WW2 Battle of the Bulge Fallen - John Unterseher, 741st Tank Battalion

Sgt Unterseher served in the 741st Tank Battalion.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/105215739/john-unterseher#view-photo=85296306
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/674273375430159624/?lp=true

UPDATED 8/3/2018

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

He was born on June 30, 1918 in North Dakota. His parents Albert and Katherina were both born in German speaking Russia and came to America in 1910. His father worked as a farmer and later as a construction worker. John had two older brothers, two older sisters, two younger brothers, and one younger sister. By 1940 John had completed eight years of schooling and was working as a laborer.

He was drafted into the army on January 10, 1942. He became a sergeant in the HQ Company, 741st Tank Battalion. Sgt. Unterseher landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6. His unit was equipped with amphibious Sherman tanks. The 741st TB supported the 2nd Infantry Division as it broke out of Normandy. It marched in the liberation parade of Paris.

The 2nd Infantry and the attached 741st TB were deployed on the north end of where the Germans attacked during the Battle of the Bulge. Despite being outnumbered and outclassed by better German tanks, the 741st was able to delay the German advance in time for more troops to get to the front and turn back the Germans.

Early in the battle, Sgt. Unterseher was wounded when a shell exploded under his tank. He was evacuated to a hospital (probably the 47th Field Hospital in Waimes, Belgium). The Germans overran the town on December 21, 1944. The mobile patients, including Sgt. Unterseher, were taken out and executed in cold blood.Those who were bedridden were shot in their beds. The perpetrators were most likely the same group of SS soldiers who conducted the Malmedy Massacre.

Provided by Jean-Philippe Speder: 

John Unterseher died in Elsenborn along with three other men. An enemy artillery shell killed them on December 21, 1944. One man died on the spot, and the other three died shortly thereafter at the 2nd Division Clearing Station. Two other men were less severely wounded and sent to the 2nd Evacuation Hospital.

Waimes was never “overran” by the Germans on December 21, 1944. Only a small detachment of KG Peiper passed through the undefended town on December 17 and didn’t stop. The following day, the 634th TD Battalion and the 1st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop established defensive positions at Waimes, and the town remained in American hands for the remainder of the Bulge.

His grave is at Peace Lutheran Cemetery in Dunn Center, North Dakota.

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

Last year on this date I profiled B-29 bombardier Francis Meredith who served in China. You can read about Francis 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.

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WW2 Fallen - B-24 pilot Walter Ward

Lt. Walter Ward was a B-24 pilot in the 392nd Bombardment Squadron.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1295093/walter-m-ward
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/576320083541068635/?lp=true 

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

He was born on June 29, 1918 in Nebraska. His parents Milton and Audrey were born in Oklahoma and Nebraska, respectively. His parents divorced when Walter was a child and his father died in 1927. His mother worked as a school teacher. Walter had an older sister. Walter completed four years of high school.

A Walter Ward from Nebraska was the pilot of a plane that crashed in Nebraska the summer of 1939 when his stunt flying went wrong. He survived the crash. I don't know if it was the same person. Walter enlisted in the Army Air Corps on November 27, 1939. By 1940 he was stationed with the 17th Air Base Squadron in Hawaii.

Later in the war he became a 1st lieutenant and pilot in the 392nd Bombardment Squadron, 30th Bombardment Group which was equipped with B-24 Liberators and began operations from Ellice Island in the Pacific in November 1943.

Lt. Ward's plane was hit by flak on December 20, 1943. It crashed into the ocean fifteen miles west of Taroa, Maleolap in the Marshall Islands. All nine men on board were lost.

His cenotaph grave is at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Nebraska.

Thank you Lt. Ward for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Walter.

Last year on this date I profiled Leslie Jackson who served in the segregated 784th Tank Battalion. You can read about Leslie 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.

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WW2 Pearl Harbor Fallen - Howard Rosenau, USS Curtiss

Seaman 2/c Howard Rosenau was on the USS Curtiss when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Painting by Tom Freeman.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25763989/howard-a.-rosenau
https://ehangar.com/forum/reviews-comments-and-questions/pearl-harbor-images

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

He was born on June 28, 1918 in Idaho. His parents Arthur and Freida were born in Minnesota and Idaho, respectively. Howard's paternal grandparents were from Germany. His father worked as a farmer. Howard had three older sisters and two younger brothers.

