is published by the War Department for the information of public officials, the press, the radio and interested organizations. It contains the latest and most complete data available on all military personnel who were killed or died, or became and remained missing, between the President's declaration of unlimited national emergency on May 27, 1941, and the cut-off date of this report, January 31, 1946, and includes both battle and non-battle dead or missing. The complete work, of which this volume is a part, contains about 300,000 names of men and women who gave their lives while serving in the Army of the United States.
As in any work of this scope, errors will occur. Careful checks by the Casualty Branch of The Adjutant General’s Office and by Machine Records Units have reduced these errors to a minimum, but publication of this preliminary report at this time makes it inevitable that mistakes and omissions will be found herein. Use of the most advanced type of tabulating and recording machines has reduced the factor of human error to a minimum, but errata originally introduced into the machine records cards will be reflected in the final lists. To cope with this possibility, all lists have been carefully proof-read after preparation. It is planned to publish a complete and final list of deaths at some time in the future, and errors discovered herein will be corrected in that list.
The State of Nebraska contained .98 per cent of the population of the United States and possessions (excluding the Philippine Islands) in 1940 and contributed .85 per cent of the total number who entered the Army. Of these men and women of Nebraska who went to war 3.53 per cent failed to return. This figure represents .98 per cent of the Army’s total dead and missing.
The number of missing persons is being reduced daily through operation of Army Search Teams in all theaters of operations.
Under provisions of Public Law 490, 77th Congress, as amended by Public Laws 848, 77th Congress, and 408, 78th Congress, changes of casualty status are currently being made. This law and its amendments provide for the payment of pay and allowances to missing persons, and for the administrative finding of death of those persons in whose cases there is an absence of presumptive proof of continued existence. The Secretary of War is empowered by the Congress to make such findings of death, and the Secretary’s finding in such a case is equivalent to a legal statement that such a person is in fact dead. Wills are probated, insurance becomes payable, debts are settled and government gratuity benefits are paid on the basis of the administrative finding of death. Thus it becomes obvious that such findings must be made only with the greatest of care, if only because of the legal involvements, not to mention the effects of such findings on next-of-kin.
Findings of death under Public Law 490 and its amendments are made in the case of person when--and only when--there is either conclusive proof that the person is dead or equally overwhelming evidence that under the circumstances the person could not have remained alive. These findings are made only after review and after a lapse of at least one year from the time of disappearance.
Most of the persons listed herein as missing disappeared less than a year prior to January 31, 1946, the cut-off date mentioned above. As time passes the fate of some of these missing will become known and others will be declared dead in the absence of hope that they are living. A few--too small a number to be considered as a percentage of the missing--fall into a third category: persons who intentionally deserted the service and are bending every effort to avoid repatriation. Cases of this type have been discovered in the past but the number of these cases is exceedingly small.
The physical search for missing persons, which went on all during the war, has been expanded and extended since the collapse of enemy resistance. Experts in all fields of investigation and identification have been sent into areas where missing persons were last seen. Through conferences with local officials and clergymen and by means of checks and rosters and other military lists, the bodies of missing persons are being recovered and identified daily. Though the loss of official records, as at Corregidor in 1942 and during the Ardennes counteroffensive of 1944-45, has increased the difficulties encountered by the search teams, the scope of the teams’ work has been so broad in the past eight months (in the case of Japan) to one year (in Germany) that the War Department is reluctant to hold out hope to next of kin that any missing personnel are still alive.
No civilians are included in this report. Red Cross personnel and other civilians serving with the Army became casualties during the War, but procedure for reporting civilian personnel differs from that for reporting military individuals.
The following pages show a breakdown by counties and types of casualties, followed by a breakdown alphabetically by counties, the counties themselves being listing in alphabetical order.
In the preparation of these lists, it was necessary to establish a set of criteria on which the proper location of each individual’s name would be determined. The following procedure was set up:
The lists which follow contain information as to individuals in the following order: name, army serial number, grade and status of casualty. A word of explanation of methods of listing and of symbols used follows:
NAME: Because of standardized usage for names in the Army, some individuals listed herein may not be shown under the name by which they were called in civilian life. For instance, a man listed herein as “Smith, William P.” may have been known to his friends as “Paul Smith” because in civilian life he did not choose to use the name “William”. In Army usage the first name is used in full and other given names follow in order as initials. Names prefixed with “Mc” are listed between names beginning “Ma” and those beginning “Me”, and similarly names beginning “Mac” will be found after “Mabry” and before “Madison”. Because of a peculiarity of the machines used in these tables, prefixed or hyphenated names do not always appear in strict alphabetical order, and absolute correctness in the order of alphabetizing names does not govern after the tenth letter of a name. However, for all practical purposes the names will be in alphabetical order and cases will be extremely rare where a name will be more than one or two lines out of place.
