USS Laffey ~1942
USS Laffey, ~1942
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Roster > Roster Records > Roster Wf-Wz, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 1 Oct 2023.
​Part 23/24 of Big Pigeon's Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 28 Wf-Wz names.
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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); entered service 14 Jun 1940 from Scranton; m. Elsie M. (Paul) Cranston of Atlantic, Cass Co.; bur. Long Island Nat'l Cem., East Farmingdale, NY.
  • Battery A, 13th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; DOW 20 Feb 1945 Iwo Jima, 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. & Juanita Fern Jackson; entered service 2 Feb 1943 from Glenwood; group burial Jefferson Barracks Nat'l 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 w/ 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;  Japan Overpowered > Strategic Air War, Japan.
 
​† 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, Norway natives; m. Jean M. Preston 1943, one child; entered service 1 Sep 1943 from Harlan. 
  • 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; BNR.

† Wilcken, Ono Ain, SN 37-472-752, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 25 Apr 1924 Itasca Co., MN; s/o Fred J. Wilcken & Alma R. Korff (d. 1931), family moved to Co. Bluffs in late 1930s; entered service 9 Feb 1943 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Brittany American Cem., St.-James, Normandy, France.
  • 2nd Inf. Regt., 5th Inf. Div., XX Corps, Third Army; KIA 15 Aug 1944 near Chartres, Eure-et-Loir, France; The ETO > Liberation > Northern France.

† Wilcox, Blaine Bertrand, 0-772-098, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.
  • b. 7 Feb 1918 Glenwood, Mills Co.; s/o Henry B. Wilcox & Cecil E. Anderson, long-term Oak Twp. residents; entered service 2 Feb 1943 from Pacific Jct., Mills Co.; group burial of seven Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cem., Louisville, KY.
  • 613th Bomb. Sqdn. 401st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Dennethorpe, Northhampshire, 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; The ETO > ETO Air War.

† Wilcox, Stewart La Val, SN T-062-027, US Army Air Force, Mills Co. & Delaware
  • b. 3 Apr 1923 Oak Twp., Mills Co.; s/o Henry B. Wilcox & Cecil E. Anderson, long-term Oak Twp. residents; entered service 26 Jan 1943 from Glenwood, Mills Co.; service credited to Delaware.
  • 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, plane caught fire returning from raid over St. Lo, Normandy, France (first day of carpet bombing preliminary to Operation Cobra); all nine bailed out over English Channel, all rescued except for Flight Officer Stewart Wilcox; The ETO > ETO Air War; BNR.

† Williams, Dale Withers Jr., SN 17-078-051, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 22 Jan 1923 Co. Bluffs; s/o Dale W. Williams Sr. & Caroline M. Sellars of Co. Bluffs; m. Alice Wright; entered service 30 Jun 1942 at Ft. Crook, Bellevue, NE; bur. North Africa American Cem., Carthage, Tunisia.
  • 1st Armored Regt., 1st Armored Div., II Corps; DNB 2 May 1943 near Mateur, northern Tunisia; 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 & Edith Langstrom (div.); m. Arlene P. Friedrichsen of Manning, Carroll Co. 1944, one child; entered service 15 Jan 1944 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Logan Co., NE; bur. Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • 101st Inf. Regt., 26th Inf. Div., XII Corps, Third Army; KIA 9 Nov 1944 S of Metz, Lorraine, France; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine & Alsace 1944 > Lorraine/Third Army.

​† Wilson, Boyd Merrill, SN 37-675-900, US Army, Taylor Co. (St. Paul's)
  • b. 8 May 1925 Hastings, Mills Co.; s/o Clyde L. Wilson & Mabel A. Colwell; entered service 13 Aug 1943 from Box 72, Conway, Taylor Co.; bur. 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; 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 (d. 1935) & Hattie V. Champlin; entered service 24 Jun 1944 from Persia; bur. Nat'l Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI.
  • Co. K, 305th Inf. Regt., 77th Inf. Div.; KIA 13 May 1945 Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan; Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Battle of Okinawa.
  • Notes: Silver Star recipient

† Wilson, John Robert, SN 6-208-886, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 12 Jul 1900 Omaha; s/o Charles J. Wilson (d. 1942) & Mary E. Quinn (d. 1945); family moved to Co. Bluffs ~ 1901; entered service ~1931; m. Opal L. Holeman 1939, one child; bur. 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; 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; s/o Charles J. Wilson (d. 1942) & Mary E. Quinn; family remained in Co. Bluffs; probably entered service 1941; bur. Epinal American Cem., Dinozé, France.
  • Co. M, 30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 16 Dec 1944 near Kaysersburg, NW of Colmar, Alsace, France; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine & Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army.
  • Note: confirmed posthumous Distinguished Service Cross.