He enlisted in the US Navy in March 1941. He became a seaman second class serving on the seaplane tender USS Curtiss which was brand new, having been commissioned in November 1940. It was sent to Pearl Harbor in May 1941.

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 Curtiss got underway and fired upon a mini-sub it spotted in the harbor. It also fired on attacking planes. One plane crashed into its #1 crane and a Japanese bomb hit the ship and exploded below decks. Nineteen men, including Seaman Rosenau, were killed during the attack. The ship was saved and was active in the Pacific through the war. It was hit by a kamikaze plane at Okinawa in June 1945.

Seaman Rosenau's grave is at St Johns Lutheran Cemetery in Genesee, Idaho.

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

Last year on this date I profiled Van Payne, 90th Infantry Division. You can read about Van 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.

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WW2 Fallen - Medal of Honor hero and B-17 bombardier David Kingsley

Medal of Honor hero Lt. David Kingsley is memorialized at Suhozen, Bulgaria where his plane crashed.
The memorial includes part of the plane and was erected 60 years after the crash.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7528319
http://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/part2/18_kingsley.html 

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

He was born on June 27, 1918 in Oregon. His parents David and Agelina were also both born in Oregon. His father worked as a iron works machinist and later as a police investigator. David had an older brother, three younger brothers, and four younger sisters. All of the Kingsley brothers served in the military during WW2. His father died in an automobile accident when David was 10 years old and his mother was pregnant with child number nine. She died of cancer in 1939, leaving David in charge of the family (his older brother joined the Navy to send home some income and was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941). By 1940 David had completed four years of high school and was working as a machinist helper and as a firefighter and acting as dad to seven younger siblings as young as 11.

He enlisted in the army and was picked to attend flight school, where he was selected to specialize as a bombardier and navigator. The Army Air Forces picked the smartest men to learn navigation and most of them were college educated. The fact that David dual qualified with a high school education says a lot about his abilities. He became a second lieutenant in the 341st Bombardment Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group which was equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses. It was first assigned to the 8th Air Force in England in August 1942 but after a month it was transferred to the 12th Air Force in North Africa. In November 1943 it became part of the 15th Air Force. Lt. Kingsley joined his unit in March 1944 when it was based in Amendola, Italy.

The 97th BG participated in strategic bombing missions throughout southeastern Europe ranging up to Germany. Lt. Kingsley's crew flew 20 successful missions during his first 60 days.

The mission for June 23, 1944 took Lt. Kingsley to Ploiesti, Romania, with its critical oil refineries. The 761 bombers assigned were the largest sent to this target. His plane Opissonya, was in the tail end Charlie position, leaving it more vulnerable to fighter attacks. On the way to the target, the plane blew an oil line, leaving it to run on three engines. The crew decided to stick with the mission rather than abort since missions to Ploiesti counted double toward getting the 35 missions needed to return home.

His posthumous Medal of Honor citation describes what happened next that day.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, June 23, 1944 near Ploesti, Rumania, while flying as bombardier of a B17 type aircraft. 

On the bomb run 2d Lt. Kingsley's aircraft was severely damaged by intense flak and forced to drop out of formation but the pilot proceeded over the target and 2d Lt. Kingsley successfully dropped his bombs, causing severe damage to vital installations. The damaged aircraft, forced to lose altitude and to lag behind the formation, was aggressively attacked by 3 ME-109 aircraft, causing more damage to the aircraft and severely wounding the tail gunner in the upper arm. The radio operator and engineer notified 2d Lt. Kingsley that the tail gunner had been wounded and that assistance was needed to check the bleeding. 2d Lt. Kingsley made his way back to the radio room, skillfully applied first aid to the wound, and succeeded in checking the bleeding. The tail gunner's parachute harness and heavy clothes were removed and he was covered with blankets, making him as comfortable as possible. 

Eight ME-109 aircraft again aggressively attacked 2d Lt. Kingsley's aircraft and the ball turret gunner was wounded by 20mm shell fragments. He went forward to the radio room to have 2d Lt. Kingsley administer first aid. 

A few minutes later when the pilot gave the order to prepare to bail out, 2d Lt. Kingsley immediately began to assist the wounded gunners in putting on their parachute harness. In the confusion the tail gunner's harness, believed to have been damaged, could not be located in the bundle of blankets and flying clothes which had been removed from the wounded men. With utter disregard for his own means of escape, 2d Lt. Kingsley unhesitatingly removed his parachute harness and adjusted it to the wounded tail gunner. 

