State Heroes
World War II
1943
Seaman 1c Claude Jerome Robinson
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve
Date of Loss: March 09, 1943 / Age: 22
Died while in MIA status. Killed aboard the Malantic when it was sunk by U-409 near Murmansk, Russia. Body was not recovered.
1943
Aviation Cadet John A. Sanborn
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: March 09, 1943 / Age: 22
Died in service in Moore Field, Texas
1943
Seaman Apprentice Lavern M. Koch
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: March 06, 1943 / Age: 19
Died in service in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
1943
Pvt.1st Class Melvin Eugene Bender
Streeter, NDBranch of Service: Marines
Date of Loss: March 06, 1943 / Age:
Died while in Prisoner of War status on Dec 17, 1943.
1943
Pilot Officer James B. Courtney
World War II
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
1st Lieutenant Kenneth Saxhaug
World War II
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
2nd Lieutenant Arthur R. Kuntz
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: February 28, 1943 / Age: 24
Died in service in Avon Park, Florida
1943
Sgt. Douglas H. Smith
Mandan, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Air Force
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 401st Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Loss: February 26, 1943 / Age:
Died while in MIA status.
1943
2nd Lieutenant Cassius C. Brandenburg
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 401st Bomber Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 91st Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Loss: February 26, 1943 / Age: 28
The plane Lieutenant Brandenburg was on was last seen over the North Sea about 20 miles north of Norderney Island and no trace of the plane or 10 men on board was ever found.
Below is the mission they were on:
1943
Machinist's Mate 1c Arnold R. Lund
Dwight, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Navy
Date of Loss: February 16, 1943 / Age:
Died while in MIA status.
1943
Ensign Thomas Potter
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: February 09, 1943 / Age: 25
Died in service in New York, New York.
1943
PFC William F. Billings
Devils Lake, ND
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 751st Tank Battalion
Date of Loss: February 06, 1943 / Age: 27
Killed in action in Oran, Algeria.
1943
Metalsmith 1st Class Vernon J. Roth
World War II
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: February 05, 1943 / Age: 32
Died in service in Kodiak, Alaska.
1943
Private First Class Edmund A. Gruchalla
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 147th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 37th Infantry Regiment
Date of Loss: February 04, 1943 / Age: 22
Killed in action in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
1943
2nd Lt. Leigh J. Monson, Jr.
World War II
Branch of Service: Air Force
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 364th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Loss: February 04, 1943 / Age: 24
Killed in action near Belgium.