World War II Gold Stars

McKEAN COUNTY
WORLD WAR II
290 Gold Stars

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E - G

H - L

N - P

R - S

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Former County Residents

Civilian

*Private William H. Haglund* 319th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division Hometown: Barrett Avenue, Port Allegany Killed in action 10 February 1945 Germany Age: 19 Buried: Plot H, Row 2, Grave 29 Luxembourg American Cemetery, Luxembourg
	*Tech Sergeant Gerald Hansen* 525th Bomber Squadron, 379th Bomber Group, Heavy Hometown: Interstate Parkway, Bradford Killed in action 14 October 1943 Age: 29 Hansen was on his 19th mission as a tail gunner on the B-17 "BAD NEWS" when he and three other crewmen were killed by German fighters. Their mission was Schweinfurt, Germany, and became known as "Black Thursday" because 60 of the 291 B-17s on that mission were shot down. Hansen was moving forward to assist a waist gunner and was killed by 20mm shell fire from a German fighter. Control of the B-17 was lost and the remaining six crewmen parachuted and were taken prisoner. Hansen and the other three men crashed with the B-17 south of Schweinfurt. Buried: Plot C, Row 23, Grave 83 Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France
*Tech Sergeant Willard G. Hanson* United States Marine Corps Hometown: Kane Died Non-Battle in Hawaiian Territory: June 24, 1945 Age: 27 Buried: Plot C, Site 1320 Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii
	*Staff Sergeant Merle L. Hartburg* Radio Operator, 403rd Bomber Squadron 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy Hometown: Clermont Missing in action: November 29, 1942 Age: 23 Their B-17 was the first loss of the 403rd BS. It took off from Turnbull Airfield near Milne Bay, New Guinea, at 11:45 hrs on a mission to shadow a Japanese convoy of four destroyers sent to reinforce Buna. At 17:30 hrs their B-17 radioed that it had made contact with the convoy near Umboi Island in the Vitiaz Straight. No further contact was received from the aircraft. The entire crew was declared dead on January 7, 1946. Tablets of the Missing Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
*Private First Class William E. Hauck* 175th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division Hometown: Colegrove Killed in action 17 June 1944 France Buried: Plot G, Row 11, Grave 6 Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France
	*Tech Sergeant 5/G Robert T. Hawk* 489th Ordnance Evacuation Company, Third Army Hometown: Bradford Killed in action 11 April 1945 Germany Age: 20
*Private Leo E. Hayes* United States Army Hometown: Holley Avenue, Bradford Killed in action in March 1942 Age: 28 Buried: Kersey, PA Repatriated: 10 March 1949
	*Second Lieutenant Roger L. Hazard* P-38 Pilot / Air Forces Hometown: Ash Street, Kane Killed in action: Apri 18, 1944 Age: 23 Buried: Section 12, Site 2492 Arlington National Cemetery, VA Repatriated: 25 June 1948 Shot down over New Guinea
*Private Robert P. Henretta* United States Marine Corps USS Solace (AH-5) Hometown: Bordell Killed in action 17 November 1942 Buried: St. Bernards Cemetery, Bradford Repatriated: 17 March 1948
	*Corporal Paul R. Henton* 602nd Medium Tank Company (Amphibious) Camp Bradford, VA Hometown: Duke Center Died on 16 January 1945 as he was handling high explosives during regimental exhibition maneuvers Age: 24 Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp
*Sergeant Jack O. Higgins* 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division Hometown: Bradford Killed in action 3 November 1944 France Age: 21 Buried: Plot B, Row 31, Grave 51 Epinal American Cemetery, France
	*Staff Sergeant Lester R. Higley* 855th Bomber Squadron, 491st Bomber Group, Heavy Hometown: Duke Center Killed in action 24 March 1945 Age: 22 Tail gunner on the B-24 "Hot Rock" (pilot Lt Paul Fox) on a low level supply mission to British drop zone across the Rhine. The B-24 was hit by enemy flak, on fire, and attempted a steep climb to reach a safe bail out altitude, but the aircraft went out of control, rolled over on its back and crashed about two miles northeast of Wesel, Germany. Buried: Plot H, Row 11, Grave 14 Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands
*Private First Class Albert A. Himes* 193rd Military Police Company Hometown: Hazel Hurst Died of accidental wounds 15 January 1944 Tunisia, North Africa Age: 19 Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp Repatriated: 2 June 1948.
	*Corporal Clay H. Holmes* Company B, 343rd Engineers, 1255th Combat Engineer Battalion Hometown: Sergeant Twp Drowned 19 September 1945 Germany Age: 19 Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp Repatriated: 22 October 1948
*Private First Class Eugene F. Howard* 115th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division Hometown: School Street, Bradford Died of wounds 19 September 1944 France Age: 19 Buried: Plot J, Row 16, Grave 5 Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France Seriously wounded on 15 September 1944
