State Heroes

Fireman 1c Lawrence Herman Fecho

Upham, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oklahoma

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 20

Died while in MIA status. Crew member aboard the USS Oklahoma, killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor along with 428 fellow crewmen.

North Dakotans lost on the Oklahoma:

Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Claire R. Brier

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 26

Killed in action in Pearl Harbor.

Fireman 1st Class Clifford N. Olos

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS West Virginia

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 20

Was aboard the USS West Virgina which was bombed at Pearl Harbor. Apparently he and two other ship mates lived for 16 days in the fresh water pumping station known as A-111.

PFC James A. Krahn

World War II

Branch of Service: Marines

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Aboard USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Seaman 2c Charles H. Johannes

Foxholm, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oklahoma

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Died while in MIA status. Crew member aboard the USS Oklahoma, killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor along with 428 fellow crewmen.

North Dakotans lost on the Oklahoma:

Fireman 3c Richard E. Nelson

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 20

Died while in MIA status. Killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Remains not recovered.

Radioman 2c Floyd Arthur Wells

Cavalier, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 24

Died while in MIA status after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Remains identified in 2020. returned to North Dakota September 2020.

Shipfitter 2nd Class Joseph Paul F. Bernard

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 26

Killed in action in Pearl Harbor Attack

From DPAA

Gunner's Mate 1st Class Arthur Clarence Neuenschwander

Fessenden, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oklahoma

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 34

Died while in MIA status. Crew member aboard the USS Oklahoma, killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor along with 428 fellow crewmen.

North Dakotans lost on the Oklahoma:

RM2c Walter Howard Backman

Wilton, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oklahoma

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 22

Killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. His body was recovered July 17, 2017.

Corporal Edwin C. Borusky

Langdon, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Marines

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Aboard USS Arizona during attack on Pearl Harbor. Remains not recovered.

Fire Controlman 2c Elroy V. Peterson

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Died while in MIA status.

Lt. Commander Paul J. Register

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 42

Killed in action when the USS Arizona was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 at the beginning of WWII.

Seaman 1c Joseph Schdowski

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Died while in MIA status. USS Arizona. Pearl Harbor. Remains not recovered. 

F2c Frank P. Bernard

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Killed in action during the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Remains not recovered.