Family Veterans:
Military Heroes, War Dead, and Veterans
On Memorial Day of 2006 I resolved to give a brief accounting of those who sacrificed for their country in military service. Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice are designated throughout the website with gold stars (
) and those who served during war are designated with blue stars (
). All who served in combat zones are memorialized below, grouped by conflict in reverse chronological order:
- Persian Gulf (1991)
- Vietnam (1964-1975)
- Korea (1950-1953)
- World War II (1941-1945)
- World War I (1917-1918)
- Spanish-American (1989)
- Civil War (1861-1865), Union and Confederate
- War of 1812 (1812-1815)
- American Revolution (1775-1781)
Persian Gulf War, Operation DESERT STORM (1991)
Thomas Allen Jenkins, LCpl, USMC
- Killed by friendly fire while repelling an Iraqi incursion into Saudi Arabia at Khafji, February 1991. Age 21.
Vietnam War (1964-1975)
Jimmy Lee Fisher, CPL, USA
- Served with the 9th Infantry Division, 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, A Company. Killed in action in Long An Province, Southern Vietnam, November 15, 1967. Age 20.
Dennis James Blissard, USAF
Korean War (1950-1953)
Walter Day Beaman, Jr., USAF
- Veteran of World War II and personnel technician with the 6131st Tactical Support Wing, 8th Fighter-Bomber Group; served at the Battle of P'ohang (Aug 1950) and advanced with the Group to P'yongyang until its fall on December 1, 1950.
Elmer Francis Converse, CPL, USA
Robert G. Fisher, USA
John J. Nowak, SGT, USA
Maurice Eugene Smith, Jr., 1LT, USA
- Silver Star and Purple Heart per headstone
Lawrence "Lars" R. Wargin, USMC
- Aerial Navigator with Marine Transport Squadrons
World War II (1941-1945)
Lester A. Abbott, PFC, USA
- Enlisted for the Philippine Department in 1940 and later assigned to the 100th Infantry Division ("Century Division"), 397th Infantry Regiment, which served in northeastern France. He was killed in action on April 1, 1945, during the push across the Rhine River into Germany. Bronze Star, Purple Heart. Age 27.
William V. Converse, CPT, USA Air Corps
- Killed in action, presumably as a B-17 bomber pilot, over Holland, May 18, 1943. Age 24.
Oliver Albert Goodwin, Jr., USN
- Died during the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, July 1945. Age 33.
Robert G. Guglielmetti, USN
- Died in an airplane crash during training over the Pamlico Sound, Florida, November 1942.
- Died on April 12, 1942, in Solano County, California following contraction of measle and pneumonia while serving with the U.S. Navy. Age 20.
Herbert Dennis Shaw, CM1C, USN
- Died during the sinking of the U.S.S. Houston (CA-30) by the Japanese in the Sundra Strait of Indonesia off the island of Java, March 1, 1942. Age about 37.
Harry Theodore Taylor, GM2c, USN
- Served as a gunners mate and killed aboard the U.S.S. Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i, December 7, 1941. Age 23.
Doyle Sherman Beaman, USA
- Served with the 1st Ranger Battalion in Sicily and Italy; captured at either Anzio or Cisterno and held as a prisoner of war through the rest of the war.
- Served as an infantryman in the Philippines at the end of World War II and with the 7th Infantry during the occupation of Korea following the war. Reenlisted with the U.S. Air Force and served during the Korean War.
William F. Bellon, USA
Fred Frank Converse, USA
- Served in the Waggoner Sup[port] Company of the 13th Infantry Regiment, which was attached to the 8th Infantry Division that landed at Normandy and liberated the north of France and north of Germany.
Warren G. Epps, Sgt, US(MC)
- Served in Saipan, Okinawa, and Korea; awarded the Purple Heart on June 20, 1945, after being wounded at Okinawa
Ronald Elliott Hammil, EM1, USN
Rockwell C. Fisher, SGT, USA
- Served in the New Guinea Campaign
William P. Fisher, TEC 5, USA
- Battery A, 62nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion. His vehicle was reportedly struck by a shell during battle in the Tunisia Campaign (November 1942-May 1943). He helped evacuate his crew but was still aboard when the shell exploded and suffered severe injuries. Awarded the Silver Star.
