter.
Ms. Judith I. Goldenberg
Defense Attaché Office, Cairo · 28 March 1940 – 15 July 1996
Judith I. Goldenberg was killed in Cairo, Egypt on 15 July 1996. She was stabbed to death in a random act of violence in the lobby of her hotel. Goldenberg was on official temporary duty with the U.S. Defense Attaché Office (USDAO) at the time. The attacker was arrested on the scene.
Ms. Goldenberg was born in Chicago, Illinois. She began her career with DIA as a Bilingual Research Technician at the USDAO in Paris, France. Most recently, she had worked at DIA as a Middle East biographical analyst. Goldenberg was also a member of the Naval Reserve. A DIA award was later established in Ms. Goldenberg’s honor. The Judith I. Goldenberg Award for Excellence is awarded annually to recognize performance excellence in biographic reporting.
Staff Sergeant Kenneth R. Hobson II, USA
Defense Attaché Office, Nairobi · 1 May 1971 – 7 August 1998
Staff Sergeant Kenneth R. Hobson II was killed in the terrorist bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya on 7 August 1998. Terrorists detonated a truck bomb behind the embassy building, killing more than 250 people, 12 of whom were Americans. Embassy guards turned away the vehicle when it approached the front of the embassy, but it managed to gain access to an adjacent parking area behind the building where it detonated. Islamic fundamentalists under the leadership of Osama bin Laden are suspected in this terrorist attack.
Staff Sergeant Hobson was born in Placerville, California and grew up in western Missouri. He was a career U.S. Army intelligence specialist and had been assigned to the U.S. Defense Attaché Office (USDAO) in Kenya since December 1997. This was his first USDAO assignment. Hobson joined the Army in 1989 and served tours in the United States, Germany, and the Persian Gulf during Operation DESERT STORM. He was a graduate of the Defense Language Institute in Arabic. He was married and had one daughter. His second daughter was born eight months after he was killed. He never had a chance to know her.
Master Sergeant William W Bultemeier, USA, Ret.
Defense Attaché Office, Niamey · 11 February 1949 – 23 December 2000
William W. Bultemeier was killed during a carjacking in Niamey, Niger on 23 December 2000. Bultemeier, a retired U.S. Army master sergeant, was leaving a restaurant with embassy staff members when the attack took place. A U.S. Marine staff sergeant was also wounded in the incident. Mr. Bultemeier had been in Niger since July 2000 serving as the Defense Attaché System (DAS) Operations Coordinator establishing a new Defense Attaché Office in Niger. Officials stated that the attack was not politically motivated and appeared to be a random act of violence aimed at the theft of Bultemeier’s four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Sergeant Bultemeier was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He entered the U.S. Army in May 1967 and served as an attack helicopter door gunner in Vietnam. After a break in service to attend St. Francis College in Indiana, he rejoined the U.S. Army in July 1971 and served in a variety of assignments in trouble spots around the world. During the 1980s, Sergeant Bultemeier served as an operations coordinator in U.S. Defense Attaché Offices (USDAOs) in Brazil, Finland, and Mozambique. After retirement in 1990, he served as a civilian with the Department of State at American embassies in Greece, Hungary, and Mauritania. He returned to the DAS in May 1999 as a civilian contractor, and had served at the USDAO in Singapore prior to his untimely death in Niamey.
Ms. Rosa M. Chapa
Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 6 April 1938 – 11 September 2001
Rosa M. Chapa was born on 6 April 1938 in San Antonio, Texas. Following her graduation from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, she attended the Incarnate Word University in San Antonio, Texas, where she studied personnel management.
Rosemary began her federal career in 1970 as a clerk-typist at Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico. She held several positions in the federal government, working her way up to her position as a senior management officer in the Office of the Deputy Comptroller for Force Structure and Management, Office of the Comptroller, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). She was responsible for ensuring that critical manpower information flowed smoothly from the Force Structure Evaluation System into the position management module of the agency’s human resources system. Prior to her arrival in DIA in 1997, she served as a civilian with the Department of Air Force, the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During her 31-year career, Rosemary received numerous awards and honors, but according to her family, the shining star of her awards was the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award, awarded by the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff (JCS) for her service in the JCS.
