State Heroes
World War II
1944
1st Lieutenant Warren R. Schuman
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 91st AAF Bomber Squadron
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age: 23
Killed in the crash of C-47 #43-15660 in France while rushing troops to the front during the Battle of the Bulge. Suspected cause of the crash was iceing in the bitter cold weather.
1944
Technician 5th Grade Robert V. Murphy
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 25, 1944 / Age: 25
Killed in action in Germany
1944
Pvt. Frank Thomas
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 23, 1944 / Age:
Killed in action near Luxembourg.
1944
Pvt. Michael Kempel
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 23, 1944 / Age: 34
Killed in action near Luxembourg.
1944
2nd Lt. Bryce A. Ralston
World War II
Branch of Service: Air Force
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 395th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group
Date of Loss: December 23, 1944 / Age:
Killed in action in Germany. Shot down by fighter near Kruft.
1944
2nd Lt. John V. Hultin
Nash, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Air Force
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 575th Bomber Squadron, 391st Bomber Group, Medium
Date of Loss: December 23, 1944 / Age: 24
Killed in action near France.
1944
Corporal Ruben F. Welk
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 421st Base Unit
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 4th Air Force
Date of Loss: December 22, 1944 / Age: 19
On December 22, 1944 he was on the crew of the B-24J Liberator #44-40523 when they departed from Muroc Field in California during a routine training flight. They crashed and exploded during a snowstorm on Mount Gleason north of Glendale, California
1944
2nd Lieutenant Ray W. Shively
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Battery A
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 434th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 7th Armored Division
Date of Loss: December 22, 1944 / Age: 30
Killed in action in Belgium
1944
Cpl. Julius Arndt
Wright, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 21, 1944 / Age: 24
Died while in MIA status. Philippines. Remains not recovered.
1944
Pvt. Norman A. Hahn
Oberon, NDWorld War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 21, 1944 / Age: 20
Died while in MIA status in the Philippines.
1944
Pvt. Delmar M. Souther
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Date of Loss: December 21, 1944 / Age:
Killed in action near Belgium.
1944
Private First Class Sherman I. Vee
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 306th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 77th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 21, 1944 / Age: 24
Killed in combat in the drive into Ormac Valley in the Battle of Leyte Island.
1944
Private Clarence Spotted Wolf
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: December 21, 1944 / Age: 32
Killed in action in Luxembourg, Germany
1944
2nd Lt. Edgar A. Kjos
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 202nd Anti-Aircraft Arty (Automatic Weapons) Battalion
Date of Loss: December 21, 1944 / Age:
Died while in MIA status.
1944
Private Joseph M. Laviolette
World War II
Branch of Service: Army
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 101st Airborne Division
Date of Loss: December 22, 1944 / Age: 21
Died in service in Bastogne, Belgium