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Records for Big Pigeon's Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster  - part 4/17, D, 28 names.
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† Dammrow, Stanley Arnold, SN 17-030-323, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 26 Jan 1923 Carson, Pott. Co.; s/o Detlef A. Dammrow & Grace M. Patterson (d. 1936); entered service Feb 1941 from Co. Bluffs.
  • Hq. Sqdn., V Interceptor Cmd., Luzon, Philippines; POW Philippines 1942; DNB Nov 1942, Cabanatuan POW Camp, Nueva Ecija Prov., Luzon, Philippines, dysentery; Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost; BNR. 

† Daughtrey/Daugherty, Gilbert Pryor, SN 701-04-70, US Navy, Jackson Co., MO & Pott. Co.
  • b. 1 Sep 1918 Wellsville, Montgomery Co., MO; s/o John R. Daughtrey (d. 1935) & Virginia S. Harris; lived in Independence, Jackson Co., MO; mother Co. Bluffs resident in 1940s.
  • Submarine USS Growler (SS 215); KIA 8 Nov 1944, W of Manila Bay, Philippines, South China Sea; Growler likely sunk by Japanese depth charge, all 86 dead; Naval War with Japan > US Submarine Force; BNR.
  • Note: Military records sometimes use the spelling of Daugherty.

† Davenport, William Thomas Jr., SN 17-122-771, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 7 Apr 1922 Co. Bluffs; s/o William T. Davenport Sr. & Viola B. Shafer of Star Rt., Co. Bluffs; m. Helen L. Shearer, one child; entered service from Star Rt., Co. Bluffs.​
  • Crew #P-46, 62nd Bomb. Sqdn., 39th Bomb. Gp., XXI Bomber Cmd., Twentieth Air Force, based at North Field, Guam, Mariana Is.; Boeing B-29 Superfortress #44-69889 The Slic Chic right gunner w/ aircraft commander Edgar B. Grear; KIA 29 May 1945, 120 miles NE of Tori-Shima, S of Tokyo; aircraft hit by flak over Yokohama and ditched, four dead, eight survivors; Japan Overpowered > Strategic Air War/Japan; BNR.

† Davis, August William Jr., SN 17-003-658, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 6 Sep 1920 Shenandoah, Page Co.; s/o August W. Davis Sr. & Gladys M. Vaughn, family moved to Co. Bluffs in the early 1930s; entered service 3 Oct 1940 from Co. Bluffs.
  • 792nd Bomb. Sqdn., 468 Bomb. Gp., XX Bomber Cmd., Twentieth Air Force, based at Kalaikunda AAB, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India; Boeing B-29 Superfortress #42-6230 Limber Duggan tail gunner w/ aircraft commander Dushan V. Ivanovic, staging from Pengshan, near Chengdu, China; KIA 15 Jun 1944, near Yawata, Kyushu, Japan; plane was part of the first B-29 raid on Japan; mission consisted of 68 aircraft included 11 correspondents; plane damaged over target & exploded; all eleven crew and Newsweek correspondent William T. Shenkel died; this was the first B-29 lost over Japan, however three other B-29s on this mission went down returning to base; Operation Matterhorn -  Japan Overpowered > Strategic Air War/Japan; BNR.

† Davis, Willard Henry, SN 37-460-144, US Army, Montgomery Co. & Fremont Co., WY
  • b. 24 Jul 1923 Denver, CO; s/o Charles L. Davis (d. 1943) & Bessie P. Means; living w/ a foster family in Kansas City, MO in 1930; living w/ parents in Fremont Co., WY in 1935; working on a federal dam project in 1940; working for C. H. Turner in Red Oak, Montgomery Co. in 1942; service credited to Montgomery Co., date of service entry unknown; bur. Jefferson Barracks Nat'l Cem., St. Louis, MO.
  • original member of Co. A, 508th Parachute Inf. Regt., 82nd Airborne Div., organized 4 Nov 1943 at Camp Mackall,, NC; on 17 Sep 1944 parachuted from burning C-47A #42-101004 near Groesbeek, Netherlands; KIA 19 Sep 1944 near Nijmegen, Netherlands; Battle of Nijmegen portion of Operation Market-Garden - The ETO > War of Attrition > Netherlands 1944.

† Dea, James David, SN 325990, US Naval Aviation, Pott. & Shelby Cos.
  • b. 24 Aug 1921 Pleasant T., Pott. Co.; s/o William B. Dea & Cecelia H. Dargin of Pleasant Twp., rural Shelby; entered service 25 Nov 1942 from rural Shelby; bur. Graceland Cem., Avoca, Pott. Co.
  • Naval Air Patrol Sqdn. VP-21; training at Harvey Point Navy Auxiliary Air Station, Queen Anne Co., NC; Martin PBM-3D Mariner BuNo 45263 crew member w/ pilot Farquhar Macrae Jr.; DNB 31 May 1944 in Princess Anne Co., Virginia near Harvey Pt.; plane stalled during practice bombing run; all nine dead.

