IN MEMORY OF OUR FALLEN TEAM MATES, WHO WERE MEN OF VISION, DARING TO BE DIFFERENT. MEN WHO HAD CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES, TRUSTED THEIR COMRADES AND LEFT THEIR FATE TO GOD.


Dedicated to the memory of those Chapter LX members who have stood their final roll call.

I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7

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Paul A. Lawrence (D-1812)		 2 June 2010
Paul Alton Lawrence, 66, passed away the morning of June 2, 2010, after a six month battle with brain cancer. A Charter member of Chapter LX, Paul served in the U.S. Army for 20 years in Special Forces and Delta Force, and 20 years as a civilian employee at USSOCOM, here in Tampa. He served two years in Vietnam. He was a man whose quiet way could not be mistaken for a quiet spirit, and he will be remembered as a true American Hero who sacrificed countless times for his country. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Peggy; his children, Tonya, Paula, Misty and Joe; grand-children, Bobby Durham, Misty Durham, Shelby Tully, Paul Tully and Melina Garcia; beloved mother and father-in-law, Joe and Margaret Beaty; brothers, Jimmy Lawrence, Bobby Lawrence and Kenny Lawrence; sister, Angela Strickland; sisters and brothers-in-law, Joann and Peter Balitsaris and Donna and David Brass; sons-in-law, Eddie Garcia and Tim Tully; and daughter-in-law, Patricia Lawrence. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Special Operations Warrior Foundation, In Memory of Paul A. Lawrence, P.O. Box 1348, Tampa, Fla., 33681. Words of comfort may be expressed at www.blountcurryterraceoaks.com

Wilfred J.A. Charette (D-7548)		 9 May 2010
Wilfred J.A. Charette, 73, passed away 9 May 2010 at his home in Tampa, FL. Wil was a native of Rhode Island and served 11 years of military service followed by service with the CIA from 1964 until his retirement in 1996 as the DCI representative at U.S. Special Operations Command. Wil is a Charter Member of the US Army Parachute Team (Golden Knights), and was the first Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Special Forces Training Group HALO Committee. He participated in the record breaking 43,500 foot jump to establish a world record and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his participation in the HALO Test Program and his subsequent use of HALO insertion techniques. His last military assignment was with the 5th Special Forces Group. In addition to being an active member of Chapter LX of the SFA, Wil served on the board of directors and co-founded the Special Operation Memorial Foundation at MacDill AFB.  Interment with full military honors is planned for Arlington National Cemetery.

John R Cox (D-1478)		 11 July 2009
John R. Cox, 74, of St. Petersburg, passed away July 11, 2009 as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.  A Charter member of Chapter LX, he was a 1959 graduate of West Point, an Olympic athlete, and a retired Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel.  John served multiple combat tours in Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Group, 7th PSYOP Battalion, and the 1st Cavalry Division.  He was a decorated combat veteran who spent over 41 years of government service in support of Army Special Forces and other Special Operators.  He retired from civil service at USSOCOM in November of 2006, and served as a Trustee and Deacon in the Cornerstone Bible Church in St. Petersburg, Florida.  A memorial service was held on July 16th at the St. Petersburg Woman's Club, where his many friends, classmates and family members celebrated his life and bade him farewell.  John is survived by his wife Kay Leonard, daughter Julie, and sons J.D. and Rob.

William L Taylor (D-4216)		 23 January 2009
William "Wild Bill" Taylor, 67, died January 23, 2009, after a long illness. Bill was born December 19, 1941, in Takoma Park, Md.  A retired Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel, he was a Vietnam veteran and a U.S. Special Forces and Ranger soldier. Bill was a Charter Member of Chapter LX and a life member of the 82nd Airborne Association, Special Forces Association, Disabled American Veterans,  and Military Officers Association of America.  He is survived by his wife, Elaine; three children, Jennifer Zurowsky, Trent Taylor and William L. Taylor II; and three granddaughters, Chelsi and Kylee Taylor and Madeline Zurowsky.  A memorial service took place February 8th at Palma Ceia United Methodist Church in Tampa.  Interment with full military honors will be at Arlington National Cemetery.

Robert Reed (M-4288)		 2 January 2009
Robert Charles Reed, 59, passed away January 02, 2009.  Robert served in the US Army 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam.  He was The Willard Group's External Affairs Director.  Robert was an active member of the American Chamber of Commerce, member of the European Business Association's Board of Directors, public relations director for the British-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce, member of the Consortium Industrial Group, co-chaired the Overseas Security Advisory Council and served on an ad hoc committee of the European Commission in Kiev.  He is survived by his wife, Larissa of Kiev, Ukraine; daughters, Robin Reed and Sherry Huddle, both of Ithaca, NY; mother, Marjorie; three brothers, Larry, Paul and Carl; three sisters, Linda Hill, Debbie Tiffany and Donna Bergstresser and seven grandchildren. 

