Eleven — Honoring the Gold Star Gleaners

Chapter Eleven Honoring the Gold Star Gleaners

Honoring 130 Society members — the Gold Star Gleaners — killed in WWII.

World War II, the deadliest war in human history, formally ended Sept. 2, 1945. The war killed more than 70 million people. Thousands of Gleaner Life Insurance Society members left home to answer the call of freedom. Of those, 130 members died in military service. They were known as the Gold Star Gleaners.

Gleaner Life encouraged support for the Allies’ cause. Home Offi ce members served, Victory Gardens were planted, and food and other resources were rationed. Perhaps most important, the Society waived war exclusions attached to many insurance policies and paid face amounts for members who died in military service. This helped many families survive the death of a loved one. Next of kin often received little information from the U.S. War Department. Some were told only that their son had died “somewhere in France.” Gleaner members were in fact involved in many of the war’s notable actions. At least one was at Pearl Harbor and at least two died after enduring the infamous Bataan Death March. Many died liberating Italy, France and the Philippines. Some service members were lost in icy waters off Greenland, others in China and the jungles of New Guinea. One was age 47; others just 18. An honor roll was printed in 1946 but, as more was learned, a 2020 project for the 75th anniversary compiled more details about all 130. Following are their stories, listed by policy claim date.

Harold Spangler, Sugar Ridge Arbor

(OH) Pilot Offi cer Harold LeRoy Spangler was killed Sept. 17, 1942, serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Scotland. “First Gleaner War Claim Paid on Ohio Member,” read the headline in the Gleaner Forum. “From his Wing Commander came word of the death of Pilot Offi cer Harold LeRoy Spangler who, as a member of the crew of an aircraft, lost his life during fl ying operations near Bladenock, Wigtownshire, Scotland… . This young man, who had been interested in fl ying for some time, joined the Canadian Air Force before the United States entered the war and had not transferred at the time of his death. He had been a member of Sugar Ridge Arbor for a little over two years. Funeral services took place at 1:30 p.m. September 21, at Kirkinner Cemetery (in) Wigtownshire, Scotland. The sympathy of the membership goes to the youth’s mother, Mrs. Catherine Armitage.” Spangler was 28 when the Avro Anson twin-engine plane he was piloting crashed half a mile from Wigtownshire’s airfi eld. He also left a wife, Anna Harvey Spangler.

Duane Jackson, Eaton Rapids Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Duane Jackson was killed Oct. 17, 1942, in a motorcycle accident at Camp Cook, California, where he was receiving tank corps desert training. He had been drafted and enlisted at Fort Custer, Michigan, March 9, 1942. Jackson was 27 and had worked as a farm laborer. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Jackson of Eaton Rapids. Gleaner District Manager Russell L. Jones assisted the parents in preparing proofs that were delayed due to diffi culty contacting Jackson’s commanding offi cer, whose unit was constantly moving.

Richard W. Vogel, Alpine Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Richard W. Vogel died Sept. 6, 1942, traveling to an Army air base for training. He was treated at the Salt Lake City Army Air Base in Utah. Vogel, 38, was a farmer and a Society member of more than 20 years. He enlisted Aug. 20, 1942, at Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery

in Comstock Park, Michigan. His father, John Jacob Vogel, had also suff ered the death of his wife in June of 1942.

Franklin Gilliland, Harrison Arbor (OH) Army Cpl. Franklin P. Gilliland was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry. He was listed killed in action Nov. 9, 1942, in a notifi cation to his mother, Leah Gilliland. Cpl. Gilliland was serving with the 26th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division. On Nov. 8, the division had launched the Allies’ amphibious landing at Oran, Algeria, as part of the start of Operation Torch, the liberation of North Africa. Gilliland is buried in the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial in Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia. When he had joined Harrison Arbor in 1940, he was working on the family farm east of Napoleon, Ohio. He was born in 1917 and was survived by his parents, two brothers and two sisters.

Dale Aldrich Wolfrom, Laingsburg Arbor (MI) Navy seaman 2nd class Dale A. Wolfrom, age 27, was aboard the cruiser USS Quincy when it was sunk by Japanese ships in the Battle of Savo Island. He originally was reported “missing in action since Aug. 9, 1942” by the War Department. In early 1943, Gleaner Forum noted: “To date, the War Department has furnished no proofs, and Mrs. Wolfrom is informed that she may not be able to establish this claim until after the war is over.” However, Gleaner Life did resolve the issue within a few months, paying the insurance policy Dale had purchased. It listed his parents as benefi ciaries. Wolfrom entered the service Nov. 9, 1940. Less than a year later, on Nov. 1, 1941, his father died, adding to the shock suff ered by his mother. The October 1943 Forum carried this letter from her: “Dear Society: Yours received and many thanks for same. I don’t know how to thank you as words can’t express my feelings. I am so glad my son thought of his parents — he must have known he could do no more — and that he might never come back. … Thanks again. – Dale’s Mother, Nellie Wolfrom.”

Frederick F. Hammer, Maumee Arbor (OH) Navy Petty Offi cer Third Class Frederick F. Hammer, 25, was declared dead in the crash of a Navy PBY-5 Catalina seaplane Jan. 10, 1943, off Bermuda. Hammer, an Aviation Machinist’s Mate, and the other eight crewmen from patrol squadron VP-52 were never located. Hammer resided in Defi ance, Ohio, but had joined the Maumee Arbor about three years prior to his death when he began one of his fi rst jobs. He was survived by his parents, Carroll and Hazel Hammer of Defi ance, as well as two brothers and a sister. Millard V. Buskard, Bellwood Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Millard K. Buskard, 21, was reported killed in action Dec. 12, 1942, near Buna, New Guinea. Buskard was with the 126th Infantry Regiment in the 32nd Infantry Division, which was engaged in the two-month Battle of Buna to push Japanese forces off the eastern coast of New Guinea. Buskard had joined the Michigan National Guard in 1940. He had been a member of the Bellwood Arbor in Stanwood, Michigan, for only 19 months when he was killed. He is interred at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.

Lester Simkins, Gary Arbor (IN)

Marine Pfc. Lester C. Simkins died Feb. 7, 1943, when a PB4Y-1 Liberator airplane he was a gunner aboard crashed on a photo reconnaissance mission half a mile after takeoff from Espiritu Santo island in the Pacifi c. The bodies of the 12 crewmen were never recovered. Simkins, 19, had received a Junior Policy six years prior. He learned to fl y in Lansing, Illinois, and fi nished second in his aerial gunnery class. He was survived by his mother, Harriet, plus fi ve brothers, a sister and three half-brothers. He was remembered with a church memorial service and a Gold Star at Hammond Technical High School.

Donald V. Ruth, Delaware Arbor (OH) Army Pvt. Donald V. Ruth, 24, of Marion, Ohio, was killed in action in North Africa. He died Jan. 31, 1943, in Tunisia with the 168th Infantry Regiment, which fought that day at the Battle of Sened Station. He had joined Delaware Arbor in 1938 while living at home in Marion, Ohio, and working at a gasoline station. He formally enlisted on Oct. 21, 1941, before Pearl Harbor and earned an Army sharpshooter’s qualifi cation badge. His regiment took part in the North Africa invasion. In addition to his parents, Ruth was survived by a brother in the Navy and three sisters.

Clyde L. Lownes, Bonne et Belle Arbor (IN) Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Clyde L. Lownes died March 15,

1943, while stationed at Pyote, Texas. He died while undergoing a scheduled tonsillectomy. Lownes, 29, had been a member of the Bonne et Belle Arbor for more than 12 years. He was a native of Indiana, born in Manteno and buried in Fulton. He was survived by his father, a sister, a half-sister and a half-brother, Harvey Hubert, who was serving with the U.S. Navy in the Pacifi c at the time.

Dale D. Lewis, Elm Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Dale D. Lewis, 21, died Jan. 3, 1943. Initially, his mother, Ziola Lewis of Whitehouse, Ohio, was told only that he died in the southwest Pacifi c. Lewis was killed in action with the 127th Infantry Regiment, part of the 32nd Infantry Division. At the time, the 127th was pushing Japanese forces off the eastern coast of New Guinea. Two months of fi ghting in hot jungles cost the under-supplied men of the 32nd Division 1,954 killed or wounded and another 2,952 hospitalized due to disease. Lewis is buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines.

Charles F. Kline, Ottokee Arbor (OH) U.S. Army Air Corps Pvt. Charles F. Kline was killed Feb. 3, 1943, when the transport ship he was aboard, the USAT Dorchester, was torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic. The Dorchester’s sinking, about 100 miles off the coast of Greenland by a German U-boat, was one of the worst U.S. troopship losses of the war. More than 670 died while 230 were rescued. Four Army chaplains handed out life vests to troops and, after running out, gave up their own vests and went down with the ship. Kline was awarded the Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medal. Kline, 20, was a member of the Ottokee Arbor for more than four years. He had been attending school and assisting with farm work when he went into the service. Kline’s body was never recovered. He is listed on the Tablets of the Missing East Coast Memorial in New York City and at the Pettisville Union Cemetery in Pettisville.

Raymond E. Smith, Starke Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Raymond E. Smith received the Silver Star after his death March 31, 1943, at the U.S. defeat at Kasserine Pass in the North African campaign. He was a member of Company G of the 168th Infantry Regiment. According to his Silver Star citation: “During the heaviest part of the action when the company communication lines were broken by enemy mortar and artillery fi re, Private First Class Smith went out on a line repair patrol and although the enemy soon observed him and subjected him to intense mortar fi re, he continued on his route, accomplished his mission, and was then mortally wounded by the enemy during mortar fi re.” Smith, 27, had been a member of Starke Arbor for more than seven years. Prior to entering the military, he had worked as a grocery clerk and a gas station attendant in Warren, Ohio. He is buried at the North Africa America Cemetery and memorial in Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia.