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER: Because of the tremendous number of individuals who have passed through the Army, serial numbers are given to prevent confusion. Using the name “William P. Smith” as above as an example, it was found that at the time of writing there were 84 men of this name in the Army, and several hundred men with the name “William Smith” without respect to initials. In attempting to indentify one of this number much confusion could arise, and this is obviated by the use of a serial number.
Serial numbers are assigned with great care and according to a set of regulations. Consecutive serial numbers, for example, are not assigned to twins since this might cause confusions of identity between two persons with the same birth date and same general physical characteristics.
Generally speaking, numbers fall into two broad categories: simple seven or eight digit numbers (in a few cases fewer digits) or male enlisted personnel, and prefixed serial numbers for other personnel. Regular Army enlisted men who entered the service before the outset of Selective Service bear seven-digit or lower serial numbers, usually beginning with “6” or “7”, as 6974426, Men who enlisted in the Army of the United States have eight-digit numbers beginning with “1”, the second digit indicating the Service Command of origin. For example, the serial number 14066025 would indicate that the man enlisted in the Army of the United States in the Fourth Service Command (Southeastern U.S.), Men called into federally recognized National Guard service received eight-digit numbers beginning with “2”, the third digit representing the Service Command: 20107656 indicates a National Guardsman from New England (First Service Command). Men inducted or enlisted through Selective Service were given eight-digit numbers beginning with “3” or “4”, the second digit representing the Service Command. The prefixed serial numbers for other than male enlisted personnel carry a designated letter: 0- (as in 0-1574257) for male commissioned officers; W- for male Warrant officers; T- for Flight officers of the Army Air Forces; L- for commissioned officers of the Women’s Army Corps; V- for WAC Warrant officers; A- for WAC enlisted women; R- for Hospital Dietitians, and M- for Physical Therapy Aides.
GRADE: This is synonymous with the misnomer “rank”, and the abbreviations which may be found in this book are as follows: GEN, General (four star); LT G, Lieutenant General (three star); M G, Major General (two star); B G, Brigadier General (one star); COL, Colonel; LT C, Lieutenant Colonel; MAJ, Major; CAPT, Captain; 1 LT, First Lieutenant; 2 LT, Second Lieutenant; C WO, Chief Warrant Officer; WOJG, Warrant Officer, Junior Grade; FL O, Flight Officer; AV C, Aviation Cadet; M SG, Master Sergeant; 1 SG, First Sergeant; T SG, Technical Sergeant; S SG, Staff Sergeant; TEC3, Technician Third Grade; SGT, Sergeant; TEC4, Technician Fourth Grade; CPL, Corporal; TEC5, Technician Fifth Grade; PFC, Private First Class, and PVT, Private.
TYPE OF CASUALTY: This is indicated by the symbol at the far right of each column. An individual who was killed in action, whether at the front or by enemy action in the rear areas, or if a prisoner of war, whether by air bombardment of his prison camp or by being shot while escaping is designated “KIA.” Persons who were wounded and later died are marked “DOW” --died of wounds. Those who suffered fatal battles INJURIES as opposed to WOUNDS, in combat or in combat areas, and died in a line-of-duty status, are designated “DOI” --died of injuries. Other line-of-duty deaths, such as from sickness, homocide, suicide or accidents outside combat areas (including training and maneuver deaths) are listed “DNB” --died non-battle. Individuals who were determined to be dead under Public Law 490 are designated “FOD” --finding of death. Missing persons are marked with the single letter “M”.
Only those persons who died in a line-of-duty status are listed herein. Individuals who were not in line of duty at the time of their deaths are not so listed. Though personnel not lin line of duty are not listed, failure to find in these lists the name of a person known to be dead should not be taken as prima-facie evidence that such person died not in line of duty.
Because of the large number of names included in this work -- the total for all states and territories will take up about 1,700 pages -- it has been deemed impracticable to include the name and address of next of kin or to break down for two reasons: information media rarely circulate in areas smaller than counties, and draft boards are located on a county-population basis. It was felt that coordination between newspapers and other media on the one hand and draft boards on the other, a coordination which has existed through nearly six years of Selective Service, could be achieved more easily in cases where questions as to identity arise than could coordination between newspapers and any larger instrumentality of the government.
It should be pointed out that this work is published soley as a public service and in response to demands from interested persons. The possibility that these lists might fall into the hands of unscrupulous persons is inevitable, and it is pointed out that misuse of these lists for gain could redound only to the sorrow of the bereaved. While is it neither the policy nor the desire of the War Department to discuss the ways in which these lists will be used once they are released for publication, it is the sincere hope of the War Department that persons responsible for their dissemination will be governed by good taste and consideration for the feelings of next of kin.
