ND Veterans Affairs News: State

Died on USS Arizona. Pearl Harbor HI. Remains not recovered. On 20 March 1941, Register received notification for change of duty for assignment to the battleship USS Arizona (BB-39) as her communication officer. He reported for duty aboard Arizona in May 1941. Lieutenant Commander Register was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously in accordance with General Order No. 186 on 21 January 1943. Other awards he received posthumously were the American Defense Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal on 31 October 1946 and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal on 22 June 1948.

Lieutenant Francis 'Cash' Register was a veteran of aerial combat in the Central and South Pacific, destroying eight Japanese aircraft. His bravery earned him a Distinguished Flying Cross, two Air Medals, and a Purple Heart, the latter three awarded posthumously. Dr. Franklin Hook of Bismarck published the book "Pinky" in 2014, a narrative history of Lt. Register, North Dakota's first ace in World War II.

Sidney Carlton Aamodt was born on September 22, 1920, in Freeborn, Eddy County, North Dakota to Andrias Olsen and Gena Helena Hensrud Aamodt. He registered for the United States Army on February 16, 1942. Private First Class Aamodt was killed in action on March 16, 1945, in Luxembourg, and is buried at Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, Hamm, Canton de Luxembourg, Germany, Plot B, Row 6, Grave 13. He received the Purple Heart.

Clarence Arnold Aaberg was born in Dickey, Divide County, North Dakota on April 26, 1918, to Carl Alfred Aaberg and Anna Ione Lund. He entered the United States Air Force in Missoula, Montana and was a pilot of a B-17 replacement crew at Rattelsden, and was flying "Rosemary III", when the ship lost three engines on the return voyage from Regensburg. Second Lieutenant Aaberg nursed the ship over the coast of southern England, (Tonbridge, Tonbridge and Milling Borough, Kent, England) where the crew bailed out safely.

Received Air Medal award with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Purple Heart award.

Died during an assault East of Bastogne, due to poor weather conditions.