Malcolm E. Mohler, Malinta Arbor (OH)

U.S. Coastguardsman Malcom E. Mohler, 23, died aboard the Coast Guard’s ship USCGC Escanaba when it sank June 13, 1943, during convoy duty in the North Atlantic. Mohler had enlisted in the Coast Guard on Aug. 6, 1940, in Detroit. Three months after the U.S. entered the war, the ship was sent to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to be armed to escort Atlantic convoys. The Escanaba crew also pioneered the use of rescue swimmers wearing rubber survival suits to retrieve freezing survivors from the sea, as well as techniques to revive them. Mohler’s duty was rolling depth charges during battle. On Feb. 3, 1943, the Escanaba rescued 133 survivors of the USAT Dorchester after the troop ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Four months later, the Escanaba was escorting several ships off Ivigtut, Greenland, to Newfoundland when an explosion possibly caused by a mine quickly sank the ship. Only two of the 105 men aboard survived. Mohler had been born April 4, 1919, in Flatrock Township, Ohio. He graduated in 1937 from Malinta-Grelton High School. In addition to his parents and one sister, Mohler was survived by his fi ancée from Manitowoc.

Raymond T. Sharai, Sodus Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Raymond T. Sharai died of a brain tumor in June 1943. He had been sent back from North Africa to the Bushnell Hospital in Brigham, Utah, where he died. Sharai, 27, was a resident of Benton Harbor and was known as a singer. He had been orphaned as a boy, and was raised by his aunt and uncle, Laura and Amos Thomas. He had enlisted in July of 1940 in Detroit. He was survived by his wife Mary, and a daughter. Eleven years prior to his death he had received a Gleaner policy written by his uncle, Gleaner District Manager Bert Sharai.

Marvin F. Lamphier, Pontiac Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps Cadet Marvin F. Lamphier was killed in an airplane

training crash Aug. 10, 1943, nine miles west of Waco, Texas. He had been chosen for training the winter before and assigned to Randolph Field, Texas. Lamphier, 22, was one of the charter members of the Junior Gleaner program when it had enough applicants to fi rst issue policies Jan. 1, 1927. He was 5 when he became a Gleaner through the Pontiac Arbor. He was survived by his parents, Floyd and Evelyn Lamphier, and is buried at Lake Orion’s Eastlawn Cemetery.

Walter J. Johnston, Prairie View Arbor (OH)

Army Staff Sgt. Walter J. Johnston was killed Aug. 4, 1943, when the B-17 he served aboard as a gunner crashed into a mountain in Wales. It was making a cross-country night training fl ight. The crew had fl own numerous combat missions with the 427th Bomber Squadron of the 303rd Bomber Group, which was based in England at the Molesworth airfi eld. It struck the summit of Arenig Fawr, a 2,800 foot mountain in Snowdonia, Wales, located six miles west of Bala, Wales. Bala residents placed a marker honoring the eight crewmen killed, and over the years have continued to place wreaths at the site. Johnston, 25, had enlisted 14 months earlier in Toledo. He was survived by his mother, Dora B. Johnston of Wauseon, and had been a member of the Prairie View Arbor for two years.

Robert H. Danielson, Rolling Prairie Arbor (IN)

Army Pvt. Robert H. Danielson died Sept. 9, 1943, at the Camp Thomas Army Hospital in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. His death was due to “pulmonary tuberculosis pneumothorax” that claimed him after seven days of treatment. He was 24, and a member of Company B of the 737th Military Police Battalion. Danielson had joined Rolling Prairie Arbor when he was 18 at the urging of Gleaner agent Claire Fail. Danielson is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Michigan City.

Lyle E. West, Gary Arbor (IN) Army Pfc. Lyle E. West died Sept. 9, 1943, on the Allies’ fi rst day of landings during the invasion of Italy. West was with the 142nd Infantry Regiment, which fought its way onto the beaches around Salerno. West, 23, had been a member of Gary Arbor for four years prior to his death. He was survived by his parents, three brothers and four sisters. West is buried at Lake Village Cemetery in Lake Village, Indiana. Maurice G. Kosier, Kunkle Arbor (OH) Army Air Force Cpl. Maurice G. “Push” Kosier was serving in India when he died Oct. 3, 1943, in an airplane crash in China. Nicknamed “Push” for his athletic ability, he joined Kunkle Arbor at age 16. He enjoyed acting and played center on the Kunkle High School basketball team. He graduated in the Class of 1941 and was attending Albion College in Michigan when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted six days later at Toledo, the fi rst from his high school class according to a Forum story that reported all the young men in his class enlisted. Kosier received parachute training in Illinois and his mechanic’s diploma in Buff alo, New York, before arriving in India July 25, 1942. He and the fi ve other crewmen of a C-46 transport plane were killed when the plane exploded shortly after takeoff from the Kunming Airport. Kosier was buried in a cemetery in China.

Paul Kopschok, Dilworth Arbor (OH) Navy Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Paul Kopchok served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Wasp. He was reported missing after the ship was struck by three torpedoes from a Japanese submarine and sunk Sept. 15, 1942. The carrier was supporting operations around the island of Guadalcanal. Kopchok, 23, was declared dead one year later, one of 193 Navy personnel who died in the sinking. Kopchok had been in the Navy for four years. He was a Society member for six years, fi rst with Mansfi eld Arbor while a student and then Dilworth Arbor. He was survived by his parents, two brothers — including another one in the Navy — and two sisters.

Harold Edward Bardon, Florida Arbor (OH)

Navy Seaman Second Class Harold Edward Bardon died Dec. 8, 1943, following a training accident the day before. He was taking part in amphibious landing training at Little Creek, Virginia, where he worked on landing barges. Bardon, 20, suff ered “intercranial injuries” and died the next day at the Naval Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia.

Bardon was employed at the Marion Steam Shovel Company in Marion, Ohio, prior to his induction into the Navy. He had joined Florida Arbor at age 18. He was survived by his wife, Evelyn A. Bardon, and his mother, Myrtle Bardon. Bardon is buried at Chapel Heights Memory Gardens in Marion.

Harland M. Clark, Temple Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Harland M. Clark, 23, of the infantry was killed in action Nov. 24, 1943, in southern Italy as the Allies tried to break through the Germans’ mountainous Winter Line north of the upper Volturno Valley. Clark was with the 168th Infantry of the 34th Infantry Division. He was one of the fi rst Junior Gleaners, joining the Temple Arbor at age 10. He was survived by his father Harold “Harry” Clark of Central Lake, Michigan, and one sister. He is buried at Southern Cemetery in Central Lake.

Stanley L. Hansen, Mutual Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps Pfc. Stanley L. Hansen of Ludington was killed Jan. 4, 1944, in an airplane accident in Jorhat, India. He had enlisted in 1942 in Kalamazoo, and had been a ground crew member for 13 months. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hansen of Victory Township, Michigan. Stanley, 20, had joined the Mutual Arbor at age 13. He is buried in South Victory Cemetery outside Ludington.

John A. Lilley, Lapeer Arbor (MI) Army 2nd Lt. John A. Lilley was reported killed Oct. 10, 1943, while parachuting from his damaged bomber after combat over northwest Germany. He was the bombardier aboard the B-17 “Tennessee Toddy” with the 401st Bomber Squadron of the 91st Bomber Group. It suff ered mechanical loss of two engines on a mission to Munster, Germany, and crash landed near Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. Six of its crew were captured. Lilley, 20, had joined the Lapeer Arbor at age 7. He was a 1940 graduate of Lapeer High School, studied one year at Flint Junior College and worked at a machine gun factory prior to enlisting. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hazen Lilley. Lilley is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands.

Donald Abair, Seven Lakes Arbor (IN) Army 2nd Lt. Donald L. Abair was killed April 5, 1944, during a bombing mission near Fogia, Italy. Abair was the bombardier aboard the B-24H “Dizzy Lizzy” from the 763rd Bombardment Squadron. On the way to bomb the Nis railroad yards, the plane reached the meetup point with an additional fl ight of B-24s. The “Dizzy Lizzy” was involved in a midair crash with one of the other B-24s, and the crews of both planes were killed. Abair had joined Seven Lakes Arbor when he was a student at Plymouth High School. He was 23 and survived by fi ve sisters, including one who served as a U.S. Navy lieutenant during the war.

Charles E. Brettin, Marine Arbor (MI) Army Staff Sgt. Charles Edward Brettin, 21, was killed in action in Italy on March 1, 1944. He served as an infantry gunner with the 30th Infantry Regiment. Earlier near Fratello, Sicily, when he was a private fi rst class and assistant gunner, Brettin had received regimental commendations for running 10 yards under direct fi re to mount a gun in full view of the enemy and using it to knock out enemy machine guns holding up an advance. He had received his boot training at Fort Custer, Michigan, and Camp Roberts, California. He had never been home for furlough since his induction into the Army March 29, 1942. Sgt. Brettin was born Aug. 22, 1922, in North Judson, Indiana, and moved to Marine City with his family in 1936. He joined the Marine Arbor and worked for the Motor Valve Company, living with his mother and stepfather on their farm. He is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.

Morris Raphael Latour, Ira Arbor (MI)

Army Pfc. Morris R. Latour was killed in action with the 133rd Infantry Regiment in Italy on Jan. 26, 1944. At the time, the regiment was part of the 34th Infantry Division that was advancing toward the Germans’ Gustav Line. Latour, 21, had been overseas for four months when killed. He had joined the Ira Arbor while employed by the Mayea Boat Works of Fair Haven. One brother, Benjamin Jr., was in the Merchant Marine and another brother, Bernard, was in the Army Air Force. Their father, arbor secretary Benjamin “B.J.” Latour, received the news of his son’s death. Latour is buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in

Anchorville, Michigan.

Harold W. Durham, Liberty Center Arbor (OH)

Army Corps of Engineers Technician Fifth Class Harold W. Durham lost his life in the worst troopship sinking experienced by U.S. forces during the war. He had enlisted in the Army Dec. 12, 1942, 19 months after being married. Durham, 31, served in the Army’s North African campaign with the 853rd Engineers Battalion (Aviation). He was among more than 2,000 U.S. troops bound for Europe aboard the British ship HMT Rohna on Nov. 26, 1943. The ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by a German radiocontrolled glider bomb. More than 1,000 U.S. troops died in the rough waters along with 123 of the ship’s crew. Durham was a 16-year member of Liberty Center Arbor and a member of the Florida Methodist Church of Napoleon. He was survived by his wife, Amy Woodward Durham.

Frederick William George Hollweg, Armada Arbor (MI)

Navy Ensign “Fred” Hollweg was killed during training when the torpedo bomber he was piloting crashed at sea April 12, 1944, returning to Boca Chica, Florida. Wreckage from the three-man plane, including its empty life raft, was found in the ocean 15 miles from Key West. Hollweg, 19, had been 5 years old when his parents purchased a Junior Gleaner policy in the Armada Arbor near their home in Armada, Michigan.