Patriotic organizations will find these lists of value in establishing or checking honor rolls in their communities. In this connection, it should be emphasized again that these lists are preliminary and will one day be superseded by a list which can be considered final. Changes in status may occur between the time of publication of these lists and preparation of new ones, and actuarial tables indicate that new names will be added. In some rare cases names of persons already dead may have been eliminated inadvertently from these lists.
AHLBERG, Charles R 01576314 1 LT DOW ALEXANDER, Charles R 0-685920 1 LT KIA ALLEN, Raymond B 39915677 AV C DNB AMBROSE, Richard D 39181391 PFC DNB ANDERSON, Jack D 6581134 SGT DNB ANDERSON, Woodrow W 0-545395 2 LT KIA ANDREW, Walter F 39932524 PVT KIA AVERETT, Elbert R T-004015 FL O KIA BAKES, Russell V 39917606 SGT KIA BANE, John B 39591943 PFC KIA BARKER, James A 39919240 SGT KIA BARON, Ernest F 39832837 S SG KIA BATTICE, Delbert N 39678710 PFC KIA BELL, Albert T 0-742934 CAPT DNB BERRETT, Reed J 0-730065 1 LT DNB BERRETT, William H 39920283 PFC KIA BEUS, Raymon C 19171966 SGT FOD BITTON, Wallace 39933876 PFC KIA BLACKINTON, William F 0-828924 2 LT M BLAIR, Philip G 39681506 SGT KIA BLAIR, Robert P 0-429907 1 LT DNB BLAKELEY, Robert S 0-727391 1 LT FOD BODRERO, Glen L 39912190 S SG KIA BOUNOUS, Albert J 39903621 TEC4 DNB BROWN, Ellis C 39917801 PVT KIA BROWN, Ralph O 0-774510 2 LT KIA BURROWS, Richard S 01557422 1 LT KIA CAPSON, William J 0-806213 2 LT KIA CASSITY, Lawrence L 39910813 PFC KIA CHECKETTS, Robert D 39907142 SGT KIA CHRISTENSEN, Leroy E 39677204 PVT KIA CHRISTIANSEN, Frank R 39930951 PVT KIA CLARK, Fred D 0-890319 1 LT DNB CLARK, Robert B 0-742478 2 LT DNB CLARK, Tyrus B 39930885 PVT KIA CLUFF, Cyril B, Jr 39826759 T SG FOD COMER, Fred B 19073393 SGT KIA COURTNEY, Albert J 39923443 PFC KIA CROMWELL, Arthur M 39919070 S SG KIA DAVIS, Albert J 0-701076 CAPT KIA DAVIS, Earl A 0-813477 2 LT FOD DAVIS, Harold 19171969 S SG FOD DE MOISY, Charles F 0-767149 2 LT KIA DEWEY, Joseph B 19153191 CPL DNB DEWITT, Delbert C 39917803 PVT DNB DIPOMA, Dewey L 39909257 PVT KIA DRINKWATER, Gale 37088215 PFC DNB DYE, Samuel W 19072436 PVT DNB EARLS, Charles R 0-767163 2 LT KIA EAST, Carl B 39925295 PVT FOD EAST, Javis M 39679327 S SG KIA ELMER, Richard G 39907069 PFC DOW ELMORE, C L 0-403865 CAPT KIA ERICKSON, Edgar D 39901289 PVT KIA FARNSWORTH, Andrew K 19172935 CPL KIA FARRIS, Robert E 0-862943 2 LT KIA FELIX, Richard 39917776 PFC KIA FOULGER, Ralph C 39914005 AV C DNB FRANCISCO, Ben C 39244105 PVT KIA FRANCISCO, Vern L 39909289 TEC4 DNB FULLER, Jack C 39923413 PFC KIA GARDNER, Winslow G 0-728853 1 LT FOD GARR, Elbert L 0-682629 1 LT KIA GETZ, Henry M 39917631 T SG DNB GIBSON, Fred E 39903660 PFC KIA GIRARDO, Jimmy R 37704175 PFC KIA GOODYEAR, James A 39930674 PFC DNB GUDMUNDSON, Robert W 0-683439 2 LT DNB HAWKINS, James W 39923174 PFC FOD HAWKS, Richard C 39912146 PVT KIA HESS, Darald J 39028281 PFC KIA HILL, William S 39930916 PFC KIA