website bigpigeon.us, webpage WWII Roster > Deaths > Stateside Deaths - © 2022 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated 18 Feb 2022, 69 names.

Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead Roster - Stateside Deaths​.
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​ ​​† Adams, Paul, SN 316-35-93, Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • Naval Air Station, Seattle, WA; DNB 11 Mar 1945, Seattle; murder/suicide, gassed while sleeping by domestic partner Vivien Breitner.

† Battey, Norma Jane, service nbr unknown, US Navy Waves, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown, San Diego Naval Base, San Diego Co., CA; DNB 3 Oct 1943 San Diego, illness.

† Beers, Harold Elmer, SN 37-476-206, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • unit unknown; stationed at Camp Cooke (now Vandenburg AFB), Santa Barbara Co., CA; DNB 19 Jan 1945 in nearby Lompoc, CA from asphyxiation.

† Blain, David Benjamin, served as Blain, Dave B, SN 37-476-575, US Army, Cass Co.
  • trainee at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, near Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR; DNB 24 Apr 1943 scarlet fever.

† Bolton, Wayne Arnold, SN O-686626, USAAF, Harrison Co.
  • ​312th Fighter Sqdn., 338th Fighter Gp.; Republic P-47D Thunderbolt # 42-8342 pilot; d. 23 Aug 1943 15 miles NW of Perry Army Air Field, Perry, Taylor Co., FL; accident on routine training flight.

​† Branstiter, Daniel Starr, SN 351249, Naval Aviation, Pott. & Shelby Cos.
  • Naval Air Photographic Sqdn. VD-2 detachment, Photographic Reconnaissance Training School, Naval Air Field, New Cumberland, Cumberland Co., PA; DNB 17 Jul 1944, Perry Co., PA; aircraft collision.

† Breeling, Clifford Oral, SN 37-421-037, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • Stationed at Ft. Crook, Bellevue, NE; DNB 31 Jul 1942 soon after entering service at University of Nebraska Hosp., Omaha.

† Brown, Bernard Christian, SN 37-197-728, USAAF, Audubon & Shelby Cos.
  • 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 w/ pilot William W. Smith; DNB 24 Sep 1943 Port Angeles, Clallam Co., WA; engine failure during takeoff at Port Angeles Coast Guard Station, plane veered off runway and burst into flames, all five dead.

​† Buffington, Charles Rollin III, SN O-461238, US Army, Mills Co.
  • Hq. Battery, 189th FA Bn., 45th Inf. Div., Camp Pickett, Nottaway Co., VA; DNB 11 Apr 1943 at Camp Pickett; light plane he was flying lost control and crashed.​

† Butler, Ralph Joseph, SN 37-420-384, US Army, Woodbury & Monona. Cos.
  • HQ, 1277th Service Command Service Unit, Pine Camp (now Ft. Drum), Jefferson Co., NY; d. 30 Sep 1944 Boonville, Oneida Co., NY, struck by automobile.

† Cadwell, Newell Lewis, SN 37-194-793, USAAF, Montgomery & Marshall Cos.
  • 19th Photo. Mapping Sqdn., 4th Photo Gp. stationed at Peterson Field, Colorado Springs, CO.; North American B-25C Mitchell #41-13247 radio operator w/ pilot Richard P. Marx; DNB 11 Jan 1943 near Falcon N of Colorado Springs; plane failed to recover from a spin and crashed; all six crew dead.

† Campbell, Bennie Clinton “Ben”, SN 39-313-929, US Army, Harrison Co. & Lane Co., OR
  • Co. C, 11th Maintenance Bn., 11th Armored Div.; DNB 4 Mar 1943, Camp Polk, Vernon Parish, LA, peritonitis from a gastric ulcer.

† Campbell, Wendell Melvin, SN O-719557, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 235th Army Air Force Base Unit, Biggs Army Air Field, El Paso, TX; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-100144 crewman w/ pilot Walter Slont; DNB 20 Jul 1944 one mile north of Roswell, Chaves Co., NM; two B-24s collided on routine training mission from Biggs Field to Walker Army Air Field at Roswell; ten died, seven parachuted and survived.

