WW2 Fallen - Edward DeGarmo, Decorated Torpedo Bomber Commander

Edward DeGarmo at US Naval Academy in 1940.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=76388221&PIpi=129086430

Edward Emmet DeGarmo could have been 100 years old today. 

He was born on March 18, 1917 in Wisconsin. His mother was born in Tennessee and his father was born in Missouri. His father worked as a sales manager for a cement company and later a commercial traveler for a shirt company. Edward had two younger sisters. 

Despite his humble beginnings, Edward was accepted to the US Naval Academy out of Ohio. He graduated in 1940. The academy yearbook noted that midshipman DeGarmo was fond of playing bridge and had a reputation as a walking dictionary with unmatched debating skills. After graduating from Annapolis, Edward was commissioned as an ensign and went to aviation school. He also married Beatrice Kirk and the couple had two children.

Edward became a Lieutenant Commander and torpedo bomber pilot on the carrier USS Bennington. He flew TBM-3 Avengers and commanded the Bennington's torpedo bomber squadron known as the Devil's Diplomats. 

Avengers from Lt Cmdr DeGarmo's squadron.
http://www.uss-bennington.org/Robert_J_Cosbie/index.htm

During his flying career, he was a highly decorated pilot with the Navy Cross, a Silver Star, and 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses. His final award was a Gold Star awarded posthumously for actions that led to his death. For details on the other actions that led to these awards, see here.

This is his Gold Star citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Edward Emmet DeGarmo (NSN: 0-85002), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while participating in aerial flights as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane and Commanding Officer of Torpedo Squadron EIGHTY-TWO (VT-82), attached to the U.S.S. BENNINGTON (CV-20), engaged on special missions in close support of ground operations on Okinawa on 3 June 1945. 

He materially assisted in sustaining the progress of the ground forces by dropping needed supplies and equipment to forward elements in repeated minimum level glides over advance positions. These missions were accomplished during the advance of our forces against determined enemy resistance and in the face of concentrated anti-aircraft fire. 

As he completed his final mission of the day his plane was struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire which engulfed the engine in flames. In spite of the flames which quickly enveloped the cockpit and of the progressively severe burns he suffered therefrom, he crash-landed his plane within friendly territory so skillfully as to save his aircrewman from all but minor burns and injuries. 

His cool courage and determination despite his own severe wounds and his superb airmanship were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Lt. Cmdr. DeGarmo's remains were returned and buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. I was unable to find additional information about his wife and children.

Thank you Edward for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Edward.

Thanks to Darillyn Lamb Starr for recommending that Edward be profiled.


On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

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WW2 Fallen - Franklin Rogers, 10th Armored Division, Battle of the Bulge

Pvt. Rogers was part of the 10th Armored Division, as was this GI and Sherman tank.
http://www.lonesentry.com/features/f35_3rd-tank-battalion-10th-armored.html

FDR could have been 100 years old today, Franklin D. Rogers that is. 

He was born on March 17, 1917 in Kansas. His parents were both born in Iowa. His father was a farmer. Franklin had three older brothers and two older sisters. 

When Franklin enlisted in the army on December 17, 1943 he reported he was working as a farm hand with a grammar school education. He became a private in Company A, 61st Armored Infantry Battalion, 10th Armored Division.

The 10th Armored Division landed in Europe in September 1944. The unit was involved in the reinforcement of Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. On December 24, 1944 elements of the 61st AIB were advancing over open ground as they pushed the Germans back. They came under heavy rocket fire and suffered heavy casualties, including the team commander and, most likely, Pvt. Rogers. 

Pvt. Rogers unit was part of the defense of Bastogne shown on this map.
http://following10th.blogspot.com/2014_12_01_archive.html

His remains were returned to be buried at Ft. Scott National Cemetery in Kansas.

Thank you Franklin for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Franklin.


On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

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WW2 Fallen - James Benjamin B-25 Flyboy

This painting depicts a B-25 mission over Taiwan. Lt. Benjamin was likely lost on another mission near Taiwan.
https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/author/inthistrsrchassc/page/3/

James Joseph Benjamin could have been 100 years old today. 

He was born on March 16, 1917 in Missouri. His mother was also born in Missouri. His father was from Kansas and worked as a farmer on his own land. James had two older sisters. By 1940 Joseph had completed high school. He was still living with his parents while working as a salesman.

James became a 2nd lieutenant in the 405th Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bombardment Group which flew B-25 Mitchell bombers. Lt. Benjamin's unit had just moved from Pitoe Airfield in Morotai, Netherlands East Indies to Lingayen Airfield in Luzon, Philippines when he died on January 31, 1945. On that day the 38th Bomb Group sent a flight of B-25's to attack a destroyer convoy near Taiwan. If Lt. Benjamin was on this mission, he never made it back to base. Lt. Benjamin is counted among the missing whose remains never returned home.

Thank you James for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for James.


