State Heroes
World War II (WWII)
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
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
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 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
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
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
Sergeant Godfrey Heinitz
World War II (WWII)
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company D
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 1st Battalion
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 135th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 34th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 05, 1943 / Age: 33
Killed in action in Italy