George B. Stahl, Lowell Arbor (IN) Army Cpl. George “Bernard” Stahl, 27, was killed in action “somewhere in Italy” on June 3, 1944. He had enlisted 11 months before the war. He took part in the North Africa and Sicily campaigns as a tank crewman with the 13th Armored Regiment before going to Italy with the Fifth Army. Earlier in Italy, he had been surprised to meet one of his two other brothers, Sgt. Leonard Stahl, who also was in the Army but neither had known where the other was serving. Bernard had become a member of Lowell Arbor when he was 19 and assisting his father, Ray, on the farm. He later worked in the Gary steel mills. His benefi ciary was his mother, Laura Stahl of Lowell.

Herbert E. Lee, Seven Lakes Arbor (IN) Marine Corps Pfc. Herbert Elton Lee was killed in action June 14, 1944, in the Pacifi c. He was fi ghting with Company K of the 3rd Battalion of the 24th Marine Regiment on the island of Saipan. He was survived by two sisters and his parents, Henry E. and Carrie Lee. Herbert Lee had received a Junior Gleaner policy at age 2. The Seven Lakes Arbor was located in Plymouth, Indiana, where he is buried. Lee was age 19 years and 7 months.

Richard L. Wood, Butternut Brook Arbor (MI)Army Pvt. Richard L. Wood, 28, was killed in action June 5, 1944, serving with the 32nd “Red Arrow” Infantry Division at Yakamul, New Guinea. Wood had enlisted in April 1941 at Kalamazoo. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Wood, all members of the Butternut Brook Arbor at Covert, Michigan. He is buried at Arlington Hill Cemetery in Bangor, Michigan.

Charles H. Johnson, Hartford

Arbor (MI) Army First Lt. Charles H. Johnson, age 24, was killed in action fi ghting in Italy with the 339th Infantry Regiment, the Michigan-Wisconsin “Polar Bear Regiment.” He was killed June 2, 1944 — three days before the regiment and the 85th Infantry Division liberated Rome. He had been a member of the Hartford Arbor since age 9. He was survived by his father and one sister. Johnson is buried in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.

Ellis Ray Shaff er, Chester Arbor

(OH) Ellis R. Shaff er was an Army Air Force Technician Fourth Grade when he was killed July 2, 1944, at Hollandia, New Guinea, “as a result of injuries received in an accidental bomb explosion.” Shaff er, 23, had been serving as a turret gunner for a medium bomber. Shaff er had been a member of the Chester Arbor for three years. He entered the service in August 1942. Prior to enlisting, he was employed by North Electric Co. of Galion, Ohio, at its assembling plant, wiring panels for telephone and radio communication for airplanes. He was survived by his mother, Icelina Shaff er, of Mt. Gilead, Ohio.

Edward J. Sarles, Silverwood Arbor (MI) Pvt. Edward J. Sarles, age 28, of the Army infantry was killed in action July 5, 1944, in France. Sarles’ parents had died when he was a boy. He was raised by his grandparents and an uncle, Lyle Sarles, who had a farm near Silverwood. Sarles was 19 when he joined Silverwood Arbor. He is buried in West Burlington Cemetery in Burlington Township, Michigan.

Wendell R. Tabler, Channahon Arbor (IL)

Army Pfc. Wendell Ray Tabler, 24, of Channahon, Illinois, was the fi rst Gleaner Gold Star casualty from Illinois. His parents received two telegrams within days from the War Department. The fi rst reported that he had been seriously wounded in France on July 15, 1944. The second reported his death on July 16. Tabler entered the Army in 1942. He took part in the North African campaign with the 2nd Armored Division, the invasion of Sicily, and the Normandy campaign. He was written for a Junior membership in 1934, and worked as an electrician at the Elwood Ordnance Plant. He was survived by his parents and a married sister. He is buried in Channahon’s Willard Grove Cemetery.

George A. Prince, Ruth Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps 1st Lt. George A. Prince, a B-24 bomber pilot, was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross — the Army’s second-highest award — for extraordinary heroism after his death in action May 30, 1944. Lt. Prince was guiding his B-24H nicknamed “Cluster’s Folly” to bomb an aircraft parts factory at Neunkirken, Austria. The bomber was shot down by a German fi ghter plane and crashed at Lusci Plank, Yugoslavia. All of the crewmen survived except Lt. Prince and the navigator. He was 26 and had joined the Ruth Arbor with a Junior policy at age 10. He was survived by his parents, Claude and Hannah Prince. He is buried in Oxford, Michigan.

Milburn R. Taylor, Grass Lake

Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Milburn R. Taylor, 20, died in action in France on July 28, 1944. He was in heavy artillery with the 8th Infantry Regiment, one of the fi rst regiments ashore on Utah Beach during D-Day. It fought the last week of July in the St. Lô breakout from Normandy. Taylor’s fi nal letter, written four days before he died, said he’d lost 30 pounds, but hoped to be home the next year in time for deer hunting. Taylor was 17 when he joined the Grass Lake Arbor. He was survived by parents Roy and Esther Taylor, a married sister, and a younger brother, Robert, in the Navy. He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.

William Ronald Nesen,

Harmony Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. William “Ronald” Nesen was the pilot of a B-17 bomber lost April 24, 1944, in the English Channel. The plane, “Sleepytime Girl,” was with the 550th Bomber Squadron on a mission to Germany when hit by fl ak, forced to turn back to England, and shot down by two Me-109 German fi ghters. Nesen, 27, and half the crew did not survive crash landing in the water off Dungeness, Kent. Nesen had worked through his fi rst year as a student at Alma College when forced to halt his education due to lack of funding. He was the son of William and Neva (Perrine) Nesen of St. Louis, Michigan. He had a brother, Robert; a sister, Betty; as well as another brother, Stanley, who served in Gen. Patton’s Third Army. The Gleaner policy for Nesen benefi ted his wife, Elizabeth, whom he had married Christmas Day 1941 in Grand Rapids.

John Kisela, Gary Arbor (IN)

Marine Pfc. John Peter Kisela, 19, was with the 4th Marine Division when he was reported killed in action June 14, 1944, in the Pacifi c area. No additional information was received by his parents John and Anna Kisela, although they believed he was taking part in the invasion of Saipan when he died. Previously, Kisela had helped liberate the Marshall Islands. He was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, but moved to Indiana when young. He attended Holy Trinity Slovak school and Merrillville High School and worked at Glen Park Dairy company. He was insured by his grandparents when he was 7 and assumed an adult policy at age 18.

Dean Brooks, Grass Lake Arbor (MI) Army Cpl. Dean

Brooks was with Battery A of the 21st Field Artillery Battalion when he was killed during the liberation of Verdun, France, on Sept. 1, 1944. That day, American troops liberated the city and German forces responded by bombing it. Brooks had worked on a farm belonging to his parents, William and Bessie Brooks, but volunteered in April 1941. He was 26 when he died. In addition to his parents he was survived by three sisters and one brother. Brooks is buried at Grass Lake West Cemetery.

Frank Wallace, Gary Arbor

(IN) Army Sgt. Frank W. “Woody” Wallace was killed in action Sept. 6, 1944, liberating Belgium. He served with Company C of the 60th Infantry Regiment. It fought its way across the River Meuse at Dinant under fi re and with heavy casualties the day Wallace was killed. Wallace, 30, had been a benefi t member of Gary Arbor for four years at the time of his death. He had been promoted from a private after his enlistment at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He was survived by his wife and benefi ciary Andrea Mae (Fox) Wallace. He is buried at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Clinton, Indiana.

Robert Sherwood, Berlin Arbor (MI) “News of the death of their only son, Sgt. Robert F. Sherwood came to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Sherwood as they were wrapping Christmas presents for his third Christmas overseas,” the winter 1944 Forum edition sadly reported. Sgt. Sherwood, 24, was killed in action Sept. 16, 1944, in eastern France. A 1938 graduate of Saranac High School, he had entered the service in 1942 after working on his father’s farm. He originally was a member of the infantry’s amphibious forces, but later wrote to his parents that he was a “communication runner” with the 15th Infantry Regiment’s headquarters. Sherwood took part in the invasions of North Africa and later Sicily, where he was wounded twice, sent back to a North African hospital and received the Purple Heart. He wrote his parents briefl y on Sept. 6, 10 days before his death, to say his “shoes are worn out going so fast through southern France.”

Albert A. Smith, New Castle Arbor (IN) Army 1st Lt. Albert A. Smith was declared dead while missing Aug. 7, 1944, after the fi rst day of a German counterattack that came to be known as the Battle of Mortain in northwestern France. Smith was serving with the 120th Infantry Regiment, which suff ered heavy casualties but helped repulse the fi ve-day assault by German Panzer divisions. In 1940, Smith had taken out a policy in the arbor at New Castle, the city where he later enlisted in January of 1941. His benefi ciary was his mother. Smith is memorialized at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-James, France.

Joseph A. Olszewski, Omer Arbor (MI) Army Staff Sgt. “Joe” A. Olszewski, 26, was killed in action July 16, 1944, during fi ghting to liberate St. Lô, France. He was a member of the 9th Infantry Division’s 47th Infantry Regiment. He had grown up as a farm boy and for nine years had been a member of the Omer Arbor of Standish, Michigan. He was survived by his parentsbenefi ciaries, Joseph and Stella Olszewski. He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, with a memorial plaque in Evergreen Cemetery in Omer, Michigan.

John M. Myers, Clinton Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps Cpl. John M. Myers, 24, died Sept. 24, 1944, as the result of injuries from an airplane crash near Blackmore, England. He was the radio operator and gunner aboard the B-26 medium bomber “Baby Doll III” with the 572nd Bomber Squadron. It was one of six planes ordered fl own back to England on an ill-fated ferrying mission from France. Torrential rain and bad visibility in England caused all but one plane to run out of fuel. Five crashed, killing 11 crewmen. Myers had received a Junior Gleaner policy at age 10 with the Clinton Arbor in Ovid, Michigan. He is buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Coton, England.