​† 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; entered service 14 Sep 1943 from Tabor; bur. Thurman Cem., Fremont Co.
  • unit unknown, stationed at Mountain Home Air Base, Elmore Co., ID; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-51482 crew member w/ pilot Marion Philip Guthrie Jr.; DNB 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. (WWII-WinkelRobert)
  • b. 22 Aug 1925 Audubon, Audubon Co.; s/o Samuel M. Winkel & June E. Kelley; entered service at an unknown date from Audubon; bur. Maple Grove Cem., Audubon.
  • Hq. & Service Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regt., 1st Marine Division; KIA 16 Sep 1944 Peleliu Is., Palau Is.; Battle of Peleliu - Central Pacific > Palau Is.
  • Notes: In WWII, each Marine Corps division included an artillery regiment. The 11th Marine Regiment was the artillery regiment for the 1st Marine Division.

​† Winslow, Fred Lute John, SN 37-693-036, US Army, Mills Co.
  • b. 15 Sep 1923 Omaha; s/o Truman Fred Winslow & Bernice F. Stacy, Mills Co. natives; family lived in Mills Co.; m. Betty J. Doan of Mills Co. 1944; entered service 28 Mar 1944 from Rt. 2, Malvern, Mills Co.; bur. Luxembourg American Cem.
  • Co. K, 318th Inf. Regt., 80th Inf. Div., XII Corps, Third Army; KIA 11 Feb 1945 near Sauer and Our River junction, Luxembourg; 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. late 1930s; entered service 20 Oct 1942 from rural Anita, Cass Co.; bur. Ebenezer Cem., Audubon, Audubon Co.
  • Battery A., 362 Artillery Bn., 96th Inf. Div.; KIA 7 Apr 1945 near Ginowan, Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan; observer killed by machine gun or mortar; Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Battle of Okinawa.

​† Wiseman, Russell Forest, SN 20-706-850, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 3 Oct 1921 Marceline, MO; s/o Tobe R. Wiseman & Mabel B. Hayes; family moved to rural Elliott, Pilot Grove Twp., Montgomery Co. in 1920s; entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Elliott.
  • Co. M. (Red Oak), 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., II Corps; KIA 16 Feb 1943 SE of Sidi Bou Zid, Tunisia; Battle of Sidi Bou Zid - The MTO > North Africa > Tunisia; BNR.

​† Wold, Leslie Wayne, SN 560,533, US Marine Corps, Pott. Co.
  • b. 2 Aug 1926 Omaha; s/o Ludwig C. Wold (d. 1937) & Irenia J. Huckert; ss/o William A. Wingate; family moved to Co. Bluffs in early 1930s; entered service 14 Jun 1944 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Westlawn-Hillcrest Cem., Omaha.
  • 26th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 3 Mar 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Battle of Iwo Jima.

​† Wood, Charles Emmett Jr., SN 17-041-753, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 21 Dec 1913 Co. Bluffs; s/o Charles E. & Hattie B. Druen (d. 1918) of Co. Bluffs; m. Eleanor B. Neve of Pott. Co. 1933, one child; entered service 9 May 1942 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Hq. & Hq. Co., 836 Engineering Aviation Bn.; KIA 30 Oct 1943 Lae, Huon Gulf, New Guinea; Operation Cartwheel - S & SW Pacific > NE New Guinea - Lae to Madang.

† Wood, Edgar George, SN 37-548-106, US Army, Harrison Co. & Renville Co., MN (St. Pauls)
  • b. 2 Feb 1920 Woodbine, Harrison Co.; s/o Elmer J. Wood & Anna S. Carr (d. 1937); moved to Minnesota abt 1940; service credited to Renville Co., MN; bur. Sicily-Rome American Cem., Nettuno, Lazio, Italy.
  • 349th Inf. Regt., 88th Inf. Div., Fifth Army; KIA 8 Oct 1944 Italy; The MTO > Italy > Northern Apennines.

† Wood, Fred Joseph, SN 37-428-828, US Army, Harrison Co. & Valley Co., ID (St. Paul's)
  • b. 8 Apr 1910 Mondamin, Harrison Co.; s/o Elmer J. Wood & Anna S. Carr (d. 1937); entered service Sep 1942 from Rt. 1, Pisgah, Harrison Co.; serviced credited to Valley Co., ID; bur. Sicily-Rome American Cem., Nettuno, Lazio, Italy.
  • First Special Services Force; KIA 23 May 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; The MTO > Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Woods, Duane Lavern, SN 989,388, US Marine Corps, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 15 Mar 1924 rural Henderson, Lincoln Twp., Montgomery Co.; s/o William E. Woods (d. 1927) & Dorothy J. Jones; entered service 7 Jul 1944 from Rt. 1, Henderson; m. Dorothy D. Warren Sep 1944; bur. Gomer Cem., Wales, Montgomery Co.
  • Co. K, 9th Marine Regt., 3rd Marine Div.; wounded on Iwo Jima; DOW early 11 Mar 1945 on Hospital Ship USS Solace (AK-5) en route from Iwo Jima to Guam, Mariana Is.; Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Battle of Iwo Jima.