Charles Donald Goss, BM2, USNR
Jack Rogers Hopkins, PHOM 1, USN
Harvey J. LaBoy, TEC 5, USA
- Served with the 35th Infantry Division's 134th Infantry Regiment at Normandy
Michael Magatelli, USA
- Served in the European Theater.
Jerome J. Marci, PFC, USA
- Served in the Philippine Islands as a light scout machine gunner; twice awarded the Bronze Star and earned a Purple Heart.
Herbert Archie Miller, GM1C, USN
- Served aboard the U.S.S. Detroit (CL-8) at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, afterward the U.S.S. La Vallett (DD-448) and U.S.S. Franklin (CV-13), and as a reservist until 1975.
Clemence Edward Nowak, PFC, USA
Norbert Eugene Nowak, USA
James Mario Pandiani, USAAF
- B-26 radioman and gunner, European Theater
Louis Wayne "Bill" Thomas, USN
- Served with the Navy Seabees in Okinawa.
Lawrence "Lars" R. Wargin, USMC
- Aerial Navigator with Marine Aircraft Groups.
World War I (1917-1918)
Cornelius Ted Bellon, SGT, USA
- Enlisted with the 307th Field Artillery Regiment, presumably at Camp Dix, New Jersey, under the 78th Infantry Division. Reassigned to an as yet unidentified company prior to the Division's deployment to France in May. Reportedly served overseas from 1918 to 1919 and was promoted to corporal and sergeant. Honarably discharged on April 26, 1919, at Camp Mitchel Field (now Mitchel Air Force Base) on Long Island, New York.
Walter M. Bellon, CPL, USA, 145th Machine Gun Battalion, Company C
Roy Frederick Cottrell, PFC, USA, 313 Machine Gun Division, France
Anthony Stanley Grace, PVT, Auxiliary Remout Depot 331, Camp Lewis, Washington
Antonio Malugani, USA, 8th Infantry Division, Company A, France
Clarence Walter Miller, USA Air Service 24th Spruce Squadron
William Leland Miller, CPL, USA, 363rd Infantry Regiment
- Enlisted on March 29, 1918. Fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in Northern France (September-October 1918) and the Ypres-Lys Offensive in Belgium (November 1918). Discharged on April 24, 1919, at the Presidio of San Francisco.
Meynard S. Miller, CPL, USA
Leo Edward Sanford, PVT, USA, 316th Ammunition Train, Company B
Paul Paroli, PVT, USA, 12th Infantry Regiment, Company I
Roman Aloysius Wargin, MSG, USA
Spanish-American War (1898)
Henry Lee Bond, PVT, USA
- Served in the Philippine Islands and Philippine Insurrection (~1898-1902); died on January 26, 1941, at the Veterans' Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico following decades of complications from malaria and dysentary contracted during his service.
Thomas James Goodwin, USN
- Enlisted as a Navy fireman following the explosion aboard the U.S.S. Maine; after his discharge he worked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard as a stationary engineer and died there 30 years later in an explosion, September 1, 1931.
Civil War, Union (1861-1865)
Hamilton M. Boggess, PVT, 125th Illinois Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company G
- Died of fever in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 22, 1862, age 40.
Henry B. and George W. Converse
- Brothers Henry and George Converse are said to have died in the service of the Union Army.
- Died at Petersburg, Virginia on March 25, 1865, (Union or Confederate?), age 22.
John Pritchard, PVT, Illinois 35th Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company E
- Died on August 2, 1864, nine weeks after being wounded in action in the Battle of Pickett's Mill, Georgia, on May 27, age about 26.
- Died at the U.S. General Hospital, Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee, January 24, 1865, age 33
Alexander Sanford, Seaman, U.S.S. Mississippi
- Served aboard the U.S.S. Mississippi and died of a chronic illness on December 14, 1864, age 19.
