Roster Wf-Wi

USS Laffey

🔗========> 47 Roster Pages as of Nov 2025 - Alphabetical by Surname <========🔗
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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Dead > Roster > Roster Wf-Wi © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 23 Nov 2025
Part 45/47 of the Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 18 "Wf-Wi" records
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† Widden, Leroy, SN 285,435, US Marine Corps, Lackawanna Co., PA & Cass Co.

b. 13 Jul 1919 Scranton, Lackawanna Co., PA; s/o Evan Widden (b. Wales) & Margaret Harris (b. England).
married Elsie M. (Paul) Cranston of Atlantic, Cass Co., IA.
entered service 14 Jun 1940 from Scranton, PA; next of kin wife, Mrs. Leroy Widden, 608? Chestnut St., Atlantic, IA; buried Long Island Natl. Cem., East Farmingdale, Suffolk Co., NY.
Battery A, 13th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; DOW 20 Feb 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan.
WWII Japan > Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Battle of Iwo Jima

† Widows, Harry James Jr., SN 0-771-857, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.

b. 23 Nov 1923 Glenwood, Mills Co.; s/o Harry J. Widows Sr. (b. Harrison Co., MO) & Juanita Fern Jackson (b. Glenwood, Mills Co.).
entered service 2 Feb 1943 from Glenwood, Mills Co.; service credited to Mills Co.; group burial Jefferson Barracks Natl. Cem., St. Louis, MO.
873rd Bomb. Sqdn., 498th Bomb. Gp., XXI Bomber Cmd., Twentieth Air Force based at Isley Field, Saipan, Mariana Is.; Boeing B-29 Superfortress #42-65295 co-pilot with pilot Marvel L. Geer; KIA 29 Apr 1945 Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Kyushu, Japan on a mission to bomb Nyakonojo Airfield, Kyushu; aircraft was attacked by fighters, hit, exploded, and crashed on land, crew of eleven all died.
WWII Japan > US Air Force War with Japan > Twentieth Air Force

† Wigness, Kenneth Eugene, 0-692-842, US Army Air Force, Shelby Co.

b. 25 Feb 1921 Harlan, Shelby Co.; s/o Cornelius R. Wigness & Sina Heggens, both b. Norway.
married Jean M. Preston of Oelwein, Faytette Co. Apr 1943 in Oklahoma City, OK, one child.
entered service 1 Sep 1943 from Harlan, Shelby Co.; service credited to Shelby Co.; body not recovered; not found abmc.gov; cenotaph Harlan Cem.
804th Bomb. Sqdn., 741st Bomb. Gp., Combat Crew Training School, Westover Army Air Field, near Springfield, MA; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-7525 pilot; d. 7/8 Apr 1944 off Montauk Pt., Long Island, NY; engine failure followed by crash at sea, all eleven died.

† Wilcken, Ono Ain, SN 37-472-752, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 25 Apr 1924 Itasca Co., MN; s/o Fred J. Wilcken (b. Brown Co., MN) & Alma R. Korff (b. Walsh Co., ND; d. 1931), family moved to Co. Bluffs in late 1930s.
entered service 9 Feb 1943 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Brittany American Cem., St.-James, Manche Dept., Normandy, France.
2nd Inf. Regt., 5th Inf. Div., XX Corps, Third Army; KIA 15 Aug 1944 near Chartres, Eure-et-Loir Dept., France.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Liberation > Northern France & Belgium

† Wilcox, Blaine Bertrand, 0-772-098, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.

b. 7 Feb 1918 Glenwood, Mills Co.
Married Wanda J. Durkee of Glenwood, Mills Co. Jun 1941 in Pacific Jct., Mills Co.
entered service 2 Feb 1943 from Pacific Jct., Mills Co.; service credited to Mills Co.; group burial of seven Zachary Taylor Natl. Cem., Louisville, KY; body identified and subsequently buried in Glenwood, Mills Co. 7 Oct 2025.
613th Bomb. Sqdn. 401st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Dennethorpe, Northamptonshire, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-31801 Son-of-a-Blitz bombardier; KIA 7 Oct 1944, over Politz, between Hamburg & Lubeck, Germany, destroyed by flak, all nine died.
WWII Germany > The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force

++++++++++
† Wilcox, Stewart La Val, SN T-062-027, US Army Air Force, Mills Co. & Delaware

b. 3 Apr 1923 Oak Twp., Mills Co.
entered service 26 Jan 1943 from Glenwood, Mills Co.; service credited to Delaware; body not recovered; memorialized Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cem., Coton, Cambridgeshire, England.
613 Bomb. Sqdn., 401 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Dennethorpe, Northhampshire, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-32005 co-pilot; KIA 24 Jul 1944 English Channel; aircraft caught fire returning from raid over St. Lo, Normandy, France on the first day of carpet bombing preliminary to Operation Cobra; all nine bailed out over English Channel, all rescued except for Flight Officer Stewart Wilcox.
WWII Germany > The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force

++++++++++
About Blaine and Stewart Wilcox:

sons of Henry B. Wilcox (b. Glenwood) & Cecil E. Anderson (b. Oak Twp., Mills Co.); family lived in Oak Twp.

