State Heroes
World War II (WWII)
1943
Pilot Officer James B. Courtney
World War II (WWII)
Date of Loss: March 05, 1943 / Age: 23
On March 5, 1943, his Short Stirling I (#R9271) aircraft, with an aircrew of seven, took off from RAF Ridgewell for a night air operation over Essen, Germany.
1943
Staff Sergeant Alfred C. Monson
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:571st Bomber Squadron
Date of Loss: September 16, 1943 / Age: 20
Shot down 16 September in B-17 #42-5903 'Ascend Charlie'. Plane crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA).
1943
Technician Fifth Grade Raymond Kahl
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Armored Division
Date of Loss: March 28, 1943 / Age: 23
Killed in action in Tunisia
1943
Staff Sergeant Earl E. West
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:323rd Bomber Squadron
Date of Loss: July 30, 1943 / Age: 32
He was shot down 30 July 1943 in B-17 #4229916 'Yankee Dandy.
1943
Second Lieutenant Thomas B. Oksendahl
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: May 15, 1943 / Age: 31
Died in service in Morgantown, North Carolina
1943
Second Lieutenant Walter J. Romine
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: November 26, 1943 / Age: 26
Died in service at Camp Ellis, Illinois
1943
Private Ramon L. Kelly
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: July 02, 1943 / Age: 27
Killed in action in Rendova, Southwest Pacific
1943
First Lieutenant Kenneth Saxhaug
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:18th Army Air Force Fighter Squadron
Date of Loss: March 02, 1943 / Age: 22
Airplane crash in the Aleutians.
1943
Private First Class Leonard A. Willnow
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:50th Engineer Combat Battalion
Date of Loss: May 29, 1943 / Age: 30
Died in service in Attu Island, Alaska
1943
Chief Water Tender Wesley E. Melander
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: May 06, 1943 / Age: 39
Died in service in Long Beach, California
1943
Private Howard F. King
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: August 06, 1943 / Age: 21
Died in service in Wichita Falls, Texas
1943
Technician Fourth Grade Joseph "Joe" A. Krawczyk
Fried, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company H
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:2nd Battalion
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:Americal Division
Date of Loss: January 13, 1943 / Age:
He went missing when he and 16 other individuals (+6 crew) boarded a C-47 on Guadalcanal for casualty evacuation to Efate Island, New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) which vanished in route. Died while in MIA status.
1943
Technician Fifth Class Raymond C. Urquhart
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Air Force
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:Seventh Material Squadron
Date of Loss: January 17, 1943 / Age:
Killed in action in the Philippines.
1943
Ensign Thomas Potter
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: February 09, 1943 / Age: 25
Died in service in New York, New York.
1943
Staff Sergeant Orley E. Kjelgren
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: B-24H #42-7613
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:704th Bomber Squadron
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 23
B-24H #42-7613 took off from USAAF Station 125, Bungay, England on a bombing mission over Onsabruck, Germany. They are believed to have been hit and shot down by ground anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Onsabruck during the war.
1943
Fireman First Class Ramon V. Laughlin
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: April 10, 1943 / Age: 31
Died in service in Gulfport, Mississippi