Rosemary and her husband, Jose, were married on 26 November 1955 in San Antonio, Texas. Rosemary’s family will remember her for her love; as they recalled, “she loved her family more than anything, including her two dogs, Penney (a beagle) and Luckey (an all-American). 21 Despite her busy career, her family always came first, and at Christmas she never failed to be persuaded by her kids and husband to make homemade tamales.”
Ms. Chapa is survived by her husband, Jose, and their children Grace, Julie, Elza, Roger, and John; her father, Manuel Faz; sisters, Mary Gomez and Elza Guajardo; brothers, Gerald and Cesar Faz; and five grandchildren, Kelley Ellis, Jennifer, Monica, Karisa, and Daniel Chapa.
Ms. Sandra N. Foster
Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 10 June 1960 – 11 September 2001
Sandra N. Foster was born on 10 June 1960 in Washington, DC. to Barbara E. Hill and the late Lawrence W. Hill. Sandra grew up in Washington, DC and graduated from Dunbar Senior High School in June 1978.
Sandra started her career with the federal government in 1977 working as a summer aide for the Federal Power Commission. She returned the following summer to the Department of Energy. On 27 August 1978, she accepted a position with the Defense Intelligence Agency. Throughout her career, Sandra was devoted to excellence demonstrated through the numerous awards that she received for her outstanding performance. She was a senior management officer assigned to the Office of the Deputy Comptroller for Force Structure and Management, Office of the Comptroller. Her contributions to the agency will be missed.
Sandra and her husband, Kenneth, married on 9 March 1991. To Sandra, her family was the most important thing in her life. In the words of her husband: “March 9, 1991 was the most special day of my life. I will never forget that day and that special moment when those church doors swung open, and she was escorted by her brother to me. When she walked through that door, my life changed. She never wore makeup. Her beauty was natural. Her radiance could light up a room or a heart. Our girls on the basketball team knew her as Ms. Coach. She was a pillar of strength and she shared that strength. She was royalty, so I called her ‘Dutchess.’
She was better than a queen and more valuable than a princess. A fun lady, full of love for all, but special love for me.”
Ms. Foster is survived by her husband, Kenneth; her mother, Barbara Hill; brother, Lawrence Hill; stepsons, Kyle and Kellen and a host of family and friends.
Mr. Robert J. Hymel
Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 13 August 1946 – 11 September 2001
Robert J. Hymel was born on 13 August 1946 in New Orleans, Louisiana, one of three children of Elsie and the late Sidney Hymel. After graduating from high school, Bob attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in 1969. Bob began his distinguished military service with the U.S. Air Force in December 1969 and was awarded his coveted Air Force pilot wings in 1970. He flew B-52 bombers while assigned to the Strategic Air Command and was a decorated Vietnam combat pilot. In 1974, while on active duty with the Air Force, Bob earned a master of business administration degree from Western New England College. During the course of his 24-year military career, Bob was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, and the Meritorious Service Medal, among others. He was a veteran of two campaigns, Vietnam and Operation DESERT SHIELD/ DESERT STORM. He retired from the Air Force in September 1993 after obtaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Bob began his civilian career with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) on 7 March 1994. He served as a senior management officer in the Office of the Comptroller, Deputy Comptroller for Force Structure and Management. He was responsible for DIA joint manpower issues that focused on military human intelligence management and organization.
Bob and his wife, Pat, were married on 31 July 1971. They have one daughter, Natalie, and one granddaughter, Lauren. He was an active supporter of and participant with his church and 25 the Knights of Columbus. Bob loved to play golf and was an avid Redskins’ fan. He loved to tinker around the house and beamed each time he completed a project, large or small. Bob’s legacy can be found in his deep abiding love for his wife, his family, and his country.
Mr. Hymel is survived by his wife, Pat; daughter, Natalie, and her husband Patrick Conners; granddaughter, Lauren; mother, Elsie; brother, Clyde; and sister, Mary.
