WW2 - John Hunter, USS Meredith

Torpedoman's Mate First Class John Hunter was on the USS Meredith when it was sunk by Japanese carrier planes.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=60065192&ref=acom
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56783194 

John S. Hunter never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on October 16, 1917 in Wyoming. His mother was born in Idaho and his father was born in Scotland. His father worked as a coal miner. John had an older sister, two older brothers, a younger sister and a younger brother. 

He enlisted in the Navy on December 15, 1936. He became a torpedoman's mate first class on the destroyer USS Meredith.

At the start of the war Meredith engaged in anti-submarine and escort duty in the North Atlantic. It transferred to the Pacific and participated in the task force accompanying the Doolittle Raiders in April 1942. In August it was sent to the Solomon Islands.

On a mission to deliver much needed aviation supplies to Guadalcanal on October 15, 1942, Meredith was attacked by 38 Japanese planes from the carrier Zuikaku. The destroy suffered an incredible 14 bomb hits and 7 torpedo hits and sunk in 10 minutes. Of the 273 men on board, only 81 survived the three days of shark infested waters until rescued. John Hunter spent his twenty-seventh birthday in the open sea. He died the next day on October 17, 1942.

His cenotaph grave is at Aultorest Memorial Park in Ogden, Utah.

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

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!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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WW2 Fallen - Royce Cash, 40th Infantry Division + world famous historian

Staff Sergeant Royce Cash served with the 40th Infantry Division in the Philippines,
shown here fighting in the Bamban Hills.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=50725181&ref=acom
https://www.flickr.com/photos/johntewell/8079345234/in/photostream/ 

Royce H. Cash never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on October 15, 1917 in Oklahoma. His mother was born in Texas and his father was born in Georgia. His father worked as a farmer. Royce had one older sister, three younger sisters, and a younger brother who was in the navy during WW2. By 1940 Royce had completed four years of high school and was living at home working on the family farm.

He enlisted in March 1942. He became a staff sergeant in Company H, 2nd Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division.

The 40th first saw major combat in the invasion on Luzon on January 9, 1945. By February it was engaged in heavy fighting at Fort Stotsenburg, Bamban Hills, Snake Hills and Storm King Mountain -- all successful battles. Sgt. Cash was killed near the end of these battles on February 26, 1945.

His grave is at Duncan Municipal Cemetery in Oklahoma.

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

Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.

On the same day that Royce Cash was born in Oklahoma, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. was born in Ohio. He father was an influential historian at Ohio State University and Harvard. Arthur Jr. followed in his father's footsteps and become a historian. He graduated from Harvard and went to England on a fellowship. His education was cut short by World War 2. He tried to enlist in the army but was rejected for medical reasons. He ended up joining the OSS as an intelligence analyst.

After the war he was a professor of history at Harvard and a speech writer for Adlai Stevenson and later became a Special Assistant to President Kennedy.

https://alchetron.com/Arthur-M-Schlesinger,-Jr-1040985-W

He was a prolific award winning writer. Among his best know books are The Age of Jackson and A Thousand Days.

He died in 2007.

The 408,000 fallen who did not come home did not write books or serve presidents. What we have lost will never be known.

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!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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Join the public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen - Audie Luna, 6th Infantry Division

Two photos of Private Audie Luna, 6th Infantry Division.
https://www.6thinfantry.com/20th-infantry-regiment-members/nggallery/image/audie_luna_hq_co_20th_inf_reg/ 

Audie Luna never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on October 14, 1917 in Missouri. His parents were also both born in Missouri. His father worked as a farmer. Audie had two older brothers, three younger brothers and two younger sisters. At least one of his brothers also served in the military during WW2. By 1940 Audie had completed four years of high school and was working on the family farm.

He enlisted in the army on June 4, 1941. He served as a private in the Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division.

The 6th Infantry Division first saw action in Dutch New Guinea in June 1944. Next it participated in the invasion of Luzon on January 9, 1945. By March it had taken part in the Battle of Manila and took Mt. Mataba. Pvt. Luna was wounded on March 17, 1945 during an American attack through ravines with many caves defended by Japanese troops. He died three days later.

His grave is at Smith Chapel Cemetery in Zanoni, Missouri.

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

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!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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WW2 Fallen - Medal of Honor hero Truman Olson, 3rd Infantry Division

Medal of Honor hero Truman Olson and map showing location where he earned it.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7932774&ref=acom
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-A-Anzio/maps/USA-A-Anzio-7.jpg 

Truman O. Olson never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on October 13, 1917 in Wisconsin. His parents were both born in Norway. His father worked as a farmer. Truman had an older brother. Truman completed one year of high school and worked as a farm hand.

He enlisted in the army on July 1, 1942 and was sent to Italy as a replacement. He became a sergeant in Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

Sgt. Olson was part of the amphibious landing at Anzio on January 22, 1944. Over the next week the American advance became more and more difficult as the Germans brought in more and more troops. January 30 was particularly brutal for Olson's Company B -- more than one third of it's men were casualties. His unit had only one light machine-gun to keep the Germans at bay. Through the night Olson and his gun crew repealed multiple attacks. By morning Olson was wounded and the rest of the crew was all wounded or dead. Sgt. Olson single handedly saved what was left of his company from being completely overrun before expiring from his wounds. By the time Company B and the rest of 1st Battalion was relieved, it was down to 20% strength.