Alexander J. Teresko Jr., Mesopotamia Arbor (OH)

Army Cpl. Alexander J. Teresko Jr. died of wounds Sept. 25, 1944, about 30 miles south of Metz during the campaign to liberate that French city. Teresko served with the 314th Field Artillery Battalion. He had joined the arbor at age 20 while working on his father’s large dairy farm in Geauga County. He was married prior to enlisting in 1942 at Cleveland. Teresko was 28 when killed by enemy artillery. He is buried at Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Lyle E. Asher, Kankakee Arbor (IL) Army Pfc. Lyle Eugene Asher was killed fi ghting in Italy with the 350th

Infantry Regiment on Oct. 10, 1944. That day it attacked German positions near Monte della Tombe in the Apennine mountains southeast of Bologna. His wife, Mrs. Lorena (Cross) Asher, had originally been informed that her husband was “Missing in Action,” and later received word that he had been killed. He also was survived by their 7-year-old son, Royce Dean Asher. Asher had been written for a Juvenile policy by his father, Charles Asher, and later took out an adult policy. He was born April 24, 1913, in Limestone Township and graduated in 1930 from Kankakee High School. He married in 1936 and was employed by the David Bradley Manufacturing Co. before entering the Army on Feb. 21, 1944.

Dwight Ollen Grossman, Temple Arbor (MI) Army Technician Five Dwight Grossman served with Company E of the 338th Engineer Regiment. It was helping reopen the sabotaged western Italian port of Leghorn and Cpl. Grossman “was operating a bulldozer when it struck a mine which exploded, causing severe injuries.” He was taken to the hospital but died the next day, Oct. 31, 1944. Grossman, 22. was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lott Grossman. They had signed him up for a Junior policy eight years before when he began high school in Argos, Indiana. He is buried there.

Ralph William Hoff , Malinta Arbor (OH) Navy Spec. 3rd Class Ralph William Hoff , 22, was declared dead while missing Oct. 24, 1944, aboard the light cruiser USS Birmingham. He had been stationed on the ship since enlisting in 1942, participating in the invasion of Sicily and then crossing the equator to join the Pacifi c Fleet. During the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the invasion of the Philippines, the cruiser had pulled alongside the aircraft carrier USS Princeton to assist with fi refi ghting after the Princeton was hit by a Japanese bomb. A huge explosion on the Princeton blasted fragments across the Birmingham, killing 229 men on the Birmingham and leaving four crewmen missing. Hoff had joined Malinta Arbor at age 16. He was survived by his parents, William and Christina Hoff of Napoleon, Ohio, plus one brother and one sister.

Billy Jene Gerkin, Watseka Arbor (IL) Army Pfc. Billy “Jene” Gerkin of Hoopston, Illinois, was killed in action Oct. 14, 1944, during the Allies’ encirclement of Aachen, Germany. He was 20 and a member of Company L of the 120th Infantry Regiment in the 30th Division. Gerkin was born June 5, 1924, in Morocco, Indiana. He had joined the Watseka Arbor when he was 12. He is buried at Floral Hill Cemetery in Lovejoy Township, Illinois.

William H. Seegmiller, Temple

Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. William H. Seegmiller, 20, was killed in action on the border of Holland and Germany on Nov. 9, 1944. He was serving with the 413th Infantry Regiment at it moved through the German city of Aachen. Seegmiller enlisted in Florida in April of 1943, and is buried in Lakeland, Florida. He had been written for a Junior Gleaner policy at age 10 and was placed with Temple Arbor in Detroit since his family was in the process of moving from Cadillac, Michigan, to Florida. He is buried in Lakeland, Florida.

Caroll Edwin Moore, Ruth Arbor (MI) Navy Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Caroll E. Miller was one of two Society shipmates killed on the cruiser USS Birmingham when it was devastated by an explosion aboard the adjacent light carrier USS Princeton. (See also Gold Star No. 52, Ralph W. Hoff ). The explosion came Oct. 24, 1944, as the Birmingham helped fi ght fi res aboard the Princeton, which had been bombed by a Japanese dive bomber during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. An explosion in the Princeton’s magazine heavily damaged the Birmingham and three other ships alongside. Moore, 26, had joined Ruth Arbor in Oxford, Michigan, on Jan. 1, 1939.

Edward P. Grindrod, Foss Arbor (IL) Army Pvt. Edward Percy Grindrod, 28, was killed in action Oct. 4, 1944, near Palenberg, Germany, as U.S. troops broke through the Germans’ Siegfried Line. He had joined the Army on Dec. 7, 1943, and was sent overseas in July with B Company of the 117th Infantry Regiment. He fi rst saw combat in Belgium and Holland. His wife, LaVelle (Kirby) Grindrod, was notifi ed that her husband was missing, and later that he had died. Grindrod was a 14-year member of the Society and captain of the 1933-34 Coal City High School basketball team. He was married in 1941

and worked at the Elwood Ordnance Plant. He is buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Hombourg, Belgium.

John E. Seiler, Batavia Center

Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. John E. Seiler of Batavia Center Arbor in Branch County, Michigan, was killed “somewhere in France” Nov. 26, 1944. He was with the 377th Infantry Regiment, which at the time had liberated the city of Metz and was assaulting forts beyond it. He is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery in Avold, France. He was 23, and left four children. Two girls were being cared for by his parents, Karl and Vera Seiler; and two boys by one of his brothers.

William G. Buckley, Arcade

Arbor (IL) Army Air Force Tech. Sgt. William Buckley, 27, of Chicago was a plane radio operator with the 61st Airlift Squadron. He served in all the major U.S. European theater invasions including North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Normandy, receiving the Air Medal for gallantry. He was killed in action Sept. 18, 1944, during Operation Market Garden bailing out of the damaged C-47 paratrooper transport “U-Uncle” near Rhenen, Netherlands. He was one of fi ve brothers, four of whom served in the war. Buckley had been a member of the Arcade Arbor for two years when he died at age 27. He had entered the Army in June of 1942. His wife, Adele, was his benefi ciary. He is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Avold, France.

Clyde Earl Gourley, Galetna

Arbor (IN) Coast Guard Seaman First Class Clyde Earl Gourley died Nov. 12, 1944, during operations at Leyte Island in the Philippines. He was one of fi ve Coast Guardsmen killed aboard the landing ship LST-66 when it was hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane. He is buried at Hanna Cemetery in Hanna, Indiana. Gourley had been a member of the Galena Arbor in LaPorte, Indiana, for fi ve years. He was 24. Survivors included parents Ray and Cora Gourley and three brothers.

Garnet F. Leff ers, West Lockport Arbor (IL) Army Pvt. Garnet F. Leff ers, 29, died of wounds Sept. 12, 1944, during the American drive to liberate Metz in France. He was serving with the 10th Infantry Regiment. Leff ers had joined West Lockport Arbor just before being inducted into the Army. He was survived by his wife, parents, six sisters and four brothers. He is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, France. A thank-you letter from his wife, Muriel, to Gleaner Life was published in the Gleaner Forum magazine.

Earl L. Legg Jr., Kankakee

Arbor (IL) Army Pvt. Earl L. Legg, a medic with the 115th Infantry Regiment, was killed Nov. 28, 1944, during the Rhineland Campaign in Germany. Legg was giving aid to a wounded offi cer when an enemy artillery shell landed nearby and killed Legg. He was 31 and had been a member of the Kankakee Arbor for more than four years. He was survived by his wife, Maycel Legg of Chicago; his parents, Earl and Alice Legg of St. Anne, Illinois; and two sisters. Legg is buried at Kankakee Memorial Gardens and Chapel Mausoleum.

James J. Paunoff , Hayes Arbor (OH) Army 2nd Lt. James J. Paunoff died Oct. 25, 1944, as a result of injuries sustained when his P-47G fi ghter crashed near Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina. He was 22. Paunoff was 12 when he became a member of the Hayes Arbor in Fremont, Ohio. He was survived by his father and mother, John and Sophie Paunoff ; and wife Esther Marian Paunoff . He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Lorain, Ohio.

Allen L. Blackman, Lulu Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Allen L. Blackman, 22, of LaSalle, Michigan, was killed in action Nov. 23, 1944, in northwestern France. He served with the 409th Infantry Regiment of the 103rd Infantry Division which, on that date, liberated the town of St. Dié. As a Monroe County youth, he had joined the Lulu Arbor at age 17. His mother, Edna B. Blackman, was presented with his posthumous Bronze Star. He is buried in the Erie Union Cemetery in Erie, Michigan.

Robert S. Seeley, Williamsburg Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Robert S. Seeley of the 413th Infantry Regiment was wounded in action Nov. 27, 1944, near Durwiss, Germany. He was hospitalized in England where he died of wounds Dec. 6, 1944. Seeley’s regiment fought in Holland and aided the Canadian First Army in its drive for the River Maas before its transfer to the American First Army. Seeley, 22, was a member of the Williamsburg Arbor near Traverse City, Michigan, and had studied to be a teacher. He was survived by his wife, Margaret; and infant son, Bobby. He is buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium.

Kenneth Taylor, Courtland Center Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Kenneth Taylor was killed in action Nov. 26, 1944, on Leyte Island in the Philippines. He came from a military family; his only brother was serving at the same time in the Navy in the Pacifi c, and his father had served in World War I. Taylor became a member of the Courtland Center Arbor from Rockford, Michigan, with a Junior policy at age 14. He was 20 when killed and is buried at the Courtland Township Cemetery.

Samuel V. Hartgrove, Lapeer Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Samuel V. Hartgrove was killed in action Dec. 16, 1944, in Germany. Hartgrove, 28, was a member of the 309th Infantry Regiment killed during the First Battle for Kesternich. Hartgrove had been written for a Gleaner policy just two years prior. He was survived by his wife, Gladys; his parents; and a sister. He is buried at the HenriChapelle American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

John L. Crocker, Electric Arbor (OH) Army Staff Sgt. John L. Crocker died Nov. 30, 1944, as a result of wounds suff ered in action. He was with the 314th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Infantry Division, which on that date was moving into position to liberate the French town of Hagenau. Crocker, 31, had been a member of the Electric Arbor for just over three years. He was survived by his parents, T. Richard and Leah Crocker; three brothers and two sisters. Crocker was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He is buried at the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Epinal, France.

Robert M. Patton, Temple Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Robert M. Patton was killed in action Oct. 2, 1944, in northern Italy. He was serving with Company D of the 350th Infantry Regiment in the 88th Division, which that week captured Mount Battaglia and then held off a furious fi veday counterattack by German divisions. Patton, 20, had been a Gleaner member since age 4, taking out a Junior Twenty-Pay Policy through Temple Arbor. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, where he was survived by his parents.

