This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Gregg Baitinger, BM1
to remember
Acosta, German Portacio, PO1.
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Casualty Info
Home Town San Miguel
Last Address National City, California
Casualty Date Jun 25, 1965
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Gia Dinh (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Cedar Lawn Cemetery - Fremont, California
PO1 German Acosta enlisted in the Navy on 10 June 1946. He served as a Navy Steward.
In Vietnam, he was one of the Americans killed in the explosion set off in a terrorist attack while off base in Saigon at the My Canh Restuarant (a floating restaurant moored 25 feet of the shoreline built on a barge. Also known as "Cheap Charlie's". 42 people were killed in the explosion, including at least 12 Americans with over 80 wounded. Those listed in newspaper accounts:
MSgt. Douglas H. D'Orsay, USAF
A1C Robert J. Smith, USAF
A1C Michael E. Widener, USAF
PO1 German P. Acosta, USN
SFC Alfred Coombs, Jr,. USA, MACV Advisor
PFC Michael J. Ihnat, USA, 1st Signal Brigade, USASTRATCOM Facility, Phu Lam
PFC James T. Brown, Jr. USA 1st Signal Brigade, USASTRATCOM Facility, Phu Lam
SSgt. Charle A. Williamson, USA 1st Signal Brigade, USASTRATCOM Facility, Phu Lam
PO1 Acosta left a wife, Florida, in San Miguel, Bani Pangashinan, Philippines.
http://www.navalhistory.org/2010/06/26/a-sailor-responds-to-the-bombing-of-the-my-canh-cafe-26-june-1965 (A Sailor Responds to the Bombing of the My Canh Cafe: 26 June 1965)
Newspaper articles:
"Floating Saigon Cafe Bombed 31 die 49 hurt 9 Yanks killed," San Francisco Chronicle, June 26, 1965
"N.E. Deaths in Vietnam," Newport Daily News, 3 July 1965, page 10.
http://phulam.com/mycanh.htm (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Friday June 25, 1965) http://www.vnafmamn.com/VNWar_atrocities.html
http://phulam.com/mycanh.ht