ELLIOTT, BRICE Nov 20, 1943 age 20 KIA Tarawa

SAMUEL BRICE ELLIOTT  b. Nov 10, 1923 Tulsa, Oklahoma d. Nov 20, 1944  Killed in Action Tarawa, Gilbert Islands

Pfc 521492 USMC Co A 1^st Bn 8^th Marine Div

Buried: Honolulu Wall of Missing, Hawaii

16658 Lenore

Parents: Samuel Talbert & Geneva Mary (Blackford)

Siblings: Magdalene L., Garth Dalmond, Charles Louis, Ronald Keith, Colleen   

All of the family except for the two youngest children was born in Oklahoma. Samuel was a brick mason. Just one of those oddities noted when reviewing their family history is that the mother, Geneva, was the last of the family to die, in 1996; there is a sadness about this.

 

The sons of Samuel worked for their father in the building trades. The family, less Magdalene, all lived at 16658 Lenore in 1940.  Brice registered for the draft June 1942 when he was 5’11” 150 lbs with brown eyes and black hair. He had boot camp in San Diego.

Marines & cargo Cape Gloucester

 

The Battle of Tarawa (code name Operation Galvanic) was fought in the Pacific from Nov 20 to Nov 23, 1943. It took place as the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, located in what is now the nation of Kiribati. Nearly 6,400 Japanese, Koreans and Americans died in the fighting, mostly on and around the small island of Betio. Places that cost so many lives are now has disappeared from recognition.



Red Beach No 3 Tarawa

 

 

 

This battle was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region. It was also the first time in the Pacific war that the US faced serious Japanese opposition of an amphibious landing.



 

Tarawa Beach

 

The film “With the Marines at Tarawa” won the 1944 Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject. It runs 20 minutes and can be viewed online. As the images were too graphic for that day’s Hollywood standards it required permission from President Roosevelt to be released.

Brice received the Purple Heart.

INGHRAM, ROBERT W June 27, 1944 age 21 KIA Biak Island

ROBERT WILLIAM INGHRAM  b. May 15, 1923 Atalissa, Iowa d. June 27, 1944

Killed in Action Biak Island, New Guinea

Sgt 36573354 Army 163^rd Inf Reg 41^st Inf Div Co A

Buried: Parkview Memorial Cemetery, Livonia, Michigan

Parents: William & Lulu Rebecca (Oepping)

Siblings: Elsie Marie, Maxine
Spouse: Shirley Mae Carpenter 

The Inghram’s made their way to Detroit from Iowa. William worked as an auto mechanic in the Army Training Corp. The family lived at 17665 Kentfield, the house now gone as is their 1930’s home at 15077 Birwood.



18630 Santa Rosa

Shirley Carpenter

Robert graduated Redford in June 1941 and the next year did his draft registration. He is listed as 6’ at 165 lbs with blue eyes and blonde hair, employed by Atlas Engineering. On Jan 6 1943 he married Shirley Mae Carpenter in Detroit. They lived at 18630 Santa Rosa. Christmas Eve Thomas enlisted. Shirley remarried 1947.

The 41^st Division’s bloodiest engagement was on the island of Biak just off New Guinea’s coast. It marked the first time the division had fought as a whole and resulted in the defeat of over ten thousand well-entrenched and well-led Japanese forces. The campaign extended from May through Aug 1944. It earned the 41^st a new nickname – The Jungleers. Continuous heavy fighting, intense heat and scarcity of water tired the task force troops to a critical degree.



162rd Inf South Shore Biak Island

Capture of Biak cost 3, 000 casualties: 474 killed, the remainder wounded. Japanese in caves had a well dug in garrison. It was one of the most costly of MacArthur’s leapfrogging attacks on the north coast of New Guinea. Thomas died of a gunshot wound.