	*Messman Milford K. Hullihen* U.S. Merchant Marine SS Halo (Tanker) Hometown: Bradford Missing in action 20 May 1942 Age: 36 Torpedoed by German U-Boat in Gulf of Mexico All 39 crewmembers lost 3 McKean County Mariners on board
*Fireman 2/c Frederick L. Huntoon* USS Atlanta (CL-51) Hometown: Lewis Run Missing in action 13 November 1942 Age: 20 Tablets of the Missing Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii Struck by a torpedo and forty-nine enemy shells, the Atlanta lay dead in the water only minutes after engaging Japanese naval forces near Savo Island, Guadalcanal. The Atlanta sunk one Japanese destroyer and had claimed several hits against a cruiser, all the while with one third her crew killed or missing, operating under auxiliary power, the engine room flooded and topside in ruin. Scuttling charges were set and exploded, sending the Atlanta to the ocean’s bottom.
	*Private William H. Hyde* 295th Combat Engineer Battalion Hometown: Derrick City Killed in action 30 December 1944 Germany Buried: Plot F, Row 12, Grave 25 Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands
*Tech Sergeant Charles K. Isham* 305th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division Hometown: Bradford Killed in action 25 July 1944 Guam Age: 32 Buried: Plot O, Site 105 Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii Killed on his birthday
	*Private First Class Angelo J. Isidori* Company E, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division Hometown: Smethport Died of wounds 16 March 1945 Luzon, Philippines Age: 24 Buried: St. Elizabeth's Cemetery, Smethport Repatriated: 10 February 1949
*Private First Class Harold F. Jackson* Company C, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division Hometown: Port Allegany Died of wounds 1 July 1944 France Buried: Plot D, Row 2, Grave 10 Cambridge American Cemetery, England
	*Second Lieutenant Henry R. Jacobus* 327th Fighter Squadron, 328th Fighter Group, Hamilton AAF, San Rafael, CA Hometown: Kane Died 24 September 1942 Age: 27 Jacobus was piloting a P-39D when he failed to pull the plane from a steep dive, two miles Southeast of Petaluma, CA. Buried: St. Callistus Cemetery, Kane
*Second Lieutenant Howard D. Jeutter* 717th Bomber Squadron, 449th Bomber Group, Heavy Hometown: Derrick City Killed 23 February 1944 Italy Age: 27 Jeutter's B-24 "The Temptress" was on mission to Steyr, Austria when it crashed on takeoff, killing all 10 on board. Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp Repatriated: 29 November 1948
	*Second Engineer Botvig R. Johnson* U.S. Merchant Marine SS Gulftrade (Tanker) Hometown: Port Allegany Missing in action 10 March 1942 Along the East Coast The Gulftrade was sunk by a German torpedo from U-588, two miles East of Barnegat Lighthouse, NJ, and had a crew of 34 on board, and 18 lost at sea.
*Private First Class Ivan J. Johnson* Company A, 336th Combat Engineer Battalion Ninth Army Hometown: Willard Avenue, Bradford Killed in action 14 February 1945 Germany Age: 34 Buried: Willow Dale Cemetery, Bradford Repatriated: 14 April 1949
	*First Sergeant John E. Johnson* Company H, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division Hometown: Kane Drowned 6 March 1943 Amphibious landings training at Camp Gordon, FL Age: 25 Buried: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Kane
*Gunners Mate 3/c Raymond A. Johnson* USS Cabot (CVL-28) Hometown: Kane Killed in action 25 November 1944 Age: 21 The carrier USS Cabot was attacked by Kamikazes off Luzon, Philippines with 62 KIA. Tablets of the Missing Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
	*Private Walter A. Johnson* 803rd Engineer Aviation Battalion Hometown: Kane Missing in action 7 September 1944 Tablets of the Missing Manila American Cemetery, Philippines Taken prisoner on May 6, 1942 Corregidor, Philippines. Prisoner of War: Japan Private Johnson was being transported on the Prisoner of War "HELL SHIP" Shinyo Maru when it was torpedoed and sunk accidentally by the US submarine USS Paddle on September 7, 1944 off the coast of Mindanao, Philippines. Of the 750 American prisoners on board, 668 drowned and 82 survived.
*Private William M. Johnson, Jr.* Section C, 224th A.A.F. Base Unit Sioux City, Iowa Hometown: Kane, James City Died of Illness: July 10, 1944 Age: 20 Buried: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Kane
	*Staff Sergeant Arthur C. Johnston* Company K, 112th Infantry Regiment 28th Infantry Division Hometown: Hobson Place, Bradford Killed in action 8 November 1944 Battle of the Huertgen Forest, Germany Age: 27 Buried: Willow Dale Cemetery, Bradford Repatriated: 3 December 1948
*Private Milton W. Johnston* Company B, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment Hometown: Kane Killed in Action: January 8, 1945 Saint-Jacques-Bergeval, Belgium
*Corporal George H. Jones* 596th Airborne Engineer Company, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment Hometown: Smethport Killed in action 5 January 1945 Battle of the Bulge Buried: Plot F, Row 10, Grave 32 Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium Jones served in combat in Italy, France and Belgium