† Williams, Dale Withers Jr., SN 17-078-051, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 22 Jan 1923 Co. Bluffs; s/o Dale W. Williams Sr. (b. Douglas Co., OR) & Caroline M. Sellars (b. Custer Co., NE).
married Marie Antoinette "Alice" Wright of Co. Bluffs.
entered service 30 Jun 1942 at Fort Crook, Bellevue, NE; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried North Africa American Cem., Carthage, Tunisia.
1st Armored Regt., 1st Armored Div., II Corps; DNB 2 May 1943 near Mateur, northern Tunisia.
WWII Germany > The MTO > North Africa > Tunisia

† Williams, Jerry Jerome, SN 37-470-962, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 9 Sep 1923 Co. Bluffs; s/o Glen T. Williams (b. Pott. Co.) & Edith Langstrom (b. Iowa); parents divorced in 1920s.
married Arlene P. Friedrichsen of Manning, Carroll Co. Feb 1944 in Missouri, one child.
entered service 15 Jan 1944 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Logan Co., NE for unknown reason; buried Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
101st Inf. Regt., 26th Inf. Div., XII Corps, Third Army; KIA 9 Nov 1944 east of Nancy, Hill 310, near Arracourt, Meurthe et Moselle Dept., Lorraine, France.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Lorraine-Alsace, Fall 1944 > Lorraine/Third Army

† Wilson, Boyd Merrill, SN 37-675-900, US Army, Taylor Co.

b. 8 May 1925 Hastings, Mills Co.; s/o Clyde L. Wilson (b. Jefferson Co., NE) & Mabel A. Colwell (b. Carson, Pott. Co.).
entered service 13 Aug 1943 from Box 72, Conway, Taylor Co.; service credited to Taylor Co.; buried Ridgewood Cem., Co. Bluffs.
550th Airborne Infantry Bn., attached to 194th Glider Inf. Regt., 17th Airborne Div., VIII Corps, Third Army during Battle of the Bulge; probably captured 4/5 Jan 1945 near Houmont, west of Bastogne, Luxembourg; DNB 1 Mar 1945 Stalag 8A, on the Neisse River SE of Görlitz, east of Dresden, Saxony, Germany.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Ardennes/The Bulge > The Bulge Eliminated

† Wilson, Dallas Arnold, SN 37-699-245, US Army, Harrison Co.

b. 19 Nov 1923 rural Persia, Washington Twp., Harrison Co.; s/o William C. Wilson (b. Iowa Co.; d. 1935) & Hattie V. Champlin (b. Persia, Harrison Co.).
entered service 24 Jun 1944 from Persia, Harrison Co.; service credited to Harrison Co.; buried Natl. Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI.
Co. K, 305th Inf. Regt., 77th Inf. Div., XXIV Corps, Tenth Army; KIA 13 May 1945 Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan.
Note: posthumous Silver Star recipient.
WWII Japan > Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Land Battle of Okinawa

† Wilson, John Robert, SN 6-208-886, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

b. 12 Jul 1900 Omaha.
married Opal L. Holeman of Illinois Dec 1940 in Washoe Co., NV, one child.
entered service about 1931; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
34th Pursuit Sqdn., 24th Pursuit Gp., Philippines; POW Philippines 1942; DNB 22 Jul 1942 Cabanatuan POW Camp, Nueva Ecija Prov., Luzon, Philippines; malaria.
WWII Japan > Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost

++++++++++
† Wilson, Joseph Francis, served as Wilson Joseph L, SN 0-1-692-505, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 10 Feb 1915 Co. Bluffs.
entered service about 1941; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Epinal American Cem., SE of Epinal, Lorraine, France.
Co. M, 30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., II French Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 16 Dec 1944 near Kaysersburg, NW of Colmar, Alsace, France.
Note: posthumous Distinguished Service Cross recipient.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Lorraine-Alsace, 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army

++++++++++
about John and Joseph Wilson:

sons of Charles J. Wilson (b. Canada; d. 1942) & Mary E. Quinn (b. Co. Bluffs; d. 1945); family moved from Omaha to Co. Bluffs about 1901; the parents remained in Co. Bluffs until their deaths.

