United States Navy
The 17 Victims of the USS Cole Bombing
United States Navy
On October 12, 2000, the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG-67) was attacked by al-Qaeda suicide bombers while refueling in the port of Aden, Yemen. The blast tore a massive hole in the ship's hull, killing 17 sailors and injuring dozens more in the deadliest attack on a U.S. Navy vessel since the 1980s.
Those 17 sailors came from small towns and big cities all across America—Virginia, Texas, California, North Dakota, Maryland, New York, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania. They were chiefs and junior sailors, technicians and cooks, kids fresh out of high school and seasoned petty officers. What unites them is that they were all doing their duty aboard Cole that morning, standing the watch so others could sleep in peace. This post honors each of them by name, rate, and hometown, so their stories are remembered together.
Submitted by: LN1 (Retired) Geoff Wood
Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter
Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class, United States Navy
Mechanicsville, Virginia
Kenneth was a young husband and father whose world revolved around his wife and little boy; his parents still describe him first as a devoted dad who just happened to wear Navy blue. Years later, the Navy honored him at a Memorial Day NASCAR race, a fitting tribute for a Virginia kid who loved racing and service in equal measure.
Richard Dean Costelow
Chief Electronics Technician, United States Navy
Morrisville, PA
Richard's wife once described him in a memorial speech as "my hero" and a man whose quiet faith and integrity anchored their family. Shipmates remembered that he never hesitated to take extra time to mentor younger sailors on complex systems or on life in the fleet.
Lakeina Monique Francis
Mess Management Specialist Seaman, United States Navy
Woodleaf, NC
Lakeina grew up in a one-stoplight farming community, but she dreamed of seeing the world and building a bigger life through the Navy. Friends and family said that even after her death, the little town of Woodleaf wrapped itself around her parents, holding vigil on their porch night after night to honor the girl who left home in uniform and never came back.
Timothy Lee Gauna
Information Systems Technician Seaman, United States Navy
Rice, TX
Timothy was a Texas kid who loved computers, music, and working with his hands, which made the information systems rating a natural fit. His family has shared that he was the kind of son who could fix your broken electronics and your bad day in the same visit, with patience and a grin.
Cherone Louis Gunn
Signalman Seaman, United States Navy
Portsmouth / Virginia Beach, VA
Cherone was a Kempsville High School football player and office volunteer, remembered as a "sweet-natured young man" whose smile disarmed people before his sense of humor did. He dreamed of becoming a police officer and saw the Navy as his stepping stone, trading a Friday-night field for a destroyer's deck to serve something bigger than himself.
James Rodrick McDaniels
Seaman, United States Navy
Norfolk, VA
James was still just a teenager, drawn to the sea he'd grown up around in Norfolk and proud to wear the same uniform he'd watched on the waterfront his whole life. Family and friends remember him as soft-spoken but fiercely loyal—the kind of shipmate you trusted to show up when the work was dirty, or the watch was long.
Marc Ian Nieto
Engineman 2nd Class, United States Navy
Fond du Lac, WI (raised in TX)
Marc was only two weeks from leaving the Navy, with a job offer from GE already in hand and a proposal accepted by the woman he loved. His family later donated his uniforms and personal effects to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum so that his story—of discipline, plans, and a future stolen—would continue to be told.
Ronald Scott Owens
Electronic Warfare Technician 2nd Class, United States Navy
Vero Beach, FL
Ronald left civilian life behind for the Navy because he wanted to be part of something that mattered, eventually earning his way into the demanding world of electronic warfare. Those who served with him talk about how he handled complex gear with ease but never lost the easygoing Florida warmth that made younger sailors feel like they belonged.
Lakiba Nicole Palmer
Seaman, United States Navy
San Diego, CA
Lakiba ran track, played basketball, and served in Junior ROTC before graduating San Diego High School and shipping out—she was all energy and forward motion. Her hometown later renamed the street where she grew up and an American Legion post in her honor, a permanent reminder that a young woman from that block went to sea and gave everything for her country.
Joshua Langdon Parlett
Engineman Fireman, United States Navy
Churchville, MD
Joshua was the kind of kid who loved tinkering with engines long before he wore Navy coveralls, so working in Cole's engineering spaces felt like home. Friends say he carried a quiet, steady presence that made hard days at sea easier just by having him on the watchbill next to your name.
Patrick Howard Roy
Fireman, United States Navy
Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
Patrick was a high-school football player and Civil War buff who chose the Navy but asked to be buried at Antietam, wanting to rest among earlier generations of Americans who'd fallen in uniform. At his funeral, speakers said his life proved that love of history isn't just about the past—it's about deciding what kind of story you're willing to write with your own.
Kevin Shawn Rux
Electronic Warfare Technician 1st Class, United States Navy
Portland, ND
Kevin served a decade in the Navy, briefly tried civilian police work, then chose to put the uniform back on and re-enlist—a decision his family says came from a deep sense of calling. West Virginia later named a bridge in his honor, so every driver who crosses it passes over a living memorial to a sailor who kept coming back to the fight.
Ronchester Mananga Santiago
Mess Management Specialist 3rd Class, United States Navy
Kingsville, TX
Ronchester was one of two sailors from Texas' Coastal Bend lost that day, remembered back home as a hard-working young man who was just starting to build a life of service. Local coverage of the anniversary of the attack often highlights his smile and the pride his community still feels that a kid from Kingsville wore the Navy uniform with such honor.
Timothy Lamont Saunders
Operations Specialist 2nd Class, United States Navy
Ringgold, VA
Timothy was a former high-school athlete who poured that same drive into mastering the chaos of the combat information center, where a destroyer's picture of the fight is built. His family has spoken about how he balanced professional intensity with being a loving son and friend—someone who could track a sky full of contacts and still call home to check on people.
Gary Graham Swenchonis Jr.
Fireman, United States Navy
Rockport, TX
Gary came from a Navy family and carried that tradition forward with pride, known back home by the nickname "Bubba." Stories from friends and local news remember him as a laid-back Texas beach kid who loved the water and music, and who chose to risk his life at sea so others wouldn't have to.
Andrew Triplett
Ensign (Lt. j.g.), United States Navy
Macon / Shuqualak, MS
Andrew rose through the enlisted ranks to Chief Petty Officer and then to officer through the Limited Duty Officer program—proof of what brains, grit, and perseverance can do in one Navy career. Mississippi later dedicated a stretch of U.S. Highway 45 as the Chief Petty Officer Andrew Triplett Memorial Highway, so his name now runs alongside the roads he used to drive as a kid.
Craig Bryan Wibberley
Seaman, United States Navy
Williamsport (born Hagerstown), MD
Craig was a young Marylander who loved computers and planned to make a career in information technology after the Navy; his family created scholarships and memorial efforts to help other students chase the opportunities he never lived to see. At memorial ceremonies, speakers often note that he was the age of many high-school seniors in the audience—reminding them that service and sacrifice are never abstract.