Help Wanted to Write Stories of the WWII Fallen

If you missed our March update, here is a recap of all the projects we are working on.

When do you think we will pass 70,000 names? Can you help? You are invited to assist on any of these projects...

 Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten – 9,917 WWII burials/memorials, 912 stories completed that we know of. Casualties from every state. This is 1 of 6 FOH cemeteries in Europe. Submitted and being led by Sheree Dowdle. Contact Sheree at dowdles@comcast.net.

 USS Franklin – attacked by a Japanese dive bomber on 3/19/1945. The ship survived, but about 800 crew members were killed. Submitted and led by John Avis. A google sheet has been started.

 Typhoon Cobra, 3 ships lost in a storm on 12/18/1944 – USS Hull, USS Monaghan and the USS Spence. 775 total casualties from all ships, 199 completed stories. Submitted by Wilma Dempsey and Sheree Dowdle. Donna Fluegel has taken the lead. A google sheet is available with all men and their home states identified. Contact Donna at donnabf@aol.com.

 Arisan Maru –1,670 casualties from 47 states, 475 stories completed. These were American POW’s aboard this Japanese hell ship, sunk 10/24/1944. Contact Rona Simmons at rona_simmons@bellsouth.net

 Battle of Tarawa from 11/20 thru 11/23/1943 – 1,019 casualties, submitted by John Haskins stories completed for 822. A google sheet was started in June. Need help to identify if stories were completed and/or help to finish stories for the following states –IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, OH, TX and VA.

 Women casualties to include all women lost in the wartime – 568 casualties, stories completed for 403. Submitted by Lea Schneider. Contact Lea at leacschneider@gmail.com.

HELP WANTED to lead a project and/or write stories!!

 Exercise Tiger – live dress rehearsal for D-Day on 4/28/1944, 4 damaged and/or sunk ships, 642 losses from 43 states, 14% complete. Submitted by Jack Oberholtzer. Google sheet is available.

 Lumberton, NC Train Wreck, collision of 2 trains on 12/16/1943, loss of 52 service men, stories completed for 10. Men from DC, FL, IL, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NJ, OH, PA, RI, SC & VA.Submitted by Sheree Dowdle. A google sheet is available listing all losses.

 Merchant Marines, all mariners, 448 ships identified as lost – about 10,000, sheet is available, states are identified for 6,500, 433 stories completed (that we know of). Submitted by Kathy Harmon. Looking for help to write stories, lead the project, and/or help to sort out datasheet.

 USS Savannah CL-42, ship was attacked 9/11/1943 that caused damage – 205 casualties from 36 states, 27 stories completed. A sheet has been created & verified using the Report of Changes for this ship on 9/30/1943 that lists each person that was missing and/or died.

 Kassel Mission on 9/27/1944 – about 117 casualties aboard 27 planes and from 34 states, submitted by Katie Rasdorf. Stories are completed for 12 of the planes, totaling 63 men. The remaining 15 planes range for 1 to 8 stories each that need to be completed.

 Ardennes Cemetery in Belgium – this is 1 of 6 FOH cemeteries. 4,997 burials/memorials, 180 completed that we know of. A google sheet has been created using ABMC and FOH database information. Submitted by Sheree Dowdle.IN PROCESS – Recently updated

 Clark Air Field, Luzon – 12/8/1941, described as the “Other Pearl Harbor”. 90 casualties, about 45% complete. Submitted and being led by Kevin Harrington.

 USS Reuben James – was the 1st ship sunk on 10/31/1941 before the US entered into the war, 99 losses from 27 states, about 8% complete. Submitted and being led by Bob Fuerst.

 Taffy 3 – during the Battle off Samar, 13 US ships involved. Of those, 5 were sunk and 4 had damages with casualties. 1,161 total losses. Submitted by Jeff Vessenmeyer. Jeff is working on Wisconsin names. Scott Cole has taken the lead on this. He is currently identifying all losses and building a google sheet.

 3rd Marine Division – about 2,500 casualties, submitted by Gene Major. This unit was selected because Gene’s uncle was a veteran of this unit which mainly fought at Bougainville, Guam & Iwo Jima. No list has been started.

 Marines lost in the sinking of the USS McKean – mostly Company I & M from the 21st /3rd Marines, 38 casualties, 11/17/1943. About 58% of stories are completed. Submitted by Gene Major.

 743rd Tank Battalion – about 187 casualties from this unit. Submitted by Steve Booth. This unit was chosen to honor Steve’s uncle. He wants to do all stories as a promise to his uncle and has completed about 125 stories.

 FOH isolated graves in multiple countries – 32 burials, not maintained by the ABMC, submitted by Sheree Dowdle. Linda Simpson is leading and stories are completed for 20.

 US Submarine Crews – 52 subs lost, 48 with casualties. Total 3,617 casualties and stories completed for 25 subs. A google sheet is available for these subs, men lost and home states. Submitted by Loren Plisco, Susan Gould and Bob Joice.

 Cambridge American Cemetery – 8,908 burials/cenotaphs, stories completed for at least 326.Submitted by Sheree Dowdle. Amanda Cockcroft has taken the lead on this project.IN PROCESS – please provide updates

 398th Bomb Group, submitted by Eric Malinowski. This unit was selected for family connections. Working with Amanda Cockroft. About 277 casualties, 232 completed, remaining 45 have been assigned.

