Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Robert Albin Whitted, age 21, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Parents: Raymond A. Whitted
Spouse: Kathlee (Orban)
Children: Vicki
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, February 7, 1970
Death details: Died when he threw himself on a live grenade to protect other soldiers.
Source: National Archives, Baltimore Sun (1970)
Richard Alan Thomas, age 22, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Spouse: Barbara J. Thomas
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, January 9, 1970
Death details: Died in Vietnam
Source: National Archives, San Francisco Examiner (1970)
Samuel L. Heisinger, age 42, from Fresno County Fresno, California .
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. Lieutenant Colonel Samuel L. Heisinger Jr., who entered the U.S. Army from California, served in the Judge Advocate General’s Department, Headquarters, 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 LTC Heisinger died aboard the Enoura Maru during the trip from the Philippines to Formosa; 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. Lieutenant Colonel Heisinger’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted for. Today, Lieutenant Colonel Heisinger is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Fresno Bee (1945)
Lavis Edgar Giffin from Fresno, California .
Parents: George W. Giffin
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 31, 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. Master Gunnery Sergeant Levis Edgar Giffin joined the U.S. Marine Corps from California and was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine 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 MGySgt Giffin 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. Master Gunnery Sergeant Giffin’s remains were not located or identified after the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Master Gunnery Sergeant Giffin is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Clarence Eli Drumheiser, age 21, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Parents: Ella Drumheiser
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Monday, November 22, 1943
Death details: On April 6, 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of Private First Class Clarence Eli Drumheiser, missing from World War II. Private First Class Drumheiser, who entered the U.S. Marine Corps from California, was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. On November 22, 1943, he was killed during the amphibious assault on Betio Island, as part of the Battle of Tarawa. He was buried in a U.S. Marines Corps cemetery on Betio. His remains were recovered after the war, but could not be identified at the time and were buried as “unknowns” in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. In 2016, DPAA disinterred these “unknowns” for reexamination. Using modern forensic techniques, DPAA analysts identified PFC Drumheiser’s remains.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Dwight Wade Randall, age 22, from Fresno., California, Fresno. county.
Parents: and John L. Randall
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: On September 13, 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Sergeant Dwight Wade Randall, missing from World War II. Sergeant Randall entered the U.S. Marine Corps from California and served in Company C, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion. On November 20, 1943, he was killed during the amphibious assault on Betio Island as part of the Battle of Tarawa. He was buried in a Marine cemetery on Betio, though specific details regarding his loss and burial of his remains were unrecorded at the time. Following the war, his remains were recovered, but were not identified at the time and were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. In 2017, the remains were exhumed for further analysis, and DPAA analysts were able to employ modern forensic techniques to successfully identify them as those of Sgt Randall.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
John George Dine, age 19, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Parents: Henry Dine
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona
Source: National Archives
Elmer Marvin Dunham, age 21, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Parents: Robert Dunham
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona
Source: National Archives, Fresno Bee (1974)