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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Dead > Roster Records > Roster Br-Bz, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 11 Feb 2025
Part 4/27 of the Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 30 "Br-Bz" records
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† Braden, Clyde Edward, SN 37-656-928, US Army, Montgomery Co. & Adams Co., NE.
† Braden, Grant Nathaniel, SN 0-690-177, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.
† Braden, William Court, SN 37-465-735, US Army, Montgomery Co. & Adams Co., NE.
Braden Family Notes:
† Bradley, Donald James, SN 648-39-86, US Navy, Pott. Co.
† Branstiter, Daniel Starr, SN O-351,249, US Naval Aviation, Pott. & Shelby Cos.
† Brazzle, Delbert Sherman, SN 37-468-247, US Army, Douglas Co., NE
† Breeling, Clifford Oral, SN 37-421-037, US Army, Harrison Co.
† Briggs, Earl Eddie, SN 17-011-280, US Army, Pott. Co.
† Briggs, Orval Pershing, SN 321-39-62, US Navy, Montgomery Co.
† Briley, Harold Vinton, SN 860-48-29, US Navy, Fremont Co.
† Brislin, James E., SN 35-919-752, US Army, Cuyahoga Co., OH
† Brodie, Walter, SN 321-61-44, US Navy, Cook Co., IL & Audubon Co.
† Broman, Donald Norris, SN 37-485-648, US Army, Los Angeles Co., CA & York Co., NE
† Broman, Floyd Leroy, SN 39-691-053, US Army Air Force, Los Angeles Co., CA & York Co., NE.
about Donald and Floyd Broman:
† Brown, Bernard Christian, SN 37-197-728, US Army Air Force, Audubon & Shelby Cos.
† Brown, Cecil LeRoy, SN 37-697-684, US Army, Cass Co.
† Brown, Gerald Keith, SN 620-11-60, US Navy, Cass Co.
† Brown, Ralph Ray, SN 17-019-024, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
† Browning, William Albert, SN 37-489-019, US Army, Harrison & Shelby Cos.
† Broz, Albert James, SN 37-490-921, US Army, Webster & Pott. Cos.
† Brunk, Edwin Samuel, SN 859-18-62, US Navy, Polk & Pott. Cos.
† Bryson, Robert D., SN 988,708, US Marine Corps, Montgomery Co.
† Buffington, Charles Rollin III, SN 0-461-238, US Army, Mills Co.
† Bull, Lester Orville, SN 37-260-503, US Army, Montgomery Co.
† Burch, Robert Joseph, SN 37-478-134, US Army, Harrison Co.
† Burd, Ross Darwin, SN 17-038-346, US Army Air Force, Shelby Co.
† Burke, Vernon Clifford Jr., SN 17-068-043, US Army Air Force, Audubon Co.
† Busey, Robert William, SN 37-467-059, US Army, Pott. Co.
† Butler, Ralph Joseph, SN 37-420-384, US Army, Woodbury & Monona. Cos.
† Butts, Amos Albert, SN 816-85-59, US Navy, Fremont Co.
- b. 22 Sep 1922 Elliott, Montgomery Co.; s/o Frank I. Braden & Annie A. Graves, both b. Montgomery Co.
- entered service 26 Jan 1943 from Hastings, Adams Co., NE; service credited to Adams Co., NE; buried Evergreen Cem., Red Oak, Montgomery Co.
- 346th Inf. Regt., 87th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, Third Army; KIA 2 Mar 1945 near Ormont, NW of Prüm, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
- The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > VIII Corps to Prüm.
- Notes: Posthumous Silver Star recipient.
† Braden, Grant Nathaniel, SN 0-690-177, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.
- b. 23 Dec 1918 rural Griswold, Waveland Twp., Pott. Co.; s/o Paul Braden (b. Montgomery Co.) & Esther H. Trued (b. Saunders Co., NE); family moved from Waveland Twp. to Red Oak, Montgomery Co. in early 1920s.
- entered service 17 Oct 1942 from Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; service credited to Montgomery Co.; buried Jefferson Barracks Natl. Cem., St. Louis, MO.
