Remembering Our Fallen Brothers With Great Honor and Respect

James D. Parsons

Start Date of Serviece: 1 December 1984
End Date of Serviece: 1 December 1986
Date of Death: 3 November 2020

JCU Member December 1984 – December 1986

Born August 16, 1945 in Nebraska. James Duane Parsons passed away on November 3, 2020 in Tampa, Florida after a fight with Liver cancer. James retired from the Air Force and was a Combat Controller and Special Operations communicator.

Robert W. Cornwell

Start Date of Serviece: 1 January 1993
End Date of Serviece: 1 September 2000
Date of Death: 21 October 2020

JCU Member January 1993– September 2000

Rob Cornwell (servant of God Gregory) reposed this life on October 21, 2020. He was born to Robert Wayne Cornwell and Frances Ann (Lucier) Cornwell in Clio, Michigan on February 19, 1968.

Enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1986, he attained the rank of Master Sergeant and retired from active duty after a career that spanned over 20 years of service. He served in some of the most distinguished units in the military that include the 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, the Joint Communications Unit, and the United States Army Office of Military Support. He was a veteran of Operations JUST CAUSE, DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, GOTHIC SERPENT, UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, JOINT ENDEAVOR, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. His major awards include; Ranger Tab, Military Freefall Master Parachutists Badge, Static Line Master Parachutist’s Badge w/Bronze Service Star (Combat), British Army Parachutist Badge, Jordanian Parachutist Badge, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal (1 OLC)

In his spare time, he enjoyed spending time with his family, gardening, and landscaping.

He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Barbara (McMillan) Cornwell, two children Danielle and Gregory; mother, Frances Ann (Lucier) Cornwell ; six sisters, Mary Tremain (Michael), Sheryl Gunn, Karrie Lewis (David), Terrie Watts (Matthew), Gerrie McCoy (Kevin) and Bobbi Whitcher (Darrin); 14 nieces and nephews and 12 great nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Wayne Cornwell Sr.
Rob’s visitation will be on Thursday, October 29, 2020 at Mullins and Thompson Funeral Service, 186 Shelton Shop Rd. Stafford, VA 22554 from 4:00pm-6:00pm. Thursday evening, following the visitation we will go to the church for Panikhida services. A funeral service will be on Friday, October 30, 2020 at 11:00 am at St Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, 60 Clifton Chapel Ln, Stafford, VA 22554, with interment to follow in Quantico National Cemetery at 1:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the SOCA (Special Operations Communicators Association) Memorial Fund. Donations are accepted on www.thesoca.org homepage

Michael A. Ellinwood

Start Date of Serviece: 1 July 1993
End Date of Serviece: 1 December 1996
Date of Death: 15 March 2015

JCU Member July 1993– December 1996

Formerly of Irondequoit, NY – 6/28/66-3/15/20

Michael died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after a brief illness.

Predeceased by parents, George and Joyce (Roach) Ellinwood. Survived by wife, Kelly (Hamb), sister, Mary (Glenn) Wadsworth, brother, John (Araceli) Ellinwood, sons, Daniel, Brian, and Matthew Ellinwood, daughters, Jordan and Aubrey Banez, nephew, Steven (Arnetta) Ellinwood and niece, Jacqueline Ellinwood, cousins and many friends.

Electronics Technician Senior Chief (SS/PJ) US Navy. Retired after 25 years of honorable service with duty in Somalia and Iraq.

Please consider donations to Wounded Warrior Project.org or Dolphin Scholarship.org in Michael’s honor.

Terry R. Johnston

Start Date of Serviece: 1 March 1984
End Date of Serviece: 1 September 1991
Date of Death: 8 June 2019

JCU Member March 1984– September 1991

Fayetteville—Terry Russell Johnston, 70, of Fayetteville, passed on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at Village Green Rehabilitation Center.
Terry was born February 9, 1949 in Beaver Falls, PA to the late Charles and Frances Johnston. He was retired from the United States Air Force as a Master Sergeant after 23 years of service. Terry was considered one of the Department of Defense’s finest logisticians, and was chosen to serve with the Joint Special Operations Command for the last seven years of his military career. Other military assignments included the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Camp New Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Osan Air Base in Korea, and Goose Bay in Canada.
Terry is survived by his sister, Kathy Lambert of Beaver, PA; two sons, Seneca Byron Fisher and Quentin Alexander Brandt; one daughter, Nadiah Katherine Brown; five grandchildren; and one great grandchild.
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 13, 2019 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.
Terry will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved him.

