Willie Moe was born on June 16, 1913, to Sam and Selma Moe in New England, Hettinger County, North Dakota. Private First Class Moe enlisted in the Army on January 13, 1943, in Clinton County, AAF, Wilmington, Ohio. On November 27, 1943, he was a passenger on the H.M.T. Rohna which left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria, the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's piloted by Hans Doctermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.

Russell Howard was born in New England, Hettinger County, North Dakota on January 5, 1924, to Leroy and Maude Ethel Pringey Howard. He entered the United States Navy on January 14, 1943, and trained in Minot, North Dakota, Sioux City, Iowa, Saint Mary's, California, Corpus Christi, Texas, and Miami, Florida. Ensign Howard was killed off the coast of Hollywood, Broward County, Florida in an airplane training accident over the Atlantic Ocean in preparation to enter WWII on June 17, 1944.

Willis Eugene Gentz was born in New England, Hettinger County, North Dakota on May 26, 1926, to Arnold Albert and Elsie M Larsen Gentz. He entered the United States Navy Reserve in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 3, 1943, and was engaged in the Australia, Hawaiian Islands, Invasion of Philippines and served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre. Signalman Third Class Gentz was awarded the Purple Heart, the American Campaign Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon, the Victory Medal, the Good Conduct Medal (posthumously).

Adam Boehm was born on August 26, 1917, in New England, Hettinger County, North Dakota to Steve Boehm Jr. and Louise Betcnner Boehm. He entered the United States Army at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on March 27, 1942, and served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater. Private Boehm was killed in action on July 26, 1943, in New Georgia, Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal Island, New Guinea and is buried in the family plot at Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery in New England, North Dakota. He received the Infantryman's Combat Badge and the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon. 

Aubrey J Freeman was born on October 5, 1908, to Ellis Jermaine and Mary Ellen McCusker Freeman in New England, Hettinger County, North Dakota. He enlisted in the Navy at Denver, Colorado, August 1931 and was sent to San Diego, California and was assigned to the Hospital Corps. After several months of training there, he was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Base, Great Lakes, Illinois and served until the station was closed in July 1931. Freeman enlisted in the Army Medical Corps in December 1935 and served at Fort Snelling, Minneapolis, Minnesota until October 1937.