Due to the extensive damage caused by the accurate and concentrated 20mm. fire by the enemy aircraft the pilot gave the order to bail out, as it appeared that the aircraft would disintegrate at any moment. 

2d Lt. Kingsley aided the wounded men in bailing out and when last seen by the crew members he was standing on the bomb bay catwalk. The aircraft continued to fly on automatic pilot for a short distance, then crashed and burned. His body was later found in the wreckage. 

2d Lt. Kingsley by his gallant heroic action was directly responsible for saving the life of the wounded gunner.

Tragically, his plane crashed into a home and killed seven people. A memorial remembering Lt. Kingsley and the crash victims was erected in Suhozem, Bulgaria in 2004.

His grave is at Arlington National Cemetery.

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

For a very detailed telling of Lt. Kingsley's story see here.

Last year on this date I profiled Edward Madigan, the artist Disney missed. 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.

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WW2 Guadalcanal Fallen - Joseph Butcher, Americal Division

Pfc. Joseph Butcher fought at the Battle of Mount Austen with these troops.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6089169/joseph-lee-butcher
https://br.pinterest.com/pin/564005553307205525/

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

He was born on June 26, 1918 in Indiana. His parents Bernard and Stella were born in Indiana and Texas, respectively. His father worked as a farm laborer and later as a farmer. Joseph had eight younger sisters and two younger brothers (one became a WW2 vet). By 1940 Joseph had completed eight years of school and was working as a millwright while living at home. He also served in the Illinois Army National Guard.

Joseph's national guard unit was called up the army on March 5, 1941. He became a private first class in Company L, 3rd Battalion, 132nd Infantry Regiment. He was sent to the South Pacific and became part of the Americal Division in May 1942. It arrived on Guadalcanal on December 8, 1942.

To stop Japanese infiltration at night to destroy American planes, the 132nd IR was assigned to take Mt Austen, to push the enemy farther away from the vital airfields. Facing well defended Japanese troops, the 132nd made one unsuccessful attack after another. Pfc. Butcher was killed attacking what became known as the Gifu on December 25, 1942. The position would not be taken until the next month at the cost of 132 killed.

His grave is at Mount Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum in Kankakee, Illinois.

Thank you Pfc. Butcher for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Joseph.

Last year on this date I profiled Edward Michalski, 29th Infantry Division. 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.

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WW2 US Naval Academy Fallen - John Spears, USS Vincennes, Battle of Savo Island

Lt. John Spears commanded turret #2 on the USS Vincennes during the Battle of Savo Island.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56785647/john-p.-spears
https://www.flickr.com/photos/msh-images/627340374/

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

He was born on June 25, 1918 in Tennessee. His parents William and Blanche were also both born in Tennessee. His father was a 1905 US Naval Academy graduate (the same year with Chester Nimitz) who became a career naval officer. He rose to the rank of rear admiral. John had an older brother and a younger brother.  Blanche raised her boys living with her mother while her husband served at various Navy postings at sea or on station. Both John and his older brother William also graduated from the US Naval Academy. In John's case he was in the class of 1940 where he was a varsity boxer. All three Spears brothers, plus their father, served in the US Navy during WW2.

Upon graduation Ensign Spears was assigned to the heavy cruiser USS Vincennes. He rose to the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

William was the first to see action while serving on the destroyer USS Pope. Pope was in Manila when the Japanese attack American forces there hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was sent to the Dutch East Indies. Pope was bombed by Japanese carrier based dive bombers on March 1, 1942, forcing the crew to abandon ship. The crew was rescued by a Japanese destroyer and became prisoners for the balance of the war. I don't know if his family learned of his fate during the war.

Meanwhile Lt j/g John Spears, on Vincennes, was active in the Pacific. He became the turret officer of the #2 8" guns. Vincennes was part of the Doolittle Raid and the Battle of Midway. Moved the South Pacific, Vincennes screened the initial Marine landing on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942. Two days later is took part in the Battle of Savo Island. It took up position to intercept any Japanese ships sent to sink the transports still unloading supplies on Guadalcanal. The Japanese got the jump on the Americans and within a minute Vincennes had taken a number of major hits, including one that wounded Lt. Spears in turret #2. The pounding didn't let up (it was hit by at least 85 shells including 2 more that hit turret #2 and killed Lt. Spears). Within 5 minutes a torpedo left the ship dead in the water. The captain had no choice but to order the ship abandoned. The sinking took 322 men down with the ship.

