World War II Gold Stars

McKEAN COUNTY
WORLD WAR II
290 Gold Stars

A - B

C - D

E - G

H - L

M

N - P

R - S

T - Z

Former County Residents

Private First Class Howard E. Bills 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division Former Hometown: Hazel Hurst (later Clarion) Killed in action 2 June 1944 Italy Age: 19 Buried: Plot C, Row 6, Grave 12 Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy PFC Bills was born in Hazel Hurst in 1925 and later moved to Clarion. Bills was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for gallantry in action on 1 June 1944. While his platoon was moving into position to protect the left flank of the company, the German soldiers in a desperate attempt to escape the trap unfolding and threatened their annihilation, launched a savage counter attack. The sudden attack confused the platoon members and the enemy swiftly advanced within hand grenade range of their positions. Heedless of the deadly, incessant automatic weapons fire, PFC Bills, cognizant of the desperate situation sprang from his place of cover and moved directly into the face of the hostile fire. His comrades, inspired by his courageous action, immediately left their positions and moved against the enemy fire, halting the counter attack and forcing the Germans to fall back in confusion. Bills was killed in action the next day. Bills had many relatives in the area including his grandmother, Mrs. Minnie Warfle of Hazel Hurst; two uncles, Howard Warfle of Hazel Hurst, and Edwin Warfle of Rew, and three aunts, Mrs. Hazel Pascuzzi of Smethport, Mrs. Marvin Peterson and Mrs. Marcel Lang of Mount Jewett.
	*Lieutenant Robert Coleman* US Army Air Force Former Hometown: Bradford (Huntington Park, CA) Died in April 1943 His P-47 aircraft crashed in Connecticut Age: 26 Coleman had lived in Bradford and later moved to California. He was survived by his aunt, Mrs. W.H. Freemyer of Pleasant Street, Bradford.
*Staff Sergeant Malcolm W. Dorman* 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division Former Hometown: Euclid Avenue, Bradford (later Philadelphia, PA) Killed in action on 7 June 1944 Normandy, France Age: 27 Buried: Plot D, Row 17, Grave 19 Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France
	*Sergeant Franklin B. Kincade* US Army Air Force Former Hometown: Bradford (later Buffalo, NY) Killed in action 31 March 1944 Over Germany Age: 26 1936 graduate of Bradford High School
*Private Leo L. Lewellyn* 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division Former Hometown: West Washington Street, Bradford (later NY) Killed in action 18 September 1944 France Age: 25 Buried: Plot J, Row 14, Grave 5 Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France 1935 graduate of Bradford High School
	*Private Robert J. Milks* 19th Squadron, 20th Army Air Force Base Group Former Hometown: Bradford (later Cattaraugus, NY) Missing in action 7 September 1944 Tablets of the Missing Manila American Cemetery, Philippines Private Milks was taken prisoner by the Japanese when the Philippines surrendered in 1942. He was being transported on the Japanese prisoner of war ship Shinyo Maru when it was torpedoed and sunk accidentally by the U.S. Navy submarine USS Paddle (SS-263) on 7 September 1944 off the coast of Mindanao. 688 American prisoners of war died in the waters and on 82 survived. His brother Stanley is also missing in action on the Philippines.
*Tech Sergeant Stanley E. Milks* Headquarters Squadron, V Interceptor Command, US Army Air Force Former Hometown: Bradford (later Cattaraugus, NY) Missing in action 19 July 1942 Tablets of the Missing Manila American Cemetery, Philippines Sgt. Milks was taken prisoner by the Japanese when the Philippines surrendered in 1942. He died in a prisoner of war camp near Manila and his body was never recovered.
	*Major Thomas Vickers* US Army Air Force Former Hometown: Bradford (later Fort Worth, TX) Died in August 1944 Plane crash at Patterson Field, OH Age: 27 Major Vickers had served overseas for two years in North Africa, Sicily and Italy before returning to the states. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal for his achievements.
*Shipsfitter 1/Class Joseph Wanda* US Navy Seabees Former Hometown: Eldred (later Jamestown, NY) Killed in the South Pacific 18 July 1944 Age: 46 Wanda was born in Eldred in 1898 and served in the tank corps in World War I, receiving an honorable discharge in December 1918. He was survived by a cousin, Miss Anna Kunkel of Eldred in addition to several sisters, all former residents of Eldred.