† Decker, Charles Earl, SN 37-750-378, US Army, Harrison & Mills Cos.
  • b. 18 Nov 1918 Silver City, Mills Co.; s/o Archibald P. Decker & Viva Marie Hunt; moved to Harrison Co. in late 1930s; m. Vera Isora Little of Harrison Co. 1940, two children; entered service 18 Aug 1944 from Silver City, service credited to Harrison Co.; bur. Silver City Cem.
  • HQ Co., 1st Bn., 39th Inf. Regt., 9th Inf. Div., III Corps, First Army; DNB 28 Feb 1945 Udingen, S of Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany;  The ETO > To the Rhine > Ops Veritable & Grenade.
† Decker, Richard Charles, SN 17-017-220, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 11 Mar 1922 Co. Bluffs; s/o Arthur W. Decker & Matilda De Frees of Co. Bluffs; entered service 4 Feb 1941 from Co. Bluffs.
  • Detachment, 69th Bomb. Sqdn., 38th Bomb. Gp., based at Hickam Field, Oahu, Hawaii Territory & deployed to Midway Is., Hawaii Territory 29 May 1942; Martin B-26B Marauder #41-17570 nose gunner w/ pilot William S. Watson; KIA 4 Jun 1942 off Midway Is.; low-level torpedo attack by four Marauders on Japanese fleet, two planes lost, each w/ crew of seven, no survivors, remaining planes damaged; Japan Overreaches > Battle of Midway; BNR.

† Deffenbaugh, Lyle Joseph, SN O-288505, US Army, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE
  • b. 7 Jun 1910 Co. Bluffs; s/o Joseph E. Deffenbaugh (d. 1918) & Frances M. Roberts; m. Helen Lorkovic of Omaha 1935; entered service 11 Feb 1941 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Keokuk Nat’l Cem., Keokuk, Lee Co.
  • C.O. 1st Bn., 6th Armored Inf. Regt., 1st Armored Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 28 May 1944 near Artena, Lazio, SE of Rome, Italy; shell hit Bn. command post; The MTO > Italy > Cassino to Rome.
  • Notes: Took over 1st Bn., 6th Armored Inf. Regt. in Mar 1943 after Lt. Col. William B. Kern was wounded at Maknassy, Tunisia. Silver Star (North Africa), posthumous Distinguished Service Cross.

† Deitchler, Edgar Kay, SN 37-118-985, US Army, Mills Co.
  • b. 27 Mar 1913 Oak Twp., Mills Co.; s/o Louis F. Deitchler and Helen Kay (d. 1940); entered service 23 Mar 1942 from Glenwood, Mills Co.; bur. Normandy American Cem., Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.
  • 357th Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div.; KIA 17 Jun 1944, near Gourbesville, W. of St. Mere Eglise, Normandy, France; The ETO > Normandy Campaign > Normandy, June 1944.

† Delaney, Harlan Albert, SN 37-487-707, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 20 Oct 1924 Pymosa Twp., rural Atlantic, Cass Co.; s/o George W. Delaney & Elsie M. Belding; family lived in Marne area in 1930, moving to Montgomery Co. in early 1930s; entered service 8 Dec 1943 from Villisca, Montgomery Co.; bur. Villisca Cem.
  • 279th Replacement Co., Corps of Engineers; DNB 15 Oct 1944 Oro Bay, Papua, New Guinea; laryngitis & tracheobronchitis; WWII-Japan > The Pacific Bases.​

† Delong, Lloyd E., SN 37-117-114, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 26 Jun 1907/08 Leon, Decatur Co.; s/o Charles Delong & Flossie Lindsay who moved to Co., Bluffs in the early 1920s; m. Virginia R. Heck, three adopted children, one dau.; entered service 9 Mar 1942 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Golden Gate Nat'l Cem., San Bruno, San Mateo Co., CA.
  • 409th Bomb. Gp., Ninth Air Force, flying Douglas A-26 Invaders, based at Bretigny, S of Paris, France; DNB 3 Nov 1944 at Fleury-Mérogis, near Paris; head injuries from falling from a moving truck; The ETO > ETO Air War.

† Delph, Everette Melvin, SN 37-754-300, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 23 Jun 1926 Shelby, Shelby Co.; s/o Ralph Ray Delph & Ethel E. Cunningham; enlisted 23 Jun 1944, entered service 20 Oct 1944 from Shelby; bur. Shelby Cem.
  • Co. E, 152nd Inf. Regt., 38th Inf. Div; KIA 18 May 1945, Barangka Rizal, E of Manila, Luzon, Philippines; killed by a grenade during a Japanese counterattack; Philippines Liberated > Luzon.

