- SURNAME
Cleveland
- FORENAME
William David, Jr (Bill)
- UNIT
Company D 1 Bn
- RANK
Staff Sergeant
- NUMBER
- DATE OF DEATH
3rd October 1993
- AGE
34
- GRAVESITE
Resthaven Memorial Gardens, Clarksville, Tennessee, USA
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 27.1.1959 Phoenix, Arizona, USA
father William David Cleveland, Sr. (1936-1991)
crew chief
KIA Mogadishu, Somalia
Source : https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28917427/william-david-clevelandHe was born at Good Samaritan Hospital. His father "Bill" was serving aboard Admiral's Ship "USS DUXBURY BAY" in the Suez Canal when he was born.
David graduated from Peoria High School, Peoria, Maricopa, Arizona, USA. David joined the ROTC as a freshman at PHS, graduated still an ROTC member. He played tennis and loved auto shop & chess. In his junior year he started doing a program called ride along with the Peoria Police Department. He did his ride along on the weekend when most kids would be doing other things. David always had a great respect of self, family, God, and Country.
David had a ten-speed bike in high school and rode it everywhere. His senior year he worked after school part time at the local grocery store and loved it.
David's journey was from Arizona; Maryland; Florida; Tennessee; Hawaii; Maryland; Missouri in the first 10 years of his life. His parents divorced, they both remarried.
David loved to fish, hunt, cook (he was a great cook). He loved his family, friends and doing service for others.
He entered the Army on 14 Feb 1978. When he returned from Boot Camp, he had taken up running and would run every morning. He was stationed in Germany and entered races, he won medals for races.
He was married twice, first was a high school girl & then a sweet lady he met in Germany. David was the proud father of 5 children: 2 sons by the first marriage; and 3 children the second. All children were born while he was stationed in Germany. David married his sweetheart in Germany, on his last tour of duty in Germany.
Medals that SSG William David Cleveland, Jr., received: Somalia Medal; Silver Star; Bronze Star (2); Purple Heart; Air Medal (2); Army Commendation Medal (2); Army Achievement Medal (2); Army Good Conduct Medal (5); National Defense Army Forces Expeditionary (4); Army Non-Commissioned Officer (3); Marksmanship Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Army Overseas Ribbon (4).
David (Bill) was a career military man --- his career was cut-short by his tragic death. David came from a military family Cleveland and Barr lines.
David was survived by his wife and their 3 children; his 2 sons from first marriage; his mom; sister; 2 brothers; aunts & uncles; cousins.
WE HONOR YOU "DAVID" "BILL" and "Wild Bill" to your unit. WE ALL MISS YOU. THERE'S NOT TIME THAT GOES BY THAT WE DON'T THINK OF YOU. YOUR PHOTOS HANG ON OUR WALLS AT HOME, JUST LIKE THEY DID WHEN YOU WERE STILL WITH US. THE VAIL YOU ARE BEHIND IS VERY THIN. WE SEE YOU, AS OUR FAMILY, IS ETERNAL.
DATE OF DEATH:
03-Oct-1993AWARD:
https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/cleveland-william-david-jr-bill.58136/CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to William David Cleveland, Jr., Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against hostile enemy forces while serving as a Crew Chief on board "Super 64," an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in Company D, 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), during combat operations in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 3 October 1993. Staff Sergeant Cleveland's helicopter was hit by a Rocket Propelled Grenade while providing protective fires for a downed helicopter from his unit and crashed into the street where the downed air crew was surrounded by a numerically superior enemy force. Staff Sergeant Cleveland was mortally wounded while gallantly defending his aircraft, fellow crew members, and ground force members of Task Force RANGER in the vicinity of the crash site. His courage and determination in the face of grave danger were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military forces and reflect great credit on himself and the United States Army .
FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28917427/william-david-cleveland
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