Defend AMERICA News - Here, we honor those who died in the attack on the Pentagon.


Sept. 11, 2001, marked the beginning of the war against terrorism. But it also brought to a tragic end a multitude of lives. Here, we honor those who died in the attack on the Pentagon.
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	Richard Gabriel
	Richard Gabriel was a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer and Vietnam War veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds received in action. At a young age, he made it his mission to engage in life again after the amputation of his leg. He had a calm demeanor, a pervasive serenity and a powerfully engaging smile. He embraced responsibility, appreciated life’s second chances, had integrity and was honest to a fault. His perspective on life helped him succeed in his most gratifying endeavor of all: being a dedicated husband to his wife Anne, father to his five children, and a loyal son to his parents. He was a true gentleman. We will not forget him.

	Lawrence Daniel Getzfred
	U.S. Navy Capt. Lawrence Daniel Getzfred, 57, was the branch head for Joint Operations and Plans on the staff of the Deputy Director of Plans, Policy and Operations. He began his Navy career as an antisubmarine warfare technician. He attended DeAnza College and Santa Clara University in California and earned a degree in mathematics. He later received a teaching credential. In 1972, after Aviation Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned an ensign. In 1973, he was designated a Navy flight officer. He served as a tactical coordinator instructor at Moffett Field, CA, and then from 1980-1983 he was stationed in Scotland in a personal exchange program with the Royal Air Force. He served on the staff of Patrol Wing 10 at Moffett Field from 1983-1984, then joined VP-46. In 1987, he became executive officer of VP-40, a squadron of P-3s based at Moffett Field. He led his squadron on deployment to Japan and Okinawa. He assumed command of the squadron from 1988 to 1989. After completing his tour, he earned a master’s degree in foreign affairs and strategic planning at the Naval War College. He spent the next three years as an action officer on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, serving in the strategic planning and policy department of the Joint Staff. He was promoted to the rank of captain in 1993. He also served as the chief of staff of Patrol Wings Pacific. During his military career, Getzfred received numerous awards and commendations for achievement, good conduct and meritorious service. He was a great teacher and leader. He was also a wonderful husband, father, brother, son and naval officer. Survivors include his wife, Patricia, and two daughters, Larissa and Kristina. We will not forget him.

	Cortez Ghee
	Cortez Ghee was a budget analyst for the Department of the Army. He attended Montgomery, Prince George’s and Cantonsville colleges. Prior to his job with the Army, he worked with the Maryland Air National Guard, the Department of Health and Human Services in Baltimore, MD., the General Services Administration in Washington, D.C., and served a tour with the U.S. Air Force. His favorite sport was football. He loved photography, music, reading, playing chess, stamp collecting and traveling. He was a devoted husband to his wife of 22 years, and he was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend. We will not forget him.

	Brenda Colbert Gibson
	Brenda Colbert Gibson, 59, was a budget analyst for Resource Services Washington in the office of the administrative assistant to the Secretary of the Army. She held positions in several different agencies during more than thirty years of service in the federal government. She was a loyal employee and a woman of integrity. Friends throughout the Pentagon remarked about her cordial greeting and pleasant smile. She enjoyed comic books, cartoons, jellybeans and sports. She was the ultimate Redskins fan. Survivors include her husband, Joseph M. Gibson, III, her son Eric, her parents, Florence and LaBrent Colbert, and four sisters. We will not forget her.

	Ronald F. Golinski
	U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Ronald F. Golinski held many positions during his 36-year Army career, including director of the Enlisted Personnel Management Directorate at the Army Reserve Personnel Command in St. Louis, MO. His awards include the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. After his retirement in 1996, he worked as a civilian in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel. His colleagues remember him as a hard worker with an unmatched sense of humor. He loved golf and he loved Sylvester and Crackers, his favorite cats. Survivors include his wife of 23 years, Irene; three daughters, Marcellia Golinski-Potler, Amanda and Sara; two stepchildren, Paula Smith and David Eschenbaum; three daughters by a previous marriage, Christine, Dawn and Michelle; his mother Marion; two brothers and two sisters. We will not forget him.

	Ian J. Gray
	Ian J. Gray, 55, was a principle at McBee Associates, a financial healthcare firm. He was born in England and spent much of his childhood in Scotland with his younger sister Anne. He became a chartered accountant at Cambridge University. He came to the U.S. in 1968 to work for Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Chicago. He later moved to Maryland, where he subsequently joined McBee Associates. In 1979, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Survivors include his wife Ana; a stepson, Lt. Charles C. Raley, USN; and a daughter, Lisa Gray, from a previous marriage. We will not forget him.

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