† Denison, Paul Marsh, SN 20-706-336, US Army, Cass Co.
  • b. 28 Oct 1918 Anita, Cass Co.; s/o George E. Denison & Elva L. Marsh; family lived in rural Wiota, Franklin Twp., Cass Co., moving to Sauk Center, MN in early 1920s and returning to Franklin Twp. in early 1930s; entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Atlantic, Cass Co.; bur. Cass Co.
  • Co. K (Atlantic), 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., II Corps; KIA 8 Nov 1942 Algiers, Algeria; The MTO > North Africa > Operation Torch.

† Denton, Claude Ballentine, SN 648-65-29, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 14 Mar 1906 Marne, Cass Co.; s/o Fred A. Denton (d. 1939) & Anna L. Ballentine; family moved to Harlan, Shelby Co. bef. 1910 & to Co. Bluffs in late 1920s; m. Clara L. Synak 1936 (div.), one child; entered service 12 Oct 1942 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Evergreen Cem., Anita, Cass Co.
  • Destroyer USS Cony (DD 508); KIA 27 Oct 1943, during US invasion of Treasury Is., S. of Bougainville, Solomon Is.; Cony damaged by Japanese air attack, eight dead; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War.

† Deputy, Charles Dean, SN 940539, US Marine Corps, Pott. Co.
  • b. 26 Jan 1926 Co. Bluffs; s/o David S. Deputy & Salome Buchholz (d. 1933) of Rt. 4, Co. Bluffs; entered service 15 Mar 1944 from Rt. 4, Co. Bluffs; bur. Nat’l Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI.
  • Co. I, 21st Marine Regt.; 3rd Marine Div.; DOW 24 Feb 1945, Iwo Jima, Japan; Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Battle of Iwo Jima.

† Dickinson, Earl Albert, SN 37-472-885, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • b. 8 Nov 1924 at Modale, Harrison Co.; s/o Morton R. Dickinson & Hettie M. Puffer; entered service 10 Feb 1943 from Modale; bur. Manila American Cem., Manila, Luzon, Philippines.
  • Co. C, 169th Inf. Regt., 43rd Inf. Div.; KIA 9 Jan 1945, Lingayen Gulf, Luzon; Philippines Liberated > Luzon.

† Dideriksen, Robert Warren, SN O-2044637, US Army Air Force, Pott. & Page Cos.
  • b. 16 Mar 1921 rural Neola, Pott. Co.; s/o Nels M. Dideriksen & Anna C. Hilstrum; family moved to Shenandoah, Page Co. 1931-34; entered service 19 Nov 1940 from Rt. 3, Shenandoah; bur. Normandy American Cem., Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.
  • 14th Photo Recon. Sqdn., 7th Recon. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Mount Farm, N of Dorchester, Oxfordshire, England; British Supermarine PR Mk XI Spitfire #PL790 pilot; KIA 15 Jun 1944 near Paris, France; shot down by German Me-109s; The ETO > ETO Air War.

† Dinesen, Harold N., SN 37-433-094, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 24 May 1921 Shelby Co.; s/o Jacob C. Dinesen & Patrina Nielsen (d. 1922); ss/o Hulda (Peterson) of rural Underwood, Pott. Co.; remained at home in Center Twp. E of Harlan before entering service 28 Sep 1942; bur. Harlan Cem., Shelby Co.
  • Battery C., 400th AAA AW Bn., Seventh Army; WIA (sic, local newspaper) 12 Mar 1945, DNB (sic, War Dept. report)) 15 Mar 1945 in hospital, France; The ETO > To the Rhine > Operation Undertone.
  • Notes: I know nothing about Sgt. Dinesen's injuries, and am arbitrarily assuming his death may have occurred during staging for Operation Undertone, which began on 15 March.

† Dixon, Cletus Hugh, SN 620-16-09, US Navy, Woodbury Co.
  • b. 20 Apr 1917 Boomer Twp., rural Neola, Pott. Co.; s/o John J. Dixon & Vera E. Clark; moved to rural Woodbury Co. bef. 1920; entered service 22 Dec 1941 from Moville, Harrison Co.
  • Destroyer USS De Haven (DD-469); KIA 1 Feb 1943 in Ironbound Sound, E of Savo Is., Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; De Haven sunk by Japanese bombs; 167 died, 146 survived; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.