Ms. Shelley A. Marshall
Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 16 November 1963 – 11 September 2001
Shelley A. (Farr) Marshall was born on 16 November 1963 in Washington, DC. She grew up in Vienna, Virginia, and graduated from Oakton High School where she was on the honor roll for 4 consecutive years. Shelley started her undergraduate studies at Mary Washington College and then transferred to George Mason University where she graduated in 1987 with a bachelor of science degree in public administration. Shortly thereafter, she joined the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as a human resources manager in the Manpower and Position Management Operations Division, Office for Human Resources. Shelley was selected for an administrative officer position in April 1993 in the Counterdrug Analysis Office, Transnational Warfare Group, and stayed there until May 1999 when she accepted a position as a senior management officer in the Comptroller’s Office. Throughout her career with DIA, Shelley received numerous awards for her distinguished performance.
Shelley and her husband, Donn, met while they both worked in the Office for Human Resources. They were married on 20 May 1994 in Leesburg, Virginia, and have two children, Drake, 3, and Chandler, 1 1/2. Shelley and Donn had a happy 7-year marriage. She enjoyed making scrapbooks, cataloguing her memories, and having tea parties. Shelley was passionate about life, work, and her family. She was a kind person and a devoted mother who read to her children every night after a long day at work. She would Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 16 November 1963 – 11 September 2001 27 do anything for her kids. Donn held a tea party after Shelley’s memorial service and organized story hours at local libraries in her honor. He plans to keep her memory alive in every way he can.
Ms. Marshall is survived by her husband, Donn; their son, Drake, and daughter, Chandler. She is also survived by her parents, Mack and Nancy Farr; and two brothers, Mark and Robert.
Ms. Patricia E. Mickley
Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 15 October 1959 – 11 September 2001
Patricia E. Mickley was born Patricia Elizabeth Dillaber on 15 October 1959 in East Chicago, Indiana. She was one of three children born to Philip and Jacqueline Dillaber. Later her family moved to Dale City, Virginia, where she grew up. After graduating from high school, Patty attended the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where she excelled in math, business, and marketing. In 1980, while still working on her undergraduate degree, Patty began her civilian career with the federal government as a “summer hire” for the U.S. Air Force in a clerk-typist position. After graduating in 1982 with a bachelor of science degree, she accepted a full-time civilian position with the U.S. Air Force. In August 1998, after 18 years of service with the U.S. Air Force, Patty transferred to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as a senior financial resources manager, Office of Deputy Comptroller for Program and Budget, Office of the Comptroller. She was responsible for the development, presentation, and execution of detailed budget estimates and justification data for assigned programs and appropriations. The primary focus of her job was infrastructure financial management and the program/budget interaction process.
Patty and her husband, Joe, were married 11 November 1991. Their daughter, Marie Jacqueline, was born 6 June 1996. Patty took a special interest in all of her daughter’s school and extra curricular activities. She was also an active supporter and participant with her church. Family members depict Patty as a nurturing mother, a loving daughter, a Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 15 October 1959 – 11 September 2001 29 devoted spouse, a loyal sister, a caring aunt, and a very special family member. They say that she held a deep belief in God, family and country. She was a selfless person, and always thinking of others first. Those who worked with Patty say that she was a supportive friend and a dedicated professional.
Ms. Mickley is survived by her husband, Joseph (Joe); daughter, Marie Jacqueline; father, Philip; mother, Jacqueline; sisters, Anne and Katherine; and brother John.
Mr. Charles E. Sabin
Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 31 July 1947 – 11 September 2001
Charles E. Sabin was born on 31 July 1947 in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. He attended the Drexel Institute of Technology, where he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma fraternity and the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). Chuck was on the Dean’s List all 4 years, and after graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 1969, he began his federal service career as an accountant with the Army Audit Agency. He was commissioned in January 1970 and served on active duty with the U.S. Army until May 1972. Chuck continued his civilian career with the U.S. Army. He received a master’s degree in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University and the U.S. Army Commander’s Award for Civilian Service.
He joined the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in August 1981 as an accountant, and went on to become DIA’s Senior Financial Resources Expert as a Defense Intelligence Senior Level appointee. Chuck received the Director’s Award for Meritorious Service in 1984 and the Director’s Award for Exceptional Service in 1991. He was a key DIA senior manager, and his incisive analysis and outstanding leadership led DIA’s financial policy and accounting office through major organizational and systemic changes of the 1980s and 1990s, providing expert council to senior leadership, and personal mentoring to many DIA employees.
