Tag: State of Michigan

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Likens, Kenneth William
Marine Reserves Private

Kenneth William Likens, age 20, from Mount Clemens, Michigan, Macomb county.

Parents: William Likens

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Monday, November 22, 1943
Death details: On May 31, 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced it has accounted for Private First Class Kenneth William Likens, missing from World War II. Private First Class Likens entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Michigan and served in Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed on November 22, 1943, during the assault on the Japanese-held island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll. His remains were reportedly buried in the East Division Cemetery (renamed Cemetery #33) on Betio, but he was not identified among remains exhumed from the island after the war. In 2019, DPAA in partnership with the non-profit organization History Flight traveled to Betio where they uncovered a previously undiscovered burial trench and recovered human remains. U.S. analysts used modern forensic techniques and identified PFC Likens from these remains.
Cemetery: Great Lakes National, buried 2019

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Pellerito, Andrew
Marines Corporal

Andrew Pellerito, age 22, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kent county.

Parents: Salvatore Pellerito

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: On August 19, 2021, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Corporal Andrew Pellerito, missing from World War II. Corporal Pellerito entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Michigan and served with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. In November of 1943, he took part in the large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands. CPL Pellerito was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the offensive onto the island of Betio. He was buried in Cemetery 33 on the island. After the island was captured, U.S. Naval construction units adjusted the Marine cemeteries on Betio, causing the grave markers at Cemetery 33 to no longer sit atop their original rows. When the Graves Registration Company recovered war-dead remains from Betio after the war, they were unable to locate some of the remains that had been buried at the Marine cemeteries, including those of CPL Pellerito. In 2014, the non-profit organization History Flight, Inc. began excavating Cemetery 33. Human remains and material evidence they recovered were transferred the the DPAA for analysis and identification. In December of 2016, a set of remains that History Flight had sent to the DPAA were consolidated with a previously recovered set of unknown remains. Laboratory analysis and circumstantial evidence led to the identification of this consolidated set of remains as those of CPL Pellerito.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Strawn, Warren M.
Army 2nd lieutenant

Warren M. Strawn from Michigan, Wayne county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Friday, November 19, 1943
Death details: Killed in action
Cemetery: New Albany National

Source: National Archives, grave marker

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Parker, Robert
Army 1st lieutenant

Robert Parker from Michigan, Ingham county.

Service era: World War II

Parents: Earl C. Parker

Schools: Central High graduate, Michigan State college.

Date of death:  November 15, 1943
Death details: Accounted for in 2021. In November 1943, Parker was a pilot assigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group. On Nov. 15, he was piloting a P-40N Warhawk fighter on a patrol mission with seven other P-40s over the Markham River Valley, New Guinea, when his formation encountered a swarm of enemy aircraft on the southern edge of the Finisterre Range. After shooting down one enemy aircraft, Parker collided with another, the impact shearing a wing off of each. The P-40 crashed near Sagarak, and it was reported that he did not eject. After an aerial search of the area found nothing, Parker was declared missing in action. In November 1944, the War Department issued a presumptive finding of death.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Michling, Frank O.
Army Private 1st class

Frank O. Michling, age 20, from Michigan, Wayne county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 30th Infantry, 3rd Division

Date of death: Saturday, November 13, 1943
Death details: Killed in action
Cemetery: New Albany National

Source: National Archives, grave marker

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Coniglio, Frank
Army Private

Frank Coniglio, age 19, from Michigan, Wayne county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: October 12, 1943
Death details: Died, non-battle; Killed on maneuvers near Mansfield, Louisiana

Source: National Archives, Detroit Evening News (1943)

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Beckrow, George W.
Army Sergeant

George W. Beckrow from Michigan, Tuscola county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, October 22, 1942
Death details: Died, non-battle
Cemetery: Zachary Taylor National

Source: National Archives, grave marker

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Ulrich, Elmer Herbert
Navy Fireman 3rd class

Elmer Herbert Ulrich, age 21, from Wayne County Detroit, Michigan .

Parents: William Ernest Ulrich

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Utah

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Detroit Evening Times (1941)

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Mc Keever, William James
Navy Sean second class

William James Mc Keever, age 17, from Wayne County Detroit, Michigan .

Parents: William J. McKeever Sr.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Friday, October 31, 1941
Death details: Died in the sinking of the destoryer USS Reuben James

Source: Los Angeles Times (1941), Associated Press (1942)

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Mills, Gerald Edward
Navy Reserves Seaman second class

Gerald Edward Mills from Wayne County Detroit, Michigan .

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Friday, October 31, 1941
Death details: Died in the sinking of the destoryer USS Reuben James

Source: Los Angeles Times (1941), Elmira Star Gazette (1941)