Video of the invasion of Biak Island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0Dm4PvVO5Y

DIXON, JAMES W Feb 16, 1945 age 25 FOD Austria

JAMES WILLIAM DIXON  b. July 19, 1919 Walkerville, Canada d. Feb 16, 1945

Finding of Death Villach, Austria

T Sgt 36123970 Army Air Force 485^th Bomb Group 829^th Bomb Sq Group H

16875 Chatham

Buried Grand Lawn Cemetery, Detroit

 

Parents: Albert J. & Ethel Gertrude (McCubbin)

Siblings: Delma Grace, Ethel Beatrice   

Another family migrating from Canada. Father Albert came earlier in April and was in the house at 16875 Chatham, then mother Ethel and Delma came in June 1934. Young James arrived with sister Ethel in Sept 1935. Albert worked as a fur cutter and both daughters were stenographers, the leading career option for women in the 1940’s before they were needed in the factories.

Swim Team

James graduated from Redford in 1935; his yearbook quote was “Hold the fort, I’m coming.” He was part of that first wave of registrations on 16 Oct 1940; when he enlisted in July 1941 he worked as a billing clerk for a creamery. His registration lists him as 5’10”, 165 lbs with brown hair and eyes. He served 8 months in Alaska before a transfer to the European theater of war.



Dixon front row, far right

With the 485^th Bomb Group he flew first with the Cameron crew. That plane #44-49657 was shot down over Greece Sept 24, 1944, but there was a replacement in Dixon’s position. On Feb 16, 1945 Dixon was the replacement gunner on a mission to hit the Obertaubling A/C plant in Regensburg, Germany. The plane was piloted by Col John Tomhave, then Group Commanding Officer. It crashed near Villach, Austria. 2 were killed, others were captured, some evaded capture. Tomhave was captured by Germans but later died when on a POW train was strafed by Allied fighters.

James was shot down March 6, 1945 and classified MIA; a Finding of Death was made March 20, 1946.

KELLER, HERMAN March 4, 1943 age 20 MIA unknown

HERMAN ALLAN KELLER, JR b. Nov 6, 1922 Detroit d. Mar 4, 1943 Missing in Action

Aviation Radioman3-C 3115702 Navy

11339 Broadstreet

Buried Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

Parents: Herman Allan Sr & Leona A. (Fessler)

Siblings: Charles Leonard, John Lawrence, Lawrence L   

The Keller family had a troubled and complicated history. Herman Sr was born 1890 in Milwaukee; he died 1978 in Redford Twp. From the 1920’s he owned is own lab for prosthetic dentistry. Leona was one of 10 children born to a German mother; the family lived on 808 E. Canfield in 1920. Leona worked as a stenographer when she married Herman Oct 26, 1921 in Detroit. She filed for divorce Oct 28, 1932, 2 days after their anniversary. The grounds were the standard ‘extreme and repeated cruelty and non-support’; it wasn’t contested and she received alimony. Divorces were not easily obtained back then and couples didn’t have an option to file with mutual consent.

Children named in Divorce Decree

 In 1930 the family lived on Broadstreet. By 1940 the address for Herman was 17360 Lahser which is the site of the Redford Theater. Perhaps there were apartments upstairs? Of note is that on the Michigan casualty list, Herman Sr. is listed with the Lahser address. Typically the mother’s name is given. For whatever reason only the father only was listed by Herman Jr. as next of kin.

All sons registered for the draft. John worked for the Michigan State Troopers when he registered. Young son Lawrence enlisted in 1946 for the Panama Canal Dept. this was a separate command of the US Army responsible for laying, maintaining and clearing of harbor defense minefields at the canal entrance.

Herman Jr. enlisted Dec 6, 1940 and in June 1941 was at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, FLA. He is listed as a combat naval casualty, crew involved in an aircraft accident. No additional information on the circumstances were found.

 

Radioman training film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQKMwTATmGc

SCHROEDER, GERALD R. Feb 1, 1943 age 18 MIA/DOD New Georgia

GERALD ROLAND SCHROEDER b. 1925 Michigan d. Feb 1, 1943

Missing in Action/Declaration of Death Solomon Islands, New Georgia

Pvt 387518 USMC 1^st Marine Aircraft Wing Scout Bombing Sq 131

Buried Ft. Wm McKinley, Manila, Philippines

Parents: Leonard R. & Ivadel

Siblings: Jack, Dale   

Father Leonard was born in Canada, immigrated to the US in 1914. He was employed as a bench worker in a manufacturing company. Census records show the family at 15765 Chapel, but all military data lists address as 15761 Chapel. Both houses are now gone, replaced by new homes filling in what was for too long empty overgrown fields.