† Chambers, Stanley Glen, SN 19-097-353, USAAF, Pott. Co. & Los Angeles Co., CA
  • pilot trainee at Randolph Army Air Field, near San Antonio, Bexar Co., TX; flying basic trainer Vultee BT-13A Valiant # 41-21514; DNB 7 Dec 1942 NW of Randolph Field; training accident.

† Connelly, Robin Gail, SN 17-122-875, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 20th Co., Separation Ctr., Ft. Dix, SSE of Trenton, Mercer Co., NJ; DNB 24 Dec 1945 from exposure, body found in Sanhican Creek, Trenton.

† Converse, Robert Franklin, SN O-73754, USAAF, Douglas Co., NE
  • 958th Two-Engine Flying Training Squadron, Hobbs Army Air Field, Lea Co., NM (despite the unit name, this squadron gave newly-commissioned pilots a nine-week course in becoming four-engine B-17 pilots); Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress #42-29990 pilot, DNB 8 Sep 1943 8 miles NE of base in plane crash, five dead.

† Copeland, Donald Warner, SN O-700865, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 313 Troop Carrier Sqdn., 349th Troop Carrier Gp., 9th AF; based at Pope Army Air Field, Ft. Bragg, NC; Douglas C-47A Skytrain/Dakota #42-100712 pilot; DNB Jul 1944 25 miles SE of Cape Fear, SC; three aircraft from a flight of 54 disappeared in storm during training mission, all fifteen dead; BNR.

† Dea, James David, SN 325990, Naval Aviation, Pott. & Shelby Cos.
  • 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.

† Donahoe, Joseph Robert, SN 6-553-362, USAAF, Cass Co.
  • 32nd Technical School Sqdn., Chanute Field, Rantoul, Champaign Co., IL; d. 16 Jul 1942, heart failure caused by chronic alcoholism.

† Duffy/Lein, Robert Eugene, SN 17-197-256, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown; DNB 16 Jan 1945, near The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR, auto accident.

† Enochson, Kenneth Duane Jr., SN O-36582, USMC Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • Marine Air Fighter Sqdn. VMF-523, Marine Air Group 52, 9th Marine Air Wing (training wing for east coast), Congaree Auxiliary Field, near Columbia, Lexington Co., SC; DNB 11 Sep 1945, near Columbia; plane crash.

† Faurot, Owen Hugh, SN 648-04-18, Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown; DNB 7 Nov 1944, off Old Point Comfort, Hampton, VA; crash at sea of transport plane returning to Europe, all 13 dead.

† Fausett, Ottis Marvin Jr., SN 316-35-63, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • Attack cargo ship USS Oberon (AK-56/AKA-14); DNB 23 Jun 1942, Brooklyn Navy Yard, NY; skull & spine fracture from a fall.

​† ​Feser, John Robert, SN 37-472-899, USAAF, Harrison Co.
  • 938 Engineering Camouflage Bn. (Aviation), March Army Air Field, Riverside Co., CA; DNB 14 Apr 1943 at March Field, drowning.

† Firebaugh, Gordon Dale, SN 958-03-91, US Navy, Audubon Co.
  • unit unknown; stationed at Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA; DNB 3 Sep 1945 at Treasure Island; cause of death unknown.

​† ​Flack, David Albert, SN O-687121, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 813rd Base Unit, Sedalia Army Air Field (now Whiteman Air Force Base), Knob Noster, Johnson Co., MO; Douglas C-47A Skytrain/Dakota #42-24317 crew member w/ pilot James J. Cram; DNB 14 Sep 1944 just east of field; collision with Douglas C-47A #42-24321 while returning from training mission to Vichy Army Air Field near Rolla, MO; all four on both planes killed.