​† Wooten, Harry Thomas, SN 37-241-056, US Army, Atchison Co., MO
  • b. 29 Jul 1923 Atchison Co., MO; s/o Charles W. Wooten & Sadie M. Kingery of Atchison Co.; entered service 16 Nov 1942 from Atchison Co.; bur. Mt. Olive Cem., Fremont Co., IA.
  • Co. B., 50th Armored Inf. Bn., 6th Armored Div., III Corps, Third Army; KIA ~ 26 Jan 1945 (official date 27 Jan)  serving with Task Force Root near Weiswambach, extreme northern Luxembourg; head wound; The ETO > Ardennes/The Bulge > The Bulge Eliminated.

​† Wright, Arlos Edward, SN 37-697-737, US Army, Mills Co.
  • b. 24 Feb 1918 at Correctionville, Woodbury Co., IA; s/o Edward W. Wright & Bernice M. Holcomb; m. Frances L. (Dunn) Dixon of Mills Co. 1939, one step-child; entered service 30 May 1944 from Malvern, Mills Co.; bur. Cushing Cem., Woodbury Co.
  • Co. K, 399th Inf. Regt., 100th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 21 Apr 1945 Waldenbronn, near Stuttgart, Germany; Central Europe > Southern Germany.

​† Wright, Bruce Ware, SN 39-161-053, US Army, Pott. Co. & Los Angeles Co., CA
  • b. 11 Nov 1916 Co. Bluffs; s/o Pearl O. Wright & Myrtle C. Carey (div. 1930s) of Co. Bluffs; moved to California in late 1930s; service credited to Los Angeles Co., CA; bur. Inglewood Park Cem., Inglewood, Los Angeles Co., CA.
  • 13th Inf. Regt., 8th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, Third Army; KIA 31 Aug 1944 near Brest, Brittany, France; The ETO > Liberation > Brittany.

† Wright, David Frederick, SN 37-036-584, US Army, Crawford Co.
  • b. 12 Oct 1917 Dow City, Crawford Co.; s/o Glenn B. Wright & Agnes E. Malone, both b. Crawford Co.; family moved from Crawford Co. to rural Dunlap, Harrison Co. in late 1930s; entered service 29 Mar 1941 from Rt. 1, Dunlap, service credited to unknown Iowa county; m. Ruby M. Ferguson 1944, one child; tablets of the missing, Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, Belgium.
  • 14th Tank Bn., Combat Command B, 9th Armored Div., III Corps, First Army; KIA 1 Mar 1945 in Sievernich-Mülheim area SE of Düren, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany; tank hit by anti-tank shell, three crew died immediately, the two captured included David F. Wright who died of wounds soon after capture; The ETO > To the Rhine > Operation Lumberjack; BNR.
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​† Wunder, Edmund Earl, SN 321-17-95, US Navy, Shelby Co.
  • b. 2 Oct 1916 Harlan, Shelby Co.; s/o Herman W. Wunder Sr. & Alvena Meves of Harlan; entered service 6 Sep 1941 from Harlan.
  • Destroyer USS Laffey (DD-459); KIA 13 Nov 1942 in Ironbottom Sound, N of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Laffey hit by 14” shell from Japanese battleship Hiei & torpedo, then exploded & sank; 59 dead, 186 survivors; 1st phase of Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.

​† Wunder, Frank Grant Jr., SN 0-729-400, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 14 May 1921 Co. Bluffs; s/o Frank A. Wunder & Eola G. Borland of rural Minden, Minden Twp., Pott. Co.; entered service 26 Jan 1942 from rural Minden.
  • 9th Fighter Sqdn., 49th Fighter Gp., Fifth Air Force, based at Dobodura airfields, S of Buna, Papua, New Guinea, staging from Kiriwina Airfield, Trobriand Is.; Lockheed P-38G Lightning #42-12856 pilot; KIA 13 Oct 1943; part of flight of P-38s escorting B-24 bombers for a raid on Rabaul; three P-38s lost, possible collision in cloud bank over Solomon Sea; Operation Cartwheel - US Air Force War w/ Japan > Fifth Air Force; BNR.
  • Notes: Dick Bong, the leading US ace in WW II, was also with the 9th Fighter Squadron in New Guinea in 1943.​