Gerry entered the service April 13, 1942. The squadron left San Francisco on Sept 6, 1942 onboard the USS Mount Vernon heading for Hawaii. In November 1942 the squadron was reorganized as the first Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron and became part of the Cactus Air force during the Battle of Guadalcanal.

 

TBF-1 Avenger

The TBF-1 Avenger Torpedo Bomber carried a crew of three; pilot, tunnel gunner/radioman, turret gunner. George H.W. Bush flew a TBM Avenger; Paul Newman trained to be an Avenger pilot but as he was color blind didn’t qualify.

Gerry was an Avenger radioman/gunner assigned to VMSB-131. He participated in the campaign for the northern Solomon Islands and Feb 1 took part in an afternoon strike against Japanese ships near Munda. Over the target the bombers were attacked by 10-15  Japanese ‘Zero’ fighter planes. Immediately after dropping its payload the plan TBF-1 01742 was hit. It cartwheeled and slammed into the water. Nobody ever saw the crew alive again. All four Marines were declared dead on Feb. 3, 1945. M/Sgt Julien was the pilot, Robert Montgomery a passenger.

It seems there should be more to remember him by, other than a photo of a plane. What will be found of us when we are dead and gone?

He received the Purple Heart Medal.

 

COOK, THOMAS CLAYTON June 23, 1945 age 22 DOW Okinawa

THOMAS CLAYTON COOK  b. Oct 1, 1922 Portsmouth, Ohio d. June 23, 1945

Died of Wounds Okinawa

2^nd Lt 041791 USMC 1^st Bn 7^th Marines 1^st Marine Div

Buried: Honolulu National Cemetery of the Pacific, Hawaii

14025 Rutland

Parents: Henry Edward & Gertrude B.

Sibling: Edward   
Spouse: Vivian Muskatt

Henry Edward, born in Michigan,  was the superintendent of a Coke Plant in Portsmouth, Ohio in 1920. In 1940 he was the plant superintendent of a Coke plant in Michigan. Gertrude was born in New York. In 1940 when they lived at 14025 Rutland they had an 11 yr old niece from New York living with the family.

Thomas graduated from Redford June 1940. His draft registration shows him to be 188 lbs, 6’, blue eyes with blonde hair. He was employed at Solvay Process Co. Solvay was a pioneer in the chemical industry in the manufacture of soda ash. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda used material developed through the Solvay process. They had a coke plant in Detroit, likely the plant where his father was superintendent.

Lt. Cook

 

 

 

 

Vivian Muskatt Cook

 

 

Already a Marine officer, in Oct 1944 he married Vivian Muskatt, whose family lived at 2875 Chicago. Brother Edward was a Colonel in the Air Force.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 82 day Battle of Okinawa lasted from April 1, 1945 to June 22, 1945. Thomas died of wounds June 23. It was the last major battle of WWII and one of the bloodiest. More than 180,000 Army and Marine Corps troops landed on the island for a final push to Japan. Americans had over 49,000 casualties including 12, 520 killed. Japanese soldiers killed were about 110,000. And between 40,000 and 150,000 Okinawan citizens were estimated killed. The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on Aug 6 and Nagasaki on Aug 9. The Japanese surrendered Aug 14.

In one of those horrible coincidences that life can throw us, Vivian graduated from University of Michigan School of Education on the day the Cook’s were notified of their son’s death. After the war in the fall of 1947 Vivian married a former Marine Corps officer and they moved to Seattle.

Thomas was initially buried on Okinawa. In 1949 he was reinterred in Hawaii. He was awarded the Silver Star.

RAMSEY MCMURRAY July 4, 1945 age 19 DNB Louisiana

RAMSEY ROBERT MCMURRAY b. 1926 Detroit d. July 4, 1945 Died Non Battle

 Bossier, Louisiana

Cpl Army Air Force 331^st Base Unit

17190 Snowden

Burial unknown

Parents: Marshall Bailey & Agnes M. (Nixon)

Siblings: Margaret Bailey, Marshall Bailey Jr.   

