bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Roster > Roster Deaths > The Sea Dead, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 20 Jan 2023.
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About 105 Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead Roster members from all branches of service died on ships during WWII. Their names are listed below.
- WWII US > WWII at Sea - additional information on US ships lost in WWII.
About 105 Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead Roster members from all branches of service died on ships during WWII. Their names are listed below.
- This list consists of various parts, the first being aircraft-carrier deaths.
- Part 1 includes five air crew, who died on missions away from the aircraft carriers on which they were based. These individuals also appear in the companion webpage The Air Dead.
- Some shipboard deaths, such as those at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, occurred on or near ships that were docked or at anchor.
- In late 1942, most US naval losses in the War with Japan occurred near the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
- In the spring of 1945, most US naval losses occurred off the island of Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands south of the Japanese home islands.
- The distance from Honiara, Guadalcanal northwest to Naha, Okinawa is 3,274 miles. This gives an idea of the vast scope of the Pacific battleground in WWII.
Part 1, United States Navy Aircraft Carriers (12)
Fleet aircraft carriers (CV, CVL):
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), off Okinawa, Japan; kamikaze, ship survived.
Escort aircraft carriers (CVE):
USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73), off Samar, Philippines; Japanese shells, ship sunk.
Part 2, United States Navy Large Surface Combat Ships – Battleships and Cruisers (17)
Battleships (BB):
USS Arizona (BB-39), Pearl Harbor, exploded and sank.
Heavy cruisers (CA):
USS Astoria (CA-34), off Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Japanese gunfire; ship sunk.
Light cruisers (CL):
USS Atlanta (CL-51), off Guadalcanal; Japanese gunfire & torpedo, ship sunk.
Part 3, United States Medium Surface Combat Ships (31)
Destroyers (DD):
USS Aaron Ward (DD-483), off Guadalcanal, Japanese bombs, ship sunk.
USS De Haven (DD-469), off Guadalcanal, Japanese bombs, ship sunk.
USS Meredith (DD-434), off Guadalcanal; Japanese air attack, ship sunk.
Destroyer tenders (AD):
USS Black Hawk (AD-9), Darwin, Australia, ship undamaged.
Part 4, US Navy Submarines (SS) (9)
USS Amberjack (SS-219), off Rabaul, Bismarck archipelago, Japanese depth charge, sunk.
Part 5, US Navy Small Combat Ships (2)
Motor minesweepers (YMS):
YMS 19, Palau Is., Japanese mine, ship sunk.
Part 6, US Navy Landing Ships and Landing Craft (6)
Tank landing ships (LST):
LST-3, off Sicily, German bomber, ship survived:
Tank landing craft (LCT):
LCT-486, off Normandy, France, German mine, ship sunk.
Part 7, US Navy Cargo and Personnel Ships (9)
Cargo ships (AK/AKA/AKS):
USS Atik (AK-101), off North Carolina, US; German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
Oilers (AO/AOG):
USS Kanawha (AO-1), off Guadalcanal; Japanese dive bombers; ship later sunk.
Muller, Newton Bruce, USN, crew.
Troop transports (AP/APA/APD):
USS Tasker H. Bliss (AP-42), Atlantic, off Morocco, submarine torpedo, ship survived.
Hospital Ships (AH/APH):
USS Pickney (APH-2), off Okinawa, kamikaze; ship survived.
Part 8, Other United States Military Ships (3)
US Army ships:
Tanker Y-17, North Sea, near Ostend, Belgium, German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
Coast Guard ships:
Clover (WLB-292), cutter, Alaska, ship not damaged.
Part 9, United States Merchant Marine (7)
Liberty ships:
SS M. H. De Young, south Pacific, Japanese submarine torpedo, ship survived as USS Antelope (IX-109).
Tankers:
SS Atlantic Sun, off Cape Race, Newfoundland; German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
Other freighters:
SS Topa Topa, Atlantic, en route Trinidad to Africa; German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
Part 10, Allied Ships (4)
HMS LST-422, see entry in Part 6.
HMT Rhona (British), Mediterranean, off Algeria, German guided bomb, sunk.
Part 11, Axis Ships (5)
Japanese Hell Ships carrying prisoners:
Arisan Maru, off Formosa, torpedoed by US submarine, ship sunk.
Part 12, Unknown ships (1)
unknown, Pacific Ocean en route to US, ship undamaged:
Fleet aircraft carriers (CV, CVL):
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), off Okinawa, Japan; kamikaze, ship survived.
- † Christensen, Darwin Arthur, USN, crew.
- † Hough, Charles Robert, USN Aviation, Avenger radioman, lost over Manila Bay.