HILTON, Robert G 39905395 PVT KIA HOLMES, Clark A 19011280 SGT DNB HOVEY, James M 39917564 PVT DNB HUGHES, Ottis D 19171865 S SG KIA HUNT, Howard 39903656 SGT KIA HUNTER, John C 0-787289 2 LT DNB JACKSON, Earl S 39925268 PVT KIA JACOBS, John G 39916426 PFC KIA JACOBS, Murray K 0-674496 1 LT DNB JARVIS, Richard H 19171208 AV C DNB JOHNSON, Russell M 39935058 PVT DOW JONES, Clair L 39683495 PFC KIA JONES, John P 39907059 PFC KIA LANTZ, Mark G 39905410 PVT DNB LONGNECKER, James D 39681495 S SG KIA LOWER, William D, Jr 39905555 S SG KIA LUDDINGTON, Jack F 0-755978 2 LT FOD LUDDINGTON, Lloyd F 0-726653 2 LT FOD LUKE, Fred S 19011348 T SG FOD LUND, Alvin W 39907150 PFC KIA MAC FARLANE, Hubert W 39829989 PVT KIA MADSON, Leroy G 0-429966 CAPT FOD MARKLAND, Joseph C 39675937 S SG KIA MC COMB, Charles B 0-272792 CAPT DNB MEANS, William P 39677137 PVT DNB MOLINE, Harold F 39903643 PVT KIA MONTAC, Richard P 39930928 PVT DNB MORGAN, Albert R 19092843 PFC DNB MORRELLI, Sam C 19172097 PVT DOW MURDOCK, Robert T 19171403 SGT DNB MUSGRAVE, Joseph L, Jr 39932510 PVT DOW NELSON, Dale B 39914017 PVT KIA NELSON, William J 39916498 SGT DNB NICKOLAISEN, Howard L 0-788236 2 LT DNB NOORDA, Bert R 39027028 PFC KIA NORTON, Richard E 39917823 PVT KIA OLSEN, Louis D 39676408 TEC4 DNB OWENS, Vern J 39928414 PVT KIA PELL, Floyd J 0-202701 MAJ KIA PISTOIA, Endri 39916427 PFC KIA POULTON, Glenn E 19153165 SGT KIA PREECE, Floyd E 39902223 PVT DNB PRICE, Bob L 39929725 TEC3 DNB RANDS, John L 6559652 SGT KIA REDFIELD, Lowell C 19010680 AV C DNB REYNOLDS, Edward C 39829009 SGT DNB RICHARDS, Robert B 0-740115 1 LT DNB RICHARDS, Walter L 39829043 S SG KIA ROBINSON, Ray 39830610 CPL KIA ROLLOW, Melvin R 39915605 PFC KIA ROSE, Arnold E 39903664 PFC KIA SAKOHIRA, Todd T 39920129 PFC KIA SALAZAR, Alcario C 39847372 PFC KIA SANDLUND, Glen A 39909342 SGT KIA SAVO, William 39951668 PFC DNB SCHADE, Keith 20924873 1 SG DOW SCHOFIELD, Walter F 6581260 SGT DNB SEPPICH, Wendell F 0-431165 1 LT DNB SKAGGS, Louis A 01306899 1 LT KIA SMITH, James H 39917872 PVT KIA SMITH, Sherman H 19072663 AV C DNB SNARR, Newell M 39921259 SGT KIA SPRACHER, Howard C 0-274058 MAJ DNB STAMOS, Robert C 0-730646 1 LT KIA STAPLES, Leroy E 39683573 PVT KIA STEPHENS, Roy V 0-747354 1 LT KIA STODTMEISTER, Fred H 39834869 S SG KIA SWAN, Gordon B 01062791 2 LT KIA TALBOT, Vern H 6581396 TEC3 DNB TAYLOR, Jack W 0-354912 1 LT DNB THORSTED, Raymond C 19209666 SGT KIA TURNQUIST, Fred S 0-744951 1 LT FOD WAKEFORD, Ronald V 39711424 PFC KIA WALKER, Robert S 0-283699 CAPT DNB WARNER, Edwin R 39917629 PFC KIA WATKINS, Golden S 6563459 T SG KIA WELCH, Bobby L 0-818056 2 LT DNB WHETTON, Earl C 20900327 SGT DNB WHITLOCK, Jessie L 39910604 PFC KIA WIKSTROM, Frances M 0-502576 2 LT DNB WILKINSON, Keith C T-007728 FL O DNB WILKINSON, Sterling E 39680466 S SG KIA WILLIAMS, Donald S 0-774847 2 LT M WILLIAMSEN, Ensign B 39909216 PFC KIA WOODWARD, William E 39913163 TEC4 DNB YARRINGTON, Carl H 19073282 S SG KIA YATES, Leo M 0-724868 2 LT FOD YOUNG, Dilworth R 19172175 PFC KIA