State Heroes

Captain George R. Newgard

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: October 16, 1942 / Age: 38

Killed in action in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Private Wenzel A. Picha

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: November 22, 1942 / Age: 34

Killed in action in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Lieutenant Junior Grade Edwin E. Tuma

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Date of Loss: October 14, 1942 / Age: 25

Killed in action when the plane he was in was shot down by the Japanese. 

Sergeant First Class Virgil A. Lane

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:Americal Division

Date of Loss: November 21, 1942 / Age: 22

Virgil Lane was killed Nov. 21, 1942, on Guadalcanal while serving with the 164th North Dakota Infantry Regiment in World War II. The Hillsboro Lane-Osmon Veterans of Foreign Wars post is named in honor of Virgil's memory.

Lieutenant Edward H. Allen

Pekin, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Lexington

Date of Loss: May 07, 1942 / Age: 34

Killed in action during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Member of scouting squadron 2. Remains not recovered.

Staff Sergeant Casper J. Oie

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Air Corps

Date of Loss: October 24, 1942 / Age: 24

POW: Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp, Luzon, Philippines.

Died of dysentery and malnutrition on October 24, 1942. Buried in mass grave at POW Camp.

Remains recovered October 1952.

Private First Class Harold M. Poppen

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:Americal Division

Date of Loss: November 23, 1942 / Age: 20

Killed in action in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Private John A. Wojciak

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: June 09, 1942 / Age: 24

Died in service at Camp Wallace, Texas

Sergeant Albert J. Osmon

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: November 06, 1942 / Age: 20

Killed in action in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Corporal Ernest E. Steinke

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: November 28, 1942 / Age: 25

Died in service in the Philippine Islands

Second Lieutenant Martin O. Vangsness

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: September 13, 1942 / Age: 22

He died in service when a big army bomber he was on crashed near the Colombia air base in South Carolina.

Private First Class Roy E. Birch

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: April 08, 1942 / Age: 32

Killed in action in North Africa

Seaman 3rd Class George E. Chetney

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Date of Loss: September 12, 1942 / Age: 22

Died in service in Key West, Florida

Sergeant Robert J. Clark

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: November 26, 1942 / Age: 21

Died of wounds in the South Pacific Area

Sergeant Vernal M. Skarison

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: October 28, 1942 / Age: 22

Vernal died in the "Line Of Duty" when a medium Army bomber flying out of Page Field crashed four miles west of Venus Florida. 

Private First Class Jacob J. Richter

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: October 18, 1942 / Age: 21

Died in service in Camp Callam, CA