† Dixon, Gene Willard, SN 38-006-349, US Army, Pott. Co. & Denver Co., CO
  • b. 12 Jun 1915 Co. Bluffs; s/o Roy F. Dixon (d. 1935) & Katherine Mulachy; m. Leverna Adeline Cook of Neola, Pott. Co. (div.), one child; entered service 31 Jan 1941 from Denver Co., CO; bur. Cedar Lawn Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • HQ Co., 157th Inf. Regt.; 45th Inf. Div.; IV Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 15 Dec 1943 near Conca Casale, W of Venafro & E of Cassino, southern Italy; The MTO > Italy > To the Gustav Line.

† Dodson, Harry John, SN 17-165-668, US Army, Mills Co.
  • b. 15 Sep 1922 Lincoln Twp., Montgomery Co.; s/o John G. Dodson & Emma L. Whitt; entered service 15 Dec 1942 from Rt. 1, Emerson, Mills Co.; bur. Emerson Cem.
  • HQ Co., 2nd Bn. 32nd Armored Inf. Regt., 3rd Armored Div.; KIA 13 Oct 1944 near Stolberg, E. of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; The ETO > War of Attrition > Rhineland 1944 > Aachen.

† Doggett, Clair Quentin, SN 37-267-573, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 13 May 1922 Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; s/o Ole A. Doggett & Elizabeth J. Houchin; entered service Oct 1942 from Red Oak; bur. Morton Mills Cem., Montgomery Co.
  • 132nd Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., II Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 8 Feb 1944 near Cassino, Lazio, Italy; First Battle of Monte Cassino - The MTO > Italy > Cassino/the Gustav Line.

† Donahoe, Joseph Robert, SN 6-553-362, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.
  • b. 29 Mar 1910 Griswold, Cass Co.; s/o Robert A. Donahoe & Maude E. Ruckman; entered service 8 Dec 1941 from Griswold; bur. Pleasant Twp. Cem., rural Griswold.
  • 32nd Technical School Sqdn., Chanute Field, Rantoul, Champaign Co., IL; d. 16 Jul 1942, heart failure caused by chronic alcoholism.

† Downs, Thomas George, SN O-745648, US Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 16 Oct 1919 rural Underwood, Pott. Co.; s/o Thomas L. Downs & Mary I. Pardee of rural Underwood; m. Martha M. Schorsch of Underwood; entered service 1942 from Rt. 1, Underwood; bur. Downsville Cem., rural Underwood.
  • 85th Troop Carrier Sqdn., 437th Troop Carrier Gp., Ninth Air Force, based at Ramsbury, Wiltshire, England; Douglas C-47A Skytrain/Dakota #43-15655 pilot; DNB 27 Aug 1944 at landing field ALG A-22 near Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France; crashed while landing, four dead; The ETO > ETO Air War.

† Drake, Eldon C., SN 37-403-963, US Army, Cass Co.
  • b. 5 Jul 1923 rural Walnut, Lincoln Twp., Pott. Co.; s/o Charles H. Drake & Eunice M. Osler; family moved to Atlantic, Cass Co. in late 1920s; entered service 15 Dec 1942 from Atlantic; bur. Atlantic Cem.
  • Co. B., 25th Tank Bn., 14th Armored Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army; attached to 36th Inf. Div. at time of death; KIA 7 Feb 1945 northern Alsace, France; The ETO > Alsace 1945 > Operation Nordwind.

† Duffy/Lein, Robert Eugene, served as Duffy Robert E & Lein Robert E, SN 17-197-256, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 2 Mar 1926 Corsica, Douglas Co., SD; s/o Lawrence D. Lein & Elfrieda Christensen (div. 1930s); family moved to Valley Jct., Polk Co. in late 1920s; mother married Edward P. Duffy and family moved to Co. Bluffs in late 1930s; entered service 2 Sep 1943 from Co. Bluffs as Robert L. Lein; bur. as Robert Lee Duffy, Memorial Park Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • unit unknown; DNB 16 Jan 1945, near The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR, auto accident.
  • Note: Appears twice in 1946 US Army list of Iowa dead, both with the same service number - Duffy Robert E and Lein Robert E.

† Dutton, Finley Jake, SN O-2001366, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 19 Aug 1923 Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; s/o Cecil O. Dutton & Ethel M. Billmeyer; entered service 14 Dec 1922 from Red Oak; cenotaph in Red Oak Cem.
  • 351st Bomb. Sqdn., 301st Bomb. Gp., Fifteenth Air Force, based at Lucera, near Foggia, Apulia, Italy; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-8390 Garbage Cannie navigator w/ pilot Ralph W. Sommers; KIA 4 Apr 1945 over Adriatic Sea; aircraft hit by antiaircraft fire over target of Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia & ditched in Adriatic  returning to base; crew of 10 exited plane; three swept off wing and drowned, seven rescued by Yugoslav partisans; The MTO > MTO Air War; BNR.