State Heroes

Fireman 1st Class Clifford N. Olos

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS West Virginia

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 20

Was aboard the USS West Virgina which was bombed at Pearl Harbor. Apparently he and two other ship mates lived for 16 days in the fresh water pumping station known as A-111.

Seaman 1c Howard H. Kukuk

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Died while in MIA status after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Remains not recovered. 

RM2c Walter Howard Backman

Wilton, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oklahoma

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 22

Killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. His body was recovered July 17, 2017.

Electrician's Mate 3C Glen E. Nicholson

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Died in MIA status. Killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Remains Not recovered. 

Fireman 1c Edward Dale Johnson

New Rockford, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oklahoma

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 24

Died while in MIA status. Crew member aboard the USS Oklahoma, killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor along with 428 fellow crewmen. Edward Dale Johnson died along with USS Oklahoma crewman from North Dakota.

Seaman 1c Leslie H. Fischer

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 24

Died while in MIA status after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Remains not recovered. 

Fireman 2c Albert Renner

Mandan, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS West Virginia

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 24

Died while in MIA status after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Coxswain Fred Zimmerman

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Died while in MIA status after the attack on Pearl Harbor. USS Arizona. Remains not recovered. 

Lt. Commander Paul J. Register

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 42

Killed in action when the USS Arizona was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 at the beginning of WWII.

Seaman 1c Earl Nermoe

Upham, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS West Virginia

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 22

Navy Seaman 1C Class Earl Nermoe was assigned to the battleship USS West Virginia that was hit by two bombs and at least seven torpedoes from Japanese airplanes on Dec. 7, 1941.

F2c Frank P. Bernard

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age:

Killed in action during the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Remains not recovered.

Electrician's Mate 3C Richard S. Sherven

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 20

Died while in MIA status after the attack on Pearl Harbor. USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Seaman 2c Wilferd Dewey Palmer

Minot, ND

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oaklahoma

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 21

Died while in MIA status. Crew member aboard the USS Oklahoma, killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor along with 428 fellow crewmen.

North Dakotans lost on the Oklahoma:

GM3c John M. Emery

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Arizona

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 22

Died while in MIA status after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Boatswain's Mate 1st Petty Officer Elmer L. Carpenter

World War II

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS California

Date of Loss: December 07, 1941 / Age: 33

Died in service in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii