State Heroes

Captain Clyde Roy Huddleson

Mandan, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Marines

Date of Loss: December 31, 1944 / Age: 32

Major Clyde Huddleston was held as a POW in the Philippine Islands. In December 1944, he was boarded onto the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. The ship sailed on December 13th and came under attack from American planes on December 14th.

Private First Class Erasmo Garcia

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:27th Infantry Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:9th Armored Division

Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age: 31

Died while in POW status in Germany.

Major Gordon A. Utke

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: December 15, 1944 / Age: 29

Died while in MIA status.

Private Carl H. Franklin

Goodrich, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:194th Tank Battalion

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 25

Died while in POW status on the Japanese ship "Arisan Maru", when it was sunk by an American submarine in the South China Sea. There were 1,803 POWs on the ship, only 9 of which survived the sinking.

Corporal George S. Schroedl

Leonard, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Air Force

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:93rd Bomber Squadron

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 27

Died in POW status in Bataan.

Corporal Maurice H. Bonemeyer

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 99th Infantry

Date of Loss: December 17, 1944 / Age: 19

During Battle of the Bulge December 17, 1944 captured by German Forces.

Private Lewis R. Larson

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Air Force

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:30th Bomber Squadron

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died while in POW status. Killed aboard a Japanese ship when it was hit by torpedoes in the South China Sea. 

Chief Pharmacist Mate John C. Ulmer

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Date of Loss: December 13, 1944 / Age: 36

Chief Pharmacist's Mate John Cassady Ulmer, United States Navy, was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on 6 May 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War until his death while still in captivity.

Private First Class Raymond R. Schauer

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:28th Bomber Squadron

Date of Loss: September 07, 1944 / Age: 25

He was a POW on the Shinyo Maru.

Electrician's Mate Second Class Adam J. Klupp

Regent, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Navy

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 26

Died while in a POW camp.

Sergeant Arnold Edwin Postovit

Tioga, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company G

Date of Loss: February 01, 1944 / Age:

He was captured by the German Army in Anzio, Italy in February 1944. He was imprisoned at Stalag 2B in Germany, although he spent much of his time working at a local farm.

Corporal Theodore Albert Vasicek

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Training Readiness Authority

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:Fourth Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

Date of Loss: July 27, 1944 / Age:

Captured by German Forces while on Combat Patrol 27 July 1944.

Wounded In Action France 27 July 1944.

Second Lieutenant Benjamin E. Jones, Jr.

Bismarck, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:38th Infantry Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:Seventh Armored Division

Date of Loss: December 04, 1944 / Age: 25

Died during surgery to amputate his leg which was severely wounded due to a fire fight with a machine gun nest.

Electrician's Mate Second Class Adam Jack Klupp

Regent, ND

Branch of Service: Navy

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died when Arisan Maru, transporting Allied Prisoners of War from the Philippines to Japan, was sunk by USS Shark (SS-314)

Staff Sergeant Aubrey J Freeman

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Army Air Corps

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:28th Bomb Squadron H

Date of Loss: September 07, 1944 / Age: 35

Private First Class John Raymond Kelner

Park River, ND

Branch of Service: Marines

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died while in Prisoner of War status.