- † Garner, William Fredrick, USN Aviation, Corsair pilot, lost over Kyushu.
- † O’Dell, Charles Henry, USN, crew.
- † Sander, Merle Edward, USN Aviation, Avenger pilot, training mission.
- † Welty, Robert L., USN Aviation, Hellcat pilot, lost over Kyushu.
Escort aircraft carriers (CVE):
USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73), off Samar, Philippines; Japanese shells, ship sunk.
- † Crawford, George Almon, USN, crew
- † Brunk, Edwin Samuel, USN, crew.
- † Nelson, Herbert Sidney, USN, crew.
- † Fisher, Harlan Ray, USN Aviation, Wildcat pilot. lost at sea.
- † Lavars, Kenneth Charles, USN, crew.
- † Fox, Louis Wendell Sr, USN, crew.
Part 2, United States Navy Large Surface Combat Ships – Battleships and Cruisers (17)
Battleships (BB):
USS Arizona (BB-39), Pearl Harbor, exploded and sank.
- † Jackson, Robert Woods, USN, crew.
- † Loustanau, Charles Bernard, USN, crew.
- † McKeeman, Bert Eugene, USN, crew.
- † Booton, Charles Vinton, USN, crew.
Heavy cruisers (CA):
USS Astoria (CA-34), off Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Japanese gunfire; ship sunk.
- † McLaren, William McAllister, USN, crew.
- † Christensen, Lester Angus, USN, USN, crew.
- † Kaiser, Bernard Richard, USN, crew.
- † Briley, Harold Vinton, USN, crew.
- † Rhoten, Roy Edward, USN, crew.
- † Allstot, Max Vernon, USN, crew.
- † Knapp, Rexford James, USN, crew.
- † Jenkins, Clair Raymond, USN, crew.
Light cruisers (CL):
USS Atlanta (CL-51), off Guadalcanal; Japanese gunfire & torpedo, ship sunk.
- † Briggs, Orval Pershing, USN, crew.
- † Turner, Floyd Vernon, USN, crew.
- † Cody, Claude LeRoy, USN, crew.
- † Leuth, Walter August William, USN, crew.
- † Morris, Eddie Jack, USN, crew.
Part 3, United States Medium Surface Combat Ships (31)
Destroyers (DD):
USS Aaron Ward (DD-483), off Guadalcanal, Japanese bombs, ship sunk.
- † Weihs, Alfred Peter, USN, crew.
- † Adler, Marvin Sanford, USN, crew.
- † Leach, William Ellsworth, USN, crew.
- † Crawford, William Frank Jr., USN, crew.
- † Peterson, Jack, USN, crew.
- † Berry, Kenneth Coit, USN, crew.
- † Miller, Max Miles, USN, crew.
- † Heckman, Fred Herman, USN, crew.
- † Denton, Claude Ballentine, USN, crew.
- † Riddle, Carl William, USN, crew.
USS De Haven (DD-469), off Guadalcanal, Japanese bombs, ship sunk.
- † Dixon, Cletus Hugh, USN, crew.
- † Koebel, Kenneth L., USAAF pilot, passenger, survivor from USS Langley sinking.
- † Sales, Orville Wesley Linden, USN, crew.
- † Henderson, Harry Gregory, USN, crew.
- † Bales, Paul Edgar, USN, crew.
- † Snyder, Donald Earl, USN, crew.
- † Linder, Gerald Edward, USN, crew.
- † Beckendorf, Orville Leroy, USN, crew.
- † Wunder, Edmund Earl, USN, crew.
- † Hansen, Arnt Billy, USN, crew.
- † Hopley, Thomas, USN, crew.
USS Meredith (DD-434), off Guadalcanal; Japanese air attack, ship sunk.
- † Querry, Miles Jr., USN, USS Vireo (AM-52) crew.
- † Etheridge, Lindsay Edward, USN, crew.
- † Thoreson, Vernon Charles, USN, crew.
- † Baker, Delmar Eugene, USN, crew.
- † Stranathan, Dale Chester, USN, crew.
- † Supernois, Donald Ward, USN, crew.
- † Butts, Amos Albert, USN, crew.
- † Anderson, Elmer Dean, USN, crew.
- † Senior, Clifford Leo, USN, crew.
Destroyer tenders (AD):
USS Black Hawk (AD-9), Darwin, Australia, ship undamaged.
- † Field, John Henry, USN, transferred from USS Peary, patient.
Part 4, US Navy Submarines (SS) (9)
USS Amberjack (SS-219), off Rabaul, Bismarck archipelago, Japanese depth charge, sunk.
- † Seidell, Daniel Ryan, USN, crew.
- † Smith, Boyd D., USN, crew.
