Daniel James Mcconnell, age 27, from Duluth, Minnesota, St Louis county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company C, 1St Bn, 27Th Infantry, 25Th Infantry Div, Schofield Barracks, Hi
Date of death: Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Death details: Kirkuk, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Ronald John Coleman, age 29, from Saint Louis County Duluth, Minnesota .
Spouse: Bonita F. Coleman
Children: Robert, 8; Dawn Marie, 7; Sandra, 6
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, December 24, 1971
Death details: Killed in South Vietnam when the military vehicle he was riding was struck by another vehilce while stopped at an intersection.
Source: National Archives, Omaha World Herald (1972)
Stephen Thomas Hennessy, age 23, from Duluth, Minnesota, Saint Louis county.
Parents: Morris L. Hennessy
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Hermantown High (1968)
Date of death: Monday, August 10, 1970
Death details: Hostile, South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Minneapolis Star (1970)
Michael Ray James, age 22, from Duluth, Minnesota, Saint Louis county.
Parents: Eugene Anderson
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Sunday, January 11, 1970
Death details: Non-hostile, South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)
Ronnie George Lindstrom, age 25, from Duluth, Minnesota, Saint Louis county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, January 2, 1970
Death details: On January 2, 1970, an F-4D Phantom II (tail number 66-8784, call sign “Banyan 02”) with a crew of two embarked on a LORAN (navigational aid) validation mission near Saravane, Laos. The Phantom was the second aircraft in a flight of two, and the last contact the lead aircraft had with “Banyan 02” was just prior to his first run on the target. After he pulled off of the target, he attempted to radio “Banyan 02” but got no response. He then circled the area and located smoking wreckage in the vicinity of (GC) XD 548 329. There were no signs of survivors, and no further searches were conducted due to the level of enemy activity in the area. First Lieutenant Ronnie George Lindstrom, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Minnesota, served with the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. He was the pilot of the F-4 when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. Subsequent to the incident, and while carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Air Force promoted First Lieutenant Lindstrom to the rank of Captain (Capt). Today, Captain Lindstrom is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Arthur H. Buchman, age 26, from Saint Louis County Duluth, Minnesota .
Parents: H. H. Buchman
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, January 9, 1945
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. Second Lieutenant Arthur H. Buchman joined the U.S. Army from Minnesota and was a member of the 59th Coast Artillery Regiment, which was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. He was taken as a POW following the Japanese invasion and was interned in the islands until December 1944, when he was put aboard the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. Records indicate 2LT Buchman 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. Second Lieutenant Buchman’s remains were not located or identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Second Lieutenant Buchman is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Cemetery: Manila American Cemetery
Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Duluth News Tribune (1945)
Frank H. Wilson from Saint Louis County Duluth, Minnesota .
Parents: Frank H. Wilson
Service era: World War II
Schools: Duluth Central High graduate, Pillsbury Military academy graduate
Military history: Enoura Maru; 59 Coast Artillery Regiment
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. Corporal Frank H. Wilson, who joined the U.S. Army from Minnesota, served in Battery E, 59th Coast Artillery Regiment 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 CPL Wilson 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. Corporal Wilson’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted for. Today, Corporal Wilson is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Cemetery: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Duluth News Tribune (1945)
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
James J. Hubert, age 22, from Duluth, Minnesota, Saint Louis county.
Parents: Wallace L. Hubert
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, November 21, 1943
Death details: On January 29, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Sergeant James J. Hubert, missing from World War II. Sergeant Hubert entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Minnesota and served in Company H, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was reportedly killed in action on November 21, 1943 during the assault on Betio Island during the invasion of Japanese-held Tarawa Atoll. Sgt Hubert’s body was not recovered following the battle. He remained missing until in 2015 when the nongovernmental organization, History Flight Inc., discovered a burial site on Betio and recovered human remains there. DPAA analyzed these remains and were able to individually identify Sergeant Hubert from among them.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
John Coughlin Metcalf, age 30, from Saint Louis County Duluth, Minnesota .
Spouse: Dorothy (Baker)
Service era: World War II
Schools: Central High, University of Notre Dame
Date of death: Unknown
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. Ensign John C. Metcalf, who joined the U.S. Navy in Minnesota, served with the U.S. Naval Force Inshore Patrol at Fort Mills, Corregidor, until the American surrender of the territory on May 6, 1942. He was then taken as a POW by the Japanese and interned in the Philippines until December 1944, when he was put aboard the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. Records indicate ENS Metcalf 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. Ensign Metcalf’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Ensign Metcalf is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Source: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Duluth News Tribune (1945)