Andover soldiers who sacrificed their lives during World War II
FRANCIS X.
BODENRADER : Born December 16, 1918,
Francis X. Bodenrader entered the army August 11, 1943,
obtained rank of 2nd Lieut. in the Army Air Force. On
February 28, 1945, he was aboard a plane enroute from Mather
Field, CA, to Hawaii. The plane never reached its
destination and no trace of the plane or its crew was ever
found. LIONEL A. BOISVERT : Born February 22, 1914, Lionel A. Boisvert entered the
Army in December1940. Assigned to Chemical Warfare, he
reached the rank of 2nd Lieut when he died on December 14,
1944, in McGuire General Hospital, Richmond, VA. EMILE L. BOURASSA : Born December 31, 1920, Emile L. Bourassa entered the
Navy on April 4, 1939 and obtained the rating of Fireman 1st
class. After the third battle of Savo Island in the Solomon
Islands in which he took part, he was reported missing in
action. His death was later reported as having occured on
November 13, 1942. JOHN W. BOURDELAIS : Born July 4, 1925, John W. Bourdelais entered the Army on
November 3, 1943. He was a private in the Engineers and was
stationed in Holland when a vehicle in which he was riding
struck a mine and he was fatally wounded. He died on October
20, 1944. DAVID B. BROWN : Born April 2, 1918, David B. Brown entered the Navy on
November 14, 1940. He held the rating of Seaman 2nd Class
and was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he was
accidentally struck by the propeller of a plane he was
servicing. He died on September 17, 1941. DAVID W. BROWN : Born November 25, 1924, David W. Brown entered the Army
on February 20, 1943. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the Air
Force and was on duty in Jockburg, Germany at the time of
his death on April 9, 1945. He was on one of eight Fighter
trainers which were strafing railroad yards when they were
attacked. GEORGE THAYER BURRIDGE : Born November 27, 1914, George Thayer Burridge entered
the United States Navy on June 26, 1934 and held the rating
of Chief Radioman. Held captive in the Bilibid Prisoner of
War Camp P.I., he was placed aboard a Japanese freighter,
apparently enroute to Japan. With a convoy of Japanese
ships, this freighter proceeded northward bearing no mark to
indicate it was carrying prisoners of war. On October 24,
1944, it was torpedoed by United States subs and sunk off
Shoonan, Eastern Coast of China. All 1500 prisoners in the
convoy lost their lives. JULIUS H. CIESLIK : Born January 7, 1912, Julius H. Cieslik entered the Army
on November 3, 1943. He was a private in the Infantry and
was stationed in Italy when he died on August 4, 1944.
Information regarding the circumstances of his death is
unknown. WILLIAM B. COLE : Born March 11, 1921, William B. Cole entered the Coast
Guard on July 3, 1942. He had the rank of Lieutenant and was
drowned off the San Diego coast on February 3, 1945, while
attempting to rescue an enlisted man. The drowning occured
during towing operations in heavy surf after amphibious
beaching. FRANK R. COLIZZI : Born in Lawrence on November 12, 1921, Frank R. Colizzi
entered the U.S. Marine Corps on May 20, 1942. He was killed
on March 10, 1945 while serving in the Pacific area. HUGH A. DAVEY : Born September 8, 1923, Hugh A. Davey entered the Royal
Canadian Air Forces and served for three years before his
death on February 21, 1945. He received the rank of Warrant
Officer and was on duty piloting Lancaster multi-motored
bombers on forays over Germany. He was buried in Craighton,
Glasgow, Scotland. LAWRENCE A. DE SALVO : Born November 3, 1921, Lawrence A. DeSalvo entered the
Army on April 14, 1943. He was a Private First Class in the
Infantry and was killed in action October 19, 1944 in
Northern Italy. JOHN W. DeSILVA : Born May 10, 1918, John W. DeSilva entered the Army on
September 28, 1944. He was a private in the Infantry and was
stationed in Hawaii at the time of his death, June 16, 1945.
He had suffered a high explosive wound received in action
against the enemy and the immediate cause of his death was
myocardial insufficiency, acute and paroxysmal tachycardia.
