State Heroes
World War II
1943
Capt. Carl F. Ekstrom
Grand Forks, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Air Force
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 358th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group
Date of Loss: December 30, 1943 / Age: 27
Killed in action near France.
1943
1st Lt. Earl A. Desautel
Grafton, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 164th Infantry Regiment, Americal Division
Date of Loss: December 27, 1943 / Age: 29
Killed in action in the Philippines.
1943
Lt. William R. Larson
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve
Date of Loss: December 27, 1943 / Age: 28
Died while in MIA status.
1943
Water Tender Chief Paul V. Hanson
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: December 26, 1943 / Age: 38
Killed in action in Southwest Pacific Area
1943
Ship's Cook 3c Jalmer Edwin Weitala
Guelph, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve
Date of Loss: December 26, 1943 / Age:
Killed in action in the Philippines.
1943
Corporal Harry M. Walen
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 25, 1943 / Age: 22
Died in service in Europe
1943
Private Arthur O. Sundby
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 23, 1943 / Age: 31
Died in service in the Aleutian Islands
1943
2nd Lieutenant Dwight T. Sullivan
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 23, 1943 / Age: 21
He died in service when a B-17G Flying Fortress #42-31541 collided with B-17 #42-38065 in the skies near the air base in Salt Lake City, Utah.
1943
Staff Sergeant Douglas V. Schmoker
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 20
Died in service at Morrison Field, Florida.
1943
Staff Sergeant Orley E. Kjelgren
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: B-24H #42-7613
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 704th Bomber Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 446th Bomber Group
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
1st Lieutenant Leroy W. Ista
World War II
Branch of Service: Air Force
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 352nd Fighter Squadron
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 353rd Fighter Group
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 24
Died while in MIA status.
1943
Aviation Cadet Douglas A. Thompson
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 21
Died in service in Pensacola, Florida
1943
Technician 5th Grade Ralph A. Merkel
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 20, 1943 / Age: 23
Died in service in a car accident at Camp Cooke, California
1943
Seaman 2c Robert C. Self
Flaxton, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve
Date of Loss: December 14, 1943 / Age:
Died while in MIA status.
1943
Ensign Richard R. McClung Jr.
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: December 13, 1943 / Age: 26
Killed in action in the Pacific Area