State Heroes

Water Tender Second Class Albert L. Molzahn

Minot, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died while in MIA status - buried at sea.

Seaman Second Class John R. Williams, Jr.

Mandan, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died while in MIA status - buried at sea.

Private First Class Clayton E. Verke

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 361st Infantry Regiment

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 91st Infantry Division

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 23

Killed in action in Italy

Captain Frederick J. Gerlich

Dickinson, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 59th Coast Artillery Regiment

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 29

Died while in POW status after being assigned to the 59th Coast Artillery Regiment charged with harbor defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. The 59th Regiment manned the seacoast artillery on Corregidor Island.

Private Carl H. Franklin

Goodrich, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 194th Tank Battalion

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 25

Died while in POW status on the Japanese ship "Arisan Maru", when it was sunk by an American submarine in the South China Sea. There were 1,803 POWs on the ship, only 9 of which survived the sinking.

Private Harold L. Briggs

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Strategic Air Forces

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died while in MIA status.

Coxswain Wendelin J. Volk

Strasburg, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died while in MIA status.

Electrician's Mate Second Class Adam Jack Klupp

Regent, ND

Branch of Service: Navy

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died when Arisan Maru, transporting Allied Prisoners of War from the Philippines to Japan, was sunk by USS Shark (SS-314)

Private Lewis R. Larson

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Air Force

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 30th Bomber Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 19th Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age:

Died while in POW status. Killed aboard a Japanese ship when it was hit by torpedoes in the South China Sea. 

Private Lawrence E. Roesner

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 31st Infantry Regiment

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 29

Died while in MIA status.

Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Lowell R. Nelson

Grand Forks, ND

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: United States Naval Reserve

Date of Loss: October 24, 1944 / Age: 28

Died while in MIA status. Killed aboard the USS Birmingham (CL-62) when attempting to rescue crew and fight fires alongside the stricken carrier USS Princeton (CVL-23) during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Private Martin J. Anderson

World War II (WWII)

Date of Loss: October 23, 1944 / Age: 23

Killed in action on October 23, 1944

Technician Fourth Class Howard A. McBain

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 376th Infantry Regiment

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 94th Infantry Division

Date of Loss: October 22, 1944 / Age:

Killed in action near France.

Sergeant Leland I. Cunningham

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Date of Loss: October 21, 1944 / Age: 23

Killed in action in France

Private First Class Roy J. Kitagawa

World War II (WWII)

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company E

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 100th Battalion

Regiment / Group / Brigade: 442nd Infantry Regiment

Date of Loss: October 22, 1944 / Age: 23

Died in service in France