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​bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Dead > Ancillary Pages > Veterans G-M, © 2026 by Robert A. Christiansen, last update by RAC 6 Sep 2026
Pottawattamie Area Early Deaths of World War II Veterans, 29 "G-M" records
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​​​† (vet.) Gardiner, Kenneth Earl, SN O-327472, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 16 Oct 1898 Essex, Page Co.; s/o Everett Gardiner & Bertha Griffiths (d. 1937).
  • married Eva A. Rumery 1922, one child.
  • entered service 13 Jan 1941 from Co. Bluffs; no overseas duty; separated 15 Aug 1945; buried Memorial Park Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • served with 440th Army Air Force Base Unit, Fourth Air Force, Santa Maria, CA.
  • died 13 Mar 1946 in McAllen, Hidalgo Co., TX; service-related myocarditis.

​​† (vet.) ​Gibson, Glenn Harvey, SN 962-08-15, US Navy, Howard Co., NE
  • b. 12 Sep 1914 Farwell, Howard Co., NE; s/o John Gibson & Jennie I. Harvey.
  • married Betty A. Koborg of Howard Co. 1935, three children.
  • entered service 17 Jun 1944 from Co. Bluffs; separated 18 Feb 1946; bur. Elmwood Cem., St. Paul, Howard Co., NE.
  • served with Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, CA.
  • died 16 Nov 1949 in hospital, Omaha, NE; poliomyelitis.

† (vet.) Goodreau, William Walter, SN 20-706-598, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b.7 Jun 1912 Co. Bluffs; s/o Joseph H. Goodreau & Rosa J. Russell.
  • entered service 16 Jan 1942 from Co. Bluffs; separated 8 Nov 1945; buried Martin Chapel Cem., Pacific Jct., Mills Co.
  • ​served in HQ Co, 704th Tank Bn.; battalion campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
  • died 6 Mar 1948 in Co. Bluffs; crushed under railroad car while at work.​

† (vet.) Hadfield, George Chester, SN 286136, US Marine Corps, Pott. & Harrison Cos.
  • b. 11 Nov 1912 rural Neola, Pott. Co.; s/o George A. Hadfield & Susie M. Moffatt; family moved to rural Missouri Valley, Harrison Co. in the early 1920s, to Clay Co. in the late 1930s, to Magnolia, Harrison Co. in the early 1940s, & then to Co. Bluffs.
  • entered service 24 Jun 1940 from Greenville, Clay Co.; separated Apr 1944; buried Neola Twp. Cem.
  • served with 5th Marine Defense Bn. as part of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade on Iceland Jul 1941–Mar 1942 and in the South Pacific at Funafuti in the Ellice Islands Oct 1942–Nov 1943.
  • entered Hines Veterans Hospital, Cook Co., IL 19 Oct 1944
  • died 7 Jan 1945 at Hines; cancer.

​† (vet.) Hanfeld, Leo Adolph, SN unknown, US Army, Mills Co.
  • b. 13 Feb 1907 Wellfleet, Lincoln Co., NE; s/o Henry C. Hanfeld (d. 1933) & Marie L. Edler (d. 1941); family moved to Mills Co. in 1910s.
  • married Dorothy P. Rager Apr 1930 in Mills Co., four children, divorced.
  • lived in Larimer Co., CO for much of 1930s.
  • entered service at an unknown date, separated from Schick Army Hospital, Clinton, IA 10 Aug 1945; buried Glenwood Cem., Mills Co.
  • served in the European Theater as an infantryman in an unknown unit.
  • died 12 Sep 1945 in hospital, Moline, Rock Island Co., IL; cardiovascular causes.

† (vet.) Havens, Oscar Olin, SN 37-121-344, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 3 Jul 1918 Carson, Pott. Co.; s/o Joshua Sill Havens (d. 1936) & Ethel Esther Denton (d. 1937).
  • entered service 21 Apr 1942 from Macedonia, Pott. Co.; separated 29 Nov 1945; buried Macedonia Cem.
  • served with 249th General Hospital, New Guinea and Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines.
  • died 4 Jan 1946 lime quarry near Macedonia, Pott. Co.; crushing chest injury.

