McKEAN COUNTY
WORLD WAR II

Casualties: 271

US THEATRE: 47

Merchant Marine: 5

Died In Service
Illness: 9
Training Accidents:
14
Air Crashes: 15
Suicides: 3

Civilian: 1

EUROPE: 148

Killed in Action

North Africa: 10
Sicily: 4
Italy: 14
France: 30
Belgium: 6
Netherlands: 2
Germany: 43
England: 2

Shotdown
Germany: 12
Hungary: 1
Austria: 1
Sicily: 1
Netherlands: 1
England / Channel: 3
Italy: 1
France: 2
Yugoslavia: 1
Belgium: 1
Romania: 1

Navy:
4

Missing in Action:
7


Died as POW: 1
PACIFIC: 76

Killed in Action

Philippines: 17
Peleliu: 2
Guam: 2
Iwo Jima: 3
Okinawa: 3
Saipan: 2
Hawaii: 1
Moratai: 1
New Britain: 1
Burma: 1
India: 1
New Guinea: 4
China: 3
Guadalcanal: 3

Civilian POW:
1

Navy MIA:
15
Army MIA:
1
Air Force MIA:
7
USMC MIA:
1

Buried at Sea:
4

Died as POW:
3


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A

Private Robert S. Alexander

Company G, 311th Infantry Regiment,
78th Infantry Division

Hometown: Kane

Died in service on 30 December 1942
Camp Butner, NC.


Buried: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Kane

 

Messman August J. Anderson

SS Caddo
United States Merchant Marine

Hometown: Kane

Age: 43
Missing action on 23 November 1942


At 06.36 hours on 23 Nov 1942 the unescorted Caddo (Master Paul B. Muller) was torpedoed by U-518, while proceeding on a zigzagging course, changing every six to nine minutes. The torpedo struck the port side at the pump room, just forward of the after bulkhead. The explosion ripped up the deck, tore a huge hole in the side, flooded the pump room and destroyed a lifeboat and a raft. As the Caddo began to settle by the stern the watch below secured the engines.

The survivors of the complement of ten officers, 32 men and 17 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4 inch, one 3 inch, four 20mm and two .30 cal guns) abandoned the ship after 30 minutes in three lifeboats and three rafts. The tanker sank stern first at 08.30 hours and ten minutes later, the U-boat surfaced and took the master and the chief officer as prisoners. The boat in charge of the second mate with 17 men set course for Bermuda, but this boat capsized twice in heavy seas during the night of 7 December. Eight men drowned and three others died after the boat was righted.

After 15 days at sea, the remaining three crewmen and three armed guards in this boat were picked up by the Spanish motor merchant Motomar in 38°10N/35°24W, 650 miles south of where the Caddo sank. On 24 December, they were landed at Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania and hospitalized. The 40 men in the other two lifeboats were never seen again. The master Paul B. Muller died later in a POW camp and the chief officer was repatriated in 1945.



Private First Class
Donald R. Anderson


Company A, 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion

Hometown: Kane

Killed in action on 3 January 1945
Rochelinval, Belgium
Age: 22

Buried: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Kane

The 551st was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division and was assigned to push back the Germans from the Salm River valley. On 3 January, the battalion was to attack in the direction of Dairomont, a small village with open fields covered with fifteen inches of snow and scouts had reported the Germans having several machine guns, mortar positions and supporting armor. Recalled as the “battle of the sunken road” by those veterans there that day, the paratroopers launched the assault with A Company taking immediate small arms fire and took cover along an embankment in the snow covered field. A German tank emerged from the left, near the Laurent farm, and fired point-blank into the troopers. Another tank came from the opposite direction and began attacking the same group.
The paratroopers are mowed down and some take shelter in the ditch along the road. One tank is knocked out of action with a direct hit in the tracks and the order to retreat back to the woods is given to the survivors. Sixty-eight enlisted men and three officers are killed in the fighting that day from the 155 men in A Company. On 7 January, the under strength battalion led a suicide attack across the open fields against the last enemy pocket of resistance in Rochelinval. Company A led the assault with forty-six men and were decimated by the German machine gun fire. Only seven men made it to the village edge.
The rest of the battalion finally overwhelmed the German defenders and captured the village taking three hundred prisoners and killing fifty-one. After only five days of combat, 110 men were left from the original strength of 790. The casualty rate was 84%, the highest of the airborne units after its sister airborne unit, the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion.

Private First Class Earl J. Anderson

499th Bomber Squadron,
345th Bomber Group, Medium

Hometown: Bradford

Killed in action on 12 November 1944
Leyte Gulf, Philippines
Age: 32

Anderson was a clerk/typist with the 345th. A Kamikaze attack on the Liberty ships SS Thomas Nelson and SS Morrison R. Waite in Leyte harbor killed 111 members of the 345th Bomber Group.

