State Heroes

1944

Private First Class John C. Finnegan

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 164th Infantry Regiment

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: Americal Division

Date of Loss: March 13, 1944 / Age: 19

Killed in action in Bougainville

1944

Private First Class Manuel L. Arechiga

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 349th Infantry Regiment

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 88th Infantry Division

Date of Loss: March 13, 1944 / Age: 20

Killed in action in Italy

1944

Private First Class Philip Mitzel Jr.

Orrin, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 129 Infantry Regiment

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 37th Infantry Division

Date of Loss: March 12, 1944 / Age: 24

1944

Private First Class Frank Rysavy

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: March 12, 1944 / Age: 24

Killed in action in Bougainville

1944

Private First Class Gustave Odegard

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: March 11, 1944 / Age: 25

Died in service in Italy

1944

Private Julius J. Koehler

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: March 10, 1944 / Age: 35

Died in service at Camp Rimini, Montana

1944

Staff Sergeant Joseph Jacobson

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 546th Bomb Squadron (Heavy)

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 8th Air Force

Date of Loss: March 09, 1944 / Age: 31

Staff Sergeant Joseph Jacobson was Killed in Action on 9 March 1944 while serving as Waist Gunner on B-17 aircraft #42-37781 (Silver Dollar) when the aircraft was struck by bombs dropped by another B-17 on a bombing mission to Berlin, Germany.

1944

Sergeant Boyd D. Iverson

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 388th AAF Bomber Squadron

Date of Loss: March 08, 1944 / Age: 21

Killed in action in Magdeburg, Germany

1944

PVT Mack M. Nay

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: March 08, 1944 / Age:

Died in County Down, Ireland

1944

Sergeant Arnold P. Schmitt

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: March 07, 1944 / Age: 36

Died in service of a hemorrhage at Brooke Army Hospital, San Antonio, Texas.

1944

Private First Class Curtis G. Hagen

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 7th Infantry Regiment

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 3rd Infantry Division

Date of Loss: March 07, 1944 / Age: 26

Killed in action in Anzio, Italy

1944

Sergeant Harold M. Moberg

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: March 06, 1944 / Age: 21

Killed in action in Brachwitz, Germany

1944

Sergeant Donald L. Lillehaug

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 457th AAF Bomber Group

Date of Loss: March 06, 1944 / Age: 21

Killed in action in Germany

1944

1st Lieutenant Anthony Kuhn

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: B-24D #41-24186

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 72nd Bomber Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 5th Bomb Group

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 13th Army Air Force

Date of Loss: March 05, 1944 / Age: 26

After a successful bombing mission it was noticed by other B-24's, while returning to base, that B-24D #41-24186 was not able to close their bomb bay doors and that one of their engines was also on fire.

1944

Staff Sergeant Ralph R. Bender

World War II

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 710th Bomber Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 447th Bomber Group

Date of Loss: March 03, 1944 / Age: 21

Ralph was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-17 collided with B-17G #42-38075 and crashed in the North Sea near Wesermunde, Germany during the war