† Windle, Fay Richard, SN 37-485-691, US Army Air Force, Fremont Co.

b. 21 Jul 1925 Omaha; s/o Walter W. Windle Sr. (b. Virginia) & Golda H. Stattler (b. Bartlett, Fremont Co.); family moved to Bartlett in late 1930s.
married Lyla Mae Timson of Tabor, Mills & Fremont Cos.
entered service 14 Sep 1943 from Tabor, Fremont Co.; service credited to Fremont Co.; buried Thurman Cem., Fremont Co.
unit unknown, stationed at Mountain Home Air Base, Elmore Co., ID; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-51482 crew member with pilot Marion Philip Guthrie Jr.; d. 18 Aug 1944 Elmore Co., ID; mid-air collision 10 miles SE of base with Martin AT-23A target tug #42-43356; seven B-24J crew and two AT-23A crew died.

† Winkel, Robert Leroy, SN 912,315, US Marine Corps, Audubon Co.

b. 22 Aug 1925 Audubon, Audubon Co.; s/o Samuel M. Winkel (b. Shelby Co.) & June E. Kelley (b. Audubon Co.).
entered service at an unknown date from Audubon, Audubon Co.; next of kin parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Winkel, 504 1st Ave., Audubon, IA; buried Maple Grove Cem., Audubon.
Hq. & Service Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regt., 1st Marine Division; KIA 16 Sep 1944 Peleliu Is., Palau Is., 400 miles east of Mindanao, Philippines.
Note: Each WWII Marine Corps division included an artillery regiment. The 11th Marine Regiment was the artillery regiment for the 1st Marine Division.
WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Palau Islands @ Battle of Peleliu

† Winslow, Fred Lute John, SN 37-693-036, US Army, Mills Co.

b. 15 Sep 1923 Omaha; s/o Truman Fred Winslow (b. Rawles Twp., Mills Co.) & Bernice F. Stacy (b. Pacific Jct., Mills Co.); family lived in or near Glenwood, Mills Co.
married Betty J. Doan of Glenwood, Mills Co. Mar 1944 in Glenwood.
entered service 28 Mar 1944 from Rt. 2, Malvern, Mills Co.; buried Luxembourg American Cem., Hamm, three miles east of Luxembourg City center.
Co. K, 318th Inf. Regt., 80th Inf. Div., XII Corps, Third Army; KIA 11 Feb 1945 near Sauer and Our River junction, Luxembourg.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > XII Corps to Bitburg

† Winther, Lawrence, SN 37-437-752, US Army, Cass & Audubon Cos.

b. 7 Jan 1909 Douglas Twp., Audubon Co.; s/o Jens J. Winther & Marie Jensen, both b. Denmark; family moved from Douglas Twp. to rural Griswold, Noble Twp., Cass Co. in late 1930s and to rural Anita, Benton Twp., Cass Co. in early 1940s.
living in parents' household in Noble Twp., Cass Co. in 1940; entered service 20 Oct 1942 from rural Anita, Cass Co.; service credited to Cass Co.; buried Ebenezer Cem., Audubon, Audubon Co.
Battery A., 362 Artillery Bn., 96th Inf. Div., XXIV Corps, Tenth Army; KIA 7 Apr 1945 near Ginowan, Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan; artillery observer killed by machine gun or mortar.
WWII Japan > Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Land Battle of Okinawa

† Wiseman, Russell Forest, SN 20-706-850, US Army, Montgomery Co.

b. 3 Oct 1921 Marceline, Chariton Co., MO; s/o Tobe R. Wiseman (b. Chariton Co., MO) & Mabel B. Hayes (b. Marcelline, MO); family moved to rural Elliott, Pilot Grove Twp., Montgomery Co. in 1920s.
entered service with National Guard 10 Feb 1941 from Elliott, Montgomery Co.; service credited to Montgomery Co.; body not recovered; memorialized Tablets of the Missing, North Africa American Cem., Carthage, Tunisia; cenotaph in Peden Chapel Cem., Clark Twp., Chariton Co., MO.
Co. M. (Red Oak), 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., II Corps; KIA 16 Feb 1943 SE of Sidi Bou Zid, Tunisia.
WWII Germany > The MTO > North Africa > Tunisia @ Battle of Sidi Bou Zid

† Wittry, Carl Joseph, SN 37-035-985, US Army, Carroll Co.

b. 24 Mar 1919 Mt. Carmel, Carroll Co.; s/o Nicholas Martin "Nick" Wittry (b. Mt. Carmel) & Anna Magdalena Rettenmeier (b. Carroll, Carroll Co.; d. 1922); father married Ella Hanna Fendrich 1924.
married Marie Tarcissa Nieland of Breda, Carroll Co. Dec 1942 in Breda.
entered service 12 Mar 1941 from Rt. 2, Arcadia, Carroll Co.; service credited to Carroll Co.; buried Mt. Carmel Cem., Carroll Co.
184th Inf. Regt., 7th Inf. Div., XXIV Corps, Tenth Army; DOW 1 May 1945 Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan.
WWII Japan > Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Land Battle of Okinawa

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