Wisconsin Wisconsin

Schroeder, Gordon Thomas
Army Private

Gordon Thomas Schroeder, age 20, from Wisconsin, Milwaukee county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, September 3, 1950
Death details: On September 3, 1950, the 8th Cavalry Regiment and the 2nd Engineer Battalion, both elements of the 1st Cavalry Division, were holding a defensive line between Tabu-dong and Taegu at the upper end of the Naktong Perimeter. Company F of the 8th Cavalry, defending Hill 448, was attacked by elements of North Korea’s 13th Infantry Division and forced to retreat to Hill 449, defended by Company G of the 8th Cavalry. The 8th Cavalry Regiment found itself cut off from its supply train and withdrew from the area to keep from being surrounded by the enemy. Upon reaching the village of Tabu-dong, members of Companies D and E of the 8th Cavalry became involved in hut-to-hut fighting before they could retreat. Meanwhile, elements of the 2nd Engineer Battalion, which had been ordered to take and hold Hill 755, were also forced to withdraw. United States forces did not re-take this territory until September 21, 1950. Private First Class Gordon Thomas Schroeder, who joined the U.S. Army from Wisconsin, served with G Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Private Schroeder went missing in action on September 3, 1950, near Igok-dong, South Korea, as his unit defended its position on Hill 742. When last seen, PFC Schroeder was wounded and was walking downhill to an aid station. He never reached the aid station, and was never reported as a prisoner of war. When U.S. forces reclaimed the area on September 21, a thorough search failed to locate him or his remains. After the war, continued efforts to recover his remains were unsuccessful, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Schroeder is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Hitz, Donald Leroy
Army Private 1st class

Donald Leroy Hitz, age 20, from Wisconsin, Dunn county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Saturday, July 22, 1950
Death details: On July 22, 1950, the 2nd Battalion of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment was holding defensive positions along the south bank of the rain-swollen Yong stream, south of Mun’gyong, South Korea. The battalion’s Company F was sent across the stream to reinforce a Republic of Korea (ROK) battalion on the north bank, but the ROK-U.S. position was immediately attacked by North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) forces, separating them from the rest of the 2nd Battalion and flanking Company F on both sides. Company F fell back to the stream’s edge under enemy fire, but the current was too powerful for them to cross and the enemy had seized the nearby bridge. U.S. combat engineers on the south bank attempted to launch rafts for the stranded men but were also pinned down by the NKPA until additional American tanks and infantry arrived to give them covering fire. This enabled the engineers to deploy their rafts and evacuate the men of Company F from the north bank. However, several soldiers were lost to enemy fire or while attempting to cross the swollen stream before the rafts could be launched. Corporal Donald LeRoy Hitz, who entered the U.S. Army from Wisconsin, served with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He went missing while attempting to cross the Yong stream during this action on July 22, 1950. He was not associated with any remains later recovered from the area, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Hitz is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Freund, Aloysius Joseph
Army Sergeant

Aloysius Joseph Freund from Wisconsin, Fond du Lac 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. Sergeant First Class Aloysius Joseph Freund entered the U.S. Army from Wisconsin and served with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured on July 16, 1950, during the Battle of Kum River, while his unit was attempting to withdraw through and around an enemy roadblock outside Taejon. After being moved between various holding camps in North Korea, he was eventually interned at the “Apex” camp at Hanjang-ni, where he died of exhaustion and illness during the winter of 1950-51, likely on January 5, 1951. He remains unaccounted for. Today, Sergeant First Class Freund 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

O’Hara, William Thomas
Army Private 1st class

William Thomas O’Hara from Wisconsin, Milwaukee 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 William Thomas O’Hara entered the U.S. Army from Wisconsin and served with Company D, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured on July 16, during the Battle of Kum River, while his unit was attempting to withdraw through and around enemy roadblocks outside Taejon. After being marched or taken by train or truck to various holding camps, he became a part of the “Tiger March” to the “Apex” prisoner of war (POW) camps located in Chunggang-jin, North Korea. He eventually died of malnutrition and pneumonia at the “Apex” camps on November 21. He was likely buried by his companions nearby the camp, but his remains have not been recovered or identified following the conflict. Today, Corporal O’Hara is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

DeLuca, Leslie James
Army Private 1st class

Leslie James DeLuca from Wisconsin, Milwaukee 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 Leslie James De Luca entered the U.S. Army from Wisconsin and served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured on July 16, during the Battle of Kum River, while his unit was attempting to withdraw through an enemy roadblock outside Taejon. After his capture, CPL De Luca was marched to various holding camps in North Korea. En route, he became mortally ill and died among his companions on December 3, at one of the three villages that housed the “Apex” prisoner of war camps. His remains have not been accounted for. Today, Corporal De Luca is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Dickman, Charles Alfonse
Army Private

Charles Alfonse Dickman from Wisconsin, Monroe county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, July 11, 1950
Death details: On July 11, 1950, the U.S. Army’s 21st Infantry Regiment, which had arrived in Korea six days earlier, was placed in defensive positions near the town of Chochiwon, South Korea. The regiment was not at full strength and lacked artillery and anti-tank weapons. That day, they were attacked by North Korean forces and were forced to withdraw to avoid being surrounded, as well as to buy time until they could be reinforced and resupplied. Private First Class Charles Alfonse Dickman, who joined the U.S. Army from Wisconsin, served with M Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on July 11, near Chochiwon, as his unit fought the NKPA in a series of delaying actions. He was not seen to fall in battle, and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. After the area where he was lost returned to friendly control, numerous extensive searches were conducted for his remains, but all were unsuccessful. Today, Private First Class Dickman is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Wegner, Norman E.
Army Private 1st class

Norman E. Wegner from Wisconsin, Vilas county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 112 Infantry 28 Division

Date of death: Friday, November 9, 1945
Death details: Finding of death
Cemetery: Unaccounted For

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Wipfli, Gerald F.
Army Private 1st class

Gerald F. Wipfli from Wisconsin, Wood county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 112 Infantry 28 Division

Date of death: Friday, November 9, 1945
Death details: On June 19, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Private First Class George F. Wipfli, missing from World War II. Private First Class Wipfli joined the U.S. Army from Wisconsin and served with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on November 8, 1944, while manning defensive lines near the town of Schmidt, Germany. His body was not immediately recovered and could not be located after the war. In 2010, power company workers discovered the body of an American soldier while installing electrical lines. The remains were sent to the DPAA laboratory in Hawaii, where forensic analysis eventually allowed for the identification of PFC Wipfli.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

McMahon, Paul W. Jr.
Army Private

Paul W. Jr. McMahon, age 28, from Wisconsin, Columbia county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, March 4, 1945
Death details: Killed in action

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Load More
Back To Top