Rock County Wisconsin

Neal, Benjamin H.
Army Specialist

Benjamin H. Neal, age 21, from Orfordville, Wisconsin, Rock county.

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Parkview High, Orfordville (2009)
Military history: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Date of death: Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Death details: Died in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan from injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Source: Department of Defense, Associated Press, Military Times

Schneider, Sean Michael
Army Private 1st class

Sean Michael Schneider, age 22, from Janesville, Wisconsin, Rock county.

Service era: Iraq

Spouse: Denton

Parents: Kim and Ed Schneider

School: Janesville Craig High (2000)

Military history: A Co., 115Th Forward Support Battalion, (1St Cav Div), Fort Hood, Texas

Date of death: Monday, March 29, 2004
Death details: Killed in a vehicle accident in Diwaniyah, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Vail, Thomas Earl
Army Specialist 4

Thomas Earl Vail, age 21, from Janesville, Wisconsin, Rock county.

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Janesville High (1967)

Date of death: Sunday, July 19, 1970
Death details: Killed in Vietnam while driving a vehicle on a mission.

Source: National Archives, Wisconsin State Journal (1970)

Halverson, Alvin Leonard
Army Staff sergeant

Alvin Leonard Halverson, age 40, from Janesville, Wisconsin, Rock county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, February 10, 1970
Death details: Died in Vietnam after a heart attack.

Source: National Archives, Wisconsin State Journal (1970)

Tauschek, Leonard John
Army Private 1st class

Leonard John Tauschek, age 20, from Beloit, Wisconsin, Rock county.

Service era: Vietnam
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Thursday, September 7, 1967
Death details: Killbed by booby trap, Quang Ngai Province

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association

Downing, Donald William
Air Force Lieutenant colonel

Donald William Downing, age 33, from Janesville, Wisconsin, Rock county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, September 5, 1967
Death details: On September 5, 1967, an F-4C Phantom II (tail number 63-7547, call sign “Sharkbait 42”) carrying two crew members took off as wingman in a flight of two on a nighttime armed reconnaissance mission against enemy targets in Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam. During the mission, the aircraft was flying in the trailing position when its pilot informed the flight leader that he would follow in an attack run. This was the last radio contact with this aircraft; it occurred in the vicinity of (GC) 48Q YE 021 007. Shortly after turning toward the target, the flight leader observed a large fireball in the air, descending towards the ground. Attempts to contact “Sharkbait 42” by radio failed, and no parachutes were seen or rescue beepers detected. Search efforts failed to locate the aircraft or its two crew members. Captain Donald William Downing entered the U.S. Air Force from Wisconsin and was a member of the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 12th Tactical Fighter Wing. He was the aircraft commander aboard this Phantom when it went down, and he was lost with the aircraft. His remains were not recovered. After the incident, the U.S. Air Force promoted Capt Downing to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol). Today, Lieutenant Colonel Downing is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Lenz, Robert George
Army Private 1st class

Robert George Lenz from Wisconsin, Rock county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, July 16, 1950
Death details: On the evening of July 15, 1950, the U.S. Army’s 19th Infantry Regiment held defensive positions along the south bank of the Kum River. As dusk approached, North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) tanks appeared on the opposite shore and began firing on the U.S. positions. Although U.S. troops repulsed the attacks that evening, the next morning the NKPA crossed the river and launched a major attack against the 19th Regiment. As the regiment began withdrawing south to Taejon, the North Koreans pushed deep into their defensive lines and set up a roadblock en route to Taejon. When retreating American convoys could not break through the roadblock, soldiers were forced to leave the road and attempt to make their way in small groups across the countryside. Of the 900 soldiers in the 19th Infantry when the Battle of Kum River started, only 434 made it to friendly lines. Corporal Robert G. Lenz entered the U.S. Army from Wisconsin and served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He went missing on July 16, during the Battle of Kum River, while attempting to withdraw through an enemy roadblock outside Taejon. He could not be located after the battle and was reported as missing in action (MIA); however, after the war, his name was discovered on a list of prisoners of war (POWs) called the “Johnny Johnson” list, and his name was mentioned by two returned American POWs. The “Johnny Johnson” list also indicates he died in captivity on December 25, 1950. While this information is likely accurate, CPL Lenz’s remains have not been recovered, and he was not identified among any of the remains returned to the U.S. following the war. Today, Corporal Lenz is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Thorman, Russell C.
Army Captain

Russell C. Thorman, age 38, from Rock County Wisconsin.

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. Captain Russell C. Thorman, who joined the U.S. Army from Wisconsin, served with the 192nd Tank Battalion in the Philippines and was captured by Japanese forces during their invasion of the islands. He was interned in the Philippines until he was placed aboard the POW transport Oryoku Maru for transfer to Japan. Records indicate CPT Thorman 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. CPT Thorman’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Captain Thorman is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Yonts, Charles William
Navy Reserves Seaman 1st class

Charles William Yonts from Beloit, Wisconsin, Rock county.

Spouse: Leona May Yonts

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Monday, December 18, 1944
Death details: He was aboard the destroyer USS Hull as it operated as part of the Fast Carrier Strike Force in the Philippine Sea. On December 17, 1944, the Hull was participating in refueling operations when the ships of its fueling group were engulfed by Typhoon Cobra. The Hull lost its ability to steer amid the enormous waves and began taking on water. The Hull eventually took on too much water to stay afloat and rolled and sank shortly before noon, on December 18. Sixty-two crew members were rescued, but a little more than two-hundred crew members were lost in the sinking.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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