Boiler Tech Third Class David Alan Gilliland, A Sailor's Story
Boiler Tech Third Class David Alan Gilliland, A Sailor's Story
David Alan Gilliland was born on April 28, 1969, in Warrensburg, Missouri. He attended Warrensburg High School before enlisting in the United States Navy, choosing a path of service that placed him deep within the machinery spaces that powered the fleet.
Gilliland was trained as a boiler technician and assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima. In 1990, the ship deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Shield, later transitioning into preparations for the Gulf War. Like many sailors aboard large naval vessels, Gilliland’s work was largely unseen, yet essential to the ship’s ability to operate safely and continuously at sea.
On October 30, 1990, while USS Iwo Jima was departing port at Manama, Bahrain, Gilliland was on duty in the boiler room. A high-pressure steam line ruptured during a boiler casualty, killing him in the line of duty. He was twenty-one years old.
Boiler Technician Third Class David Alan Gilliland died in service to his country, performing the demanding and often dangerous work required to keep naval ships underway. His sacrifice stands as a reminder that not all wartime losses occur in combat zones, yet each carries the same weight of service and duty fulfilled.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
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