Alan Childress (D-3040)		 30 August 2008
Alan R. Childress ("Lurch"), 69, died suddenly and unexpectedly on August 30, 2008 at Bayfront Medical Center in St Petersburg, FL. Alan was born in Canada and grew up in Tacoma, Washington.  He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Puget Sound, his MBA from Webster, and was awarded a Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern in 1995. He served in the U.S. Army Special Forces and Rangers, retiring after 26 years from the U.S. Special Operations Command.  Al subsequently worked for Booz-Allen-Hamilton in Tampa.  Al was a life member of the Special Forces Association and a Charter Member of Chapter LX.  He is survived by his wife Maryellen, three sisters, and four stepchildren and their families.

Mike Koessick (M-5184-L)		 17 December 2007
Michael "Mike" Koessick passed away 17 December 2007 in a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.  Additional details concerning his death are unknown to the Chapter at this time.  Mike was a retired Lieutenant Colonel and had served with the PRU in Vietnam.  He also served with the 5th & 6th Special Forces Groups.  His awards and decorations include the Air Medal, Bronze Star for Valor, and two Purple Hearts.  Mike was a Charter Member of Chapter LX and is survived by his wife Carol and two children.

Odee Knight (A-3485)		 30 March 2007
Odious Odell "Odee" Knight Jr., 60, of Tampa, passed away Friday, March 30, 2007.   Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 5, 2007, at MacDill Air Force Base Chapel.  Mr. Knight was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry from Clemson University, was a platoon leader in Augsberg, Germany, attended flight school at Fort Rucker and served in Vietnam as an aviation platoon leader.  He later served in the 82nd Airborne Division, attended the Armed Forces Staff College, and was an instructor at the Armed Forces Staff College before being assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command.  He retired at the grade of lieutenant colonel in 1993, and became a Department of the Army civilian upon retirement.  Odee was the manager of field marketing and business development for Northrup-Grumman in Tampa at the time of his death.  He joined Chapter LX in October, 2004.  Survivors include his wife, Mariann Knight; sons, Odious Odell Knight III and Ashley Brett Knight; daughter, Lauren Clark Knight; stepdaughter, Devan Elisabeth Radtke; sisters, Cynthia Knight Pruitt and husband, James R. Pruitt, and Anna Suzette Knight and husband, Gerald Warren; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Dorsett; niece, Shannon Elizabeth Vaughn; and nephew, Jaime Pruitt.

Billie C. Gilfillan (M-8253-L)		 13 January 2007
Billie C. Gilfillan, 82, of Tolono, Illinois died at 8:55 p.m. Jan. 13 at Bayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg, Florida. Funeral services were held Monday, Jan. 22, at the First Presbyterian Church of Tolono, with burial following at Bailey Memorial Cemetery, Tolono. A memorial service was also held for Billie at the Special Operations Memorial, MacDill AFB, on 22 January. Born Sept. 23, 1924, Billie flew 24 missions over Europe as a tail gunner in a B-17 during World War II. He later served as the commander of Co. B 123rd Infantry Regiment during its mobilization for the Korean conflict, where he subsequently volunteered for duty with the 8240th Special Forces unit engaged in covert training operations behind North Korean lines. Billie joined Chapter LX in 1998 and was a life member of the SFA and the Special Operations Association (SOA). He is survived by his wife, Mary; two sons, William and Robert; and two grandchildren, Kelly and Skip.

Richard N. Chatham (D-7526)		 6 August 2005
Richard N. Chatham, 43, passed away August 6, 2005 in Port St. Lucie, Florida after a short but courageous battle with cancer. A funeral service was held at Aycock Funeral Home in Jensen Beach, Florida  on 11 August 2005, with interment following at Rolling Oaks Cemetery in Port St. Lucie. A memorial service was conducted at the MacDill Air Force Base Chapel in Tampa on 19 August 2005.  Born in Mobile, Alabama, and a graduate of the University of West Georgia, Rich was a teacher at Port St. Lucie High School and a Special Forces Officer who volunteered for mobilization after 9-11.  He had previously served with the 11th and 20th Special Forces Groups,  and was serving in the Command & Control branch of the J3 at USSOCOM at the time of his death.  He is survived by his wife Bobbie, and two daughters, Lauren, age six, and Emily, age three. Rich joined Chapter LX in September 2004.

Warren A. Bradish (D-0740)		 14 June 2005
Warren A. Bradish, 68, passed away June 14, 2005, in Tampa, Florida.  A memorial service and internment of Warren's ashes took place at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida on 27 July, 2005.  Warren was born in Adrian City, Mich. He retired as a major from the United States Army after serving over 20 years, having seen action during the Vietnam War.  A long time resident of the Tampa Bay area, he continued to serve the SOF community after his retirement from the military as an employee of the United States Special Operations Command.  Warren was a Charter Member of Chapter LX.

Mark A. Olson (A-3402)		 29 April 2004
Mark Olson passed away on the 29th of April after a courageous and determined battle with cancer.  A  memorial service was held at the Cleary Alumni Center, on the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse campus followed by Military Honors at the internment ceremony at Oak Grove Cemetery, LaCrosse.  Among his many assignments as a signal officer in the 235th Signal Detachment, he served as a PSYOP officer for the 11th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Ft. Meade, MD from 1988 to 1992. From October 2001 until his death, he served as an Instructor at the Command and General Staff Officers Course, 10th Battalion, at Owings Mills, MD.  From 1991 to 1998 he helped provide support to USSOCOM under SETA contract.  Mark joined Chapter LX in March of 2004.