† ​​Garafalo, James Lester, SN 316-55-30 & O-329415, Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • Pensacola NAS, Escambia Co., Florida; Consolidated PBY-5 BuNo 08307 Catalina passenger; d. 3 Jun 1946 in Escambia Bay 3.5 miles SE of Naval Air Station Ellyson Field, Escambia Co.; wind caught right wing float while landing, plane flipped and caught fire; both died.

† ​​Garrean, Elwood Eugene, SN 39-029-723, USAAF, Pott. Co. & Los Angeles Co., CA
  • 806th Bomb. Sqdn., 471 Bomb. Gp., Pueblo Army Air Field, Pueblo, Pueblo Co., CO; Consolidated B-24E Liberator #42-7107 crew member w/ pilot Thomas C. Merryman Jr.; DNB 18 Aug 1943 over Gulf of Mexico ~ 138 miles SE of Corpus Christi, TX on flight to Texas; all ten dead; BNR.

† ​​​​Glassburn, Hugh Stuart, SN O-375826, USAAF, Polk Co.
  • Regional Communications Control Officer, Army Airways Communications System, Seattle, WA; died in Vultee BT-13A Valiant #42-42929 of 331st Fighter Sqdn., 329th Fighter Gp. based earlier at Paine Army Air Field, Everett, WA; DNB 24 Aug 1943, crashed near Olympia Army Air Field, Thurston Co., WA; both crew dead.

† Green, Leo Vincent, SN 37-463-951, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown; DNB 29 Oct 1943, Barton Gen. Hosp., Spokane, Spokane Co., WA, uremic poisoning.

† Harper, Paul Maurice, SN T-003439, USAAF, Mills Co.
  • Night fighter training school, 450th AAF Base Unit, Hammer Field, Fresno, CA; DNB 17 Dec 1944 three miles W of Madera, CA; training exercise on Douglas TP-70B #42-86900, a Douglas A-20 Havoc variant; plane stalled while maneuvering, four died.

† ​Hursey, Norris Edward, SN 17-120-012, USAAF, Wayne Co.
  • Advanced Single Engine Pilot School, Moore Army Air Field, Mission, Hidalgo Co., TX; DNB 30 Mar 1945, vehicle accident.

† ​​​​Hutchison, Irwin Campbell, SN 6-934-185, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown; based at Pope Army Air Field, Ft. Bragg, NC; Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain/Dakota #41-18613 co-pilot w/ pilot George Petersen; KIA (sic) 10 Nov 1942, 6 miles NW of Lockhart, Union Co., SC; plane crashed & burned, three dead.

† ​​​Ivy, Dorsie Eugene, SN O-191-494, Naval Aviation, Pott. Co. 
  • unit unknown, DNB 9 Jun 1943, Naval Air Station Hutchinson, Reno Co., KS, training flight crash.​

† Jensen, Waldo Chris, SN 6-567-485, USAAF, Shelby Co.
  • 33rd Bomb. Sqdn., 27th Bomb. Gp., transferred from Langley Field, VA to Modoc/Edwards Air Base, CA in Dec 1941; Martin B-26 Marauder #40-1475 ground crew chief w/ pilot Frank Kobal; DNB 30 Dec 1941 over San Bernardino Mts., San Bernardino Co., CA.  

† ​​Kadel, Lloyd G., SN 17-123-128, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 604th Bomb. Sqdn., 399th Bomb. Gp., training unit based at Hamilton Army Air Field, Marin Co., CA; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #41-28874 crew member; plane en route from Hamilton Field via Phoenix, AZ to Midland, TX; DNB 18 Mar 1944 in Santa Catalina Mts. 25 miles NE of Tucson, Pima Co., AZ; plane encountered bad weather and turned to return to Phoenix, plane clipped peak, lost control, and crashed; all ten dead.

† ​Kimball, William George, SN O-516449, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • Air Transport Cmd.; DNB 3 Nov 1943 near Enterprise, Washington Co., UT, ferrying Douglas A-20G Havoc #43-9241 from Long Beach, CA to Great Falls Army Air Field (now Malmstrom Air Force Base), MT.