David Bailey Travis, Chester Arbor (OH) Navy Fireman First Class David Bailey Travis was declared dead while missing Dec. 3, 1944, after a battle in the Philippines. “Bailey,” 30, was serving aboard the newly commissioned destroyer USS Cooper when it engaged Japanese destroyers in Ormoc Bay. The Cooper was struck by a torpedo, split in two by the explosion and sank in less than a minute with the loss of 191 men, more than half its crew. Travis had been a member of the Chester Arbor for nearly fi ve years. He held a Twenty-Pay Endowment. Surviving were his wife, Helen Mae of Mt. Gilead, and two young daughters, Sharon Kay and Nancy Jean. He is memorialized at Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.

Donald M. King, Hadley Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Donald M. King was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart after being killed Oct. 27, 1944, in Italy. He served in the 337th Infantry Regiment, which at the time was fi ghting off counterattacks by German troops at Monte Castellaro, southeast of Bologna. King originally was deferred from the military draft due to his essential work on the farm in Litchfi eld, Michigan. “When the need for more servicemen became acute, Donald answered the call,” reported a notice in Forum. King took out Gleaner membership with Hadley Arbor 21 months before his death at age 22. He is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Litchfi eld, Michigan.

Marcus T. King, Van Wert Arbor (OH) Staff Sgt. Marcus Theodore “Ted” King was killed Dec. 17, 1944, in action in Germany with the 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. At the time, the units were clearing German forces west of the Roer River. King, 26, had joined Van Wert Arbor three years prior to his death. He was survived by his wife, Mary Helen King; a son, Jerry D. King; parents, Daniel and Minnie King; and one brother and two sisters.

He is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Ohio City, OH.

Kenneth Goldsmith, Ottokee Arbor (OH) Seaman Second Class Kenneth Goldsmith was killed Nov. 20, 1944, in the Pacifi c. He was aboard the USS Mississinewa, a Navy fl eet fuel ship. It was sunk by a Japanese manned suicide torpedo while the Mississinewa was anchored at Ulithi atoll in the Caroline Islands. Goldsmith is buried at Pettisville Cemetery in Pettisville. He was 19. His father had taken out his fi rst Junior Policy in 1939, and Kenneth later signed up for a Twenty-Pay Policy with a war clause.

Lester E. Aiston, Lulu Arbor (MI) Lester Eugene Aiston, 19, died in action Oct. 24, 1944, during the Leyte Gulf landings in the Philippines. He was a Ship’s Cook Third Class aboard the infantry landing craft LCI-65 when it was hit by a suicide aircraft, one of the fi rst of many kamikaze planes that the U.S. Navy would face. Aiston enlisted Jan. 11, 1943. He had been a member of Lulu Arbor for seven years, and had worked for E.S. Holtcamp Trucking Co. He is buried at Lulu Cemetery in Ida, Michigan.

William W. Turnbull, Ottokee Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. William W. Turnbull was 19 when he was killed in action Dec. 17, 1944, in Germany. Turnbull had enlisted at Toledo only 15 months before. He had listed himself as an actor when he enlisted. Turnbull is buried near his father in Wauseon Union Cemetery in Wauseon. Turnbull had been a member of Ottokee Arbor for fi ve years, holding a Junior Gleaner Twenty-Pay Policy.

Paul Leo Branz, Chatsworth

Arbor (IL) Sailor First Class Paul Leo Branz of the U.S. Naval Reserve was killed in combat Dec. 13, 1944, aboard the USS Nashville. The Navy cruiser was assisting with the invasion of Mindoro in the Philippines when it was hit by a kamikaze aircraft. More than 130 sailors were killed. Paul’s father, Ben, had taken out a Junior Gleaner policy for the couple’s son when he was 10. He had been a member with Chatsworth Arbor for nine years when he died at age 19. He is buried in the Chatsworth-Charlotte Cemetery.

Harry W. Isham, Wright

Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Harry W. Isham was reported missing in December of 1944 in the Pacifi c, and six months later was determined to have been killed on Dec. 5. Isham was serving in the Army’s 149th Infantry Regiment with the 38th Infantry Division. At the time, the unit was fi ghting in Leyte in the Philippines. He had entered the Army on Aug. 9, 1942, in Howell. He was 22 when killed and had been a member of the Society for more than 17 years. He was survived by his mother, Mabel Isham; and a sister, Sarah. His body was not recovered. He is remembered at the Wright Cemetery in Iosco and at the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

Howard W. Lehrbass, Valor Arbor (MI) Army Sgt. Howard Lehrbass was killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge. He was part of the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron’s Troop B trying to block German advances west of St. Vith on Dec. 22, 1944. According to his commanding offi cer, “Howard was one of a small group who were guarding the troop vehicles a short distance to the rear of the main line. Large groups of the enemy came into the rear of the line and repeatedly attacked the group guarding the vehicles, the means of escape for those ahead. Never has such a small group fought as well as the group that Howard and one other noncommissioned offi cer, were commanding. In the course of the fi erce fi ghting, he was hit by small arms fi re. Despite the immediate medical attention, the wounds proved fatal almost immediately.” Lehrbass was 28 when killed. He had been a member of the Valor Arbor in Scottville, Michigan, for fi ve years. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery at Custer, Michigan.

Paul W. Valentine, Ottokee

Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Paul William Valentine, 21, of Ottokee Arbor (OH) was killed in action Nov. 15, 1944. He was fi ghting with Company G of the 19th Infantry Regiment liberating Leyte Island in the Philippines. Co. G was part of the regiment’s 2nd Battalion sent behind Japanese lines Nov. 10-23 to block the Ormoc Road. The road was used to

reinforce Japanese “Yamashita Line” strongholds in the jungle-covered mountains. Key to blocking the road was capturing and holding Saddle Hill, which Companies G and E accomplished on Nov. 15, the day Valentine was killed. Although surrounded, the 2nd Battalion kept the enemy supply road closed for a week. That helped U.S. forces break the Yamashita Line, and the battalion was awarded a Presidential Citation. Valentine was born in Morenci, Michigan, and moved at age 13 to Fulton County, Ohio, where he attended Chesterfi eld schools. Some of Valentine’s training occurred at Fort Brady at Sault Ste. Marie before he was transferred to the University of Illinois, enabling him to take leave and visit his parents, R. Ray and Mary I. Valentine. He also was survived by four brothers, Gerald, Howard, Dale and Lawrence. Valentine is buried in Lyons Cemetery, Ohio.

Robert F. Stick, Battle Creek Arbor (MI)

Army Pvt. Robert F. “Bud” Stick of Company C of the 291st Infantry Regiment died in action Jan. 21, 1945, during the fi nal days of the Battle of the Bulge. Stick was killed by a sniper at Aldringen, Belgium. A native of Indiana, Stick had moved to Michigan as a child. He had worked at Michigan Carton Co. with his father and uncle. Stick had been insured with the Battle Creek Arbor at age 16. He was 19 when killed. Stick was survived by his parents and one sister. He is buried at Hartford City Cemetery in Hartford City, the home of his maternal grandparents.

Lorentz B. Smith, Reserve Arbor (OH) Army Technician Fifth Grade Lorentz Bryan Smith died Feb. 11, 1945, as a result of wounds suff ered. He was serving with A Battery of the 387th Coast Artillery (Automatic Weapons) AntiAircraft Battalion in the Ninth Army. It was building up along Germany’s Roer River and came under attack from German artillery and a V2 rocket. He is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, Netherlands. Smith was 21 and had been a member of Reserve Arbor for three years, joining while a student at Ashtabula, Ohio.

Arthur E. Brown, Plattsville Arbor (IL) Army Technical Sgt. Arthur “Art” E. Brown was killed in action Jan. 30, 1945, in the Philippines. He was with Company E of the 129th Infantry Regiment as the unit fought to retake Clark Field and Fort Stotsenburg on Luzon Island. Brown, 24, had received a Junior Gleaner policy from his father at age 12. He was survived by a wife, Alice; and his parents, Frank and Elva Brown. He is buried at Aux Sable Grove Cemetery in Yorkville, Illinois.

John P. Roszman Jr., Delaware Arbor (OH) Army Sgt. John P. Roszman Jr. was killed Jan. 16, 1945, while serving with the 66th Armored Infantry Battalion, part of the 12th Armored Division. At the time it was pushing back the Germans’ Operation Nordwind in the vicinity of Herrlishiem, France. Roszman was 22. Before entering the service, he was employed at the Universal Cooler Corp. in Marion. He went overseas in September of 1944. He was survived by his wife, Janice; a 1-month old son, Michael; parents, John and Ida; one brother; and one sister. He is buried in Prospect Cemetery in Marion.

Arthur William Westerberg,

Yellowhead Arbor (IL) Army Sgt. Arthur William Westerberg, 27, was killed in action Feb. 22, 1945, in the Caraballo Mountains of Luzon during the liberation of the Philippine Islands. He was serving with Company C of the 136th Infantry Regiment. Westerberg was born July 5, 1917, in Grant Park, Illinois. He enlisted in April 1942 in Chicago after working in the paint production industry. His father, Charles Arthur Westerberg, was secretary and a founding member of the arbor. Westerberg was survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister. He is buried at Union Corners Cemetery in Grant Park.

Franklin B. Hamann, Yellowhead Arbor (IL) Army Staff Sgt. Franklin B. Hamann died Feb. 27, 1945, in England of wounds suff ered Feb. 2 while in action in Germany. Hamann was wounded while serving with the 302nd Infantry, part of Patton’s Third Army that had just crossed into Germany and was fi ghting for control of the Campholz Woods and Sinz. Hamann, 24, was evacuated to a hospital in England where he died. Earlier, on Oct. 13, he had been wounded, but had returned to duty. He was raised in Grant Park and had joined Yellowhead Arbor July 1, 1939. He was employed at the Lions Metal Works in Chicago Heights before his induction Dec. 14, 1942. He was survived by his wife, the former Esther Marie Hunt of Grant Park. He is buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in Coton, England.

