State Heroes
World War II (WWII)
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
Seaman First Class Frank S. Koehn
Valley City, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve
Date of Loss: December 28, 1944 / Age: 20
Died while in MIA status.
1944
Corporal Christian F. Wanner
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Headquarters Company, Fifteenth Army
Date of Loss: December 28, 1944 / Age:
Died while in MIA status.
1944
Second Lieutenant Kenneth R. Thompson
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 28, 1944 / Age: 26
Killed in action in the South Pacific Area.
1944
Sergeant Joseph Brinkman
Danzig, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 318th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 80th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 27, 1944 / Age: 29
Killed in action in (Begium) Luxembourg.
1944
Corporal Fenn T. Straster
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 121st Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: Eighth Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 27, 1944 / Age:
Killed in action in the Netherlands.
1944
Private First Class John A. Ross
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 26, 1944 / Age: 33
Died in service in France
1944
Private William Vedaa
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 26, 1944 / Age: 35
Died in service in the Mediterranean Area
1944
Private First Class Glen P. McGhan
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 264th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 66th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age:
Killed in action near France.
1944
Staff Sergeant Robert V. Myers
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age: 21
Killed in action in the European Area
1944
Captain Donald R. Emerson
Pembina, ND
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Air Force
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 336th Fighter Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: Fourth Fighter Group
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age: 21
Killed in action while flying a P-51 during the Battle of the Bulge. He was heading back to his base after a mission when he encountered six enemy planes.
1944
Technical Sergeant Chester B. Henderickson
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age: 31
On Christmas Eve 1944, the Belgium troopship SS Leopoldville, left the pier at Southampton, England with over 2,000 American soldiers assigned to the 66th Infantry Division and crossed the English Channel to France.
1944
Private Benton L. Lawrence
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 262nd Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 66th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age:
Died while in MIA status. Killed aboard the Belgian Steamship "Leopoldville", when a German torpedo hit the ship.
1944
Private First Class Herbert I. Gentz
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 264th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 66th Infantry Regiment
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age: 20
Killed in action in Belgium
1944
Corporal Stanley J. Kosmatka
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 309th Field Artillery Battalion
Date of Loss: December 29, 1944 / Age: 28
Died in service in Germany