- 597th Bomb. Sqdn., 397th Bomb. Gp., Ninth Air Force; Martin B-26 Marauder #42-96162 Dottie Dee pilot; KIA 30 Jan 1945 near Courtisols, SE of Reims, Marne, France; aircraft crashed in a snowstorm returning from a weather reconnaissance mission; crew of four all died.
- The ETO > ETO Air War > Ninth Air Force.
† Braden, William Court, SN 37-465-735, US Army, Montgomery Co. & Adams Co., NE.
- b. 1 Apr 1921 Elliott, Montgomery Co.; s/o Frank I. Braden & Annie A. Graves, both b. Montgomery Co.
- married Norene J. Klosen of Logan Co., NE Mar 1943 in Pulaski Co., AR, one child.
- entered service 2 Dec 1942 from Hastings, Adams Co., NE; service credited to Montgomery Co.; buried Evergreen Cem., Red Oak, Montgomery Co..
- Co. D, 415th Inf. Regt., 104th Inf. Div., VII Corps, First Army; KIA 26 Feb 1945 near Roer River, north of Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- Operation Grenade - The ETO > To The Rhine > Ops. Veritable & Grenade.
Braden Family Notes:
- Grant Braden was a second cousin of brothers Clyde and William Braden, whose father, Frank Braden, ran a road construction company. The Frank Braden family moved from Elliott to Red Oak in the early 1930s, lived in Chariton, Lucas Co. in 1940, and moved to Hastings, NE in late 1942. In the Hastings, Nebraska area, the Braden company helped construct the WWII Hastings Naval Ammunition Depot. After WWII, the remainder of the Frank Braden family returned to the Red Oak area.
† Bradley, Donald James, SN 648-39-86, US Navy, Pott. Co.
- b. 29 May 1913 Diagonal, Ringgold Co.; s/o James H. Bradley (d. 1921) & Edith C. Conley (b. Ringgold Co.); mother married George A. Thomas (b. Cook Co., IL; d. 1941) 1922; family lived in Co. Bluffs.
- entered service 25 Jul 1942 from Co. Bluffs; next of kin mother, Mrs. Edith Cora Thomas, 2609 Avenue C, Council Bluffs, IA; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
- Attack Transport USS McCawley (APA-4); KIA 30 Jun 1943 off Rendova, Solomon Is.; McCawley disabled by Japanese aircraft torpedo and then abandoned, 15 died; McCawley accidentally sunk that night by US PT boats.
- South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War.
† Branstiter, Daniel Starr, SN O-351,249, US Naval Aviation, Pott. & Shelby Cos.
- b. 21 Jan 1922 Sumner, Dawson Co., NE; s/o Daniel E. Branstiter & Blanche M. Snodgrass; both b. Nemaha Co., NE; family moved to Pleasant Twp., Pott. Co. in late 1920s and later to Shelby, Shelby Co.
- worked in Humboldt Co. in 1942.
- entered service 21 Aug 1942 from Humboldt, Humboldt Co.; buried Shelby Cem., Shelby, Shelby Co.
- Naval Air Photographic Sqdn. VD-2 detachment, Photographic Reconnaissance Training School, Naval Air Field, New Cumberland, Cumberland Co., PA; d. 17 Jul 1944, Perry Co., PA; collision of two training aircraft.
† Brazzle, Delbert Sherman, SN 37-468-247, US Army, Douglas Co., NE
- b. 3 Aug 1915 York, York Co., NE; s/o Philip S. Brazzle & Ina Pelser, both b. Washington Co., KS.; parents divorced; mother moved children to Omaha in 1920s.
- entered service from Omaha; service credited to Douglas Co., NE; buried Forest Lawn Cem., Omaha.
- Co. A, 501st Parachute Inf. Regt., 101st Airborne Div.; KIA 17 Sep 1944 over Retie, 30 miles east of Antwerp, Belgium; Douglas C-47A Skytrain/Dakota #42-100981 shot down by flak; ive crew and ten army airborne pathfinders heading for the Market Garden drop zone north of Eindhoven, Netherlands all 15 died.
