State of Indiana – Page 23 – My Fallen Soldiers

Rambo, William Edeward
Marines Reserves Private

William Edeward Rambo, age 20, from LaPorte, Indiana, LaPorte county.

Parents: Paul Rambo

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: On June 24, 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Private William Edward Rambo, missing from World War II. Private Rambo, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Illinois, served with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the amphibious assault on Betio Island, the opening salvo of the Battle of Tarawa. He was buried in a cemetery later designated Cemetery 27; however, in 1946, repatriation efforts on the island failed to locate the burial site. In 2015, the non-profit organization, History Flight (now an external provider of DPAA), located Cemetery 27 while excavating on Betio. The remains recovered from the cemetery were turned over to DPAA. In 2019, DPAA analysts identified Private Rambo from among these remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Couch, Homer C.
Army Technician 4

Homer C. Couch, age 23, from Indiana, Clark county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 93rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion;

Date of death: Thursday, November 18, 1943
Death details: Killed in action
Cemetery: New Albany National

Source: National Archives, grave marker

Atwood, Ralph D.
Army Private

Ralph D. Atwood, age 19, from Alton, Indiana, Crawford county.

Parents: Eruic McLain and preceded in death by Victor Atwood

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Friday, October 22, 1943
Death details: Died when an Army transport plane crashed at Fort Benning, Georgia
Cemetery: Cedar in Leavenworth, Indiana

Source: National Archives, grave marker, Indiapolis News (1943)

Rupprecht, Edward A.
Army Sergeant

Edward A. Rupprecht, age 23, from Indiana, Spencer County.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: October 16, 1943
Death details: Died, non-battle

Cemetery: St. Boniface, Fulda, Indiana

Source: National Archives, grave marker

Bass, Rozell
Army Private

Rozell Bass, age 24, from Indiana, Vanderburgh county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: Laundry company

Date of death: Tuesday, October 12, 1943
Death details: Died, non-battle
Cemetery: Locust HIll, Evansville

Source: National Archives, grave marker

Hatfield, Donald
Army Staff sergeant

Donald Hatfield, age 22, from Indiana, Knox county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 571st AAF Bomb Squadron

Date of death: Sunday, October 10, 1943
Death details: Killed in action
Cemetery: Oaktown, Indiana

Source: National Archives, grave marker

Ramsey, Ivan Wetzel
Army Staff sergeant

Ivan Wetzel Ramsey, age 27, from Indiana, Posey county.

Parents: William Earle Ramsey (February 23, 1896 – February 15, 1970) and Elizabeth Marie Ramsey (May 20, 1894 – May 4, 1985)

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, October 2, 1943
Death details: Finding of death; killed in action over Weiner Neustadt, Austria
Cemetery: Laurel Hill near Wadesville

Source: National Archives, grave marker

Seitz, Edgar L.
Army Staff sergeant

Edgar L. Seitz, age 20, from Indiana, Spencer county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 1551st Army Air Force Base Unit

Date of death: Sunday, September 26, 1943
Death details: Killed in action
Cemetery: New Albany National

Source: National Archives, grave marker

Clark, Arthur P.
Army Sergeant

Arthur P. Clark, age 22, from Gibson County Princeton, Indiana .

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, September 19, 1943
Death details: Died at the army’s Fletcher general hospital of a broken neck received when he dived into a swimming pool at Kenyon College, Cambier, where he was enrolled for special training.
Cemetery: White Church, Princeton

Source: National Archives, grave marker, Chronicle Tribune (1943), Vincennes Sun Commercial (1943)