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Contact Info
Home Town Memphis, TN
Last Address 7850 Rancho Fanita Dr Santee CA 92071-3311
Date of Passing Jan 31, 2010
Location of Interment Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (VA) - San Diego, California
Wall/Plot Coordinates Section CC3B, Row 2, Site 15
Born on June 17, 1947, he passed away peacefully at the young age of 62, on January 31, 2010 while on vacation in Hawaii with his wife. He was born in Memphis, Tenn., and resided in Santee, Ca. Gary came to San Diego when he was seventeen to join the Navy, met the love of his life when he was nineteen, and married Elsie in 1968. They have two daughters, Terri and Sherri. He was a Vietnam vet and retired from the Navy after 20 years. His brotherhood included the Sub Vets, Masons, Cuddies and Scottish Rites. Gary leaves behind his wife of 42 years, Elosia (Elsie), daughter Terri and son-in-law John McCrystal, and daughter Sherri A. Brown. His five grandchildren are Camron, Mavron, Donavon, and Sara McCrystal, and Nicholas C. Brown. His parents Sarah and Johnny preceded him in death. He also leaves behind his 11 siblings, Bonnie, Johnny, Pat, Mike, Kenny, Erlene, Amy, Tammye, Lonnie, Ilona and Eddie, and his aunts Alvadean, Cololine, and Louise. Gary's first love was his family. He had many hobbies, but most of all he just loved computers and helping people. He was a calm, responsible, and hard working man.
Operation Sea Dragon
From Month/Year
October / 1966
To Month/Year
November / 1968
Description Operation Sea Dragon occurred during the Vietnam War and was a series of American-led naval operations beginning in 1966 to interdict sea lines of communications and supply going south from North Vietnam to South Vietnam, and to destroy land targets with naval gunfire, as well as to give CIA officers in the area who had sited the targets room to withdraw to extraction zones. The primary purpose of Sea Dragon forces was the interception and destruction of waterborne logistic craft (WBLC), which ranged in size from large self-propelled barges down to small junks and sampans. United States Navy advisers were assigned to the South Vietnamese Navy (VNN) and American minesweepers assisted South Vietnamese Navy ships in carrying out patrols near the Demilitarized Zone. Specially modified attack helicopters were used to pursue North Vietnamese ships and disable them, leaving the ships to be boarded by American and South Vietnamese naval commandos.