On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

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WW2wrecks.com Profiles the WW2 Fallen Project

Thanks to Pierre Kosmidis from ww2wrecks.com for profiling the WW2 Fallen 100 Project.

http://www.ww2wrecks.com/portfolio/ww2-fallen-100-project-remembering-the-400000-americans-who-lost-their-lives-during-ww2/

WW2 Fallen - Tony Shubat, B-25 Tail Gunner

Sgt. Shubat was a tail gunner in a B-25 bomber when he was fatally wounded.
http://photos.ahlzen.com/40-Events/2008-09-23%20War%20Birds%20at%20New%20Bedford/

Tony Shubat could have been 100 years old today. 

He was born on March 15, 1917 in Michigan. His Croatian parents were both born in Yugoslavia when it was part of Austria-Hungary. They came to America in 1908. His father was an iron miner. Tony had three older sisters, an older brother, and a younger brother.

Tony joined the Army Air Corps and rose to the tank of tech sergeant in the 17th Bombardment Group which flew B-25 Mitchell bombers. This is the same unit that executed the famous Doolittle raid on Tokyo, although Sgt. Shubat was not on that mission. He was active with the unit beginning in North Africa in December 1942.

According to information shared at findagrave.com, Sgt. Shubat was a tail gunner on a mission over Sicily on July 9, 1943. It was his 37th mission and slated to be his last, after which he would return home. Sadly, he was wounded on this final mission and lost a lot of blood on the flight back to Tunisia. Efforts to save Sgt. Shubat's life were unsuccessful and he died two days later.

His remains were returned to be buried at Stambaugh Cemetery, Iron River, Michigan.

Thank you Tony for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Tony.


On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

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WW2 Fallen - Leo Eminger, B-17 Navigator

Lt. Leo Eminger, B-17 navigator, flew into Oahu
at the same time as the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41-2420/1942/paul-eminger.html#axzz4aaxvf8FZ

UPDATED 9/24/2017

Seventy-five years ago today newspapers across the country ran headlines like US Destroyer Sunk: All of Crew Lost and Reds Capture More Stalingrad Forts. At home the favorite song was I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo by the Glenn Miller Band. Folks were going to the movies to watch Cary Grant in Talk of the Town or Humphrey Bogart in Across the Pacific. That Thursday night, families could tune into their radios and listen to Amos and Andy or Kraft Music Hall with Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, and Victor Borge.

September 24, 1942 was also a day that would see the demise of at least 73 Americans who died serving their country that day. One of them was Leo Eminger.

Leo M. Eminger never had a chance to reach his 100th year birthday this year. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on March 14, 1917 in New Mexico. His parents were both born in Missouri. His father was a railroad welder and later a farmer. Leo had two older brothers and three older sisters. He had a twin sister named Cleo. 

On December 31, 1940 Leo joined the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. He had completed four years at New Mexico State College and was working as an actor (if that is possible to work as an actor). He became a first lieutenant.

Lt. Eminger was a navigator on one of the B-17s that landed on Pearl Harbor at the same time as the December 7, 1941 Japanese surprise attack. One of the reasons the Japanese surprised the Americans was because those who raised the early warning were told by mistake that it was this flight of B-17s.

During the war he served in the 42nd Bombardment Squadron, 11th Bombardment Group. On September 24, 1942, Lt. Eminger's B-17, named Bessie the Jap Basher, was on a mission with three other bombers to attack surface ships at anchor in Shortland Harbor. His plane was badly damaged when attacked by around 20 Zero fighters. Bessie limped away for another 290 miles but ditched near Guadalcanal. The pilot and one other airman swam ashore but later died. The other men on the plane, including Lt. Eminger never made it. The plane's wreckage was found a couple of years later, but no bodies were found.

For more details see Pacific Wrecks.

Divers have found the remains of Lt. Eminger's B-17. This is the cockpit.
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41-2420.html

Thank you Leo for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Leo.

On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

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WW2 Fallen - Lloyd Naugle, 2nd Infantry Division

Staff Sergeant Lloyd I. Naugle, 2nd Infantry Division.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=50674368

Lloyd I. Naugle, Jr. could have been 100 years old today. 

He was born on March 13, 1917 in Pennsylvania. His parents were also both born in Pennsylvania. His father was a coal miner. Lloyd had an older brother and sister, another three younger sisters and five younger brothers, including one named Lemon and one named Orange! By 1940 Lloyd had completed six grades of school and was working as a laborer.

Before enlisting in the army on January 23, 1941, Lloyd worked as a structural and ornamental metal worker. At 5'3" he was shorter than most soldiers. He served in the 2nd Infantry Division where he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. The 2nd Infantry Division landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day +1. 

Troops from the 2nd Infantry Division leave Omaha Beach.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Omaha-Beach

By June 10, Sgt. Naugle's unit had liberated Trévières on the road to Saint-Lô. Sgt. Naugle was wounded on June 13, 1944 as his unit fought in the Normandy hedgerows, and died the next day. 

The 2nd Infantry Division's position was near the center of this map when Sgt. Naugle died.
http://tothosewhoserved.org/usa/eto/usaeto04/chapter09.html

His remains were returned to be buried at Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Thank you Lloyd for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Lloyd.


On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Join public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100