Chuck’s family said he was planning to retire in a year and a half and moving to Asheville, Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 31 July 1947 – 11 September 2001 31 North Carolina to be near streams, lakes, mountains, and good fishing. Before he passed, however, he changed his mind and decided he would stay in Washington, DC. He felt that all of his friends were here. His family felt that his life was peaking; he loved life, and he had many good friends.
Mr. Sabin is survived by two sons, Charles E. Sabin, Jr., Charles’ wife Tara, and their children, Raven and Sydney of River Ridge, Louisiana; and Paul M. Sabin of Mobile, Alabama; two brothers, Martin Sabin and his wife, Debbie, of Havertown Pennsylvania; and Frederick Sabin and his wife, Chris, of Ocean View, Delaware.
Mr. Karl W. Teepe
Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 24 September 1943 – 11 September 2001
Karl W. Teepe was born on 24 September 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri, the older of two sons of Ruth and the late Wilmer Teepe. He graduated from Riverview Gardens High School in Bellefontaine, where he was a member of the golf team. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor of science degree in 1967, and entered on active duty as an air defense artillery Army officer. After 2 years on active duty, he left the service, but reentered the Army in April 1971, where he served with distinction for more than 20 additional years. He received a master’s degree in business management from the University of Missouri in 1975.
Karl is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and served in both Germany and South Korea. Among his military decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Bronze Service Star, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel on 1 October 1991, and immediately joined the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as a civilian financial resources manager in the Office of the Deputy Comptroller for Program and Budget.
Karl and his wife, Donna, were married on 9 June 1967. They have two children, Wendy and Adam, both of whom are graduates of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was clear to anyone who knew Karl that his family was the most important thing in Office of the Comptroller, Pentagon · 24 September 1943 – 11 September 2001 33 his life. Karl particularly enjoyed the Smithsonian Institution and other activities on the Mall. He would take the Metro from the Pentagon to the Mall on his lunch break, just to get away and enjoy the beauty. He was always engaged in a variety of projects at home, anxious to share his progress with Wendy and her husband.
Mr. Teepe is survived by his wife, Donna; son, Adam; daughter, Wendy Green and her husband, Derek; his mother, Ruth; and brother, Kenneth, and his wife, Lynda.
Sergeant Sherwood R. Baker, ARNG
Pennsylvania Army National Guard · 5 October 1973 – 26 April 2004
Sergeant Sherwood R. Baker, Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 109th Field Artillery, was killed in action on 26 April 2004, in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. During this period, he served as a member of the security detail for the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) mobile collection team that was conducting a critical field inspection in an anti-coalition forces area. Under dangerous environmental conditions, Sergeant Baker and his squad mate, Sergeant Lawrence A. Roukey, provided protective security for ISG personnel charged with inspecting a suspected chemical, biological and nuclear weapons facility. Both soldiers lost their lives when a massive explosion occurred at the facility being inspected.
Sergeant Baker was born on 5 October 1973 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Roman Catholic High School in 1991 and from King’s College in 1995. Renowned for his sense of duty and community-mindedness, he joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as a Fire Support Specialist in 1997. In civilian life, he worked as a caseworker for the mentally disabled and enjoyed entertaining patrons, family and friends as a disc jockey. Sergeant Baker is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. He is the first Pennsylvania National Guardsman to be killed in combat since 1945.
Sergeant Lawrence A. Roukey, USAR
U.S. Army Reserve · 4 April 1971 – 26 April 2004
Sergeant Lawrence A. Roukey, Detachment 1, 3rd Battalion, 304th Regiment, 98th Division, was killed in action on 26 April 2004, in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. During this period, he served as a member of the security detail for the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) mobile collection team that was conducting a critical field inspection in an anti-coalition forces area. Under dangerous environmental conditions, Sergeant Roukey and his squad mate, Sergeant Sherwood R. Baker, provided protective security for ISG personnel charged with inspecting a suspected chemical, biological and nuclear weapons facility. Both soldiers lost their lives when a massive explosion occurred at the facility being inspected.