John W. Van Wormer, PVT, Michigan 3rd Infantry, Company H, age 46
Erastus D. Andrews, PVT, Illinois 91st Infantry, Company E
Allen Chapman5, Iowa 37th Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company E
- Allen and "the Graybeard Regiment" performed guard and garrison duty during several deployments in the Mississippi Valley.
Benjamin Franklin Chapman, Iowa 11th Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company A
- The 11th Iowa served in the Army of the Tennessee and engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, the Mississippi Campaign, and March to the Sea in Georgia
Charles Wesley Chapman, Iowa 19th Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company F
- The 19th Iowa served with the Army of the Frontier and saw combat in northwest Arkansas and the Vicksburg Campaign. After the victorious Seige of Vicksburg the regiment was routed at the Battle of Stirling's Plantation in Louisiana and marched to Camp Ford, Texas, where they were imprisoned. It is not yet known if Madison and Charles were captured and taken prisoner.
Francis Marion Chapman, PVT, Ohio 8th Independent Sharpshooters
Madison Green Chapman, Iowa 19th Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company F
William Anderson Chapman, CPL, Ohio 8th Independent Sharpshooters
Erastus Taylor Converse, PVT, Iowa 6th Cavalry, Company I
- Served in Brigadier General Sully's Expedition against the Sioux Indians in the Dakota Territory.
Charles C. Cottrell, PVT, Pennsylvania 12th Cavalry Regiment, Company B
Nathaniel Ichabod Cottrell (Jr.), Landsman, U.S. Navy, Mississippi Squadron, U.S.S. Moose
John Jackson Fisher3, PVT, Iowa 7th Cavalry, Company E
- Served first year at home with the mumps; returned for service, August 1864-August 1865, and then deserted on 29 August.
Francis Marion Kester, 2CPL, Iowa 22nd Infantry, Company A
Isaac Dennis Miller7, PVT, Iowa 24th Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company D
- Wounded in the right leg at the Battle of Champion's Hill (May 16, 1863) on the road to Vicksburg, Mississippi and again a year later at the Battle of Opequon Creek (September 19, 1864) on the road to Winchester, Virginia, leaving his right leg crippled. Age 20.
Stephen Wilbur Poole, Rhode Island 10th Regiment Volunteers, Company G
Abel Van Wormer, Michigan 9th Infantry Regiment, Company E
Abram Van Wormer, PVT, Ohio 96th Infantry, Company D; wounded
Alexander Van Wormer and Ethemer Van Wormer, brothers, both served as Privates in the Michigan 9th Infantry Regiment, Company K
Civil War, Confederate (1861-1865)
Wiley Pritchard, PVT, Virginia 61st Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company A
- Died on January 29, 1863, age 27. Buried in the University of Virginia Confederate Cemetery, Charlottesville.
Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
John Jacob Miller, 3rd Regiment, Captain Patterson's Company, Company D, Ohio Volunteers
War of 1812 (1812-1815)
Arnold Snider, PVT, Simonton's Company of Riflemen
- Died at Fort Meigs, Ohio, following the seige of the fort.
Paul Kester2, Lanier's Independent Battalion of Ohio Militia
- Killed upon return home to Preble County, Ohio.
Jacob Miller, PVT, Capt. William Van Cleve's Company of Riflemen, Montgomery County, Ohio
Revolutionary War (1775-1781)
James Chapman3, PVT, Virginia Militia
- Served under Maj Boice at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, 16 August 1780, and later at the Battle of Yorktown, October 19, 1781.
John "Jack" Chapman, Virginia Militia
- Served in the Seige of Charleston, South Carolina, and second battle for Charleston.
- Pawling's regiment, Westfall's company, Ulster County, New York,
John Ulrich, PVT, First Partisan Corps ("Armand's Legion")
- Likely served in Gen Kazimierz "Casimir" Pułaski's Legion (1778-1779) before Col Charles Armand ("Colonel Armand") Tuffin, Marquis De La Rouërie, took over the legion after Pułaski's death at the Battle of Savannah (October 11, 1779) and renamed it as the First Partisan Corps; "altercations" in 1782 on the return, presumably to New York following Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown, Virginia (October 19, 1781)