Buried: Plot F, Row 14, Grave 43
Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines


Staff Sergeant Wallace K. Anderson

M Company, 413th Infantry Regiment,
104th Infantry Division

Hometown: Clermont

Killed in action on 22 November 1944, Germany
Age: 22


Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp Repatriated: 8 December 1947

Posthumously awarded the Silver Star when he left his foxhole as he saw a truck burst into flames after hitting an anti-tank mine. In the face of an intense artillery and mortar barrage, he made his way across 250 yards of enemy fire-swept terrain to the vehicle. Despite the flames and concentrated enemy shelling, Anderson successfully extricated an officer and two enlisted men who were helplessly trapped in the truck.


Pivate Howard E. App

8th Field Artillery Battalion, 25th Infantry Division

Hometown: Eldred

Died Non-Battle 5 October 1943, Guadalcanal
Age: 21

Buried: Plot C, Site 186
Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii
Repatriated: February 7, 1949


B

Staff Sergeant Chester C. Bair

215th Training Battalion, Camp Blanding, FL

Hometown: Eldred

Died of illness on 3 April 1944
Age: 46

Buried: Lamphier Cemetery, Eldred

Corporal Burton G. Baker

633rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery,
Automatic Weapons Battalion, Coast Artillery Corps

Hometown: Rixford

Killed in action on 12 September 1944, France
Age: 24


Buried: Lamphier Cemetery, Eldred
Repatriated: 18 May 1949

Private First Class
Paul Z. Beck


Company E, 405th Infantry Regiment
102nd Infantry Division

Hometown: Bradford

Killed in action on 28 February 1945,
Germany
Age: 21


Buried: Plot C, Row 9, Grave 4
Netherlands American Cemetery,
Margraten, Netherlands

Seaman 2/Class
John Begeny, Jr

United States Coast Guard
USS Leonard Wood (APA-12)

Hometown: Ludlow

Wounded in action on 15 November 1942
Died of Wounds: December 9, 1942
Age: 20
North Africa


Buried: Sheffield, PA
Repatriated: 3 June 1948

Tech Sergeant Robert A. Bell

318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division

Hometown: Bradford

Died of wounds on 24 September 1944
Age: 25


Buried: Plot C, Row 15, Grave 90
Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France

Private First Class Edgar W. Bennett

United States Army

Hometown: Eldred

Killed in action on 17 September 1944, France
Age: 28


Buried: Allegany, NY
Repatriated: 8 July 1949

Private First Class Edward W. Bernard

Company G, 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Hometown: Custer City

Killed in action 15 September 1944, Peleliu
Age: 20


Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp
Repatriated: 12 November 1948

Fireman 1/Class Charles E. Berringer, Jr.

USS FRANKLIN (CV-13)

Hometown: Bradford

Buried at sea on 19 March 1945

Tablets of the Missing, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii

On 19 March 1945, off Shikoku, the USS Franklin was struck by two bombs which passed through the flight deck and detonated in the hangar. A terrific conflagration fed by gasoline in aircraft fuel tanks, together with detonations of a large number of heavy bombs and rockets loaded on aircraft, demolished a major part of the flight deck and wrecked the hangar and gallery deck spaces.
Flooding from fire-fighting water caused a heavy list.


Corporal Mervin P. Birtcil

3rd Tank Battalion,
3rd Marine Division

Hometown: Bradford

Killed in action 10 March 1945
Iwo Jima
Age: 24


Buried: Plot F, Site 839
Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii
Repatriated: March 18, 1949


Corporal Frank D. Black

180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division

Hometown: Corydon Township

Killed in action 14 February 1944 at Anzio, Italy


Buried: Plot E, Row 4, Grave 1
Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy


Second Lieutenant
William F. Blaine

B-17 pilot, 352 Bomber Squadron,
301 Bomber Group, Heavy

Hometown: Kane

Killed in action 3 April 1944
Over Hungary on 5th Mission
Age: 22


Group Burial: Section E, Site 79
Zachary Taylor National Cemetery,
Louisville, KY

Repatriated: 29 June 1949

First Lieutenant Donald E. Blair

493rd Bomber Squadron, 7th Bomber Group, Heavy

Hometown: Kane

Missing in Action: October 24, 1944, Over Burma
Age: 25

Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines

Bombing mission from Pandaveswar to Moulmein, Burma. Attacked five minutes after leaving their target, Blair's B-24 had one engine on fire as it dove into clouds over Bilugyun Island, 10 miles from Moulmein. Declared deceased October 4, 1946.


Lieutenant (JG) Robert W. Blakeslee

Pilot, Fighter Squadron 19 (VF-19), USS Lexington

Native of Michigan, his wife resided in Bradford.

