Robert E. Friesz

World War II
-
Fallen

County:
Grant

Date of Loss:

Recovered:
Remains not recovered

Branch of Service:
Army

Rank:
2nd Lieutenant

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent:
Company I

Regiment / Group / Brigade:
116th Infantry Regiment

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:
29th Infantry Division
Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
European African Middle Eastern Theater

Medals and Honors:

Circumstances:

Killed in action in France

Biography:

2nd Lt. Robert E. Friesz was born 2 August 1919 in Mandan, North Dakota to Ralph V and Pauline (Opitz) Friesz. His father had been born in Russia. His mother's parents were German. Ralph worked in a dry goods store. By 1940 Ralph was a salesman, his oldest son a dentist, and Robert was presumably still attending school. In 1941 he was attending the University of North Dakota.

2nd Lt. Friesz was assigned to I Company 116th Infantry on 14 August 1944 as a platoon leader. He was killed in action while serving in France on 25 August 1944.

2nd Lt. Friesz also had an older brother who was killed 11 November 1944 in in plane crash into a hill during a test flight in a four-engine bomber while serving in Steuben County, New York. Captain Arthur R. Friesz was 2nd Lt. Robert Friesz's brother. Captain Friesz gave his life to the cause of freedom two months after 2nd Lt. Friesz's tragic death.

Captain Arthur Friesz and 2nd Lt. Robert Friesz are buried side by side together at Mandan Union Cemetery.

Their older brother, the dentist, was CPT (USN) Raymond Henry Friesz.