Both parents were born in Canada, but all their children were born in the States. Father was a manager at the telephone company. Ramsey graduated from Redford in June 1943 and one year later enlisted at Fort Sheridan, Ill in the Air Corps.

He served with the 331^st Combat Training Squadron at Barksdale Field in Louisiana. General Jimmy Doolittle and his famous 17^th Bomb Group trained at Barksdale as did the Free French and Nationalist Chinese aircrews. The base turned to training bomber crews instead of pursuit and fighter crews.

 

B29 Superfortress

The USAAF data base lists him as Robert R. MacMurray. He was flying in a B-29A Superfortress #42-93993 when it crashed in a swamps south of the airfield about one mile south of Sligo. Six other airman were killed: 1^st Lt and pilot Donald R. Schultz, 2^nd Lt Ludwig Novlan, 2^nd Lt William D. Sullivan, S/Sgt Henry J. Tuemler, Sgt. Willis L. West, Cpl James J. Sacco.

Those killed in training don’t receive the recognition of airmen killed in battle. There is little information about the crash event unless a local newspaper is in the archive database, which rarely happens for the remote, often disappeared, airfields. There are no crew photos, or photos of the new airman ready for overseas. A few of the training airfields had yearbooks with cadet photos, but not Barksdale.

PALMER, ERNEST Sept 29, 1944 age 27 KIA France

ERNEST GEORGE PALMER  b. Feb 20, 1917 Port-aux-Basques, NF, Canada

d. Sept 29, 1944 Killed in Action Peleliu, France

T5l 36505147 Army 315^th Inf Reg 79^th Inf Div

21585 Curtis

Buried Lorraine American Cemetery, France

Parents: George & Charlotte ‘Lottie’ (Dingwell)

Siblings: Orville, Allan D
Spouse: Jeanne M. Campbell  

And from Newfoundland George brought his family to the shores of Detroit. They arrived Sept 21, 1918; Ernest came in 1924. All were born in Newfoundland, except youngest son Allan born in Michigan. Father George was a carpenter and they owned their homes here. They lived on Cutis and later on Orchard, a street just behind the Redford Theater. At one time it was right in the hub of all activity in old Redford; now the street is totally devoid of any houses.

 

 

 

January 1937 Ernest graduated from Redford as did bother Orville. His draft registration took place Oct 16, 1940 in Detroit. He worked as a printer, stood 5’10” at 140 lbs with hazel eyes and brown hair. On Jan 20, 1943 he married Jeanne of Pinckney, Mich. He was a bookkeeper, he a solder as stated on their marriage license issued in Fraser. Jeanne remarried in 1948.

 

Charlotte wrote a poem dedicated to her son Ernest before he went into action. 1944, Sept 13-23 the 79^th cut across the Moselle and Meurthe rivers. In a severe engagement ther cleared the Foret de Parroy Sept 28-Oct 9.  

STEIN, MEYER Dec 31, 1942 age 24 MIA North Atlantic

BERNARD MEYER STEIN  b. 1920 Michigan d. Dec 31, 1942  Missing in Action Atlantic Ocean

Ensign 0152775 Naval Reserve S.S. C.J. Barkdull

17685 Cooley

Buried: Memorialized Battery Park New York City

Parents: Harry & Eleanor K

Sibling: Sylvia P.   

Harry and Eleanor immigrated separately in the early 1900’s; he from Lithuania and she from Russia. In the 1930’s Harry was a shoe salesman and by 1940 he was the proprietor of Steins Department Store in the heart of Old Redford, Lahser and Grand River.  Steins was located in the former Peoples State Bank building. They were related to Bernard Stein, also on the memorial plaque, killed in the war; the father of Bernard worked at Steins who lived just up the road on Lahser. Meyer’s family lived at 17685 Cooley.