Gerald D. Hammons

Date of Death: 24 July 2018

JCU Member October 1986 – April 1994

Gerald Dalton Hammons…DOB 4/13/1953 Retired RM1 from the U.S. Navy ….Date of Death 7/24/2018 . He is survived by his son, Gerald B. Hammons. There was no obituary submitted by the family.

John E. Griffith III

Start Date of Serviece: 1 February 1997
End Date of Serviece: 1 September 2000
Date of Death: 15 June 2018

JCU Member (7th SEA) February 1997 – September 2000

Retired SGM John Edward Griffith, III, 61, of Robbins passed away on Friday, June 15, 2018.
He was a veteran of the Army Special Forces dedicating 26 years of service. He served in Grenada and Operation Desert Storm.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Claudette M. Griffith of the home; two daughters, Allison Taylor and husband, Bryan of Brandon, Fla. and Alexis Griffith of Southern Pines; two sons, John Hutcheson and wife, Elisha of Brandon, Fla. and John Edward Griffith, IV of Southern Pines; two brothers, Larry Griffith and wife, Tracy of Orlando, Fla. and Richard Griffith and wife, Anne of St Paul, Minn.; five grandchildren, Wesley, Owen, Lily, Sadie and Collin; and his beloved dog, Fugly.
A celebration of life service will be held at 6 pm Tuesday, June 19, 2018 in Rogers and Breece Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Tracey Pounders officiating. The family will receive friends from 4:45 pm to 5:45 pm prior the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Ste 200 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.

Warren L. "Von" Crain

Start Date of Serviece: 1 March 1981
End Date of Serviece: 1 September 1987
Date of Death: 21 April 2018

JCU Plank Holder March 1981- September 1987

Warren L. Crain AUTRYVILLE – Ret. MSgt Mr. Warren “Von” Lavon Crain, 71 passed away Saturday, April 21, 2018 surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be held at 3:00pm Friday, April 27, 2018 at Long Branch Baptist Church, 2868 Minnie Hall Road, Autryville, officiating will be Pastor Richard Spell. Burial with full military honors will follow at Maxwell Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday at the church from 1:00pm to 2:30pm prior to the service. Von was retired from the United States Air Force with 20 years of service, was in Information Technology with Civil Service for 26 years, was a member of Long Branch Baptist Church and was also a member of The Good Old Boys Hunting Club. Von loved hunting and fishing, but most of all he was a “family man” who loved spending time with all of his family. He is survived by his loving wife, Betty Crain of the home; daughters, Susan Hutchings & husband, Brett of Germany and Karen Norris & husband, Phillip of Eastover; grandchildren, Samantha McBride & husband, James, Timothy Hutchings & fiance’, Kilee Driggers and Kaitlyn Norris; great grandchildren, Kadence and Kali; and sister-in-law, Chandra Crain of Slidell, LA. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to any or all of the following charities, as they were all near and dear to Von’s heart because of past family losses; American Diabetes Association, 2418 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, Alzheimer’s Foundation, 4600 Park Rd; Ste 250, Charlotte, NC 28209; or to the American Cancer Society, 8300 Health Park; Ste 10, Raleigh, NC 27615. The family would like to thank everyone for the love and support given to them during this time, and for your continued prayers. Services entrusted to Butler Funeral Home, 6535 Clinton Road, Stedman, NC 28391.

