WW2 Fallen - DSC hero Charles Dushane, 9th Infantry Division

2nd Lt. Charles Dushane, 9th Infantry Division, earned the Distinguished Service Cross in North Africa on the first day of the war in the Western Front for the American Army.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65304716/charles-dushane
https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/remembering-operation-torch-allied-forces-land-north-africa-during-world-war-ii 

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

He was born on December 25, 1919 in Oklahoma. His parents Charles and Myrtle were born in Oklahoma and Arkansas, respectively. The Dushanes were Shawnee Indians. His father worked as an oil leases broker and as a teacher. Charles had two older brothers and three older sisters. Charles was know locally for his Golden Gloves boxing proficiency. By 1940 he married Dorothy Ponder. They had two daughters.

He enlisted in the army in September 1940. He reached the rank of second lieutenant in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division (Nicknamed "Old Reliables"). The 9th ID was one of the first American units to see action in World War 2.

Lt. DuShane was killed in action by a French tank crew on November 8, 1942, the date his unit landed in Morocco as part of Operation Torch. Vichy French forces were initially ordered to fight the Americans and British. He was one of the first men on the Western Front to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

His DSC citation reads as follows:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Charles Duke Dushane (ASN: 0-1290919), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 8 November 1942, in North Africa. 

With help of three enlisted men, Second Lieutenant Dushane entered the lighthouse on the Kasba-Mehdia after crossing enemy barbed wire entanglements while under heavy enemy small arms fire and captured 12 hostile troops who were using machine guns and rifles. This enabled our troops to take the strategic position commanded by the lighthouse. 

He later demonstrated coolness and bravery beyond the call of duty when upon the withdrawal of our troops from the native village, he and Corporal Frank L. Czar manned an enemy anti-tank gun in full view of the enemy. Part of the breech of the gun had been removed and he was able to fire the gun only by firing bullets from his sub-machine gun into the base of the anti-tank shell. Meanwhile Corporal Czar aimed the gun. In this manner he destroyed one enemy tank and delayed the enemy attack. It was while operating this gun that Second Lieutenant Dushane lost his life. 

Second Lieutenant Dushane's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 9th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

His second daughter was born five months after his death. His father Charles Sr. died a few months after that.

His grave is at Sickles Cemetery in Sickles, Oklahoma. His widow may not have remarried. She died in 2004.

Thank you Lt. Dushane for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Charles.

Last year on this date I profiled Pearl Harbor fallen and USNA graduate Edward Cloues, USS Arizona. You can read about Edward here.

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
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org

WW2 Okinawa Fallen - Frederick Powell, USS Twiggs

Frederick Powell was a baker on the destroyer USS Twiggs during the Battle of Okinawa.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21474282/frederick-peter-powell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Twiggs_(DD-591)

Frederick Peter "Fred" Powell never had a chance to reach 100 years old. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

I began this project on January 1, 2017. It will conclude on September 2, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2. During the intervening time, a different fallen serviceman was profiled every day on his 100th birthday. I have decided to round out the project by profiling one of the fallen born between December 7, 1916 and December 31, 1916. This will result in one of the fallen being profiled for every day America was engaged in World War 2. The total will be 1,366 men and women. That's enough for only 13 stars out of the 4,048 on the Freedom Wall of the World War II Memorial.

Fred was born on December 25, 1916 in Haxtun, Colorado. His parents Isaac and Violet were both born in Iowa. His father worked as a teamster. Fred had two older brothers, two older sisters and one younger brother. Fred married Helene Bristanin in 1936. They had one daughter.

He enlisted in the US Navy in September 1942. He eventually became a baker second class serving on the destroyer USS Twiggs (DD-591). Twiggs first saw action off the coast of the Philippines in October 1944. In December and January she came to the aid of a fellow ships that had been damaged by kamikaze attacks. She provided fire support for the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945.

Twiggs's final patrol was supporting the Battle of Okinawa. It avoid major damage when it was attacked by a kamikaze on April 28, 1945. On June 16, 1945, Twiggs was on radar picket duty when it was hit by a torpedo dropped by an attacking Japanese plane. The plane then finished off the attack by crashing into Twiggs. The destroy sank within an hour. 152 men were lost, including Baker Powell.

His cenotaph grave is at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. His widow died in 1962 and his daughter died in 1972.