Meyer graduated from Redford in 1936 and went on to complete 3 years of college. He was on the S.S.C.J. Barkdull when it left New York on Dec 12, 1942. An American merchant ship sailing under the Panamanian flag, the C.J. Barkdull was a steam tanker hauling 60,186 barrels of oil, and was one of 42 vessels that made up convoy UGS-3. They were bound for Casablanca and Gibraltar. There were 38 Merchant Mariners and 20 U.S. Navy Armed Guard on board as the Barkdull left New York. Almost immediately the tanker fell back from convoy not able to keep up. They never arrived at their destination and on January 30, 1943 the War Shipping Administration reported that the ship was ‘long overdue and presumed lost as a result of enemy action.” Nothing was ever found of the ship or the men. These are the known facts. Although there are many theories and much speculation as to the fate of the Barkdull what actually happened is unknown. It was thought for a time that German submarine U-632 had torpedoed the tanker, but that’s now discounted and Barkdull is no longer listed as a hit for that sub. It appears that she may have sustained damage in a minor collision during convoy formation and then heavy weather took the damaged ship down. The 58 men on board all died in service to their country.

 

Sadly no photos were found nor is there a grave marker with which to remember Meyer.

HIGGINSON, ROBERT C. Feb 21, 1945 age 26 DNB Arkansas

ROBERT COLIN HIGGINSON  b. Oct 18, 1918 Leichester, England d. Feb 21, 1945 Died Non Battle Blytheville Air Field, Arkansas

Aviation Cadet 36866060 Army Air Force 2 111^th Base Unit

Buried Grand Lawn Cemetery, Detroit

 

Parents: Robert & Sarah (Smyth)

Sibling: Bernard W. 
Spouse: Marion B.S. Biggar 
 

More immigrants from England! They immigrated via the Canada route in 1928 at Niagara Falls. Sarah’s father lived in Canada. In Detroit both father a son Robert worked as welders for a trailer manufacturer. Their Detroit homes where they lived, dreamed, hoped, along with that of young Robert and Marion, are all gone populated now by overgrown grass.

 

Marion 1935

Robert 1936

 

 

Robert graduated from Redford in 1936. His yearbook motto was “Good luck never comes too late”. Soon to be wife Marion graduated in 1935. He went on to two years of college. When he registered for the draft in Oct 1940 he was 5’7”, 145 lbs with blue eyes and red hair.  That same month he married Marion who was born in Scotland.

Stationed at Blytheville Army Air Field in Arkansas, ARK he was in their Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine).About the same time in 1942 became a US citizen. He flew an AT-10, cruicial in the training of airmen intended for large aircraft as it stood as a stepping stone to operational level bombers and transport types of equal or larger size.

AT-10

He was the pilot on #42-34849 KSSP – killed, stall/spin.

BAMMEL, RALPH G Dec 1944 age 29 DNB/KIA France

RALPH GEORGE BAMMEL  b. Oct 16, 1915 Detroit d. 1944 Died Non Battle/Killed In Action France

S Sgt 26541783 Army 10^th Armoured Div, 20^th Arm Inf Bn

16615 Monica

Buried Holy Cross Cemetery, Marine City, Michigan

Parents: John L. & Christine (Britz)

Sibling: Bernie   

A family all born in Michigan, including the Christine’s two younger sisters who lived with the family in 1920. John worked as a foreman in an auto plant. He raised his family in a neighborhood near University of Detroit.  Summers were spent in Marine City where they had family.

Ralph graduated from Redford in Jan 1934 and worked as a shipping clerk for Ford Motor Co. Among the first to registerefor the the draft in Oct 1940 he was 6’ tall, 185 lbs with brown hair (eyes described on his draft registration as ‘other’).

The 10^th Armored Division entered France through the port of Cherbourg Sept 23, 1944 and put in a month of training at Teurtheville, France before entering combat. They were under General George S. Patton. After leaving Teurtheville Oct 25 they moved to Mars-la-Tour where they entered combat Nov 2. They advanced eastward along the Moselle River Valley but were diverted to the north when the Germans launched the Battle of the Bulge.

On Dec 13, 1944 a memorial mass was held for Ralph in Marine City.