- The ETO > War of Attrition > Netherlands, 1944.
- Notes: Delbert Brazzle's nephew, Gerald Steward, also appears in the Pottawattamie Area Dead roster.
† Breeling, Clifford Oral, SN 37-421-037, US Army, Harrison Co.
- b. 25 Sep 1909 Nevinville, Adams Co.; s/o David L. Breeling (b. Putnam Co., OH) & Mary M. Worley (b. Smith Co., KS); family moved to Little Sioux, Harrison Co. before 1916.
- married Vivian R. Saben of Burlington, Des Moines Co., two children, divorced.
- prior military service 1930-31 with Troop F, 14th Cavalry Regt.; entered service 1942; service credited to Harrison Co.; buried Little Sioux Cem., Harrison Co.
- stationed at Fort Crook, Bellevue, NE; d. 31 Jul 1942 soon after entering service; d. University of Nebraska Hospital, Omaha.
† Briggs, Earl Eddie, SN 17-011-280, US Army, Pott. Co.
- b. 29 Aug 1912 Willow T., Monona Co.; s/o Ernest C. Briggs (b. Fremont Co.; d. 1943) & Gertrude Eva Reed; family moved to Crescent Twp., Pott. Co. before 1920 and to Co. Bluffs before 1940.
- married Grace Campin of Co. Bluffs Jun 1931 at Glenwood, Mills Co., two stepchildren by her previous marriages, divorced.
- enlisted 7 Sep 1940 from Pott. Co.; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
- HQ, Coast Artillery, Manila & Subic Bay harbor defenses, Luzon, Philippines; POW Philippines 1942; DNB 9 Mar 1944, Osaka Main Camp, Chikko, Osaka, Honshu, Japan.
- Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost.
† Briggs, Orval Pershing, SN 321-39-62, US Navy, Montgomery Co.
- b. 17 Sep 1918 Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; s/o Romania P. Briggs (b. Wayne Co.) & Sarah E. McKnight (b. Chautauqua Co., KS).
- married Gladys June Vannausdle of Montgomery Co. Mar1941 by telephone; she was in Red Oak and he was in Bremerton, WA, one child.
- entered service 6 Mar 1940 from Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; next of kin mother, Mrs. Romain P. Briggs, 605 West Washington, Red Oak, IA; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
- USS Atlanta (CL-51); KIA 13 Nov 1942 Ironbottom Sound north of Guadalcanal; ship scuttled after extensive damage during nighttime action from a Japanese torpedo, Japanese gunfire and friendly fire from the USS San Francisco; 172 crew members plus an unknown number of Admiral Scott's staff died.
- First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War.
† Briley, Harold Vinton, SN 860-48-29, US Navy, Fremont Co.
- b. 13 Jul 1910 Pacific Jct., Mills Co.; s/o William F. Briley & Ellen J. Ames, both b. Fremont Co.; family lived in Riverside & Scott Twps., Fremont Co.
- married Lela C. Winkler of Fremont Co. Oct 1940 in Co. Bluffs, one child.
- entered service 13 Apr 1944 from Rt. 2, Farragut, Fremont Co.; next of kin wife, Mrs. Lele (sic) Catherine Briley, R. R. No. 2, Farragut, IA; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines; cenotaph Sidney Cem., Fremont Co.
- Cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35); KIA 30 Jul 1945 in the Philippine Sea en route from Guam to Leyte; Indianapolis sunk by Japanese submarine I-58; 879 died, 316 survived.
- Naval War with Japan > Third & Fifth Fleets.
† Brislin, James E., SN 35-919-752, US Army, Cuyahoga Co., OH
- b. 22 Aug 1909 or 9 Sep 1910 Co. Bluffs s/o Patrick Brislin & Bridget Kilday, both b. Ireland; family moved to Toledo, Lucas Co., OH in late 1910s.
- entered service at Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH 26 Oct 1943; service credited to Cuyahoga Co., OH; buried Epinal American Cem., SE of Epinal, Lorraine, France.
- 143rd Inf. Regt., 36th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 23 Nov 1944 near Vencheres, south of St. Die, Vosges Dept., Lorraine, France.