Thank you Baker Powell 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
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org

WW2 Fallen - P-47 pilot Raymond Moraga

Captain Raymond Moraga flew P-47 Thunderbolts for the 365th Fighter Group in France.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162092410/raymond-noriega-moraga
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:365th_Fighter_Group_P-47D_Astra.jpg 

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

He was born on December 24, 1919 in Tempe, Arizona. His parents Carmen and Carmen (yes, original census records show they shared the same name) were also both born in Arizona. All of his grandparents were from Mexico. His father worked as a grain mill truck driver and later as a watchman. Raymond had two older brothers, three younger brothers, and two younger sisters. By 1940 Raymond had completed four years of high school and was still living at home.  He attended Arizona State University and found work as a driver.

He enlisted in the army's field artillery via the National Guard in September 1940. Two years later he transferred to the Army Air Forces and was trained as a fighter pilot. He reached the rank of captain in the 386th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group which was equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts. The 365th FG, known as the Hell Hawks, arrived in England in December 1943. It flew tactical missions to weaken the German ability to stop the planned invasion of France.

He was killed on June 10, 1944 flying a mission near Le Havre, France.

His grave is at St. Francis Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona.

Thank you Captain Moraga for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Raymond.

Last year on this date I profiled Bronze Star hero Thomas Kouns, 38th Infantry Division, and his brother Robert. You can read about the Kouns brothers here.

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
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org

WW2 Fallen - Lewis Caster, USS Leedstown

Ship fitter Lewis Caster served on the USS Leedstown during Operation Torch.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71634721/lewis-paul-caster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Leedstown_(AP-73) 

Lewis Paul Caster never had a chance to reach 100 years old. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

I began this project on January 1, 2017. It will conclude on September 2, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2. During the intervening time, a different fallen serviceman was profiled every day on his 100th birthday. I have decided to round out the project by profiling one of the fallen born between December 7, 1916 and December 31, 1916. This will result in one of the fallen being profiled for every day America was engaged in World War 2. The total will be 1,366 men and women. That's enough for only 13 stars out of the 4,048 on the Freedom Wall of the World War II Memorial.

Lewis was born on December 24, 1916 in Ottumwa, Iowa. His parents Clyde and Dora were born in Iowa and Missouri, respectively. His father worked as a dye work laborer and later as a  tent awning store proprietor. Lewis was an only child. By 1940 Lewis was still living at home, having completed four years of high school. He was working as a meat factory laborer.

He enlisted in the US Navy in May 1942 and became a ship fitter 3rd class on the USS Leedstown (AP-73), a passenger and cargo ocean liner converted to an amphibious assault ship.

As part of Operation Torch, Leedstown unloaded her troops east of Algiers on November 8. She was damaged by German bombers that day and sunk the next day, November 9, 1942, by a German submarine. Only eight men of the 500 onboard died. One of them was SF Caster.

His grave is at Ottumwa Cemetery in Ottumwa, Iowa.

Thank you SF3c Caster for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Lewis.

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
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org

WW2 Saipan Fallen - Martin Calianno, 27th Infantry Division + Pearl Harbor hero

PFC Martin Calianno served in the 27th Infantry Division in Saipan.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147505107/martin-a-calianno
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extContent/usmc/pcn-190-003123-00/sec5.htm 

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

He was born on December 23, 1919 in Ohio. His parents Angelo and Rosie were both born in Italy. They came to America in 1910. His father worked as a steel plant pipe fitter and later as a grocery store proprietor. Martin had five older sisters, one older brother, one younger brother, and one younger sister. By 1940 Martin had completed four years of high school and worked as a presser while living with his parents.

He was drafted into the army on November 24, 1941. He became a private first class in Company A, 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. The 27th ID was deployed in defensive positions in California right after the Pearl Harbor attack. In May 1942 it was sent to Hawaii to defend that location. It first saw action when it captured the Makin Atoll in November 1943. PFC Calianno was likely with his unit by this time.

The 27th ID played a major role in the attack on Saipan, landing on D+1, June 16, 1944. It was tough fighting taking on the center section of the attack and the 27th suffered more than 1,800 casualties in two weeks. There was no rest at night when the Japanese were most active with suicidal night patrols. 

PFC Calianno was killed on July 12, 1944. By this point fighting on Saipan had officially ended for three days, but there were still pockets of Japanese soldiers who had not surrendered.