During the war Rear Admiral Spears was the Director of Pan-American Division of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He died in 1966. John's brother William survived the war and died in 1995. His younger brother Morton served on the next USS Vincennes during WW2 and also served in the Korean War and died in 2006.

John Spears is memorialized at the Tablet of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.

Thank you to the Spears family for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for John.

Last year on this date I profiled Distinguished Service Cross hero Judge Trammell, a Solomon Islands coast watcher. You can read about Judge 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.

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WW2 Fallen - P-47 pilot Jack Engman

Captain Jack Engman flew P-47s for the 366th Fighter Group stationed in England.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135121736/jack-winston-engman
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/313

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

He was born on June 24, 1918 in Utah. His parents Arvid and Emma were born in Sweden and Utah, respectively. His father worked as a draughtsman and later as a civil engineer. Jack had an older brother. After completing four years of high school, he found work as a clerk.

He enlisted in the Army Air Forces on September 26, 1941 as an aviation cadet. He was selected to be a fighter pilot and was trained to fly P-47 Thunderbolts. His first assignment took him to Aleutian Islands for 14 months. 

Jack married Mary Ann Coblentz in July 1943.

He then became a captain in the 391st Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force. His unit arrived in England in January 1944. Once it became operational in March, its main focus was ground attacks to destroy motor convoys and gun emplacements. He was almost shot down by friendly fire while flying over the invasion force on D-Day.

The mission on July 27, 1944 was to support the armored columns breaking out of the St. Lo area. After a successful mission destroying German halftracks, Captain Engman's plane was seen on fire. His fellow pilots saw him jump from his plane but his parachute did not open.

His grave is at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. His widow remarried after the war.

Thank you Captain Engman for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Jack.

Last year on this date I profiled Noyes Farmer who served on the destroyer USS Norman Scott. You can read about Noyes 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
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WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

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WW2 Fallen - Frederick Ravin and his brother John, both torpedo-men

Torpedoman 1/c Fred Ravin and John Ravin, served on the USS Canopus and USS Aaron Ward, respectively.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74433587/frederick-scott-ravin
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74433620/john-crockett-ravin
http://www.tendertale.com/tenders/109/109.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Aaron_Ward_(DD-483)

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

He was born on June 23, 1918. I was not able to find census information about his family. His mother was still alive in the 1940s and he had at least one brother, John.

Frederick enlisted in the US Navy on October 17, 1936. He was still in the navy five years later, serving as a torpedoman first class on the submarine tender USS Canopus which was stationed in the Philippines before the war started. Canopus was soon damaged and its crew sent to defend Corregidor. Fred may have been sent to Bataan instead. Regardless, Fred was wounded in January 1942 and he became a prisoner of war when the Americans surrendered.

His family probably got word that Fred was a POW, but it could have been a year or more before news got back home.

Younger brother John, five years younger than Fred, enlisted in the US Navy on August 15, 1938. He also became a torpedoman first class serving on the destroyer USS Aaron Ward. It operated in the Guadalcanal area beginning in mid-September 1942. Aaron Ward took part in the climatic Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in the early morning hours of November 13. Its aggressive actions likely destroyed the Japanese destroyer Akatsuki. During the battle Aaron Ward suffered nine major hits and withdrew when it was no longer able to fight effectively. Casualties included 57 injured and 17 dead, including John Ravin.

Word of John's death probably did not reach Fred. At some point during the war he was transported to a prison camp in Mukden, China. On December 7, 1944, Fred Ravin was killed by bombs dropped during a B-29 bombing mission.

The Ravin brothers are buried at Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland, Oregon. The local American Legion Post was named in their honor.

Thank you Fred and John for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for the Ravin brothers.

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

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WW2 D-Day Fallen - Glider co-pilot John Butler and highest ranking Allied casualty on D-Day

Lt. John Butler, shown here with 101st Airborne's General Pratt (second from left)
was a Waco glider co-pilot on D-Day which crashed on landing.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11288820/john-mitchell-butler 

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

He was born on June 23, 1918 in Delaware. His parents Willis and Mary were born in Delaware and Maryland, respectively. His father worked as a farmer. John had one older brother and one younger brother. John completed eight years of schooling. He married Margaret Donovan in 1937. They had one son.