† (vet.) Hite, Donald Lee, SN 37-267-558, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 3 Mar 1909 Red Oak; s/o Clark C. Hite & Jessie J. Heberlee.
  • married Minette E. Grimes 1926, divorced.; married Mildred D. Whittington 1932, two children, divorced; married Hazel U. Glasgow, one child.
  • entered service 12 Oct 1942 from Red Oak; no overseas service; separated 15 Jul 1943; buried Evergreen Cem., Red Oak.
  • served stateside with Hq. & Hq. Battery, 56th Field Artillery, 8th Inf. Div. before the division deployed.
  • died 30 Nov 1945 Los Angeles, CA while visiting brother; pneumonia.

† (vet.) Jacobsen, William Claus "Bill", SN 37-193-485, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 18 Oct 1911 Valentine, Cherry Co., NE; s/o Claus H. Jacobsen (d. 1922) & Margaretha Ohlson; family moved from Avoca, Pott. Co. to Cherry Co. about 1910, returned to Avoca after father's death, and moved to Harlan, Shelby Co. in late 1930s.
  • entered service 29 Apr 1942 from Harlan; separated 31 Aug 1945; buried Harlan Cem.
  • served in the Mediterranean Theater in Hdqrs. & Service Co., 815 Engineer Bn.
  • died 10 Aug 1947 Harlan, Shelby Co.; stabbed to death in the basement of a bar.

†  (vet.) James, Arthur Warren, SN O-235145, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 26 Mar 1889 Co. Bluffs; s/o Noah D. James & Martha E. Kelley.
  • married Ethel F. Britton Apr 1912, one child; entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Co. Bluffs with Osceola's 109th Quartermaster Regt., Iowa National Guard; separated 7 Sep 1944; buried Belvidere Cem., Boone Co., IL.
  • served in Quartermaster Corps at Hill Air Force Base, UT and Indianapolis, IN.
  • died 8 Jul 1946 in Rockford, Winnebago Co., IL; coronary thrombosis.
  • Note: WWI veteran who remained in the Iowa National Guard; commanded HQ Company, 34th Infantry Division in Co. Bluffs in the late 1920s.

†  (vet.) Jobe, John Arthur, SN 154-62-79, US Navy, Cass Co.
  • b. 30 Jun 1899 Henry Co.; s/o George T. Jobe (d. 1944) & Linnie M. Cook (d. 1945); George Jobe family lived in various locations in southern Iowa and briefly in Texas & Nebraska before moving to California in the 1930s.
  • married Virgil D. Starr 1923, four children; John Jobe family lived in Grove Twp., Pott. Co. before moving to Lewis, Cass Co. in the early 1930s.
  • entered service 20 Jun 1942 from Lewis; separated 5 Apr 1945; buried Oakwood Cem., Lewis.
  • served in the Pacific on USS La Vallette (DD-448).
  • died 21 Feb 1949 in Lewis, Cass Co.; cerebral embolism.

(vet.) Johnson, Frank, SN 0-232-186, US Army, Harrison & Polk Cos.
  • b. 17 May 1893 in Manning, Carroll Co. as John Franklin Johnson; s/o John Alexander Johnson (b. Jefferson Co., OH; d. 1940) and Sarah Helen Redick (b. Benton Co.); family lived in Exira, Audubon Co. in 1900 and Adair, Adair Co. in 1910.
  • living in Adair and student at Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1917.
  • married Bernice Ella Davin of Benton Co. in Vinton, Benton Co. in Aug 1922, three children.
  • moved to Pisgah, Harrison Co. late 1920s; superintendent of Schools at Pisgah in the early 1930s; district supply officer for the Civilian Conservation Corps stationed at Fort Des Moines, Polk Co. in the late 1930s; grocer at Lake Crystal, MN in 1940.
  • entered service 15 Jul 1940 from Des Moines; separated 25 Apr 1946; buried Evergreen Cemetery, Vinton, Benton Co.
  • served in Medical Administrative Corps; Medical Supply Officer at Bruns General Hospital in Santa Fe, NM in 1945.
  •  died 18 Jun 1948 in Iowa Methodist Hospital, Des Moines; aortic aneurysm.

† (vet.) Joy, Gene Raymond, SN 860-19-47, US Navy, Harrison Co.
  • b. 30 Aug 1921 Woodbine, Harrison Co.; s/o Atlas A. Joy & Elsie L. Mott, both Harrison Co. natives; family lived in Harrison & Pott. Cos.
  • married Ines Bell Dean of Arkansas 1943 in Nemaha Co., KS, one child;
  • entered service 28 Feb 1944 from Rt. 1, Honey Creek, Pott. Co.; separated 23 Jan 1946; bur. Logan Cem., Harrison Co.
  • sea duty on patrol craft PC-599 and with Pacific Fleet School Station, Pearl Harbor.
  • died 29 Sep 1949 in Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Co. Bluffs; peritonitis from appendicitis.