His grave is at Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio.

Thank you PFC Calianno for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Martin.

KENNETH M. TAYLOR
On the same day that Martin Calianno was born, Kenneth Taylor was born in Oklahoma. A prelaw student at the University of Oklahoma, he joined the Army Air Corps and was trained to be a P-40 Tomahawk fighter pilot. He was assigned to the 47th Pursuit Squadron in Hawaii in June 1941.

On December 6, Lt. Taylor was out late at the officer's club with fellow pilot George Welch. They didn't make it to bed until 6:30 in the morning only to be awaken by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Taylor and Welch sped out to an airfield the Japanese had ignored and took off in P-40s to attack the enemy. They were the first American fighter pilots to shoot down Japanese planes in World War 2 and were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Their exploits were depicted in the movie Tora, Tora, Tora.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_M._Taylor

He was assigned as a fighter pilot at Guadalcanal until he was injured during an air raid. He served as an instructor later in the war and stayed in the Air Force after the war. He died in 2006.

Last year on this date I profiled B-24 co-pilot Heber Smith. You can read about Heber here.

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
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org

WW2 Fallen - Silver Star hero Harry Faustino, 3rd Infantry Division

PFC Harry Faustino was wounded four times and earned the Silver Start with the 3rd Infantry Division.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91957882/harry-j-faustino
https://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/3rdinfantry/index.html

Harry J. Faustino never had a chance to reach 100 years old. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

I began this project on January 1, 2017. It will conclude on September 2, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2. During the intervening time, a different fallen serviceman was profiled every day on his 100th birthday. I have decided to round out the project by profiling one of the fallen born between December 7, 1916 and December 31, 1916. This will result in one of the fallen being profiled for every day America was engaged in World War 2. The total will be 1,366 men and women. That's enough for only 13 stars out of the 4,048 on the Freedom Wall of the World War II Memorial.

Harry was born on December 23, 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents Ralph and Rose were both born in Italy. His father worked as a teamster and later as a peddler. Still later he worked as a taproom proprietor. Harry had one younger sister. By 1940 Harry had completed six years of schooling and was living with his wife, the former Helen Sholey. He worked as a bartender and later managed a cafe.

He was drafted into the army on January 13, 1944. He became a private first class in Company A, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. The 3rd ID was in action in North Africa and Italy (including Anzio). PFC Faustino was a replacement who arrived in Italy in June 1944. That fall his unit was sent to France and by late winter it was fighting the Germans in the Colmar region. During the course of his service, he was wounded four different times.

The 3rd ID was pulled off the line in February 1945 for some much needed rest and refitting. It was sent to Etting to get in position for an assault on the Siegfried Line on March 15. PFC Faustino was killed in action on that day.

One source indicates that PFC Faustino earned the Silver Star. I was not able to find the citation.

His grave is at Holly Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania. His widow did not remarry and died in 2002.

Thank you PFC Faustino for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Harry.

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
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org

WW2 Fallen - PB4Y-2 crewman Robert Clair

Seaman First Class Robert Clair was a PB4Y-2 crewman based in San Diego.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65074001/robert-earl-clair
https://www.flickr.com/photos/konabish/9070158741 

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

He was born on December 22, 1919 in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. His parents Mervin and Tressie were also both born in Pennsylvania. His father worked as a freight station warehouseman and later as a silk mill loom fixer. Robert had one younger sister. Robert had completed four years of high school. He married Marie Vandine and they had a son born in August 1938.

He volunteered for the US Navy in April 1944. He reached the rank of seaman first class and was assigned to a naval patrol bombing squadron VPB-200 that flew PB4Y-2 Privateers (a modified B-24 Liberator) based out of San Diego, California.

Flying out of Naas Camp Kearney on a trans-Pacific flight, Seaman Clair's PB4Y-2 encountered engine trouble and was forced to ditch in the sea 170 from Oahu on May 29, 1945. Two of the crew were killed, including Seaman Clair. The other 10 men survived when the destroyer tender USS Black Hawk found them in a life raft.

His grave is at Montoursville Cemetery in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. His widow remarried and died in 1997. His son died in 2007.

Thank you Seaman Clair for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Robert.

Last year on this date I profiled Normandy fallen Albert Nantz, 9th Infantry Division. You can read about Albert here.

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
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org