William R. Brokate, Melvin Arbor (IL) Army Pvt. William R. Brokate was killed March 3, 1945. He originally had been reported missing. Brokate served with Company C of the 253rd Infantry Regiment. Company C fought a three-day battle March 3-5 to dislodge German defenders from the sheer rock cliff s and tunnels of a quarry northeast of Bubingen, Germany, one of the last defenses shielding Germany’s Siegfried Line. The company, which lost three-quarters of its troops, received a Presidential Citation. Brokate had been a member of Melvin Arbor for only 20 months, accepting his policy with the war clause. He went overseas Jan. 18, and his last letter home was dated Feb. 22. He was survived by his parents, William and Ann Brokate; four sisters; and three brothers. Brokate was born July 25, 1925, according to his obituaries and was baptized Sept. 13, 1925, although his grave marker at Drummer Township Cemetery in Gibson City, Illinois, lists his date of birth as 1927.

James H. Jones, Port Huron Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. James Henry Jones, 20, was killed Oct. 6, 1944, near Ancysur-Moselle, France. He served with the 10th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Infantry Division. It was part of Gen. Patton’s Third Army that was crossing the Moselle River and starting to liberate Metz. Less than three weeks earlier, Jones had sustained a minor wound but returned to action. He had been a member of Port Huron Arbor for three years, attended Keewahdin schools and worked for the Austin Construction Co. He is buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg City.

Stanley Blackburn Jr., Gravel Creek Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Stanley Dunn Blackburn Jr. died Feb. 24, 1945, in Luxembourg after being wounded the day before. He was serving with Company M of the 385th Infantry Regiment, part of General Patton’s Third Army. Blackburn was 20 when he died. He was a 10-year member of Gravel Creek Arbor. He is buried at Westlawn Cemetery in North Branch.

Daniel J. Taschner, Sebewaing

Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Daniel J. Taschner was killed in action March 5, 1945, with the 379th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division. On that day it cleared German units blocking a key bridge across the river Rhine at Uerdingen, Germany. Taschner is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands, a nation the 379th helped to liberate. There also is a memorial in the Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery in Sebewaing. He was 35 when killed. Taschner had been a member in Sebewaing Arbor for more than 12 years. He was survived by his mother, Catherine, and two sisters.

Glenn G. Blakeman, Pleasant Valley (MI) Army Pfc. Glenn G. Blakeman, 19, was killed in action March 10, 1945, in Germany. He was serving in Company C of the 417th Infantry Regiment, part of Gen. Patton’s Third Army, when reported missing. Confi rmation that he died reached his parents two weeks later. Blakeman was a Petersburg, Michigan, native and Dundee High School graduate. He had been employed at Tecumseh Products Company when he entered the Army on March 24, 1943. He went overseas in November of 1944, one month after marrying his wife, Betty, at a Wisconsin USO. He also was survived by a stepson, Paul Roggenkamp; three brothers in Monroe County; and his parents, Perry and Clara Blakeman of Petersburg. They had given him an Endowment at Age 65 Junior Gleaner policy. He joined Pleasant Grove Arbor in January of 1930. He is buried at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Hamm, Luxembourg.

John D. Patton, Liberty Center Arbor (OH) Army Sgt. John D. Patton died March 16, 1945, in action with the 395th Infantry Regiment (99th Infantry Division) as it expanded a vital foothold across the east bank of the Rhine River. It followed the Americans’ surprise capture of a bridge at Remagen nine days earlier and its crossing by the 99th Division. Patton was killed while securing Steinshardt (also spelled Steinhart), one of several small villages in the hills east of the bridge. Patton had been a farm worker when he enlisted July 20, 1943, at Toledo. He died six days after his 20th birthday. He was born and buried in Colton, Ohio. He was survived by parents Edward and Bertha Patton; a sister, Mary Ellen; and a brother, Lawrence, who also served in the Army.

Norman P. Thomas, Temple Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Norman Paul Thomas was shot and killed in handto-hand fi ghting the night of Jan. 13, 1945, in the Philippines. Thomas was serving with Company G of the First Infantry Regiment on Luzon Island as it liberated Lingayen Gulf. He was 25, and had been in the Army

for 2½ years, working previously at the Culver Military Academy. He joined the Society when he was 17. He was survived by his wife, Anna; a son, Norman; a daughter, Jane Ann; his parents; one sister; and four brothers, two of whom also served overseas. He is buried in the Leiters Ford IOOF Cemetery in Leiters Ford, Indiana.

Russell Phelps, Rome Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Russell R. Phelps was killed March 20, 1945, with the 157th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Infantry Division. The 157th had broken through the Germans’ Siegfried Line and was capturing Homburg when Phelps was killed. Phelps, 30, was survived by his wife, Lucille, of Ashtabula, Ohio, where he is buried in Saybrook Cemetery. Phelps was wounded earlier in the war but returned to active duty. He had been a benefi t member of Rome Arbor since age 19. Prior to the war, he worked at the Madison plant of Lake Erie Milling Co. and also the Industrial Rayon Corp. He enlisted in Cleveland on May 5, 1943, and went overseas in October, 1944.

Everett E. Edgerly, Temple

Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Everett E. Edgerly was killed in action April 9, 1945, in western Germany. He served with Company C of the 47th Infantry Regiment as it helped encircle more than 300,000 German troops in the Ruhr Pocket. Edgerly was 30 when killed. He had received a Junior Gleaner policy and his name on the Kalamazoo Arbor rolls when he was 13. His membership later was held by Temple Arbor. He is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands.

Forest G. Eaken, Middleport Arbor (IL) Army Pfc. Forest Glenn Eaken was killed in action March 6, 1945, on the Philippine island of Luzon. He was serving with the 130th Infantry Regiment in the 33rd Infantry Division which at the time was fi ghting in the rugged Caraballo Mountains on its way to liberate northern Luzon from the Japanese. Eaken was 24. He was written for a Junior gleaner policy and membership in Middleport Arbor at age 6 by State Manager Eddie Fortin. Eaken was survived by his wife, Sarah; and his parents, Joseph and Georgia. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Watseka, Illinois.

Floyd F. Craft, Portage Center Arbor (OH) Army Capt. Floyd F. Craft was killed in action March 30, 1945, near Heidelberg, Germany. He was with the 413th Field Artillery Group’s headquarters, and was awarded the Army Air Medal. Craft had been 11 when his parents gave him a Junior Gleaner policy, and was a member of Portage Center Arbor for 11 years. He later applied for and received an Endowment at 65 policy. Craft was buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery in Avold, France. His father died in 1943 while Craft was serving at offi cer training school in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was survived by his wife, June E. (Shockey) Craft; a daughter, Beverly; mother, Mrs. Alice G. Craft; and a married sister, Marie Kinney.

Kenneth C. Wall, Bushnell Arbor

(MI) Army 1st Lt. Kenneth C. Wall was killed in action April 4, 1945, in the Philippines. He was with the 158th Infantry, the “Bushmasters” regiment, which was made up largely of Native American troops. The unit had landed days before at Legaspi to liberate the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon Island. Wall was 23. He had received a Junior Gleaner policy in 1940. In October of that year he left Cedar Springs, Michigan, with the Michigan National Guard. Wall was survived by his parents, Nathan and Rachel Wall; two sisters; and one brother. He is buried at Idlewild Cemetery in Kent City.

Harold L. Carlson, Hambden Arbor (OH) Army Air Corps Capt. Harold L. Carlson was killed in action July 20, 1944, in northern Italy with the 34th Bomber Squadron of the 17th Bomber Group. Carlson, 26, was aboard a B-26 along with the squadron’s commanding colonel on a special bombing mission against the Ostiglia Road Bridge near Corniglio, Italy. The aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fi re, lost altitude, crashed into a mountain and exploded. Carlson and fi ve others were killed in the crash. He had enlisted in January of 1942 in Franklin County, Ohio. As a pilot, he earlier had successfully fl own back to his base in the much-publicized “Coughlin Coffi n” B-26 with only one engine running. He had joined Hambden Arbor at age 10, with his mother taking out a TwentyPay Life policy. He was studying optometry at Ohio State University when he enlisted. He was survived by his wife,

Etha; a daughter, Linda Ann; his parents; and a brother, Lloyd. He is buried in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

Philip L. Rogers, Shiawassee

Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Philip L. Rogers was killed April 15, 1945, in the Philippines. He was serving in Company C of the 126th Infantry Regiment, the “Red Arrows,” of the 32nd Infantry Division, which at the time was battling Japanese defenders for control of the Villa Verde Trail in the Caraballo Mountains of northern Luzon. Rogers was 22. He became a Gleaner member at age 4 when a Twenty-Pay Life Juvenile Policy was taken out. He is buried in Pine Tree Cemetery in Corunna, Michigan.

Paris Hicks, Indiana State Arbor (IN) Army Technical Sgt. Paris E. Hicks of Lebanon, Indiana, was killed in action April 21, 1945, in Italy. He was with Battery C of the 27th Armored Field Artillery Battalion with the 1st Armored Division near Bologna, Italy, when his half-track struck a German mine. He was 26. Earlier, in 1943 in North Africa, Hicks had been awarded a Silver Star for valor when he guided his vehicle 20 miles behind enemy lines at night to rejoin his unit after being left behind during a retreat earlier that day. Hicks had joined Indiana State Arbor 10 years prior. He had farmed with his father before enlisting in September 1940. Hicks is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Lebanon, Indiana. He was survived by his parents, Elza and Eva Hicks; fi ve brothers, Army Air Corps Cpl. Claude E. Hicks, Army Engineer Cpl. G. Paul Hicks, Floyd E. Hicks, Delmar A. Hicks, and Charles G. Hicks; and two sisters, Dorris O. Hicks and Wanda G. Hicks.

Thomas A. Blanchard, Spring Hill Arbor (MI) Army Cpl. Thomas A. Blanchard was killed in action in Germany April 18, 1945, less than three weeks before the end of the war in Europe. He was serving with Company C of the 756th Armored Division Tank Battalion in the middle of a fi ve-day battle to capture Nuremberg. Blanchard was 19. He had received an Endowment at Age 65 policy in Spring Hill Arbor when he was 12. Blanchard is buried at Flint Memorial Park at Mount Morris. Gerald E. Obenauf, Cedar Creek Arbor (MI) Army Staff Sgt. Gerald E. Obenauf was killed by rifl e fi re in combat May 12, 1945, in the Philippines. He was a squad leader in action with the 136th Infantry of the 33rd Infantry Division on Luzon’s Nueva Viscaya province. Obenauf was 23. According to unconfi rmed reports, he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism earlier in the year. He was survived by his father, Paul E. Obenauf, and a sister, Arleen Smith, both of Muskegon. He had joined Cedar Creek Arbor four years prior. He is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila.