- † Daughtrey/Daugherty, Gilbert Pryor, USN, crew.
- † Bargenquast, Arnold Frank, USN, crew.
- † Rhoads, Guy Benjamin, USN, crew.
- † Wall, Vernon Palmer, USN, crew.
- † Larson, Paul Louis, USN, crew.
- † Isom, Lyman LeRoy, USN, crew.
- † Stearns, Kirk Comstock, USN, crew.
Part 5, US Navy Small Combat Ships (2)
Motor minesweepers (YMS):
YMS 19, Palau Is., Japanese mine, ship sunk.
- † Colwell, Carl Layne, USN, crew.
- † Swift, Lelean Carl, USN, crew.
Part 6, US Navy Landing Ships and Landing Craft (6)
Tank landing ships (LST):
LST-3, off Sicily, German bomber, ship survived:
- † Andersen, Eugene Phillip, US Navy, crew.
- † Thompsen, Walter Peter Henry, US Army, passenger.
- † Aid, Alvin Eldred, US Army, passenger.
- † Gustafson, Carl Lynn, US Army, passenger.
Tank landing craft (LCT):
LCT-486, off Normandy, France, German mine, ship sunk.
- † Arkfeld, Francis Felix, USN, crew.
- † Saunders, Robert William, USN, crew.
Part 7, US Navy Cargo and Personnel Ships (9)
Cargo ships (AK/AKA/AKS):
USS Atik (AK-101), off North Carolina, US; German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
- † Collins, James Perry, USN, crew.
- † Brown, Gerald Keith, USN, crew.
- † Fausett, Ottis Marvin Jr., USN, crew.
Oilers (AO/AOG):
USS Kanawha (AO-1), off Guadalcanal; Japanese dive bombers; ship later sunk.
Muller, Newton Bruce, USN, crew.
Troop transports (AP/APA/APD):
USS Tasker H. Bliss (AP-42), Atlantic, off Morocco, submarine torpedo, ship survived.
- † Alff, John Fredrick, US Army, passenger.
- † Bradley, Donald James, USN, crew.
- † Chancellor, James Maurice, USN, crew.
Hospital Ships (AH/APH):
USS Pickney (APH-2), off Okinawa, kamikaze; ship survived.
- † Hansen, Hans Folmer Rattenborg Jr., USN, crew.
- † Woods, Duane Lavern, USMC, patient
Part 8, Other United States Military Ships (3)
US Army ships:
Tanker Y-17, North Sea, near Ostend, Belgium, German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
- † Jorgensen, George Eugene Jr., USN, radio operator.
Coast Guard ships:
Clover (WLB-292), cutter, Alaska, ship not damaged.
- † Meindl, Joseph James, USCG, crew.
- † Sorenson, Robert H., USCG.
Part 9, United States Merchant Marine (7)
Liberty ships:
SS M. H. De Young, south Pacific, Japanese submarine torpedo, ship survived as USS Antelope (IX-109).
- † Ellsworth, Dale Stanley, USN, armed guard.
- † Meredith, Glenn T., USN, armed guard.
- † Crose, James Harvey, USAAF, passenger
Tankers:
SS Atlantic Sun, off Cape Race, Newfoundland; German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
- † McLaurin, William Harold, merchant marine, radio operator.
- † Keat, Harry Martin, USN, armed guard
- † Curry, Jack Benton, merchant marine, crew.
Other freighters:
SS Topa Topa, Atlantic, en route Trinidad to Africa; German submarine torpedo, ship sunk.
- † Heckman, Gail Wayne, USN, armed guard.
Part 10, Allied Ships (4)
HMS LST-422, see entry in Part 6.
HMT Rhona (British), Mediterranean, off Algeria, German guided bomb, sunk.
- † Soppe, Raymond Ferdinand, US Army, passenger.
- † Svenningsen, Elmer Lawrence, US Army, passenger.
- † Swanson, Charles Edward Jr., US Army, passenger.
- † Welbourn, Eldred Orville, US Army, passenger.
Part 11, Axis Ships (5)
Japanese Hell Ships carrying prisoners:
Arisan Maru, off Formosa, torpedoed by US submarine, ship sunk.
- † McCuen, Walter Rae, USN, prisoner.
- † Spencer, George Raymond, USN, prisoner.
- † Blizzard, Howard Leslie, US Army, prisoner.
- † Newman, Shelby Fearn, US Army, prisoner.
- † Fader, Walter D., USAAF, prisoner.
Part 12, Unknown ships (1)
unknown, Pacific Ocean en route to US, ship undamaged:
- † Schroder, Dean Charles, US Army, patient, died at sea of complications from head wound.