State Heroes
World War II (WWII)
1943
Ship's Cook Third Class Jalmer Edwin Weitala
Guelph, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve
Date of Loss: December 26, 1943 / Age:
Killed in action in the Philippines.
1943
Water Tender Chief Paul V. Hanson
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: December 26, 1943 / Age: 38
Killed in action in Southwest Pacific Area
1943
Corporal Harry M. Walen
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 25, 1943 / Age: 22
Died in service in Europe
1943
Private Arthur O. Sundby
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 23, 1943 / Age: 31
Died in service in the Aleutian Islands
1943
Second Lieutenant Dwight T. Sullivan
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 23, 1943 / Age: 21
He died in service when a B-17G Flying Fortress #42-31541 collided with B-17 #42-38065 in the skies near the air base in Salt Lake City, Utah.
1943
Staff Sergeant Douglas V. Schmoker
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 20
Died in service at Morrison Field, Florida.
1943
Staff Sergeant Orley E. Kjelgren
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: B-24H #42-7613
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 704th Bomber Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 446th Bomber Group
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 23
B-24H #42-7613 took off from USAAF Station 125, Bungay, England on a bombing mission over Onsabruck, Germany. They are believed to have been hit and shot down by ground anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Onsabruck during the war.
1943
First Lieutenant Leroy W. Ista
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Air Force
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 352nd Fighter Squadron
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 353rd Fighter Group
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 24
Died while in MIA status.
1943
Aviation Cadet Douglas A. Thompson
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: December 22, 1943 / Age: 21
Died in service in Pensacola, Florida
1943
Technician Fifth Grade Ralph A. Merkel
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 20, 1943 / Age: 23
Died in service in a car accident at Camp Cooke, California
1943
Seaman Second Class Robert C. Self
Flaxton, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve
Date of Loss: December 14, 1943 / Age:
Died while in MIA status.
1943
Ensign Richard R. McClung Jr.
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: December 13, 1943 / Age: 26
Killed in action in the Pacific Area
1943
Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class William Benbow
Fargo, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Navy
Date of Loss: December 07, 1943 / Age: 22
Killed in action. Buried at sea.
1943
Staff Sergeant Leonard L. Rosenberg
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 16th Reconnaissance Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 68th Reconnaissance Group
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 12th Air Force
Date of Loss: December 06, 1943 / Age: 20
He was a gunner on B-17E #41-9016 flying out of Foch Field Tunisia on an electronic recon mission off the coast of southern France.
1943
Private First Class Dorick J. Sauvageau
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 168th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 34th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 05, 1943 / Age:
Killed in action near Italy.