Frederick J. Arheit, Toledo Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Frederick J. Arheit was posthumously awarded the Silver Star after he was killed April 5, 1945, in southern Germany during the Battle of Heilbronn. Arheit, 20, had been reported missing in action while with Co. K of the 398th Infantry Regiment as it fought to hold a bridgehead across the Neckar River. His parents, Fred and Gertrude Arheit, had given him a Junior Gleaner Twenty-Pay Policy at age 10 while living in Toledo. He attended Springfi eld High School and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo.

Ray M. Beardslee, Pontiac Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Ray M. Beardslee died in action March 19, 1945. He served with Company M of the 309th Infantry Regiment, which three days earlier had cut the German Autobahn highway just east of the Rhine river. Four months prior, Beardslee had fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was 23. Beardslee was survived by his wife, Grace, as well as by a sister and a brother. He held an Endowment at age 65 Juvenile Gleaner policy taken out when he was 16. Beardslee is buried at the New Albany National Cemetery in Indiana.

Elwyn Carleton Decker, Farmers Friend Arbor (MI)

Army Staff Sgt. Elwyn C. Decker, the son of Michigan state Rep. Alpheus P. Decker, was killed in action May 6, 1945. He had graduated from Deckerville High School, worked in Lansing and then entered the Army in February 1943. He was part of Company F of the 132nd Infantry

Regiment, the Army’s only regiment especially trained for jungle combat. He went overseas 15 months later, and earned two Combat Stars while fi ghting on Bougainville and Leyte islands. Decker was killed May 16, 1945, on the Philippine island of Cebu. According to reports, his platoon was trying to knock out a heavily fortifi ed enemy position when it became pinned down by mortars and grenades. Decker, 23, was killed by an exploding grenade. He was survived by his family including one sister and six brothers, three of whom also were serving in the military. He is buried in Downing Cemetery in Deckerville.

Robert E. Sosey, Delaware Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Robert E. Sosey, 23, was killed in a medical evacuation plane crash on Leyte Island in the Philippines on March 10, 1945. Sosey served in Company K of the 126th Infantry Regiment. He was a patient aboard a C-46 transport plane with the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron that crashed on a mountain in bad weather. All fi ve crewmen, two medical personnel and 30 passengers were killed. Sosey was a member of the Delaware Arbor for nearly six years. Robert was survived by his wife, Beulah, and an aunt, with whom they lived. Sosey is buried at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Carl Raymond Smith, Branch Arbor (MI) Army Sgt. Carl Raymond Smith, 26, was killed in action April 6, 1945, in southern Germany. He was with the 397th Infantry Regiment in the 100th Army Division. He was killed during the third day of the nine-day Battle of Heilbronn as American troops fought their way across the Neckar River. Smith was a member of Branch Arbor and held two policies, including one with a war clause. Both policies were paid to his widow. Smith is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Custer, Michigan. Two of Carl’s brothers also served in World War II and one, Ivan, also was killed less than eight months earlier in Normandy, France.

Rexford John Ostrom, Lapeer Arbor Arbor (MI) Navy Lt. Commander Rexford John “Ossie” Ostrom was an aircraft carrier fi ghter plane squadron commander whose valor earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross. He had been born Oct. 30, 1915, in Elba Township and was captain of the football team at Lapeer High School (Class of 1933). He was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He then attended fl ight school and served 14 months in the Aleutian Islands before returning to California to form two new fi ghter squadrons. He was a fl ight leader aboard the escort carrier USS Santee when his F6F Hellcat fi ghter was reported shot down on April 10, 1945, over the Okinawa island group. Ostrom, 29, was survived by his wife, Virginia Dahlgren Ostrom, and two daughters, ages 3 years and 11 months.

Donald W. Knight, Brunswick

Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Donald W. Knight died of meningitis and a brain abscess in a French hospital “somewhere in France” on June 12, 1945 — a month after VE-Day. He had enlisted in May of 1943 at Kalamazoo, working previously as a farm hand. He served with a service company in the 743rd Tank Battalion of the 30th Division. Knight was 20. He had a Juvenile Policy with Brunswick Arbor since age 8. He was survived by his parents, Denzil and Alice Knight; and a brother, Raymond.

Robert George Taylor, Bridgeport Arbor (MI) Navy Aviation Radioman Third Class Robert G. Taylor was killed May 2, 1945, in the Pacifi c when the carrier-based TBM-3 Avenger torpedo bomber he was aboard crashed while supporting ground combat on Okinawa. Taylor was in Squadron VT-34 serving aboard the light carrier USS Monterey. He and the other two members of the crew are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Taylor had joined Bridgeport Arbor at age 16. He was 18 when killed, and was survived by his father, George Taylor of Bridgeport.

Carl R. Rahl, Romeo Arbor (MI) Army T. Sgt. Carl R. Rahl was accidentally shot and killed on May 30, 1945 — three weeks after fi ghting in Europe ended — in Kremze, Czechoslovakia. Rahl served with the Company G of the 104th Infantry Regiment. He had married Ardis Jean White on June 14, 1944, three weeks before he sailed

for Europe. Rahl had received the Bronze Star during combat with the Third Army. He was survived by parents Frank and Mary Rahl of Armada, and a sister, Marjorie Buck. Rahl, who had received a Gleaner policy at age 7, is buried at the Romeo Cemetery in Romeo.

Arnold R. Alberts, Alpha Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Arnold R. Alberts was killed in action July 13, 1945, during the liberation of the Philippines island of Luzon. He was 20 years of age and serving in the 145th Infantry Regiment. According to a letter from his company commander, Alberts was killed in the night when the enemy launched a banzai attack on the company’s perimeter at Baguio. He was survived by his mother, Mrs. Louisa V. Alberts of Comstock Park, Michigan; and one sister. Alberts had been a member for just over two years. His $1,000 Twenty-Pay Life policy carried a war exclusion but was still paid in full. Prior to entering the Army, Alberts had worked in a Grand Rapids furniture factory. He is buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Comstock Park.

Floyd F. Price, Bowling Green Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Floyd F. Price died of wounds July 25, 1945, while fi ghting on the Philippine island of Luzon. He was 26. Price served with the 127th Infantry Regiment of the “Red Arrow” 32nd Infantry Division. At the time, the 127th was vigorously mopping up Japanese units that were refusing to surrender and fi ghting to the end in the mountains near Sinipsip, north of Baguio. Price had been fi rst written for a Gleaner insurance policy at age 15 by agent Harry Nixon into the Bowling Green Arbor. He later took out additional insurance.

Frank Jemenko, Gary Arbor (IN) Army Pvt. Frank T. Jemenko was among about 3,000 Americans who died in the Japanese prison camp Cabanatuan in the Philippines. Jemenko was a Junior Gleaner with the Gary Arbor at age 13. The Washington High School graduate played American Legion baseball. In 1939, he joined the Army’s 17th Ordnance Company. It was sent to the Philippines three months before Pearl Harbor to service Army tanks and halftracks. He survived the Bataan Death March but, under brutal conditions at the prison camp, died on July 31, 1942, of diphtheria. Jemenko, 20, was the second Society member to die in the war, a fact not known for three years. He was survived by his parents, Carl and Stella Jemenko of East Chicago; three siblings including a brother, Carl Jr., in the Army; his wife, Joella Jones, whom he had married before his Army company departed; and a daughter. Jemenko’s name is included on the Cabanatuan Memorial.

Lee B. Kingsbury, Crystal Arbor (MI) Army Coastal Artillery Cpl. Lee B. Kingsbury died of disease on his birthday, July 27, 1945, in the Philippines. He was serving as a sight-fi nder with an anti-aircraft gun unit at Leyte when he died of jaundice. He was 32. He had joined Crystal Arbor in January 1937. Kingsbury had worked at Fisher Body Plant 1 in Flint for nine years. He entered the Army in 1942. He was survived by his wife, Frances; his father, Clare; and two brothers, Ceryl and Donald. Kingsbury is buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Middleville.

Raymond R. Diemer, Deshler Arbor (OH) Actually the fi rst Gleaner Life Insurance Society member to die during World War II, Pfc. Raymond R. Diemer of the Deshler Arbor had enlisted before Pearl Harbor. He was with the Army’s 803rd Engineering Battalion, and had been assigned to the Philippine Islands. He was among troops who surrendered in the fall of Bataan and were force-marched by Japanese captors on the Bataan Death March. He survived but died in a prison camp at age 23 of malaria July 17, 1942. It took almost three years before U.S. offi cials learned of his capture and death and could notify his family. From Summer 1945 Forum: “Because his parents were never notifi ed that he was a prisoner, nor until very recently of his death, they had kept his premium payments paid. In addition to the full face of his policy, they will also receive a refund of these advance payments between the date of his death in 1942 and the date the war department notifi ed the bereaved parents of this sacrifi ce.” Diemer is buried in the Emanuel United Church of Christ Cemetery in New Bavaria. He was survived by his parents, Louis and Nellie Diemer; one sister; and four brothers, including three serving in the military, Army Pfc. Donovan Diemer, Army Cpl. Norman Diemer, and Army Pfc. Carroll Diemer. VFW Post 8847 in his hometown of New Bavaria, Ohio, bears his name.

James E. Hack, Chester Arbor (OH) Army Air Corps fi ghter pilot 2nd Lt. James Earle Hack was killed in action April 24, 1945, in Germany. At the time, he was based in France with the 524th Fighter Squadron with the 12th Tactical Air Force. He had fl own more than 40 missions and was in a P-47 Thunderbolt, bombing and strafi ng in support of the 7th Army, when he was shot down and killed. He was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf

Clusters and Purple Heart. Hack was 22 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware, Ohio. He had enlisted Sept. 29, 1942. He was survived by his parents, Charles and Lottie; one brother, Carl; and a sister, Mary.

Donald E. Nelson, Foss Arbor (IL) Army Pfc. Donald E. Nelson was killed in a troopship mishap March 13, 1945, in the Atlantic Ocean. He originally was reported missing northwest of the Azore Islands. A mechanical problem caused a French aircraft carrier to collide with the ship Nelson was aboard, USAT J.W. McAndrew. The collision opened a gash in the McAndrew where 134 troops were quartered, and 81 were swept into the ocean. In the dark, only 13 were rescued. The rest were declared dead after three months. Nelson was 22. He received a Junior Gleaner policy in Foss Arbor at age 14 while earning spending money delivering newspapers. He is remembered on a memorial at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in Coton, England.