† (vet.) Junker, Edgar William, SN 01-046-506, US Army, Shelby & Woodbury Cos.
  • b. 8 Jan 1907 Harlan, Shelby Co.; family moved to Sioux City, Woodbury Co. about1934.
  • married Florence F. Haag Jan 1943.
  • entered service 16 Mar 1942 from Sioux City; no overseas service; sep. 19 Aug 1945; married Florence F. Haag Jan 1943; bur. Memorial Park Cem., Sioux City.
  • served stateside in the anti-aircraft component of the Coast Artillery Corps.
  • after separation, electrician with Sioux City Gas & Electric Co.
  • died 24 Feb 1949 in St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Sioux City; growing skin cancer caused throat hemorrhage.

(vet.) Kernan, Frederick Randolph, SN 620-18-31, US Navy, Adams & Carroll Cos.
  • b. 19 Nov 1921 Nodaway, Adams Co.; s/o Charles Randolph Kernan (b. Nodaway, Adams Co.) & Doris Vivian Carothers (b. Adams Co.); family moved to Carroll Co. in 1942.
  • married Helen Theresa Gregory of Glidden, Carroll Co. Feb 1943 in Clark Co., NV; two children.
  • entered service 29 Dec 1941 at Des Moines; separated 16 Oct 1945; buried Dillavou Cem., Kendrick Twp., Greene Co.
  • served for three years on the light cruiser USS Detroit (CL-8).
  • died 4 Jun 1949 near Ralston, Carroll Co.; aircraft accident.​

† (vet.) Kernan, Joseph Edward/Edwin Jr., SN 37-260-280, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 2 Aug 1899 Des Moines s/o Joseph E. Kernan Sr. & Beatrice L. Kelley; family moved to Co. Bluffs in early 1910s.
  •  married Zola M. Puryear 1943.
  • entered service 22 Aug 1942 from Co. Bluffs; no overseas service; separated 26 Jan 1943; buried St. Joseph Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • service details unknown.
  • died 31 Mar 1949 in Co. Bluffs; cirrhosis of the liver.

† (vet.) Klinkefus, Harold Emerson, SN 37-755-307, US Army Air Force, Shelby Co.
  • b. 12 Nov 1914 Shelby, Shelby Co.; s/o Leonard F. Klinkefus (d. 1921) & Pearl J. Pulver; mother married Elmer H. Sahl of Harlan;
  • married Myrtle A. Andersen of Harlan 1937, two children.
  • entered service from Harlan 15 Nov 1944; separated 5 Nov 1948; buried Jacksonville Cem., Shelby Co. 
  • served with 59th Air Depot Gp., Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX;
  • after service, joined Iowa Highway Patrol.
  • died 18 May 1949 in rural Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; his Highway Patrol vehicle hit a truck that had stopped abruptly and jackknifed while avoiding another vehicle in left-turn lane.

† ​(vet.) Kloewer, Alphonse Lineus "Ike", SN 37-036-747, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 28 Apr 1918 Defiance, Shelby Co.; s/o Anton Kloewer (d. 1922) & Barbara Gaul (d. 1928).
  • married Barbara C. Zitzlsperger Oct 1946, one child.
  • entered service 21 Mar 1941 from Defiance; overseas Mar 1944–Nov 1945; separated 28 Nov 1945; buried St. Peter & Paul Cem., Defiance.
  • served in the Pacific  with the 711th Tank Bn.
  • after separation: worked as a plumber in Defiance.
  • died 22 Dec 1947 in the Veterans Hospital, Des Moines after a 20-day stay; stomach cancer.

† (vet.) Knudsen, Alfred Raymond, SN 17-165-468, US Army, Pott. Co. 
  • b. 21 Oct 1924 rural Neola, Pott. Co.; s/o Laurits P. Knudsen & Alma M. Petersen.
  • entered service 10 Dec 1942 from Co. Bluffs; separated 22 Feb 1946; buried Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • served in the Southwest Pacific with the 158th Infantry Regt.
  • died 21 Jul 1946 Co. Bluffs; auto accident.