Brian J. Graniero

Start Date of Serviece: 1 September 2011
End Date of Serviece: 1 June 2014
Date of Death: 10 August 2017

JCU Member September 2011-June 2014

Brian Joseph “Joe” Graniero (CWO5 USMC Ret), 58, of Jacksonville passed away August 10, 2017 surrounded by family following a short battle with lung cancer.
Joe is survived by his wife of 40 years, Jan, and his four children, Scott and wife Mimi of Jacksonville, Heather Stephens and husband Aaron of Jacksonville, Andrew and wife Blaire of Columbia, SC, and Emily Petersohn and husband Corey of Raleigh. He also leaves behind his beloved “minions”, grandchildren Collin and Luke Graniero, Kylie and Mackenzie Stephens, Lillian Graniero, and Charlotte Petersohn.
Originally from Chicago, he was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Graniero. He is survived by four sisters, Linda, Sheila, Maureen, and Kati, and brother Kevin. As a lifelong Cubs fan, his dream to witness the Cubs win a World Series was finally fulfilled. Go Cubbies!
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Graniero retired from the Marine Corps in 2009 after serving 34 years as a Marine Communicator. In his retirement, he enjoyed working on antique radios, fishing, and spending time with his grandchildren. In addition, he continued to serve the military community through federal service.
The family will receive visitors at Jones Funeral Home on Monday, August 14th from 6 – 8 pm. The funeral will be held Tuesday, Aug.15 at 9 am at Jones Funeral Home, followed by a burial at the Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery. Visitors are welcomed to join the family afterwards at Infant of Prague Parish Hall for light refreshments to celebrate Joe’s life.
Donations can be made to the American Lung Association or to Infant of Prague’s Rebuilding God’s House fund.

Claude M. Meadows

Start Date of Serviece: 1 April 1981
End Date of Serviece: 1 June 1984
Date of Death: 13 December 2016

JCU Plank Holder April 1981- June 1984

October 5, 1946 ~ December 13, 2016 (age 70) Mack Meadows, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend and neighbor passed away on Tuesday, December 13, 2016.
Mack was born and raised in Nashville, Tenn. After graduating from high school, he joined the Air Force and served in Vietnam. In 1984, he became one of the original members of the Joint Communications Unit at Ft. Bragg. He retired honorably in 1988 after 22 years of service in the Air Force. He then worked at BAE Systems for about 10 years.
Mack loved to tinker in his garage. He enjoyed woodworking and made many wooden toys that he often gave to family and friends. One of his passions was restoring a 1927 Ford Roadster, which he completed this summer. Mack and his car were featured in Outreach NC magazine where he was described as “one of those people who can fix just about anything…he had a doctorate in common sense and a knack for figuring things out.”
Mack was an avid hunter. He and his grandson Jacob spent many weekends at his hunting camp in South Carolina.
He was a good friend and neighbor, and would go out of his way to help anyone. The world was a better place with him in it.
He is survived by his wife, Frances Meadows of the home; one daughter, Susan Franklin and husband, Matthew of Hope Mills; son, Mack Meadows, Jr. and wife, Cassandra of Key Largo, Fla.; one brother, Wayne Meadows and wife, Joyce of Nashville, Tenn.; three grandchildren, Jacob Cherney of Hope Mills, Taylor Meadows and Austin Meadows, both of Key Largo; many cousins and numerous friends.
A funeral service will be held at 3 pm Saturday, December 17, 2016 in Rogers and Breece Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Archie Barringer officiating. Burial will follow in Fayetteville Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:45 pm prior to the service at the funeral home.
Claude M. Meadows Tribute Video (coming soon)

Erich K. Kuehnel

Start Date of Serviece: 1 May 1984
End Date of Serviece: 1 February 1993
Date of Death: 3 March 2015

JCU Member May 1984- February 1993

It is with much sadness that I must let you all know, My Brother Erich Kuehnel packed his chute and slipped the surly bonds of earth, and is dancing the skies on laughter’s-silvered wings. He left us yesterday after incurring a ruptured brain aneurysm while riding his Harley , causing extensive internal trauma on September 9th. He peacefully slipped away Saturday, October 3 surrounded by Family and Dear Close Friends….. Generous with his Friendship to a fault and Always bestowing upon us his rare sense of Humor ….a Good Dad, Granddad ,Brother and True Friend . He will be Dearly Missed… Ve Con Dios My Brother, and know You will be always be Loved and Remembered Fondly…….. 9-23-1956?10-3-2015……..with love also from Kurt Kuehnel