† Kraschel, Richard Nelson, civilian, Shelby Co. 
  • test pilot for Bell Aircraft, Buffalo, NY; d. 29 May 1943 near Niagara Falls, NY; Bell P-39 Airacobra malfunction, Richard Kraschel bailed out at low altitude, and parachute failed to open.

† Linn, Charles Leroy, SN 17-038-155, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 476th Bomb. Sqdn., 335th Bomb. Gp.; based at Barksdale Army Air Field, Shreveport, LA; Martin B-26A Marauder #41-7404 crew member w/ pilot E. F. Murphy Jr.; DNB 6 Nov 1942 at Lambert Field, St. Louis, MO; plane crashed & burned at take-off, all five dead.

† Mayr, Rudy Frank, SN O-1700501, USAAF, Carroll Co.
  • USAAF Dental Corps, unit unknown; d. on active duty 10 Mar 1946 in St. Petersburg, FL, auto accident.

† ​​McCauley, Donald Perry, SN 37-466-829, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 573rd Bomb. Sqdn., 391st Bomb. Gp., based at Godman Army Air Field, Ft. Knox, Hardin Co., KY; DNB 3 Nov 1943, base hospital, Ft. Knox, pneumonia.

† ​​McClurg, Lynn Herrig Jr., SN 37-670-277, USAAF, Pott. & Woodbury Cos.
  • 326th AAF Base Unit; DNB 18 Nov 1944 MacDill Army Air Field, Tampa, Hillsborough Co., FL; ground crew member injured in turret of Boeing B-17G  Flying Fortress #43-37678, which presumably was an aircraft used in combat crew training.

† Mickelsen, Howard Keith, SN 37-768-739, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • Co. B, 78th Inf. Training Regt., Camp Robinson, Little Rock, Arkansas; d. 4 Jun 1945, meningitis.

† ​​Munchrath, Francis F., SN O-927081, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 553 Base Unit, Romulus Army Air Field (now Wayne County Airport), near Detroit, MI; Curtis C-46A Commando #42-3669 co-pilot w/ pilot James W. Hartzog; DNB 26 Jan 1945, near Belle Center, Logan Co., OH; plane caught fire & crashed en route from Buffalo, NY to Wright-Patterson AAF, Dayton, OH; crew of three all dead.​

† ​Noehren, Edward Henry, SN 37-074-575, US Army, 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.

† ​Nuzum, Roy Edward, SN 6-939-625, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • HQ Troop, 6th Cavalry Regt., Ft. Jackson, Richland Co., SC; DNB 19 Aug 1943, vehicle accident.

† ​O’Connor, William Edward “Bucky”, SN 648-60-76, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown; DNB 25 Feb 1945, San Bruno, San Mateo Co., CA, hit by automobile while walking on highway during an overnight leave.

† Olsen, Clarence Harley, served as Olson, Clarence H, SN T-004068, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 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.

† Peterson, Charles William, SN 37-651-229, USAAF, Shelby Co.
  • 49th Bomb. Wing, 15th Air Force; based at Castelluccia,15 km S of Foggia, Italy; invalided to Bruns General Hosp., Santa Fe, NM Apr 1945; DNB in hospital 24 Sep 1945, tuberculosis.

† Pryor, William Dale, US Merchant Marine, Pott. Co.
  • trainee at US Maritime Service Training Station, Brooklyn, NY in 1943; d. 12 Oct 1944 Avoca, Pott. Co., sepsis.

† Reynolds, Wayne Calbert, SN 564-07-41, US Navy, Cass Co.
  • served in Pacific Theater on USS Medusa (AR-1) & USS Hinsdale (APA-120); d. 2 Sep 1945 Sarpy Co., NE; cause unknown.

† Roarty, Paul Thomas, SN 17-004-319, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 787th Tech. Sch. Sqdn., Lincoln Army Air Base, Lancaster Co., NE; DNB 8 Jul 1942 near Lincoln; auto accident.

† Samson, Lloyd Elwood, SN 17-012-007, USAAF, Pott. & Cass Cos.
  • unit unknown; DNB 30 Nov 1942, Luke Army Air Base Hospital, near Phoenix, Maricopa Co., AZ; consequences of bacterial pneumonia.

