bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Roster > Roster Notes > Iowa Casualties & Dead, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated 13 May 2022.
I have seen multiple figures for the number of Iowans who died in World War II. These figures vary substantially, from 7,046 to 8,398 for military members only and none include a source. In truth we will never have an exact count, but my current estimate of Iowa deaths, including civilians (merchant mariners were civilians), would be around 7,800, with around 7,600 for military deaths.
The number of Iowa casualties would be far higher, as it would include casualties who survived, namely:
Casualties do not include non-battle deaths, which for the first time in World War II were less than casualty-related deaths.
In World War II, the War and Navy Departments had different systems for recording casualties and deaths. This is illustrated in the War Department's dead list and the incomplete Navy Department's casualty list for the state of Iowa, both released in 1946.
The number of Iowa casualties would be far higher, as it would include casualties who survived, namely:
- wounded and injured in action who recovered,
- prisoners of war who were released,
- missing who were found alive.
Casualties do not include non-battle deaths, which for the first time in World War II were less than casualty-related deaths.
In World War II, the War and Navy Departments had different systems for recording casualties and deaths. This is illustrated in the War Department's dead list and the incomplete Navy Department's casualty list for the state of Iowa, both released in 1946.
War Dept. WWII Honor List of Dead & Missing - Iowa
(Army, including Army Air Force) Category Count Killed in Action (KIA) 3,282 Died of Wounds (DOW) 481 Died of Injuries (DOI) 19 Died Non-Battle (DNB) 1,427 Finding of Death (FOD) 399 Missing (M) 25 -------- Total Presumed Dead 5,633 |
Navy Dept. State Summary of War Casualties - Iowa
(Navy, Marine Corps, & Coast Guard) Category Count Died in combat (inc. KIA, DOW) 1,340 Died while POW 40 DOI presumably included with Died in combat DNB not included FOD not included Missing 32 (the following are casualties but not Dead or Missing) Wounded (incomplete) 1,469 Released Prisoners 119 -------- Total 3,000 Total Presumed Dead 1,412 |
Here are some sources, with their counts of Iowa World War II dead:
- https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2019/05/27/memorial-day-iowans-fallen-in-wars/ -, 27 May 2019: 8,398
- https://iowaculture.gov/goldie/at-home-expeditions/world-war-2, 2020: 8,398
- https://va.iowa.gov/heroes: 8,398
- Honorstates.org: 7,046
- http://iagenweb.org/wwii/: 7,213