Molitor, Fritz Jr.
Army Private

Fritz Jr. Molitor, age 24, from Grimes County Navasota, Texas .

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Wednesday, January 20, 1943
Death details: In early 1942, the Japanese High Command began a campaign to take control of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in an effort to cut off American and Australian naval routes and supply lines. From July through November, Allied forces solidified defenses to stop the Japanese advance, and from November 1942 to January 1943, attempted to capture the Solomon Islands. The Japanese had set up significant, almost impenetrable, defenses on the islands, concealed in areas of dense jungle, forcing Allied forces into separated and restricted columns of attack. As they approached Buna, the American and Australian troops faced a network of highly organized, mutually supporting bunkers fitted with reinforced walls, natural camouflage, and supplies. As a result of these difficulties, the first series of Allied attacks were defeated, demoralizing the troops and depleting their resources. It was not until December 2 that the Allies had any significant victories, and fighting in the area would continue until January 22, 1943. Fighting continued on the north coast of New Guinea into 1944, as Allied forces pushed the Japanese farther to the north and west. This campaign included retaking Japanese strongholds at Lae, Finschhafen, and Saidor. Private Fritz Molitor Jr. entered the U.S. Army from Texas and served in the 163rd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division. On January 20, 1943, Private Molitor was reported missing in action after an attack on a Japanese motor pool on the Sanananda Road, near Buna, New Guinea. A partially buried body was found near the place where he was last seen, but it could not be identified. He has not been associated with any remains recovered from the area after the war and is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private Molitor is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Associated Press (1943)