Medal of Honor Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Olson, a light machine gunner, elected to sacrifice his life to save his company from annihilation. 

On the night of 30 January 1944, after a 16-hour assault on entrenched enemy positions in the course of which over one-third of Company B became casualties, the survivors dug in behind a horseshoe elevation, placing Sgt. Olson and his crew, with the 1 available machinegun, forward of their lines and in an exposed position to bear the brunt of the expected German counterattack. Although he had been fighting without respite, Sgt. Olson stuck grimly to his post all night while his guncrew was cut down, 1 by 1, by accurate and overwhelming enemy fire. 

Weary from over 24 hours of continuous battle and suffering from an arm wound, received during the night engagement, Sgt. Olson manned his gun alone, meeting the full force of an all-out enemy assault by approximately 200 men supported by mortar and machinegun fire which the Germans launched at daybreak on the morning of 31 January. After 30 minutes of fighting, Sgt. Olson was mortally wounded, yet, knowing that only his weapon stood between his company and complete destruction, he refused evacuation. For an hour and a half after receiving his second and fatal wound he continued to fire his machinegun, killing at least 20 of the enemy, wounding many more, and forcing the assaulting German elements to withdraw.

His grave is at West Koshkonong Lutheran Church Cemetery in Stoughton, Wisconsin.

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

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!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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

WW2 Fallen - B-17 pilot Earl Armstrong

B-17 pilot Lt. Earl Armstrong and the crew of Hap's Hazard.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=18482966&PIpi=76515100

Earl M. Armstrong never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on October 12, 1917 in Illinois. His mother was also born in Illinois and his father was born in Wisconsin. His father died in 1918, perhaps from influenza that was sweeping the world. Earl had an older brother and sister. His mother and the children lived with her parents. By 1930 she had remarried. Earl's stepdad worked as a road laborer. By 1940 Earl had completed four years of high school and was still living at home. On September 19, 1941 he married Dorothy Littleton in Texarkana, Arkansas. They had son who was six months old at the time of Earl's death. He may have never seen him.

He left a job working as a driver when he enlisted in the army on April 14, 1942. At some point he volunteered for the Army Air Forces and became a B-17 pilot and second lieutenant in the 571st Bombardment Squadron, 390th Bombardment Group.

Lt. Armstrong flew on 13 bombing missions beginning in early May 1944. His final mission was the day before D-Day on June 5, 1944 -- a bombing run just over the channel to Bolougne in the plane Hap's Hazard. It was brought down by a flak explosion in the bomb bay area of the plane. Eight men were able to bail out (and were captured), but Lt. Armstrong and the ball turret gunner crashed with the plane near Dargniers, France and were killed.

His grave is at Rockton Township Cemetery in Illinois. His widow remarried and died in 2013. I don't know what happened to his boy.

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

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!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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

WW2 Fallen - C. Howard Miller, 45th Infantry Division

Sgt. C. Howard Miller, 45th Infantry Division was killed in the assault on Biscari Airfield.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19527536&ref=acom
https://howlingpixel.com/wiki/45th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)

Carroll Howard Miller never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on October 11, 1917 in Oklahoma. His mother was born in Missouri and his father was born in Alabama. His father worked as a farmer in Oklahoma and New Mexico. He died in 1936. Howard had two older brothers, two younger sisters and a younger brother.

Howard had been working as a draftsman with one year of college when he enlisted in the army on January 29, 1941. He became a sergeant in Company B, 1st Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division.

The 45th Infantry Division's first combat action was in Sicily. It was part of the initial invasion on July 10, 1943. The green troops of the 180th IR performed poorly during the first 48 hours and the regimental commander was almost relieved of his command. Sgt. Miller died four days later when the 180th IR overcame heavy resistance and captured Biscari Airfield. Another 1st battalion sergeant that same day took the tragic steps to shoot dead 37 captured Italian soldiers in what became known as the Biscari Massacre. We don't know if seeing the death of fellow troops like Sgt. Miller triggered his regrettable actions.

His grave is at Hagerman Cemetery, New Mexico.

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

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!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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

WW2 Fallen - Fred Nagy, USS Bowers

Storekeeper 1st Class Fred Nagy was serving on the destroyer escort USS Bowers
when he was killed by a kamikaze plane.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56126653&ref=acom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bowers_(DE-637) 

Fred Joseph Nagy never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on October 10, 1917 in Nebraska. His parents were born in Austria. His father worked as a laborer for a vinegar company. His mother died in 1918, perhaps from the worldwide influenza. Fred had an older brother and sister and a younger half-brother (who also served in WW2).

He enlisted in the Navy and became a storekeeper 1st class on the destroyer escort USS Bowers.

On April 16, 1945 Bowers was on anti-submarine screening duty north of Ie Shima. At dawn it shot down an attacking Japanese plane but by 9:30 two more Japanese planes approached in sync. Bowers shot down the first but the second crashed into Bowers flying bridge, spilling fuel all over the bridge and pilot house.The bomb penetrated twenty feet down before exploding and starting a fire. Before the fire was brought under control, Nagy and 36 other men had been killed. Eleven were missing and 56 wounded, some would die later.

His grave is at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

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

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!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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