Missing in action on 15 October 1944, over Pacific


Tablets of the Missing
Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines


First Lieutenant Bert L. Blendinger

C-46 Pilot, 49th Troop Carrier Squadron, 313th Troop Carrier Group

Hometown: Bradford

Killed in action 24 March 1945 over Germany
Age: 24


Buried: Willow Dale Cemetery, Bradford
Repatriated: 3 November 1948

Private First Class George O. Bloomquist, Jr

Company F, 163rd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division

Hometown: Kane

Killed in action 15 April 1945 at Bongao, Philippines
Age: 19


Buried: Mt. Tabor Cemetery, Kane
Repatriated: 4 September 1948

Private First Class Peter S. Bonfilio

Battery B, 559th Field Artillery, 83rd Infantry Division

Hometown: Kane

Died from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in Belgium on 31 January 1945


Buried: St. Callistus Cemetery, Kane
Repatriated: 13 August 1948

First Lieutenant
Peter A. Borsa


C-47 Navigator
316th Troop Carrier,
36th Troop Carrier Command

Hometown: Bradford

Killed in action over Sicily
11 July 1943
Age: 25

Borsa's C-47 was shot down by American Naval AA friendly fire when mistaken for enemy aircraft. All five men on the C-47 were killed. Radio Operator Guerner and Navigator Borsa are buried next to each other in Arlington.

Buried: Section 34, Site 4880
Arlington National Cemetery, VA
Repatriated: 5 April 1950


Corporal Eldene B. Bosworth

Company E, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division

Hometown: Port Allegany

Killed in action 14 April 1945, Muhlenberg, Germany


Buried: Coudersport, PA
Repatriated: 8 December 1948

Sergeant Bernard D. Bova

Company K, 106th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division

Hometown: Duke Center

Killed in action 23 June 1944, Saipan
Age: 27


Buried: Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Olean, NY
Repatriated: 21 January 1949




Tail section of Bowler's B-17 near Schornsheim,
Germany, after Regensburg mission.

Sergeant Richard E. "TEX" Bowler

B-17 Waist Gunner, 350th Bomber Squadron,
100th Bomber Group, Heavy

Hometown: Bradford

Killed in action 17 August 1943
2nd mission over Regensburg, Germany
Age: 23

Bowler was a replacement gunner for another crew member that was injured. Bowler was badly wounded by ME-109 and probably died during decent in his parachute or upon landing near Schornsheim, Germany.

Buried: St. Brigets Cemetery, Meadville, PA
Repatriated: 19 August 1949


Corporal Ralph E. Bradybaugh

Company C,
501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Hometown: Kane

Killed in action 3 January 1945, near Bastogne, Belgium
Age: 21


Buried: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Kane
Repatriated: 9 December 1948

Corporal Alfred O. Brockell

Company A, 143rd Infantry Regiment
36th Infantry Division

Hometown: Port Allegany

Killed in action 3 October 1943, Italy
Age: 26


Buried: Fairview Cemetery, Port Allegany
Repatriated: 30 November 1948

Aviation Chief Radioman Francis F. Brown

USS Lexington

Hometown: Bradford

Missing in action 25 March 1943 somewhere over the Pacific battle zone after an aircraft collision
Age: 40


Tablets of the Missing, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii

Enlisted in the Navy in 1921 and was stationed at San Diego, CA and Pearl Harbor, HI


First Lieutenant
Winfield F. Brungard


502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division

Hometown: Smethport

Killed in action 18 September 1944
Operation Market Garden
Age: 25


Buried: Plot B, Row 5, Grave 27
Netherlands American Cemetery
Margraten, Netherlands


Seaman 2/Class Avram H. Bryman

USS Quincy

Hometown: Bradford

Missing in action 9 August 1942, Battle of Savo Island

Tablets of the Missing
Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines



Private First Class Kenneth C. Burkhard

158th Infantry Regiment

Hometown: Kane

Wounded: April 4, 1945
Died of wounds 7 April 1945, Luzon, Philippines
Age: 32


Buried: Plot L, Row 8, Grave 73
Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines

Burkhard was leading a platoon in action and it was his heroism in attracting enemy fire which saved the remainder of the unit from being wiped out.


SF 1/c Justin James Butler

USS Johnston (DD-557)

Hometown: Ceres

Missing in Action: October 25, 1944
Samar, Philippines
Age: 25


Tablets of the Missing
Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines


Tech Sergeant William J. Butler

Medical Detachment, 176th Quartermaster Corps

Hometown: Bradford

Died from injuries 11 March 1944 from a vehicle accident in Sudbury, England
Age: 27


Buried: Plot A, Row 7, Grave 5
Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England


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