State Heroes
World War II (WWII)
1945
Radioman First Class Erling N. Bakke
Jamestown, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Ommaney Bay
Date of Loss: January 04, 1945 / Age: 26
Died while in MIA status. Ommaney Bay South Pacific Ocean. Remains not recovered.
1945
Radioman Third Class Rodney Loyd Brennan
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Ommaney Bay
Date of Loss: January 04, 1945 / Age:
Killed in Action by Japanese Suicide Plan while aboard the USS Ommaney Bay in Asiatic Theatre. (Source: Service Record WWI and WWII Garrison Community ND)
1945
Lieutenant Commander Leonard J. Check
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Hancock
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: Fighting Squadron 7
Date of Loss: January 04, 1945 / Age: 33
Leonard Check became a World War II ACE credited with shooting down TWELVE enemy aircraft. He was lost in January 1945, after a mid-air collision with his wingman over Luzon, Philippine Islands.
1945
Private First Class Lawrence J. Jensen
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 327th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 101st Airborne Division
Date of Loss: January 04, 1945 / Age: 24
Killed in action in France
1945
Private Wayne E. Mack
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 82nd Airborne Division
Date of Loss: January 04, 1945 / Age:
Killed in action in a paratrooper action during the Battle of the Bulge.
1945
Private First Class Alf K. Gronfur
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 101st Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 26th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: January 03, 1945 / Age: 24
Killed in action in Luxembourg
1945
Captain Maurice A. Strand
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 28th AAF Fighter Squadron
Date of Loss: January 03, 1945 / Age: 28
Killed in action in China
1945
Private David L. Mythaler
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 101st Airborne Division
Date of Loss: January 03, 1945 / Age:
Killed in action near Belgium.
1945
Private Edward Reichenberg
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 17th Infantry Regiment
Date of Loss: January 02, 1945 / Age: 30
Killed in action in Leyte, Philippine Islands
1945
Technician Fourth Grade Roy D. Dahl
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: January 02, 1945 / Age: 27
Killed in action in Germany
1945
1945
Private Fredrick A. Trauman
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 62nd Armed Infantry Battalion
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 14th Armored Division
Date of Loss: January 01, 1945 / Age: 22
Killed in action in Europe
1944
Captain Clyde Roy Huddleson
Mandan, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Marines
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 4th Marine Regiment
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.
1944
Corporal Lewis F. Ruffcorn
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 30, 1944 / Age: 29
Died in service in Topeka, Kansas
1944
First Lieutenant Lyle J. Doerr
Valley Township, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Air Force
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 602nd Bomber Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 398th Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Loss: December 30, 1944 / Age: 20
Died while in MIA status.