James Benjamin Garretson, age 22, from Kern County Taft, California .
Parents: Paul F. Garretson
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Saturday, June 22, 1946
Death details: Killed in action at Pelelieu Island
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Fresno Bee (1944)
Claren C. Warren, age 20, from Logan County Arkansas.
Service era: World War II
Military history: 321 Infantry 81 Division
Date of death: Wednesday, February 20, 1946
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Arthur Nels Hansen, age 25, from San Diego County Fallbrook, California .
Parents: Mable W. Hansen
Spouse: Kathryn M. Hansen
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, January 22, 1946
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Oroville Mercury Register (1944)
Lee Hughes Hedlund, age 22, from Hennepin County Minneapolis, Minnesota .
Parents: E. C. Hedlund
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, January 22, 1946
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Robert William Herrmann from Peoria County Peoria, Illinois .
Spouse: Hazel E. Herrmann
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, January 22, 1946
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
John Francis Boroski, age 19, from Bureau County Spring Valley, Illinois . Their last known residence was in John Boroski.
Parents: John Boroski
Service era: World War II
Schools: Hall Township High (1943)
Date of death: Tuesday, January 22, 1946
Death details: In September 1944, American forces launched Operation STALEMATE II, the invasion on Peleliu, an island in Palau. On Sept. 15, the 1st Marine Division came ashore under enemy fire. The following day, Marines secured the island’s airfield despite taking heavy casualties. The battle for Peleliu lasted another two months, as Marines were forced to clear heavily fortified pockets of Japanese resistance across the island. The 1st Marine Division, reinforced by the 81st Infantry Division, slowly advanced north under nearly constant mortar and artillery fire. The invasion of Peleliu had the highest casualty rate of all the amphibious Pacific Island invasions of World War II. Private First Class John Francis Boroski, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Illinois, served with Company B, 1st Marine Battalion, 1st Marine Division. On September 20, 1944, he was killed in during Operation STALEMATE II, as his unit attempted to capture a hill from Japanese forces on Peleliu. He was not seen following the action, and the specific cause of his death is unknown. Battle conditions at the time made recovering his body impossible, and attempts following the war to locate his remains were unsuccessful. Today, Private First Class Boroski 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, Bureau County Democrat (1944)
George Edward Zanuzoski, age 24, from Douglas County Superior, Wisconsin .
Spouse: Harriet S. Zanuzoski
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, January 22, 1946
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Sheboygan Press (1944)
Harold Harry Golden, age 22, from Queens County Middle Village, New York .
Parents: Samuel Golden
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, January 22, 1946
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, findagrave.com
John Joseph Buchheit from Philadelphia County Philadelphia, Pennsylvania .
Parents: John A. Buchheit
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, January 22, 1946
Death details: In September 1944, American forces launched Operation STALEMATE II, the invasion on Peleliu, an island in Palau. On Sept. 15, the 1st Marine Division came ashore under enemy fire. The following day, Marines secured the island’s airfield despite taking heavy casualties. The battle for Peleliu lasted another two months, as Marines were forced to clear heavily fortified pockets of Japanese resistance across the island. The 1st Marine Division, reinforced by the 81st Infantry Division, slowly advanced north under nearly constant mortar and artillery fire. The invasion of Peleliu had the highest casualty rate of all the amphibious Pacific Island invasions of World War II. Pvt. John Joseph Buchheit joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Pennsylvania and was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He was reported missing in action on September 15, 1944, on Peleliu. The circumstances surrounding his loss were unknown at the time. He remains unaccounted for. Today, Buchheit 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
Stephen John Polonski, age 28, from Queens County Queens, New York .
Service era: World War II
Military history: Marine – United States Marine Corps
Date of death: Sunday, October 29, 1944
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency