Joseph Kleefisch, age 41, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Sheboygan county.
Service era: Gulf War
Date of death: Wednesday, May 17, 1995
Death details: Killed when his F/A-18 “”Hornet”” crashed in northwest New Mexico
Cemetery: El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego, California
Source: U.S. Navy, Santa Fe New Mexican (1996), findagrave.com
William Max Kotnik, age 21, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Sheboygan county.
Parents: Vincent J. Kotnik
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, October 17, 1970
Death details: Killed in action
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)
Richard John Warden, age 20, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Sheboygan county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, July 4, 1970
Death details: He was piloting a helicopter when he was shot and killed by enemy ground fire.
Cemetery: Wildwood
Source: National Archives, Sheboygan Press (1970)
Lester Oscar Jr. Biehl, age 19, from Sheboygan County Sheboygan, Wisconsin .
Parents: Lester E. Biehl
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Thursday, September 2, 1965
Death details: Killed in a vehicle accident in Vietnam.
Source: National Archives, Journal Times (1965)
David John Wick Widder, age 27, from Sheboygan County Sheboygan, Wisconsin .
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Wednesday, March 24, 1965
Death details: Killed by enemy gunfire in Vietnam.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, UPI (1965)
Anthony Vranic, age 26, from Sheboygan County Sheboygan, Wisconsin .
Parents: Anna Vranic
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Friday, August 11, 1950
Death details: On August 10, 1950, members of the 3rd Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment combined with Battery C of the 15th Field Artillery Battalion as Task Force Bradley. The task force was directed to defend the city of P’ohang-dong, and Yonil Airfield, South Korea, from an impending attack by North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) forces. Late that day, Task Force Bradley moved along the main road toward P’ohang-dong and Yonil. Much of the task force reached Yonil shortly before midnight; however, during the early hours of August 11, NKPA fighters ambushed one company and four vehicles from Battery C were ambushed by NKPA fighters, preventing the ambushed men from reaching their destination.
Corporal Anthony Vranic, who joined the U.S. Army from Wisconsin, served with Battery C, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He went missing in action on August 11, 1950, as his unit, attached to Task Force Bradley, was ambushed by enemy forces near Angang-ni while enroute to P’ohang-dong. No one saw him fall, and his body was not recovered in subsequent searches of the battlefield. He was not reported to be a prisoner of war, and his remains have not been identified among those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Corporal Vranic is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Associated Press (1953)
Roland Morris Thompson from Sheboygan County Sheboygan, Wisconsin .
Parents: R. C. Thompson
Spouse: Billie Jane Thompson
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Wednesday, June 14, 1944
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Golet when it was destroyed by Japanese forces.
Source: National Archives, oneternalpatrol.com, Sheboygan (1944)
Robert J. Brand, age 22, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Sheboygan county.
Parents: John N. Brand
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. Corporal Robert John Brand, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps in Wisconsin, served with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa. Due to the chaos on the battlefield, his body was not recovered at the time of his loss, and his remains were not identified among those recovered from the atoll after the war. Today, Corporal Brand is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Cemetery: Honolulu Memorial
Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Walter Levchenko, age 24, from Sheboygan County Sheboygan, Wisconsin .
Parents: Andrew Levchenko
Service era: World War II
Schools: Central High (1937)
Date of death: Sunday, March 1, 1942
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Houston when the ship was attacked traveling from Batavia to Java.
Source: National Archives, USSHouston.org, Sheboygan Press (1942)
Harvey Henry Villwock, age 25, from Sheboygan County Sheboygan, Wisconsin .
Parents: Emil Villwock
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, March 1, 1942
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Houston when the ship was attacked traveling from Batavia to Java.
Source: National Arvhies, USSHouston.org, Sheboygan Press (1942)