MCALLISTER, WILFRED April 5, 1944 age 25 DNB Romania

WILFRED BRANDON MCALLLISTER  b. Dec 11, 1919 Lambton, Ont., Canada d. April 5, 1944   Died Non Battle Ocnito, Romania

1^st Lt O-743146 Army Air Corps 451^st Bomb Group 727^th Bomb Squad

 

 

Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

Parents: Harry & Harriett (Booth)
Siblings: George, Melvin, Francis   
 

The entire McAllister family (excepting Francis who was born later) crossed the border from Canada in 1927. They were born in Canada. Their father has crossed previously and had an address of 15107 Bentler. He worked as a metal finisher in the auto factory. The family house at 15107 Bentler is gone.

 



Basketball 1935

R Club 1935

Wilfred was very active at Redford in clubs and sports before his graduation in June 1937. He attended Wayne State for 2 years then enlisted in the Army Air Corps July 23, 1941, 5’7” 149 lbs. 

 

April 5, 1944 he was the pilot of B-24 'Craven Raven' #42-52103 flying out of Italy headed for Ploesti. A ring of refineries around Ploesti supplied a larger portion of gasoline and high-octane aviation fuel for Germany. The Allies were finally able to mount sustained attacks on Ploesti when airbases in Italy became available in April 1944. The 15^th Air Force started the offensive April 5^th when it dispatched 235 B-17s and B-24s to Ploesti.



Possibly Craven Raven viewfrom German Gun Camera

The 451^st formation was to be comprised of eight planes each from 724^th and 725^th Squadrons and nine planes each from the 726^th and 727^th Squadrons. The 727^th was to form the third flight of the First Attack Unit with a lead box of four B-24s. Flying off the left wing of the second box was Craven Raven flown by Lt. Wilfred McAllister. The formation crossed into Yugoslavia and so far, so good. Then one of the pilots forming the box realized two of the planes behind him had turned from home and only Craven Raven remained behind him and they were falling further behind. German pilots had shot down all four B-24s in the low flight in less than 3 minutes. McAllisters plane exploded before he could escape with the crew who had bailed.

 

The legacy of the American air war in Romania is still with us into the 21^st Century as more than 80 flyers who perished in the raid and related missions remain unrecovered. Efforts are ongoing to identify, exhume and repatriate their remains. Wilfred was designated as Died Non Battle. He is buried with S Sgt Robert J. Wood, Killed in Action; I don’t know why there is a difference. The two crewmen were reburied in Arlington Feb 22, 1950. The grave is next to that of Wilfred’s brother, Melvin.

 

Major Karl Rammelt led German Attack

MESSINGER, JACK M. Aug 10, 1944 age 22 KIA St. Lambert Field

JACK M. MESSINGER  b. Nov 11, 1922 Michigan d. Aug 10, 1944 Killed in Action

St. Lambert Field, France

1^st Lt O-755989 Army Air Corps 430^th Fighter Squad 474^th Fighter Group

 
Buried Normandy American Cemetery, France

 

Parents: Monroe & Isabelle (Macleod)

1940 Redford Glee Club

Sibling: Robert M.

 Father Monroe was born in Pennsylvania and mother in Canada. Monroe was an assistant manager at a Metal manufacturer.  Jack was on the 1937 Alpha Honor Roll at Redford. After he graduated he attended University of Michigan.

Jack enlisted on Armistice Day 1942, his birthday. With the 474^th Fighter Group he flew out of, Saint Lambert Field in Normandy. It was a temporary airfield established shortly after D-Day on July 22, 1944. It was only in use for 2 months in the summer of 1944. Currently there is no evidence of its existence.

 

 

Saint Lambert Airfield Quarters Summer 1944

Take off at 10:00 am St. Lambert field. Lt. Messinger was flying number three position in a four ship flight. Upon returning from the mission, in the approach to the runway Lt. Messinger came in too close behind the number two man. Wheels and flaps were fully down on his plane when it hit a prop wash from the preceding planeThe left wing went down and he evidently applied the throttles to correct the plane’s altitude. The plane did a complete roll to the left ladning extremely hard right side up. It threw the plane into a barrel roll. When the plane hit the ground flat the wings broke splitting the gas tanks. It was completely destroyed in the resulting fire- 12:45 pm.



Lt Messinger - Hells Bell

Lt. Messinger was awarded the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with 6 Oak Lead Clusters, and Purple Heart. He flew 40+ combat missions over enemy territory.