Ernest C. Belson, Rutland Center Arbor (MI) Army Technician 5 Ernest Cassius Belson died Aug. 13, 1945, of wounds suff ered the day before. He was serving with the 248th General Hospital in the Philippines. He was 28. He had joined Rutland Center Arbor six years prior, and entered the Army in April of 1942 at Fort Custer. Belson was survived by his parents, William and Lida Belson of Hastings; two brothers, Ross and Forest; and a sister, Mildred. Belson is buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila.

Hal E. Brink, Ottokee Arbor (OH) Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Hal E. Brink was a gunner on his 53rd mission when he was killed in action on April 24, 1945 — just two weeks before the end of the war in Europe. His B-26, “Stud Duck,” was with the 34th Bomb Squadron based at the time in Dijon, France. It was one of two B-26s in the fl ight shot down after they had bombed oil facilities at Schwabmunchen, Germany. They were quickly attacked by three German Me-262 jets fi ring rockets, and were seen damaged and going down. Brink had enlisted in California while living in Colton, California. His death so near the war’s end was especially hard for his father, who wrote, “This was the hardest. Hal had such a lovable personality and was certainly a fi ne young man. We were very proud of him and I know the Gleaner Life Insurance Society will be too. I hope his sacrifi ce will stand as a memorial in the future and we will have no more wars. … I know Hal is at rest with his Lord.” Brink is buried at the Pleasant View Union Cemetery in Fayette, Ohio.

Hilliard Smith Gilroy, Crystal Lake Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. Hilliard Smith “Smitty” Gilroy was copilot aboard the 347th Bomber Squadron’s B-17G Flying Fortress “Daisy Mae.” It was part of a May 18, 1944, mission to bomb the Romanian oil fi elds in Ploesti when cloudy weather aborted the mission. Returning to its Italian base near Foggia, the plane was within sight of the Adriatic Sea when hit by an antiaircraft explosion that blew off its nose section at 16,000 feet near Mostar, Yugoslavia. Eight crewmen were killed while three escaped by parachute. Two were taken prisoner. Gilroy enlisted Oct. 13, 1942, just months after graduating from Frankfort High School. He had been 15 living in nearby Elberta when his father had signed up for a Twenty-Pay Life Insurance policy.

Vernon R. Brock, Temple Arbor (MI) Air Corps Technical Sgt. Vernon R. Brock was a member of the U.S. Army’s Eighth Air Force, reported missing in action Nov. 26, 1944, and declared dead one year later. He was born in Albion, Michigan, and enlisted March 26, 1943, in Kalamazoo. Brock, 20, was a fl ight engineer and top turret gunner on the B-24 “The Firebird.” It was part of the 491st Bomb Group’s 853rd (or 852nd, according to one record) Bomb Squadron during a costly raid on an oil refi nery at Misburg near Hanover, Germany. Although the target was bombed, a large force of about 500 German fi ghter planes shot down 16 of the 28 bombers that the 491st sent over, including Firebird and all eight other B-24s in the formation’s upper-altitude squadron. Only two of the Firebird’s 10 crewmen survived. Brock’s plane crashed northwest of the town of Hildehseim. He and other squadron members are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Brock’s mother, living near Albion, was listed as his next of kin.

Frank L. Detrick, Gilman Arbor (IL) Army Pfc. Frank L. Detrick died of “non-battle” causes Oct. 12, 1945 — two months after the end of hostilities. He served with an Army Engineer company. He was listed as a machine shop worker when he enlisted Feb. 20, 1943, in Peoria, Illinois. Detrick, 22, originally was reported buried in Korea. He was reinterred in Gilman Cemetery. Illinois State Manager Ed Fortin wrote an Endowment at Age 65 policy for Detrick when he was 13. He was survived by his benefi ciary, his mother, Lena L. Detrick.

Hugh Waldo Deetz, Wilmington Arbor (IN) Navy Petty Offi cer Second Class Hugh Waldo Deetz was killed March 26, 1944, when the submarine he was aboard was sunk, apparently by its own torpedo. He was serving on the USS Tullibee on its fourth patrol of the war off the Pacifi c’s Palau Islands when it surfaced and fi red two torpedoes at a Japanese ship, only to explode minutes later. Information from the submarine’s lone surviving crewmember led Navy offi cials to conclude one of the ship’s torpedoes had run a circular course and hit the sub. Deetz was a Motor Machinist’s Mate Second Class. He was 23 and a benefi t member of Wilmington Arbor for a little more than eight years.

Robert N. Mitchell, Deshler Arbor (OH) Army Air Corps Sgt. Robert N. Mitchell died in action Jan. 9, 1945, when the stricken B-29 Superfortress he was aboard went missing. Mitchell was the tail gunner aboard the plane “Miss Behavin” with the 871st Bomb Squadron on a raid from Saipan to Musashino, Japan, near Tokyo. Another plane in the formation reported a Japanese fi ghter plane crashed into “Miss Behavin,” dropping it out of the formation near the coast of Japan where it was attacked by 15 other enemy fi ghters. Mitchell, 20, held a Juvenile Endowment at Age 65 Policy in Deshler Arbor. He had been a member for 10 years. He enlisted Feb. 25, 1943, and was survived by his mother, Jennie V. Mitchell of Toledo. He is listed at the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial in Hawaii.

Wells A. Brayton, Temple Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps Lt. Wells Arthur Brayton of the 98th Bombardment Squadron was reported missing and presumed killed July 3, 1944. Brayton, 23, was the bombardier aboard the B-24 “War Bird,” missing on a mission from Eniwetok Atoll to Truk Island. Two months earlier, he was described in newspapers as being “about the smallest bombardier” in the Army at 4-foot-11 and 120 pounds. A photo of him standing with a 6-foot-6 gunner was printed in newspapers. Brayton was a chemical engineering student at Michigan College of Mining and Technology (today, Michigan Tech) when he enlisted in the Aviation Air Cadets in 1942, and had been a GLIS member since age 16. He was survived by his parents, Ivan and Velna Brayton of Painseville, Michigan. He is listed at the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial in Hawaii.

Charles L. Haas, Delaware Arbor (OH) Army Cpl. Charles L. Haas died Feb. 20, 1946, at Vaughn General Hospital in Hines, Ill. Haas, 35, enlisted Feb. 5, 1942, but at a training base in Kentucky he suff ered from cholecystitis. Despite operations and confi nement at hospitals in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Battle Creek, Michigan, he died of the disease. Haas was in a combat engineers’ unit with the Fifth Armored. He fi rst was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and later underwent training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was survived by his parents, Charles and Lillian Haas. He is buried at Saint Mary Cemetery in Delaware, Ohio.

Joseph Earl Chandler, New Castle Arbor (IN) Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. Joseph Earl Chandler was aboard a bomber reported missing Feb. 27, 1945, in the extreme southwestern Pacifi c. Chandler was the bombardier on the B-24 “My Irish Colleen.” It was part of the 371st Bombardment Squadron of the 307th Bomber Group, known as the Long Rangers due to their long-range missions. Other planes lost contact in bad weather with the B-24 on their way from Morotai Island in Indonesia to bomb a Japanese oil center at Tarakan, Dutch Borneo. Search eff orts failed to locate any trace of the crew, offi cially declared dead in 1946. Chandler enlisted in 1942 and was on his 29th mission. He received the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. A graduate of New Castle High School, he was a star runner in the 440-yard dash. He worked at the Chrysler Corp.

plant prior to enlisting. He was survived by his mother, Goldie Chandler; a sister; and his grandmother.

Harold Edgar Snyder, Amber Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps Sgt. Harold E. Snyder — also a veteran of World War I — died in India on a volunteer mission April 9, 1945. About 20 men from Snyder’s unit (the 490th Bomber Squadron) had lost their equipment and urgently needed replacement supplies and clothes. Snyder, 47, volunteered as the engineer aboard a fl ight to Ledo, India, to obtain equipment from a supply distribution point. The B-25 took off from its home base at Warazup, landed at a base in Shingbwiyang in northern Burma (today known as Myanmar), took off from there and was never heard from again. It is believed the plane crashed in the Naga Hills before reaching Ledo. Snyder was awarded the Air Medal. He had been a member of Amber Arbor in Ludington for more than 30 years. After serving in World War I, he had worked as a guard at the U.S. Treasury in Washington, D.C. He had been living in Medina County, Ohio, when he enlisted in 1942. A marker memorializing Snyder is in the South Victory Cemetery outside Ludington.

Walter S. Roper, Bowling Green Arbor (OH) Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. Walter S. Roper was declared missing and presumed killed June 22, 1945, on a bombing mission over Japan. Roper was the radar operator on the B-29 “Pappy’s Pullman” with the 421st Bombing Squadron on a mission from Tinian to Kagamigahara, Japan. Other planes observed the B-29 under attack by enemy fi ghters after appearing to have two engines knocked out. It was believed to have crashed 10 miles west of the target. Roper joined Bowling Green Arbor on Jan. 1, 1939. He was survived by his mother, Beth H. Davidson of Pemberville, Ohio.

Frederick C. Lutz, Gary Arbor

(IN) Marine Corps Pfc. Frederick Clair Lutz died Oct. 24, 1944, after the Japanese prison ship Arisan Maru was sunk. The unmarked “hell ship” was between the Philippines and Taiwan when torpedoed by the unsuspecting U.S. submarine USS Shark, which in turn was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. The POWs aboard the Arisan Maru escaped, but none were immediately picked up by other Japanese ships. Only nine prisoners survived out of the 1,781 aboard. Lutz, 20, was not among the survivors. He had joined the Marines on Jan. 6, 1940, with K Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 4th Marine Regiment. It arrived in the Philippines just nine days before Japanese forces attacked the Philippines after Pearl Harbor. After a gallant but hopeless fi ght on Corregidor, the regiment was ordered to surrender May 6, 1942. Lutz was held at O’Donnell prison camp on Luzon prior to being put on the Arisan Maru. It was called a “hell ship” due to extremely inhumane conditions. Lutz is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines, and at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. He was the fi nal Gleaner Gold Star of World War II.

134