† ​(vet.) Kritenbrink, William Rex, SN 316-11-44, US Navy, Union Co.
  • b. 11 Aug 1904 Atlantic, Cass Co.; s/o John C. Kritenbrink (d. 1933) & Edith A. Smith; family moved to Union Co. before 1910.
  • married May Dean 1935 in San Diego Co., CA.
  • entered service 14 Mar 1926 from Creston, Union Co.; overseas Sep 1941–Jun 1944; separated 20 Dec 1944; buried River View Cem., Portland, Multnomah Co., OR.
  • served as a Chief Water Tender on aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10).
  • after separation: entered Veterans Hospital, Walla Walla, Walla Walla Co., WA in early 1945.
  • died 31 Jul 1946 in Veterans Hospital, Walla Walla; tuberculosis.

​† (vet.) ​Laird, Clarke Singleton, SN 20-706-132, US Army, Fremont Co.
  • b. 11 May 1893 Imogene, Fremont Co.; s/o Porter B. Laird (d. 1935) & Elizabeth F. Singleton.
  • entered service 20 Jan 1941 from Tabor, Fremont Co.; no overseas service; separated 30 Mar 1943; buried Tabor Cem.
  • served with Co. A, 741st Military Police Bn.
  • after separation, worked in road construction.
  • died 3 Oct 1949 in hospital, Omaha; cardio-vascular accident.
  • Notes: WWI veteran.

† (vet.) Lang, Gail Clive, SN 37-263-161, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.
  • b. 13 Oct 1904 Atlantic, Cass Co.; s/o Jacob Erastus "Ras" Lang (d. 1934) & Daisy I. Patten.
  • living in Omaha with sister Zola in early 1940.
  • entered service 14 Sep 1942; separated 8 Jun 1945; buried Atlantic Cem., Cass Co.
  • served with 3507th Army Air Force Base Unit, Lincoln Army Air Field, Nebraska.
  • died 4 Jul 1946 in Omaha; heart attack.

† ​(vet.) Lathrop, Roy Garfield, SN 37-191-481, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 17 Apr 1913 Iowa or Missouri; adopted in 1923 by Herbert R. Lathrop & Nellie M. Spicer of rural Red Oak, Pilot Grove Twp., Montgomery Co.; parents moved to Neola, Pott. Co. area before 1947.
  • entered service 20 Apr 1942 from rural Red Oak, registered with Page Co. draft board; no overseas service; separated 3 Aug 1943; entered Knoxville, IA Veterans Hospital Oct 1944; buried Evergreen Cem., Red Oak.
  • served with an anti-aircraft unit.​
  • died 5 Jan 1947 in Knoxville, IA Veterans Hospital; ulcerative and perforated intestine, also dementia praecox.

​† (vet.) ​​Law, Ford Leon, SN 37-442-637, US Army, Audubon Co.
  • b. 19 Oct 1901 Audubon, Audubon Co.; s/o James Law & Anna B. Jacobs.
  • entered service 5 Nov 1942 from Audubon; no overseas service; separated 10 Nov 1944; buried Maple Grove Cem., Audubon.
  • served in an unknown unit.
  • after separation, worked as a chef in Cedar Rapids, Linn Co.
  • died 25 Jun 1945 in St. Luke's Hospital Cedar Rapids from internal injuries; fell in front of a switch engine on 22 Jun 1945.

† (vet.) Lovejoy, Harry Wayne, SN 37-260-325, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 21 Jul 1915 Pattonsburg, Daviess Co., MO; s/o James M. Lovejoy (d. 1936) & Sarah I. Price (d. 1931).
  • married Alyce L. Clark Sep 1944 in Sebastian Co., AR, two children.
  • entered service 5 Sep 1942 from Co. Bluffs; overseas Dec 1944–Dec 1945; separated 30 Dec 1945; buried Cedar Lawn Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  •  served in European Theater with Battery C, 955th Field Artillery Bn.
  • died 22 Aug 1948 in Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Co. Bluffs; burns suffered in a 19 Aug highway accident near Glenwood, IA.

† (vet.) Luxford, Elmer Lee, SN 648-64-91, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • b. 9 Jan 1896 Harper, Keokuk Co.; s/o George W. Luxford & Mary F. Holmes; lived in Cass, Shelby, & Monona Cos.
  • married Margaret D. Halloran of Shelby Co. 1919; moved to Co. Bluffs in early 1930s.
  • entered service 11 Oct 1942; separated 29 Jan 1943; buried Union Twp. Cem., Defiance, Shelby Co.
  • stationed with a US Navy SeaBees center in Williamsburg, VA.
  • died 16 Jan 1945 at home, Co. Bluffs; possible embolism with underlying digestive tract ulceration.