He enlisted in the army on January 9, 1942. At some point he volunteered to learn how to fly gliders. He became a second lieutenant in the 38th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was equipped with CG-4A Waco gliders. His unit was assigned to land 101st Airborne glider troops on D-Day.

In the early hours of June 6, 1944 Lt. Butler was the co-pilot of a Waco glider carrying Brigadier General Don Pratt, the assistant division commander of the 101st Airborne Division. The glider successfully landed in its designated landing zone around 4 am. However, the brakes did not work as intended on the wet grass and the glider crashed into a tree-lined hedgerow. Lt. Butler was killed by a tree limb that broke through his window and General Pratt broke his neck from whiplash. He was the highest ranking Allied officer killed on D-Day. The other two men on the glider survived with serious injuries.

His grave is at Hollywood Cemetery in Harrington, Delaware. I don't know what happened to his widow or son.

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

Last year on this date I profiled William Burks. You can read about William 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

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WW2 Vosges Forest Fallen - Bronze Star hero Cike Kawano, 442nd Infantry Regiment

Pfc. Cike Kawano served in Company E of the 442nd Infantry Regiment in the Vosges Mountains.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76704114/cike-c-kawano
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/565905509419312426/?lp=true 

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

He was born on June 22, 1918 in Nebraska. His parents Yonosuke and Anna were both born in Japan. His father came to America in 1910 and his mother came in 1914. His father worked as a farmer. Cike had nine younger brothers and three younger sisters. By 1940 Cike had finished four years of high school and was working on the family farm.

He was drafted into the army on February 27, 1941. He became a private first class in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment. His unit fought the Germans in Italy at Salerno, Monte Cassino, Anzio, and Rome to the Arno River. Transferred to France, his unit fought across Southern France to the Vosges Forest.

Pfc. Kawano was killed in action on November 6, 1944 while he was fighting in the Vosges Forest near Belmont, France.

Pfc. Kawano was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. His citation reads as follows:

When the success of an attack launched by his platoon depended upon contacting the company commander for reinforcements, Private First Class KAWANO, a radio operator, volunteered to deliver the message and unhesitatingly set out through intense enemy machine gun and mortar fire. 

After reaching his objective, he immediately took it upon himself to lead the reserves to the forward positions. Although he was fatally wounded by enemy machine-gun fire, his inspiring performance enabled the reserves to arrive in time to aid in the successful completion of the mission. Private First Class KAWANO's devotion to duty and exemplary conduct are in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States Armed Forces.

Pfc. Kawano's unit was awarded an amazing number of Bronze Stars - 4,000. That's how many men were in the regiment at full strength. There were actually about 14,000 men who served in the 442nd, because so many were killed or wounded.

His grave is at Crown Hill Cemetery in Powell, Wyoming.

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

Last year on this date I profiled Paul Yohannan, 88th Infantry Division. You can read about Paul 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

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WW2 Battle of the Bulge Fallen - Donald Chamberlain, 4th Infantry Division

Pfc. Donald Chamberlain fought with the 4th Infantry Division from D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159025274/donald-r-chamberlain
http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/ernest-hemingway-and-the-ivy-leaguers-in-world-war-ii/ 

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

He was born on June 21, 1918 in New York. His parents Franklin and Ada were both born in Pennsylvania. His father worked as a handle factory manager and later as a acid plant laborer. Donald had two older sisters, three older brothers (two became WW2 army vets), one younger sister, and one younger brother (a WW2 navy vet). By 1940 Donald had completed four years of high school. He was still living at home and worked in the grocery business with one of his older brothers.

He was drafted into the army on March 3, 1941. He became a private first class in Company F, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. 

The 4th ID arrived in England in January 1944. It landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Pfc. Chamberlain was wounded four days later. He rejoined his unit on August 10. After taking heavy casualties in the Hurtgen Forest, the 4th ID was sent to the low action Ardennes Forest only to be involved in the thick of the Battle of the Bulge. Pfc. Chamberlain survived these two horrendous battles until the Americans were on the offensive in January 1945. Pfc. Chamberlain was wounded on January 7, 1945 and died later that day. 

His grave is at Riverview Cemetery in Hancock, New York

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

Last year on this date I profiled PBY-5 officer John O'Leary. You can read about John 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.

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WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org