† Sharp, John C., SN 37-651-954, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown, Desert Training Center, California & Arizona; DNB 8 Aug 1943, San Bernardino Co., CA; drowning.

† Springer, Lynn Irwin, SN 17-131-009, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 544 SE Fighter Training Sqdn., Luke Army Air Field, near Phoenix, Maricopa Co., AZ; Curtiss P-40L Warhawk #42-10718 aviation cadet pilot; DNB 1 Apr 1944, Luke Field Hospital; plane crashed earlier that day two miles S of Luke Field.

† Sweeney, Gordon Anthony, SN 37-480-210, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • unit unknown, DNB 4 May 1944 at Ft. Knox, Hardin Co., KY; asphyxiation, probable drowning.

† Tedesco, Michael, SN O-288783, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • physician; DNB 16 Apr 1945, Camp Hood, near Killeen, Bell Co., TX; peritonitis from appendicitis.

† Thomas, Marvin Lyle, SN O-018345, US Army, Pott. & Harrison Cos.
  • unit unknown, Army Corps of Engineers; DNB 19 May 1943, Los Angeles Co., CA.

† Thompson, Harry, SN 37-267-942, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 53rd Bomb. Sqdn., 46th Bomb. Gp. (Light), Operational Training Unit at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma City, OK; DNB 12 Jun 1943, Enid, Garfield Co., OK; truck accident.

† Trowbridge, Marion Duane, SN 17-011-556, USAAF, Harrison Co.
  • 44th AAF Base Unit, Portland Army Air Field, Oregon; DNB 20 Jul 1943 in Portland area; Cessna Bobcat UC-78B #42-58155 w/ pilot Nelson D. Jenkins crash, all four dead.

† Unmack, Paul Eugene, SN 390-96-96, US Navy, Pott. & Harrison Cos.
  • Navy V-12 program at North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, Richland Co., ND; DNB 22 Nov 1942, Wahpeton.

† Viberg, Oscar Nels, SN 20-704-218, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • Troop E, 107th Cavalry Regt., headquartered at Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., CA; DNB 1 Mar 1943, rural Petaluma, Sonoma Co., CA; tank overturn on highway.​
​
† Wagaman, James Mitchel, SN 37-692-118, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • Anti-aircraft Artillery School at Ft. Bliss, TX; d. near Villisca 3 Aug 1944 while home on leave; vehicle lost control & overturned.

† Wagner, Richard Paul, SN O-30916, USMC Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • Hq. Sqdn., Marine Base Defense Air Group 41, El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, Santa Ana, Orange Co., CA; DNB 3 Mar 1944 E of San Juan Capistrano, Orange Co.; air accident while training.

† Warren, Alfred Leroy, SN 37-470-626, USAAF, Mills Co.
  • 79th Transport S-F-A-Base, Hamilton Field, Suisan City, Solano Co., CA; DNB 23 Jun 1943 Fairfield, Solano Co., CA, vehicle hit by a train.

​† Wigness, Kenneth Eugene, SN O-692842, USAAF, Shelby Co.
  • 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.

​† Windle, Fay Richard, SN 37-485-691, USAAF, Fremont Co.
  • unit unknown, stationed at Mountain Home Air Base, ID; Consolidated B-24J #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.

Died in Western Hemisphere outside of Continental United States:

† Gill, Carl Edward, SN 316-39-25, Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • assigned to US Embassy, Mexico City, Mexico; d. 20 Sep 1946 near Mexico City; crash of US Naval Attache’s plane.

† Hoogensen, Earl Andrew, SN 37-427-473, USAAF, Shelby Co. & San Diego Co., CA
  • 1st Ferrying Sqdn., 6th Ferrying Gp.; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-100399 flight engineer; DNB 16 Jan 1944 37 miles SE of Atkinson Field, near Georgetown, British Guinea, crashed en route to Belem, Brazil, all seven died, five bodies recovered.