Santa Elena in Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad, El Salvador — Central America (West Coast)

In Memory of Those Americans Who Lost Their Lives in El Salvador

Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, July 12, 2013

1. In Memory of Those Americans Who Lost Their Lives in El Salvador Marker

Inscription.

Seal of the United States of America and Seal of El Salvador
Michael Hammer · Mark Pearlman · SSgt Bobby J. Dickson · SSgt Thomas T. Handwork · Sgt Gregory H. Weber · Sgt Patrick R. Kwiatkowski · Christopher Babcock · John Sullivan · John Hoagland · Barry Castiglione · Sister Dorothy Kazel · Michael J. Kline · Jean Donovan · Sister Maura Clarke · Sister Ita Ford · Francisco Peccorini · Joseph La Palme · Billy Murphy · Thomas Bracken · LCdr Albert Schaufelberger · Rogelio Alvarez Schneider · SSgt Gregory A. Fronius · LtC James M. Basile · LtC Joseph L. Lujan · 1Lt Gregory J. Paredes · CW2 John D. Ravbon · SSgt Lynn V. Keen · SP4 Douglas L. Adams · LtC David H. Pickett · CW4 Daniel S. Scott · PFC Ernest G. Dawson · CW2 Paul S. Timmer · WO1 Eric D. Funderburg · SFC Juan Guerra-Llopiz · Sgt David Coleman · SPC Marvin T. Simpson · Patricia Cuellar Álvarez · Alfred G. Viney · Petter S. Hascall

Erected by United States Embassy El Salvador.

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, Cold.

Location. 13° 39.929′ N, 89° 15.44′ W. Memorial is in Santa Elena, La

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Libertad, in Antiguo Cuscatlán. It can be reached from Bulevar Santa Elena just north of Calle Izalco, on the left when traveling north. This marker is located on the grounds of the US Embassy in El Salvador, located at the corner of Calle Conchagua and Bulevar Santa Elena. The marker is directly west of the Chancery Building. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: Blvr Sta Elena 8, Santa Elena, La Libertad 01101, El Salvador. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in North America,

specifically in Central America,

in Mesoamerica,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

and in the Western Hemisphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also a Spanish colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Francisco Bogen (approx. 1.2 kilometers away); Fritz Hamer (approx. 1.2 kilometers away); Quetzalcoat's Stone (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); Mother Cesarita Ruiz de Esparza y Dávalos (approx. 2 kilometers away); General José María Cañas Highway (approx. 2.2 kilometers away); Plaza Brasilia (approx. 2.4 kilometers

Wide view of Americans Who Lost Their Lives in El Salvador Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, December 7, 2013

2. Wide view of Americans Who Lost Their Lives in El Salvador Marker

away in San Salvador); Ceiba de Guadalupe Church (approx. 2.5 kilometers away in San Salvador); General Manuel José Arce (approx. 2.6 kilometers away in San Salvador).

Regarding In Memory of Those Americans Who Lost Their Lives in El Salvador. This simple memorial leaves so much unsaid about the 1981-1992 El Salvador conflict and some of the United States citizens that died during it. On this list are 39 American citizens: soldiers, nuns, journalists, diplomats and other victims to a war scarcely remembered in the US that had a profound effect above its cold statistics.

Each of these fatalities has a story behind it; although the victims are too numerous to provide the details behind every death, a selection of links to information on some of the higher profile deaths is provided below.

Note that CW2 John D. Raybon's name is misspelled as CW2 John D. Ravbon.

Also see . . .
1. Case History: Ford et al. v. García et al. PBS' case history of the legal proceedings that followed in the aftermath of the murder of four nuns at the hands of the El Salvadorean military: ...After the murders, several investigations were initiated,
November 10, 2010

3. Ambassador Aponte lays a wreath at the marker.
Memorial Day, 2010 (US Embassy El Salvador website).
none of which were effective and several of which appear to have actually covered-up the fact that the order to kill the churchwomen came from higher levels in the Salvadoran military. The four National Guardsmen were tried and convicted of the murders but, despite voluminous evidence that those men had been following specific and direct orders to kill the American women, no further investigation was made....On May 13, 1999, the families of the four churchwomen filed a federal civil lawsuit in Florida under the Torture Victim Protection Act ("TVPA") -- a 1992 federal statute designed to give torture victims or their families who are United States citizens the chance to confront the persons who committed crimes against them as the Alien Tort Claims Act had for aliens. Importantly, this law also held liable those officials who had the authority and responsibility to ensure that such acts did not take place. Plaintiffs' theory of the case was that Generals García and Vides Casanova had "command responsibility" for the soldiers under their control, like the National Guardsmen who committed the murders and the higher ranking officers that
Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, July 16, 2019

4. An additional memorial to those killed in El Salvador
This additional memorial is along the east side of the US Embassy Chancery. It includes the names of US armed forces and Salvadoran military members killed in actions in El Salvador. It reads:

En Memoria · Michael Hammer · Mark Pearlman · LCdr Albert Schaufelberger · Cmdte. Alfredo Zapata · Cabo Santiago Carcamo Segovia · Cmdte. Raul Melendez Aquino · SSgt Bobby J. Dickson · SSgt Thomas T. Handwork · Sgt Gregory Weber · Sgt Patrick R. Kwiatkowski · SSg Gregory A. Fronius · LtCol. James M. Basile · LtC Joseph L. Lujan · 1Lt Gregory J. Paredes · CW2 John D. Raybon · SSg Lynn V. Keen · SP4 Douglas L. Adams · … Mejico Quinteros M. · Jose Ernesto Pacas Membreño · LtC David H. Pickett · CW4 Daniel S. Scott · PFC Ernest G. Dawson · CW2 Paul S. Timmer · WO1 Eric D. Funderburg · SFC Juan Guerra-Llopiz · Sgt David Coleman · SPC Marvin T. Simpson

Names in bold are not included in the featured marker and are probably Salvadoran armed forces members
ordered the murders. ... Ultimately the court ruled in favor of the defense. (Submitted on December 15, 2013.)

2. H.Con.Res. 181 (106th): Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to war crimes.... Govtrack's copy of the 1999 US House of Representative resolution expressing the sense of the US House of Representatives with regard to the downing and murder of US military personnel in El Salvador and the Salvadorean Government's response. Note that the resolution was not passed. (Submitted on December 15, 2013.)

Memorial to Journalists Killed in El Salvador image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mary Ann Siddons, circa 1999

5. Memorial to Journalists Killed in El Salvador

This additional memorial was present in 1999 on the wall of the basement of the Cathedral in San Salvador. Note that John Sullivan and John Hoagland, from the featured memorial, were included. Sources say that the memorial was not present in 2005.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 15, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 8, 2013, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 2,698 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 8, 2013, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. 4. submitted on July 26, 2019, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. 5. submitted on October 13, 2024, by Mary Ann Siddons of Dickson city, Pennsylvania. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.