- The ETO > War of Attrition > Alsace/Seventh Army.
- Notes: James E. Brislin's older brother, John Brislin, killed Robert Limerick in 1915 in the Wickham brickyard blacksmith shop in Co. Bluffs. This was the first of four shooting deaths involving the Limerick family, including Tom Limerick's failed escape from Alcatraz Prison in 1938 and ending with the shooting of Robert Limerick's daughter-in-law, Louise (Bertelsen) Limerick, a Boomer Township native, in 1972.
† Brodie, Walter, SN 321-61-44, US Navy, Cook Co., IL & Audubon Co.
- b. 5 Apr 1917 Kenosha, Kenosha Co., WI; s/o James G. Brodie (b. Scotland) & Anna Schneider (b. Germany; d. 1927); father married Mary Heuss of Ross, Audubon Co. 1936; Walter came to Audubon Co. Jan 1939.
- entered service 27 Feb 1941 from Rt. 2, Audubon; next of kin father, Mr. James Gladstone Brodie, 3013 Keating St., Chicago, IL; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
- Destroyer USS Sims (DD-409); KIA 8 May 1943 Coral Sea; 15 survivors from 252-man crew.
- Japan Overreaches > Battle of Coral Sea.
† Broman, Donald Norris, SN 37-485-648, US Army, Los Angeles Co., CA & York Co., NE
- b. 19 Aug 1918 York Co., NE.
- married Clarice V. Norton of Mills Co. Apr 1940 in California.
- entered service at unknown date; service credited to Mills Co.; body not recovered; memorialized Tablets of the Missing, Normandy American Cem., Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.
- 746th Tank Bn., attached to 83rd Inf. Div.; KIA/FOD 11 Jul 1944 south of Carentan, Manche Dept., Normandy, France.
- The ETO > Normandy Campaign > Normandy, July 1944.
† Broman, Floyd Leroy, SN 39-691-053, US Army Air Force, Los Angeles Co., CA & York Co., NE.
- b. 19 Mar 1923 York Co., NE.
- entered service entered service 29 Dec 1942 at Fresno, Fresno Co., CA; service credited to Los Angeles Co., CA; buried Grandview Cem., Glendale, Los Angeles Co., CA.
- 709th Bomb. Sqdn., 447th Bomb Gp., Eighth Air Force, based 15 miles NW of Ipswich at Rattlesdon, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #44-6027 radio operator or waist gunner with pilot William C. Hoyer; KIA 29 Jun 1944 over Saxony, Germany; aircraft hit by anti-aircraft artillery flak south of Leipzig over the oil refinery target of Böhlen; craft exploded and crashed eight miles east of Altenburg; eight crew members died; bombardier & tail gunner survived.
- The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.
about Donald and Floyd Broman:
- sons of Harlan F. Broman & Pearl E. Cox, both b. York Co., NE. Donald and Floyd moved with their parents and siblings from York Co. to Glendale, Los Angeles Co., CA in the late 1930s.
† Brown, Bernard Christian, SN 37-197-728, US Army Air Force, Audubon & Shelby Cos.
- b. 25 May 1915 Clay Twp., Shelby Co.; s/o Martin O. Brown (b. Cass Co.) & Meta M. Hansen (b. Audubon Co.); family moved to Oakfield Twp., Audubon Co. before 1920 and to Jackson Twp., Shelby Co. in early 1930s.
- entered service 2 Jun 1942 from rural Kimballton, Audubon Co., service credited to Shelby Co.; buried Elk Horn Cem., Shelby Co.
- 337th Fighter Sqdn., 329th Fighter Gp., training Lockheed P-38 Lightning pilots, stationed at Paine Field, Everett, WA; Lockheed B-34A Ventura/Lexington #AJ-405 radio operator with pilot William W. Smith; d. 24 Sep 1943 Port Angeles, Clallam Co., WA; engine failure during takeoff at Port Angeles Coast Guard Station, aircraft veered off runway and burst into flames, all five died.
- Note: The aircraft on which Bernard C. Brown died had an unusual identifier of AJ-405, reflecting the fact that this aircraft was part of an order originally placed by the British Royal Air Force.