Edgar C. Bennington (M-1563)		 7 August 2001
Edgar Bennington passed away on 7 August and was interred on 13 August at Bay Pines Cemetery in St. Petersburg. He joined the Army in 1946 and was a member of Parachute-Glider School class B-34-A in 1947. In 1969 he volunteered for Special Forces and served as an Intelligence Sergeant on SFODA-42 in Company B, 6th SFG(A). After his retirement from the Army, he served as a government budget officer at Ft. Bragg and again in Washington DC. He later worked for Sprint, retiring for the last time in 1997. A true patriot, he left behind his wife, nine children, 28 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and countless friends and admirers.

Thomas J. Healy (A-2767)		 1 June 2001
Tom Healy passed away June 1st and a memorial service was held on June 7 in Valrico, Florida. Tom earned U.S. Army, British, Philippine and Royal Thai Army Airborne wings, U.S. Army Air Assault Badge, U.S. Navy Aviation Crewman Wings, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and numerous other medals and citations. He was a long-time member of Chapter LX and the American Legion Post 138.

 Joseph C. Lutz (D-5427)		 9 May 1999
Joe Lutz died from a heart attack at his condo in Belleair Beach on May 9th, 1999. Services were held at MacDill AFB on 14 May, with burial at Myrtle Hill cemetery in Tampa. Military honors were provided by the 7th Special Forces Group. Joe commanded at all levels from platoon through regiment in Armored Cavalry, and commanded or served at every level in Special Forces. He was instrumental in the creation of the Special Forces career branch, and served as the first Commanding General of the Army's 1st Special Operations Command. He retired as Chief of Staff, U. S. Special Operations Command at MacDill AFB. Joe was a Charter member of Chapter LX.

Ronald C. Circle (A-1643)		 8 September 1998
Ron Circle passed away in St. Petersburg, Florida after a determined battle with cancer. Services were held at the Bay Pines Cemetery in St. Petersburg on 18 September 1998, with military honors provided by the American Legion. Ron initially joined the Air Force. Upon separation he joined the USAR as an NCO and later applied for and was appointed as a Warrant Officer. He served with USSOCOM during the Gulf War and deployed overseas in support of SOF operations in Bosnia. He joined Chapter LX in 1994.

Irve C. LeMoyne (A-1722) 		4 January 1997
Chuck LeMoyne passed away in Coronado, California after a long and determined battle with cancer. He was buried at the Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery with full military honors provided by the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command with participation from USSOCOM, USASOC, AFSOC and JSOC. The highest ranking SEAL on active duty when he retired as the DCINC of USSOCOM, he had a long association with Army Special Forces. He joined Chapter LX in 1994. More info.

James E. Moran (D-4206) 		7 October 1996
Jim Moran passed away unexpectedly due to a massive heart attack while in Bosnia, where he was working following his retirement from USSOCOM. Following a memorial service in Tampa, he was buried at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. Military honors were provided by active duty volunteers from USSOCOM headquarters. Jim had served in the 5th, 10th and 20th Groups, as well as at USSOCOM. He was a Charter member of Chapter LX.

Corson L. Hilton III (D-4470-L) 		25 September 1995
"Corky" Hilton passed away after a courageous two-year battle with cancer. A wake was held in St. Petersburg on 28 September, and a memorial service was conducted at the MacDill AFB chapel prior to internment at the National Cemetery, Bushnell, Florida. Before his assignment to USSOCOM, Corky served with the 7th Group and 1st SOCOM, as well as a tour as the Chief, Special Forces Branch at U.S. Personnel Command from 1989 to 1990. He was a Charter member of Chapter LX.

Jeffrey Allen Morrisey 		29 October 1994
Jeff Morrisey, an Honor Graduate of the SFQC in 1986, died during a SCUBA diving accident. Memorial services were held on 4 December 1994 at the United Methodist Church in Osterville, Cape Cod, MA. A former member of A/1-11th SFG(A), he served on ODA 113 (SCUBA) for approximately 3 years during the late 1980's. He also served with the 19th Group in Rhode Island, a civil affairs unit in Maryland, and with several high-level DOD Special Operations organizations. Jeff was awarded posthumous membership in the Command Chapter. A Command Chapter Membership Certificate was provided for presentation to his children at an appropriate later date.

David E. Kessler (D-4501-L) 		20 July 1994
Dave Kessler passed away after a brief but determined fight with cancer at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. Funeral services were held at the Massey Funeral Home in Savannah Georgia on 23 July. Beginning his military career by enlisting in the Navy, Dave eventually joined the Army and became Special Forces, Ranger and PSYOP qualified. He served in the 10th Group and the 4th PSYOP Group before his assignment to USSOCOM, where he served until his retirement from active duty. A former member of Chapter XL in Clearwater, he was a Charter member of Chapter LX.

"We will not forget."