	*Staff Sergeant George D. Keefer* Army Air Corps Credited to: McKean County Non-battle Air Crash 1945 Declared deceased July 4, 1946 Enlisted: Erie, PA on May 19, 1942 Age: 32 Buried: Section 34 / Site 4986 Arlington National Cemetery
Private First Class Lloyd D. Kellar 165th Infantry Regiment Credited to: McKean County Died Non-Battle: Train wreck near Chicago, IL October 15, 1945 Age: 31 Buried: Troutville United Church of Christ Cemetery Clearfield County, PA
	*Tech Sergeant Virgil C. Kinney* United States Army Hometown: Eldred (also Portville, NY) Killed in action 22 April 1945 Luzon, Philippines Age: 30 Buried: Annin Cemetery, Annin Twp Repatriated: 7 August 1948
*Private First Class George Knickerbocker* 104th Infantry Division Hometown: Eldred Died of wounds 10 March 1945 Germany Buried: Chestnut Cemetery, Portville, NY Repatriated: 12 December 1947 Wounded on 26 February 1945
	*Staff Sergeant Raymond W. Kraft* Company D, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division Hometown: Kane Killed in action 8 November 1944 Battle of Huertgen Forest, Germany Buried: St. Callistus Cemetery, Kane Repatriated: 12 December 1947
*Staff Sergeant Joseph M. Kunkel* Company L, 423rd Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division Hometown: Eldred Killed in action 21 December 1944 Battle of the Bulge Age: 35 Buried: St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany, NY Repatriated: 19 April 1949
	Private First Class John D. Lacney Company D, 31st Tank Destroyer Battalion, 7th Armored Division Hometown: Keating Summit (Port Allegany) Died of wounds 22 January 1945 Age: 31 Battle of the Bulge Buried: Fairview Cemetery, Port Allegany Repatriated: 14 September 1948
*Sergeant Laurence Lambillotte* 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division Hometown: Eldred Killed in action 12 February 1944 Anzio Beach, Italy Age: 25 Buried: Plot I, Row 13, Grave 65 Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy
	*Private Rudolph E. Larson* Company M, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division Hometown: Kane Died of injuries from being struck by a car while hitch-hiking to come home on furlough. 11 January 1942 Lewistown, PA Age: 31 Buried: Nebo Cemetery, Mt. Jewett
*Private Clyde M. Lawton* Company F, 1301 SN Reception Center, New Cumberland, PA Hometown: East Smethport Enlisted: June 19, 1942 Committed suicide in Port Allegany: June25, 1942 Age: 30 Buried: Eulalia Cemetery, Coudersport, PA
	Staff Sergeant Quinten E. Lecker 476th Bomber Squadron, 335th Bomber Group, Medium Hometown: Mount Alton Killed in action 17 December 1943 Over English Channel Age: 25 Buried: St. Marys Cemetery
Captain Howard A. Leeser US Army Air Corps Hometown: Kane Enlisted: Aviation Cadet, Tulsa, OK in March 1941 Died Non-Battle: Plane Crash April 20, 1945 Age: 27 Buried: New Mount Sinai Cemetery, Affton, MO
	*Lieutenant Donald N. Leilich* 60th Ferry Squadron, 3rd Ferry Group Romulus AAF, MI Hometown: West Corydon Street, Bradford Died 26 March 1944 Age: 24 Leilich was piloting a P-39 when it crashed six miles South of Billy Mitchell Field, WI.
*Sergeant Eugene C. Lewis* 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division Hometown: Eldred Killed in action 1 March 1945 Germany Age: 31 Buried: Plot B, Row 2, Grave 51 Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium
	*Sergeant Joseph A. Liegey* Battery C, 925th Field Artillery Battalion 100th Infantry Division Hometown: Kane Killed in action: January 13, 1945 France Age: 25 Buried: Frenchville, PA
*Private Homer S. Long, Jr.* Company F, 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division Hometown: Coleville Killed in action 6 April 1945 Germany Age: 20 Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp Repatriated: 3 December 1948
	*Private First Class Charles D. Loop* 337th Infantry Regiment, 85th Infantry Division. Hometown: West Branch Died of wounds 19 June 1945 Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, DC Buried: Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Portville, NY Loop was severely wounded in Italy in October 1944. He was also hospitalized at Beaumont Hospital, El Paso, TX and Deshon Hospital, Butler, PA.
*Staff Sergeant Robert C. Luce* Headquarters Company, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division Hometown: Kane Killed in action 8 November 1944 Battle of Huertgen Forest, Germany Age: 28 Buried: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Kane Repatriated: 9 December 1947
	*Flight Officer Howard J. Lundberg* 425th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy Hometown: Kane Missing in action: August 9, 1944 Age: 23 On his 4th mission, Lundberg's B-24J departed Kunming, China on a low altitude, combat-mine laying mission to Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong. Tablets of the Missing Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
Second Lieutenant Jesse A. Lutman Co-pilot, B-26 Marauder, Ninth Army Air Force Hometown: Russell Boulevard, Bradford Killed in action 23 December 1944 Over Witry, Belgium Buried: McKean Memorial Park, Lafayette Twp Repatriated: 14 December 1948

A - B

C - D

E - G

H - L

N - P

R - S

T - Z