† Brown, Cecil LeRoy, SN 37-697-684, US Army, Cass Co.
- b. 22 Jun 1917 Griswold, Cass Co.; s/o Charles D. Brown (b. Harlan Co., NE) & Mary E. Peebles (b. Lee Co., IL).
- married Velma Pearl Perdue of the Griswold area Feb 1940 in Griswold, Cass Co., two children.
- entered service 30 May 1944 from Griswold, Cass Co.; service credited to Cass Co.; buried Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, SE of Liege, Belgium.
- 23rd Inf. Regt., 2nd Inf. Div. (23rd Inf. Regt. was attached to 1st Inf. Div. at the time); KIA 24 Jan 1945 near St. Vith, Belgium.
- The ETO > Ardennes/The Bulge > The Bulge Eliminated.
† Brown, Gerald Keith, SN 620-11-60, US Navy, Cass Co.
- b. 24 Oct 1916 Atlantic, Cass Co.; s/o Clarence E. Brown (b. Boone Co.) & Bernice M. Thompson (b. Iowa).
- entered service Dec 1941 from Rt. 3, Atlantic, Cass Co.; next of kin father, Mr. Clarence Edwin Brown, RFD 3, Atlantic, IA; buried at sea; memorialized Tablets of the Missing, North Africa American Cem., Carthage, Tunisia; cenotaph Oakwood Cem., Lewis, Cass Co.
- Attack Cargo Ship USS Almaack (AKA-19); KIA 15 Nov 1942 off Portugal; Almaack had participated in Operation Torch landings in North Africa and was in convoy to Great Britain when damaged by torpedo from German U-Boat U-155; four died; Buried at Sea.
- WWII Germany > Battle of the Atlantic.
† Brown, Ralph Ray, SN 17-019-024, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
- b. 14 Jan 1917 Neola, Pott. Co.; s/o Ralph W. Brown (b. Stephenson Co., IL) & Hazel R. Peck (b. Neola Twp., Pott. Co.).
- entered service 31 Jul 1941 from Neola, Pott. Co.; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
- Hq. Sqdn. 27th Bomb Gp. (medium), Philippines (their aircraft never arrived); POW Philippines 1942; DNB 11 May 1942, POW Camp #4, O’Donnell, Tarlac, Luzon, Philippines, malaria.
- Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost.
† Browning, William Albert, SN 37-489-019, US Army, Harrison & Shelby Cos.
- b. 3 Mar 1919 Flat River, St. Francois Co., MO; s/o John C. Browning (b. Jefferson Co., KY) & Luella M. Hagen (b. Union Co., SD); family moved to rural Woodbine, Harrison Co. 1920.
- moved with brother from Woodbine area to Los Angeles, CA late 1930s; married Ruby Maxine Olsen of Irwin, Shelby Co. Jan 1943 in Kansas City, KS, one child.
- entered service 6 Jan 1944 from Co. Bluffs, service credited to Shelby Co.; buried Lorraine American Cem., St. Avold, Lorraine, France.
- Co. K, 22nd Inf. Regt., 4th Inf. Div.; KIA 5 Apr 1945 near Ochsenfurt, SE of Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany.
- The ETO > Central Europe > Central Germany.
† Broz, Albert James, SN 37-490-921, US Army, Webster & Pott. Cos.
- b. 18 May 1926 Fort Dodge, Webster Co.; s/o James Broz & Christine Pessica, both b. Bohemia.
- employed in Co. Bluffs in 1944; married Minnie Marie Nicholson of Fort Dodge Jan 1944 in Pott. Co., one child.
- entered service about Jun 1944 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Natl. Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI.
- 306th Inf. Regt., 77th Inf. Div.; KIA 1 May 1945, Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan; died instantly when struck by mortar shell near Shuri.
- Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Land Battle of Okinawa.
† Brunk, Edwin Samuel, SN 859-18-62, US Navy, Polk & Pott. Cos.
