Stephen D. Gavin – Private First Class, United States Army

From a contemporary press report

Provided by Judy Campbell, February 2000

Army Private First Class Stephen D. Gavin, 20, a 1966 Virginia State wrestling champion while at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, was killed Wednesday in the collision of a car and a tow truck near Emporia, Virginia, while returning to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Private Gavin, who was born in Bethesda, Maryland, lived at 6240 North 12th Street, Arlington.  He played football at Washington-Lee and later at Flint Hill Preparatory School.  He was Virginia wrestling champion in the 180 pound class.

He graduated from Washington-Lee in 1966.

A member of the 118th Military Police Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, Private Gavin had been in the Army for a year and a half.

Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Gavin, he leaves three brothers, John R., Jeffrey C., and Christopher K., and two sisters, Janet C., and Barbara A., all of the home, and his grandmother, Mrs. Beulah N. Harshfield of Washington.

Friends may call after 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Robert J. Murphy Funeral Home in Falls Church, where prayers will be said at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

A requiem mass be be offered at 10 a.m. Monday at Saint Ann’s Catholic Church, 5310 12th Street, Arlington, with burial following at Arlington National Cemetery.

GAVIN, STEPHEN D

• PFC USA
• DATE OF BIRTH: 06/30/1948
• DATE OF DEATH: 05/07/1969
• BURIED AT: SECTION 53  SITE 2860
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard