Pacific War Memorial
Pacific War Memorial
Source: website bigpigeon.us, webpage WW II Dead > The Roster > Roster-NO.
© 2021 by Robert A. "Bob" Christiansen, last update 29 Jan 2021, 21 names.

Pottawattamie County, Iowa Area WW II Dead Roster - part 7/11, N-O
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​† Napier, LaVerne Floyd, SN 37-262-712, US Army, Pott. Co. & Pennington Co., SD
  • b. 19 Aug 1921 Rapid City, Pennington Co., SD; s/o Thomas Napier & Bernice N. Davidson, family lived in Rapid City bef. WW II; LaVerne lived in Co. Bluffs in 1942; service credited to Pennington Co.; bur. Mountain View Cem., Rapid City.
  • Troop B, 8th Engineering Sqdn., 1st Cavalry Div.; KIA 6 Feb 1945 Manila, Luzon, Philippines; Battle of Manila - Philippines Liberated > Luzon.

​† Napier, Roy Hugh, SN O-769905, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • b. 20 Sep 1923 New York, NY; s/o Roy E. Foley & Lucille Miller; ss/o Joe N. Napier of Co. Bluffs; entered service 1 Feb 1943 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, Belgium.
  • 485th Fighter Sqdn., 370th Fighter Gp., 9th AF, based at Florennes-Juzaine, Belgium, ~70 miles S of Brussels; Lockheed P-38J Lightning #42-67822 pilot; KIA 3 Jan 1945; aircraft crash; The ETO > ETO Air War.

​† Narvis, Charles William, SN O-698999, USAAF, Muscatine Co.
  • b. 9 Feb 1922 Muscatine, Muscatine Co.; s/o Charles W. Narvis (Co. Bluffs resident after WW II) & Mae L. Mater (d. 1933); entered service 25 Jan 1943 from Muscatine; bur. Ardennes American Cem., Liege, Belgium.
  • 375th Fighter Sqdn., 361th Fighter Gp., 8th AF, based at Bottisham, Cambridgeshire, England; North American P-51 Mustang #44-14226 Babe pilot; KIA 2 Nov 1944 10 miles E of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany; The ETO > ETO Air War.

​† Nelson, Chester Raymond, SN 17-040-689, US Army, Burt & Washington Cos., NE
  • b. 5 Apr 1912 Norwalk T., rural Underwood, Pott. Co.; s/o Frank Nelson & Mary Christensen; raised in Tripp Co., SD & Burt Co., NE; service credited to Washington Co., NE; bur. Brittany American Cem., St.-James, Normandy, France.
  • 759th Tank Bn. (light); DNB 20 Aug 1944 Orne, Normandy; accident during battalion's 48-mile eastward night march; France Liberated > Northern France.
  • Notes: grandson of Swen Nelson, who lived in Boomer Twp. east of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in the early 20th century.
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​† Nelson, Herbert Sidney, SN 821-82-95, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 28 May 1925 Co. Bluffs; s/o John H. Nelson & Eva C. Gilliland of Co. Bluffs; entered service 7 Feb 1943 from Co. Bluffs.
  • Escort Carrier USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56); KIA 24 Nov 1943 near Makin Atoll, Gilbert Is.; Japanese submarine I-175 sank Liscome Bay during the US Tarawa/Makin invasion; 702 dead, 272 survivors; North & Central Pacific > Gilbert & Marshall Islands; BNR.

​† Newman, Shelby Fearn, SN O-351381, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 20 Aug 1915 Birmingham, Jefferson & Shelby Cos., AL; s/o Robert E. Newman of Birmingham (d. 1921) & Emma L. Meier of Avoca, Pott. Co.; raised in Avoca; entered service 29 Jul 1939 from Des Moines; m. Doris Irene Dahlberg of Mapleton, Monona Co. 1940.
  • Assigned to 11th Inf. Regt., Philippines Commonwealth Army; POW Philippines; KIA 15 Dec 1944, Subic Bay, Luzon, Philippines; escape attempt from grounded Japanese Hell Ship Oryoku Maru; Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost; BNR.

​† Nielsen, Carl Edvan, SN 39-705-841, US Army, Los Angeles Co., CA
  • b. 13 May 1913 Lyngby, Denmark; s/o Hans P. Nielsen & Anne M. Nielsen (d. bef 1940), Danish immigrants who lived in King Co., WA; m. Sylvia J. Munchrath of Co. Bluffs 1941 in Los Angeles Co., CA; service credited to Los Angeles Co.; bur. Netherlands American Cem., Margraten, Netherlands.
  • Co. C, 743rd Tank Bn., First Army; KIA 22 Nov 1944 Fronhoven, NE of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; M4A3 Sherman tank asst. driver; tank lost to German anti-tank gun; Operation Queen - The ETO > Rhineland 1944.

​† Nielsen, Nis, SN 37-197-752, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 7 Oct 1906 Rødding, Haderslev, Denmark; s/o Jens C. Nielsen & Anne H. L. Petersen; immi. Mar 1929 on the SS Frederik VIII ; heavy equipment operator in 1940; date of service entry unknown; bur. Epinal American Cem., Lorraine, France.
  • Co. A, 111th Engineer Combat Bn., 36th Inf. Div., Seventh Army; KIA 14 Dec 1944 from artillery shrapnel during German counterattack near Selestat, Alsace, France; Lorraine & Alsace > Alsace Campaign.
  • Notes: Silver Star recipient.

​† Niemann, Alvin Vernon, SN 37-126-344, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 6 Mar 1910 Co. Bluffs; s/o Fredrick C. Niemann & Emma Meister of Avoca, Pott. Co.; entered service 1 Jun 1942 from Avoca; returned to US from North Africa because of illness; separated 6 Aug 1943 at Deshon Gen. Hosp., Butler, Butler Co., PA; bur. Graceland Cem., Avoca.
  • medical detachment, 156th Inf. Regt.; d. 14 Mar 1944, VA Hospital, Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE, perforated gastric ulcer.
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​† Noehren, Edward Henry, SN 37-074-575, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 4 Dec 1916 Valley Twp., Pott. Co.; s/o Henry E. Noehren (d. 1928) & Helen M. Hipner; entered service 2 Oct 1941 from Coon Rapids, Guthrie Co.; m. Mary Moylan 1942; bur. Harlan Cem., Shelby Co.
  • Co. H, 90th Inf. Regt. (a non-divisional training regiment), Camp Carson, El Paso Co., CO; DNB 26 Sep 1944 in Camp Carson hospital, injured in explosion of dud bazooka round.

​† Nugent, Donald Thomas, SN 17-018-650, US Army, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE 
  • b. 18 Feb 1922 Omaha; s/o Fred A. Nugent & Theodosia Clatterbuck (div.); lived in Omaha & Co. Bluffs; entered service 15 Feb 1940 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Douglas Co., NE.
  • 75th Ordnance Co. (Depot), Philippines; POW Philippines 1942; KIA 7 Sep 1944, Sulu Sea, off Sindangen Bay, NW Mindinao, Philippines, torpedoing of Japanese Hell Ship Shinyo Maru by USS Paddle (SS 263), ~668 US POWs died, ~82 survived; Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost; BNR.

​† Nuzum, Roy Edward, SN 6-939-625, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • b. 4 May 1913 Magnolia, Harrison Co.; s/o Walter F. Nuzum & Dora E. McGee; entered service 10 Jan 1940  from rural Pisgah, Harrison Co.;  bur. Spring Valley Cem., Moorhead, Monona Co.
  • HQ Troop, 6th Cavalry Regt., Ft. Jackson, Richland Co., SC; DNB 19 Aug 1943, vehicle accident.

​​† Ocean, Jerry Floyd, SN 37-660-643, USAAF/US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 5 Nov 1921 White Lake, Aurora Co., SD; s/o Ellis B. Ocean & Oda B. Voorhees; family moved from rural Wessington, Jerauld Co., SD to Washington T., Shelby Co. in late 1920s; entered service 10 Feb 1943 from Harlan, Shelby Co.; bur. Harlan Cem.
  • Served with 496th Air Service Sqdn. near Foggia, Italy; after WW II ended in Europe, reassigned to 2750 Engineer Light Equipment Co.; left Leghorn, Italy 1 Jul 1945 on USS General William Mitchell; arrived San Fernando, Luzon, Philippines 11 Aug 1945; drowned in Marikina River, near San Mateo, SE of Manila, Philippines 17 Oct 1945.

† O’Connell, John Ambrose, SN 37-464-476, US Army, Mills & Pott. Cos.
  • b. 6 Sep 1910 Norwalk Twp., rural Underwood, Pott. Co.; s/o John O’Connell & Emma M. Hannifan; raised in Pott. Co.; m. Elsie Edmundson 1931; entered service Nov 1942 from Glenwood, Mills Co.; separated Oct 1945; bur. Glenwood Cem.
  • Co. B, 31st Armored Bn., 4th Armored Div.;  d. 2 Aug 1946 Glenwood, Mills Co., coronary artery disease.

​† O’Connor, William Edward “Bucky”, SN 648-60-76, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 24 Mar 1921 Dunlap, Harrison Co.; s/o John M. O’Connor & Mary M. Hawn; family moved to Co. Bluffs 1930; entered service 27 Sep 1942 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Pleasant Hill Cem., Dunlap.
  • unit unknown; DNB 25 Feb 1945, San Bruno, San Mateo Co., CA, hit by automobile while walking on highway during an overnight leave.

​† O’Dell, Charles Henry, SN 316-78-35, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 5 May 1922 Cresco, Howard Co; s/o Jesse E. O’Dell & Mabel L. Craft of Co. Bluffs; entered service 17 Apr 1941 from Co. Bluffs.
  • Aircraft Carrier USS Lexington (CV-2); KIA 8 May 1942, Coral Sea, South Pacific, ~ 500 miles E of Cairns, Australia; Lexington sunk by Japanese planes, 216 dead; Japan Overreaches > Battle of the Coral Sea; BNR.

​† Olesen, Margaret Frances, SN L-703453, US Army WAC, Pott. Co.
  • b. 26 Oct 1913 Avoca, Pott. Co.; d/o Jens C. Olesen & Lillie Maassen of Avoca; entered service 10 Oct 1943 from Avoca; bur. Graceland Cem., Avoca.
  • Asst. Adjutant, Ground General School, Ft. Riley, KS; d. 19 Jul 1947, Brooke Army Hosp., San Antonio, Bexar Co., TX, nephritis.
  • Notes: sister of Herbert Olesen, life-long resident of Avoca; secretary of Pottawattamie County #2 Draft Board in Avoca before enlisting.

​† Olsen, Clarence Harley, served as Olson, Clarence H, SN T-004068, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • b. 17 Mar 1925 Co. Bluffs; s/o Elias W. Olsen & Dorothy H. Felt of Co. Bluffs; entered service 30 Mar 1943 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • pilot training school, probably 351st Base Unit, Myrtle Beach Army Air Field, SC; Douglas A-20G Havoc #43-9343 pilot; DNB 22 Jan 1945 four miles S of Carolina Beach, Brunswick Co., NC, aircraft crash; four dead.

​† Oltmans, Merle W., SN 37-445-352, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 14 Jun 1921 Garner T., Pott. Co.; s/o Hardy R. Oltmans & Frieda T. Oltmanns of Rt. 3, Co. Bluffs; entered service 27 Nov 1942 from Rt. 3, Co. Bluffs; bur. Memorial Park Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Co. D, 35th Inf. Regt., 25th Inf. Div.; KIA 22 May 1945 ~ 200 miles N of Manila, Luzon, Philippines; Battle of Balete Pass - Philippines Liberated > Luzon.
  • Note: cousin of my uncle, Oscar Torneten.

​† Orr, Bertis Stanley, SN 37-118-280, US Army, Pott. Co. & Adams Co., IL
  • b. 22 Apr 1912 near Quincy, Adams Co., IL; s/o Jeremiah J. Orr & Abbie E. Booker (div.); moved to Co. Bluffs w/ mother bef. 1930; entered service 21 Mar 1942 from Co. Bluffs, service credited to Adams Co., IL; bur. Cedar Lawn Cem. Co. Bluffs.
  • Co. F, 319th Inf. Regt., 80th Inf. Div., XII Corps, Third Army; KIA 7 Feb 1945 Luxembourg, near German Border, at Sauer River NW of Wallendorf, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany; Rhineland 1945 > Mid-Rhineland February 1945.

​† Osler, Floyd Wayne, SN 37-476-459, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 12 Jun 1924 Blythedale, Harrison Co., MO; s/o Berkeley K. Osler & Anna C. Sasse (div.); family lived in rural Griswold, Waveland T., Pott. Co.; entered service 17 Mar 1943 from Waveland Twp.; bur. Old Sunnyside Cem., Yakima Co., WA.
  • Co. A, 357th Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div.; KIA 9 Jan 1945 in Luxembourg SE of Bastogne, Belgium; The Ardennes/Battle of the Bulge.​