- b. 24 Dec 1924 rural Oakland, Center Twp., Pott. Co.; s/o Ferd Brunk (b. Davis Co.) & Ethel M. Bergstrom (b. Henderson Co., IL); family moved from Pott. Co. to Des Moines in early 1930s.
- entered service 25 Mar 1943 from Des Moines; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brunk, 3110 E. 24th St., Des Moines, IA; body not recovered; memorialized Courts of the Missing, Natl Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI; cenotaph Whipple Cem., Wright Twp., Pott. Co.
- Escort Carrier USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56), Task Force 52; KIA 24 Nov 1943 near Makin Atoll, Gilbert Is.; Japanese submarine I-175 sank Liscome Bay during the US Tarawa/Makin invasion; 702 died, 272 survived.
- Naval War with Japan > Third & Fifth Fleets.
† Bryson, Robert D., SN 988,708, US Marine Corps, Montgomery Co.
- b. 4 Oct 1925 Nodaway Twp., Taylor Co.; s/o Alfred J. Bryson & Bertha J. Shafer, both b. Montgomery Co.; family moved to rural Villisca, Montgomery Co. in late 1920s.
- entered service 27 Jun 1944 from Rt. 2, Villisca, Montgomery Co.; next of kin parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Bryson, Rt. 2, Villisca, IA; buried Grant Cem., Montgomery Co.
- Temporarily assigned at Hilo, Hawaii to a Marine Corps unit on the USS Athene (AKA-22) cargo ship to load and unload cargo for the Iwo Jima invasion; after completing Athene unloading on 28 Feb 1945, assigned to Co. I, 26th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 13 Mar 1945 on Iwo Jima.
- Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Buffington, Charles Rollin III, SN 0-461-238, US Army, Mills Co.
- b. 26 Sep 1919 Boise, Ada Co., ID; s/o Charles R. Buffington Jr. (b. Mills Co.) & Irene M. Griggs (b. Yolo Co., CA); family moved to rural Glenwood, Mills Co. in the mid 1920s.
- entered service 8 Jun 1942 from Rt. 3, Glenwood, Mills Co.; service credited to Mills Co.; buried Glenwood Cem.
- Hq. Battery, 189th Field Artillery Bn., 45th Inf. Div., Camp Pickett, Nottaway Co., VA; d. 11 Apr 1943 at Camp Pickett; light aircraft he was flying lost control and crashed.
† Bull, Lester Orville, SN 37-260-503, US Army, Montgomery Co.
- b. 18 Nov 1921 Hastings, Mills Co.; s/o Charles O. Bull & Nettie M. Margerum (d. 1939), both b. Montgomery Co.; family moved to Villisca, Montgomery Co. before 1924.
- entered service 24 Aug 1942 from Villisca, Montgomery Co.; serviced credited to Montgomery Co.; buried Nodaway Cem., Adams Co.
- Co. B., 27th Replacement Bn., New Caledonia, South Pacific; DNB 21 Aug 1943 from concussion in a truck accident.
- WWII Japan > The Pacific Bases.
† Burch, Robert Joseph, SN 37-478-134, US Army, Harrison Co.
- b. 18 Feb 1924 Meadow Grove, Madison Co., NE; s/o Harold H. Burch (b. Washington Co., OK) & Bane E. Cress (b. Smyth Co., VA); family moved to Logan, Harrison Co. late 1920s.
- entered service 9 Apr 1943 from Missouri Valley, Harrison Co.; service credited to Harrison Co.; buried Golden Gate Natl. Cem., San Bruno, San Mateo Co., CA.
- 194th Glider Inf. Regt., 17th Airborne Div.; KIA 24 Mar 1945 in Landing Zone S, east of Rhine River, north of Wesel, Rhineland-Westphalia, Germany.
- Operation Varsity - The ETO > Central Europe > Crossing the Rhine.
† Burd, Ross Darwin, SN 17-038-346, US Army Air Force, Shelby Co.
- b. 19 Feb 1921 Des Moines; s/o Cecil R. Burd & Mary Blanche Carter, both b. Madison Co.; parents divorced; lived at Elim orphanage, Elk Horn, Shelby Co. with his three brothers for much of his childhood.
