Cincinnati Ohio

Woodbridge, John P.
Army Lieutenant colonel

John P. Woodbridge, age 41, from Licking County Cincinnati, Ohio .

Service era: World War II
Schools: West Point graduate
Military history: Army – 81 Field Artillery Regiment 81 Division (Filipino Army)

Date of death: Friday, December 15, 1944
Death details: On December 13, 1944, Japanese forces in the Philippines began the transfer of 1,621 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) to Japan. The POWs were to make the journey aboard transport ships whose harsh conditions and extreme overcrowding led survivors to refer to them as “Hell Ships.” The ships also lacked markings that would distinguish them from any other military target, causing some of them to be attacked by Allied forces who could not identify them as POW transports. On December 14, 1944, Allied aircraft attacked the first ship, the Oryoku Maru, in Subic Bay in the Philippines, killing many Allied POWs who became lost in the water, sank with the ship, or were washed ashore. Survivors of the bombing were put aboard two other ships, the Enoura Maru and the Brazil Maru, to continue on to Japan. During the journey, while anchored in Takao Harbor, Formosa (present-day Taiwan), the Enoura Maru was attacked by Allied aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8), killing Allied POWs who were lost in the water, on board the ship, or on the nearby shore. Survivors of the Enoura Maru bombing were loaded onto the Brazil Maru, and reached Japan on January 30, 1945. As a result of these incidents, Allied POWs were lost in the Philippines, at sea between the Philippines and Taiwan, while anchored in Taiwan, at sea between Taiwan and Japan, and in Japan. The attacks on these POW transports ultimately resulted in a series of death notifications from the Japanese government through the International Red Cross (IRC), and some casualties were given up to five different dates of death at various locations during the transfer. Witness accounts from surviving POWs offer detailed information for a handful of casualties, but the specific dates of loss and/or last-known locations for many of these POWs are based on the most recent reported date of death. Colonel John P. Woodbridge, who entered the U.S. Army from Ohio, served in the 81st Field Artillery Regiment, 81st Division (Philippine Scout) in the Philippines during World War II. He was taken as a POW following the Japanese invasion and interned in the islands until December 1944, when he was put aboard the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. Records indicate COL Woodbridge was killed several weeks later in the attack on the Enoura Maru; however, these reports often involve information solely furnished by enemy governments, with some casualties given multiple dates of death. Future research may determine that these reports were inaccurate. COL Woodbridge’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Colonel Woodbridge is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Cincinnati Post (1945)

Athon, Frank Leroy Jr.
Marines Reserves Private

Frank Leroy Jr. Athon from Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton county.

Spouse: Marcella Athon

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Monday, November 22, 1943
Death details: On July 27, 2020, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) accounted for Private First Class Frank LeRoy Athon Jr., missing from World War II. Private First Class Athon, who entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Ohio, served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. On November 22, 1943, PFC Athon was killed by enemy fire on Betio Island, as part of the Battle of Tarawa. His remains were reportedly recovered after the fighting and buried in Row D of the Marine Cemetery 33 on Betio Island; however, his remains were not recovered or identified from Betio immediately after the close of the war. In 2009, the non-profit organization History Flight located a site on Betio Island that was later identified as Cemetery 33. Excavations at this site continued and in 2019, History Flight located a burial trench west of Cemetery 33, also identified as Row D. Remains recovered from this burial trench were recovered and turned over to DPAA, and based on the details of PFC Athon as well as historical and forensic evidence, he was associated with one of the sets of remains from this site.
Cemetery: Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Kuykendall, Elias
Marines Private 1st class

Elias Kuykendall, age 19, from Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton county.

Parents: Joseph Kuykendall

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, November 21, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Elias Kuykendall, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Ohio, was a member of Company B, 1st Marine Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 21, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa. He was buried in Cemetery #33, Main Marine Cemetery, but after the war his remains were not located. Today, Private First Class Kuykendall is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Silver, Victor Harold
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Victor Harold Silver, age 20, from Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton county.

Parents: Cecil D. Silver

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Victor H. Silver, who entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Ohio, served with Company M, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at the time of the assault on Tarawa. He was killed in action against Japanese forces there on November 20. He was buried in Main Marine Cemetery, Cemetery #33, Grave #11, Row #1, Plot #11, but after the war his remains were not recovered. Today, Private First Class Silver is memorialized in the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Mayer, Milton John
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Milton John Mayer, age 20, from Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton county.

Parents: Anna Mayer

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Milton John Mayer entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Ohio and served in Company M, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 23, 1943 during the Battle of Tarawa and was buried in Cemetery #33 on Betio Island, but after the war his remains could not be identified among those disinterred from the island. Today, Private First Class Mayer is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Beck, Louis Bernard
Marines Reserves 2nd lieutenant

Louis Bernard Beck, age 23, from Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton county.

Parents: Elizabeth R. Beck

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Second Lieutenant Louis Bernard Beck entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Ohio and served with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa on November 20, 1943. The disposition of his remains is not known, and he could not be identified among the remains disinterred from the island following the war. Today, Second Lieutenant Beck is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Cemetery: Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Davis, Archie G. Jr.
Army 2nd lieutenant

Archie G. Jr. Davis, age 23, from Hamilton County Cincinnati, Ohio .

Spouse: Edna May Davis

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, September 5, 1943
Death details: Killed near Herod, Illinois when a basic army training plane crashed into a dry creek.

Source: National Archives, grave marker, Hardin County Independent (1943)

Keniston, Kenneth Howard
Navy Fireman 3rd class

Kenneth Howard Keniston, age 18, from Hamilton County Cincinnati, Ohio .

Parents: Burnette Sharpe

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Cincinnati Post (1944)

Murphy, James Palmer
Navy Fireman 3rd class

James Palmer Murphy, age 19, from Hamilton County Cincinnati, Ohio .

Parents: John Murphy

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Cincinnati Post (1941)

Steigleder, Lester Leroy
Navy Coxswain

Lester Leroy Steigleder, age 20, from Hamilton County Cincinnati, Ohio .

Parents: Andrew Steigleder

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Cincinnati Enquirer (1942)

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