 Marietta National Cemetery, Georgia – 362 casualties from 21 states, 43 completed stories, submitted by Loren Pilsco. Betty Summerlin has offered to help.

  LST-523, ship sunk by the enemy 6/19/1944 – 154 casualties, 92% complete. Submitted by Donna Fluegel. Donna’s uncle died on this ship. Spreadsheet kept by Janne Boone, FL state director.

 Okinawa Marines with the focus on Company C, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division –unknown quantity of casualties, 32 completed stories. Submitted by Cara Clark. Her grandfather fought in this unit. 82 nd Airborne, 507 PIR, 2 nd Battalion, Co F – 41 casualties from 23 state, 95% complete. Submitted by Eric Malinowski. This unit was selected for family connections.

 82nd Airborne, 505 PIR – 316 casualties, 90 completed stories. Submitted by Joanne King. This unit was selected for family connections.

 P-47 Thunderbolts, focus on pilots killed or missing, 1,325 casualties, 49% complete. Submitted by John & Keene Melde. These 2 brothers are writing these stories in honor of a family cousin.

 70th Infantry Division “Trailblazers” – 887 casualties from 48 states, 104 completed stories. Submitted by Betsy Brannon Mills.

 Jellico Troop Train Wreck, accident near Jellico, TN with enlistees coming from Ft Benjamin Harris, IN and headed for training in Camp Croft, SC – 33 casualties, 9% complete. Submitted by Linda Simpson.

 American Brewing Industry – about 75 casualties, 57 completed stories for members of this industry whose deaths were noted in the industry trade journals, submitted by Greg Casey.

 Federal Cemetery, Louisville, KY – about 16 bodies returned from overseas in 1950, not sure if all KY men or from other states too. Submitted by Sally Drummond.

 Air Force Squadron 96, focusing on 7/28/1943 only – about 60 casualties. Submitted by Steven Lake. His cousin was killed in this squad on this date, 6 planes lost, stories are completed for 4 of the planes.

 103rd Infantry Division – 857 casualties, main focus is on Company B, 411 th Infantry Regiment. Submitted by Terry Toohig. He has a spreadsheet showing various regiments in this division, as well as the 614th Tank Destroyers (an African-American unit).

 442nd Infantry in which Japanese-American soldiers were enlisted – about 600 casualties, submitted by Dana Harrison. She is starting on those men from Washington state.

 MA Nautical School/MA Maritime Academy with focus on the casualties from these locations, submitted by Matthew Sargent. Number of casualties unknown.

 Merchant Marine Reserve Officers in the Navy that died either mobilized or while serving in the Merchant Marines, submitted by Matthew Sargent. Number of casualties unknown.RECENTLY COMPLETED –

 USAT Dorchester sunk on 2/3/1943, well known for the loss of 4 chaplains.

 Mission 19 to Haiphong – four B-24D planes with 24 losses

 MV Atlantic Sun – ship sunk 2/15/1943, 67 casualties from 13 states, Merchant Marines & Navy.

 LST-422, Royal Navy Ship is US military onboard sunk 1/26/1944 –206 casualties

 University of Texas Longhorns – 25 fallen athletes

 National Cemeteries in PA – 8 cemeteries (not including Gettysburg National), total of 394 burials. These cemeteries are under the VA.

IDEAS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS –

 European Cemeteries – google sheets have been started for Rhone American Cemetery (1,090), Normandy American Cemetery (10,631), Florence American Cemetery (5,592), Sicily-Rome American Cemetery (10,457) and Brittany American Cemetery (4,811). Numbers indicate burials/memorials in each cemetery.

 Field of Honors Cemeteries – 6 cemeteries in Europe, total 45,683, ranging from 32 to over 10,000 per cemetery. Submitted by Sheree Dowdle. Google sheets have been started for the 6 cemeteries. Two are listed above. The remaining are Epinal Cemetery in France (5,676 burials), Henri-Chapelle in Belgium (8,437 burials), Lorraine in France (10,925 burials) and Luxembourg Cemetery (5,341 burials). Submitted by Sheree Dowdle.

 SS Elihu Thomson – ship struck a mine 9/26/1944, killing 32 men. Of those 32, 20 were from the 133 Military Police Platoon. Submitted by John Turanin.

 USS Juneau – torpedoed by enemy 11/13/1942, 687 casualties, including the 5 Sullivan brothers. A google sheet has been started with just a list of names.

 USS Indianapolis – torpedoed by enemy 7/30/1945, 796 losses, stories completed for 38. A google sheet is available.

 USS Utah (BB-31) – sunk 12/7/1941 at Pearl Harbor, 58 losses. Submitted by Donna Fluegel.

 West Loch Disaster – 6 LST ships loading/unloading at Pearl Harbor 5/21/1944, sparked an explosion causing a fire that lasted 24 hours. Death toll was 163. Submitted by Sheree Dowdle. No list has been started.

 USS Mount Hood – ammunition explosion 11/10/1944. Submitted by Kim Hardaway. No list has been started.

 USS Whitehurst – ship attacked by suicide bomber on 4/2/1945. Loss of 213 crewmembers, ship survived. No list has been started. Submitted by Connie Breckenridge.

Questions? Contact lindas@storiesbehindthestars.org