- farmhand living with Viggo Nielsen family in Clay Twp., Shelby Co. in 1940; entered service 30 Dec 1941 from Rt. 2, Exira, Audubon Co.; service credited to Webster Co., reason unknown; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
- 403rd Bomb. Sqdn., 43rd Bomb. Gp., Fifth Air Force; based at Jackson Drome, aka 7 Mile Drome, near Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea; Consolidated B-24D Liberator #42-40934 gunner with pilot Hughie R. Bonner; KIA/FOD 13 Oct 1943; aircraft crashed near Amphlett Islands north of Milne Bay, Papua on mission to Rabaul, Bismarck Is.; crew of 10 all died.
- Air Force War with Japan > Fifth Air Force.
† Burke, Vernon Clifford Jr., SN 17-068-043, US Army Air Force, Audubon Co.
- b. 15 Aug 1923 Rockwell City, Calhoun Co. s/o Vernon C. Burke Sr. (b. Merrick Co., NE) & Marguarite A. Munsell (b. Michigan); family moved to Carroll Co. in the 1920s and to Audubon Co. in the early 1930s.
- entered service 5 Jul 1942 from Audubon, Audubon Co.; service credited to Audubon Co.; buried Netherlands American Cem., Margraten, SE of Maastricht, Netherlands.
- 548th Bomb. Sqdn., 38th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force based at Great Ashfield, 10 miles east of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17 #42-31847 Flying Fortress tail gunner with pilot Howard M. Worster; KIA 12 May 1944 2 miles west of Langenhain-Ziegenberg & 6 miles west of Bad Nauheim, Hesse, Germany; aircraft attacked by Luftwaffe fighters & crashed; nine died from crew of ten.
- The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.
† Busey, Robert William, SN 37-467-059, US Army, Pott. Co.
- b. 23 Apr 1923 Co. Bluffs; s/o Leslie T. Busey (b. Nebraska) & Maude Miller; family moved to Woodbury Ave. in rural Co. Bluffs before 1925; parents divorced in 1940s.
- married Leatrice Bankus of Marysville, CA, formerly of Co. Bluffs, Aug 1942 in Rock Port, Atchison Co., MO, one child.
- entered service 12 Sep 1942 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Netherlands American Cem., Margraten, SE of Maastricht, Netherlands.
- 821st Tank Destroyer Bn., 29th Inf. Div.; DNB 27 Jun 1945 Deichshausen, north of Bremen, Germany, accidental gunshot wound.
- The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
† Butler, Ralph Joseph, SN 37-420-384, US Army, Woodbury & Monona. Cos.
- b. 5 Dec 1906 rural Oakland, Pott. Co.; s/o Uriah Butler (b. Keokuk Co.; d. 1931) & Rosina Fussner (b. Adams Co., IN; d. 1943); family lived in Kennebec Twp., Monona Co. in 1910, in Francis Twp., Holt Co., NE, and Jordan Twp., Monona Co. in 1925.
- married Bonnie Myers of Rodney, Monona Co., divorced.
- entered service 22 Jun 1942 from Sioux City, Woodbury Co.; service credited to Woodbury Co.; buried Mt. Hope Cem., Mapleton, Monona Co.
- HQ, 1277th Service Command Service Unit, Pine Camp, now Fort Drum, Jefferson Co., NY; d. 30 Sep 1944 Boonville, Oneida Co., NY, struck by automobile while walking.
† Butts, Amos Albert, SN 816-85-59, US Navy, Fremont Co.
- b. 10 Jun 1923 Shenandoah, Fremont Co.; s/o William A. Butts (b. Ringgold Co.) & Rena J. Mott (b. Carroll Co., MO).
- entered service Dec 1941 from Farragut, Fremont Co.; next of kin father, Mr. William Albert Butts, Farragut, IA; buried Keokuk Natl. Cem., Keokuk, Lee Co.
- Destroyer USS Selfridge (DD-357); KIA 6 Oct 1943 off Vella Levella Is., Solomon Is.; Selfridge damaged by Japanese torpedo; 49 died.
- Battle of Vella Levella - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War.