Sergeant Roukey was born on 4 April 1971 in Portland, Maine. He served in the United States Army as an Infantryman from 1991- 1994, with assignments in South Korea and Egypt, and then rejoined the military as an Army Reservist in his home-state of Maine. A recognized patriot, he volunteered for a one-year assignment in Iraq in early 2004. Sergeant Roukey is remembered as a much respected teammate, both in the reserves and at the Portland Post Office where he worked as a civilian. He enjoyed sharing stories about his family and was a hiking enthusiast. Sergeant Roukey is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Sergeant Don A. Clary, USA
Kansas Army National Guard · 31 December 1982 – 8 November 2004
Sergeant Don A. Clary, Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery, was killed in action on 8 November 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. During this period, he served as a member of a personal security detail for a convoy that included the head of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) and several DIA analysts. As a member of the ISG Director’s Personal Security Detail, when a vehicle driven by insurgents charged the ISG convoy, Sergeant Clary and his teammate, Sergeant First Class Clinton L. Wisdom, positioned their vehicle in between the ISG chief’s car and the approaching one. Both soldiers were killed when the suicide bomber detonated his vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. Because of their heroic actions, none of the other members of the ISG were seriously harmed.
Born on 31 December 1982 in St. Joseph, Missouri, Sergeant Clary was known to many as a “gentle giant” for his caring personality and towering stature. He enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard in 2000, at the age of 17, and served as a Multiple Launch Rocket System Ammunition Specialist. He is a fourth generation serviceman, with his father having served in the Vietnam War and his grandfather in World War II and the Korean War. Sergeant Clary was posthumously promoted and awarded the Bronze Star with valor, as well as the Purple Heart. He and Sergeant Wisdom were the first Kansas National Guardsmen to be in killed in combat since the Vietnam War.
Sergeant First Class Clinton L. Wisdom, USA
Kansas Army National Guard · 17 August 1965 – 8 November 2004
Sergeant First Class Clinton L. Wisdom, Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery, was killed in action on 8 November 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq during IRAQI FREEDOM. During this period, he served as a member of a personal security detail for a convoy that included the head of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) and several DIA analysts. As a member of the ISG Director’s Personal Security Detail, when a vehicle driven by insurgents charged the ISG convoy, Sergeant Wisdom and his teammate, Sergeant Don A. Clary, positioned their vehicle in between the ISG chief’s car and the approaching one. Both soldiers were killed when the suicide bomber detonated his vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. Because of their heroic actions, none of the other members of the ISG were seriously harmed.
Sergeant Wisdom, born on 17 August 1965, lived in Atchison, Kansas. Enlisting at the age of 17, he devoted 20 years to the military, serving in the Kansas Army National Guard as a Fire Direction Computer Operator and Battery Training Noncommissioned Officer. He is remembered as an engaging conversationalist and avid fisherman who was completely committed to the service of the nation, his family and friends. Sergeant Wisdom was posthumously promoted and awarded the Bronze Star with valor, as well as the Purple Heart. He and Sergeant Clary were the first Kansas National Guardsmen to be killed in combat since the Vietnam War.
Mr. Scott A. Wirtz
Office of Security · Operations Support Specialist / Global Security Officer 12 December 1976 - 16 January 2019
Scott A. (“Scotty”) Wirtz, a Defense Intelligence Agency Operations Support Specialist/Global Security Officer, died January 16, 2019, following a terrorist attack in Manbij, Syria, while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.
Scotty, 42, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, supported multiple critical mission deployments for DIA and the Department of Defense. He managed, guided, and oversaw human intelligence collection operations enabling the DoD to meet national security requirements.
Enlisting in the U.S. Navy in March 1997, he served as a SEAL until he was honorably discharged in January 2005, attaining the rank of Petty Officer First Class. He then worked on numerous U.S. Government contracts from 2005 to 2017, providing support to U.S. forces and maritime operations around the globe. In February 2017, Scotty joined DIA to support significant sensitive global operations in the Office of Security, Global Security Division.
He earned multiple military awards and decorations, including the Special Warfare Insignia, Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon, and Pistol Expert Medal. In his civilian capacity he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism.
Scotty encompassed the core values of DIA. He placed service over self in order to keep the Nation safe. He was a true patriot who will live in the hearts and minds of his Global Security Division comrades, the Office of Security family, and the DIA community.