† ​(vet.) Manuel, Edwin A., SN 37-116-956, US Army Air Force, Shelby & Cass Cos.
  • b. 4 May 1907 Corley, Shelby Co.; s/o Pearle F. Manuel & Bertha M. Rixen; family moved to Atlantic, Cass Co. in late 1920s.
  • entered service 9 Mar 1942 from Atlantic; overseas May 1943–Aug 1945; separated 8 Oct 1945l  buried Atlantic Cem.
  •  served in the European Theater with 29th Troop Carrier Sqdn., 313rd Troop Carrier Gp., Ninth Air Force.
  • after separation, laborer for Railway Express Agency in Atlantic.
  • died7 Apr 1946 in hospital, Atlantic, Cass Co; vehicle hit side of Rock Island Rocket engine at railroad crossing near Marne; died shortly thereafter from internal injuries & multiple fractures.

† (vet.) Marsh, Ben Adrian, SN 860-27-66, US Navy, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 5 Jun 1911 rural Elliott, Pilot Grove Twp., Montgomery Co.; s/o George B. Marsh & Grace E. Dewitt.
  • married Helen L. Mewhirter 1938 (she d. 1939), one child; married Mildred A. (Grace) Wilder 1940.
  • entered service 17 Mar 1944 from Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; no overseas service; separated 19 Dec 1945; buried Hillside Cem., Elliott, Montgomery Co..
  • stationed at Naval Repair Base, San Diego, CA.
  • died 4 Jul 1946 in Dimmick Twp., LaSalle Co., IL; explosion while welding a pipeline; skull fracture, broken ribs, crushed chest.

† ​(vet.) Martens, Jason Earl, SN 17-030-649, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.
  • b. 17 Aug 1918 Cumberland, Cass Co.; s/o Henry H. Martens & Cora M. Neetz/
  • married Jeanne M. Shays 1945 in Queens Co., NY.
  • entered service 18 Jun 1941 from Rt. 2, Cumberland; overseas  Nov 1942–Mar 1945; separated 14 Jun 1945; buried Weirich Cem., Noble Twp., Cass Co.
  •  served in the Mediterranean Theater with 306th Service Sqdn., 38th Service Gp.
  • after separation: mechanic with American Air Lines.
  • died 30 Dec 1945 in Mary Immaculate Hospital, Jamaica, Queens Co., NY; monocytic leukemia.

† (vet.) Messinger, Jack, SN 20-706-202, US Army, Mills Co.
  • b. 12 Sep 1922 Glenwood, Mills Co.; s/o Herbert R. Messinger & Faye V. Chambers.
  •  married Edith M. Roll of Mills Co. Jan 1947 in Brown Co., KS, two children.
  • entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Glenwood; separated 2 Nov 1945; buried Glenwood Cem.
  • served in the European Theater with the 205th Military Police Co.
  • died 8 Nov 1948 Co. Bluffs; meningitis.

† (vet.) Mills, Eugene Raymond, SN 17-165-280, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 12 Mar 1923 Co. Bluffs; s/o Curtis F. Mills & Ola L. Busick; parents divorced.
  •  married Norma L. Adams 1942, two children.
  • entered service 3 Dec 1942 from Co. Bluffs, no overseas service; separated 17 Nov 1945; buried Memorial Park Cem., Co. Bluffs. 
  • unit unknown.
  • died 10 Jun 1946 in Co. Bluffs; sarcoma.

† (vet.) Miner, Frank John, SN 37-467-090, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 10 Oct 1915 Co. Bluffs; s/o Carl A. Ogren & Ruth A. Wood; parents divorced; mother married Frederick R. Miner.
  • married Darlene E. Belt, two children.
  • entered service 19 Dec 1942 from Co. Bluffs; overseas Jul 1944–Feb 1945; separated 16 Nov 1945; buried Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • after overseas service, served in the 2511th Army Air Force Base Unit, Bryan, TX.
  • died 16 Feb 1948 near Honey Creek, Pott. Co.; crushed under his Meadow Gold Dairy truck when it overturned on icy highway.