He is buried in Suffield Military Cemetery, Oahu,
Hawaii. NORMAN A. DROUIN : Born March 1, 1921, Norman A. Drouin entered the Army on
February 4, 1942. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Corps
and was killed in action in the European Theater while
completing his fourteenth bombing raid over Germany,
September 23, 1943. NORMAN H. EATON : Born October 20, 1921, Norman H. Eaton entered the Army
in October 1942. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Corps
when he was killed in Stein, Holland, on May 15, 1945. The
official casualty report stated that he was killed in an
aircraft crash while returning from a ferrying mission. ALLAN CHRISTIE EDMANDS : Born June 10, 1911, in Cliftondale, Allan Christie
Edmands enlisted in the United States Navy on March 1, 1930.
He was sent to the Naval Academy Training school and entered
Annapolis in 1931, graduating in 1935. He received his
pilot's wings in 1941. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the
Naval Air Force and was the highest ranking officer from
this area killed in the war. He was aboard the Air-craft
Carrier Franklin when, on March 19, 1945, a Jap Kamikase
dropped bombs on the ship in the midst of a group of fliers,
under his leadership, who were ready to take off. He was
last seen on the hangar deck where the worst explosives
were. NORMAN D. ELLIS : Born August 19, 1921, Norman D. Ellis entered the Army on
July 5, 1942, obtaining the rating of Technical Sergeant in
the Infantry. He was killed on July 17, 1944, in Valtussa,
Italy, while leading his men in the capture of a hill held
by the enemy. LEO H. FLAHERTY : Born June 3, 1920, Leo H. Flaherty entered the Army on
February 22, 1942 and held the rating of Staff Sargeant. He
was killed in action in August 1944. ARTHUR J. GAUTHIER : Born June 1, 1918, Arthur J. Gauthier entered the Marines
on January 23, 1942. He was killed in action in Guadalcanal
on November 23, 1942. EDWARD P. GUILD : Born April 26, 1912, Edward P. Guild entered the Marines
on February 11, 1942. Shortly before the 5th Marines, in
which he was a private, left for Guadalcanal, he suffered
injuries from an automobile accident and died on April 26,
1942, in a hospital at Kingston, North Carolina. JOHN GUTHRIE : Born August 1, 1902, John Guthrie entered the Army on
October 12, 1942 and obtained the rating of Technician 5th
Grade in the Corps of Engineers. He was killed in action
April 21, 1945 while serving his country in Germany. ROBERT W. HAIGH : Born June 5, 1920, Robert W. Haigh entered the Army on
February 9, 1943. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the 5th Army
Air Force, 40th Fighter Squadron and was killed over Japan
on February 15, 1945. The mission that day was a fighter
sweep and having come upon a rolling train, the plane
dropped down to 2000 feet, just over a concealed gun
position. The enemy made a direct hit and the ship was blown
up in the air. ANDREW P. HAMILTON JR. : Born March 28, 1915, Andrew P. Hamilton, Jr. entered the
Navy on January 6, 1943. He was an Ensign in the Navy Air
Corps. He was stationed at the Naval Air Station in
Wildwood, NJ and while on a routine night flight in his Navy
Corsair, his engine failed and the injuries received in the
crash resulted in his death on March 31, 1945. GILBERT S. HAMLIN : Born May 5, 1921, Gilbert S. Hamlin entered the Army on
March 9, 1943. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Corps and
was on a volunteer mission to bomb one of Hitler's hideouts
on April 10, 1945 when he was instantly killed by ack-ack
from the ground over the south of Munich, Germany. He was
found and buried in a military cemetery in Holland. ROBERT W. HARDING : Born May 12, 1923, Robert W. Harding entered the Royal
Canadian Army in April 1941. He was captured by the Japanese
and imprisoned in Japan where he died on December 27, 1943
from beri beri and pnemonia. RALPH L. HAYWARD : Born September 11, 1925, Ralph L. Hayward entered the
Army on October 6, 1942. He was a Technician 5th Grade and
at the end of the war was transferred from Company B 60th
Infantry to a Special Service Battalion. In Chaton, Paris,
France, he was driving a jeep that was pulling a special
piece of fire fighting equiptment when the trailer overran
the jeep causing it to overturn. A fractured skull caused
his death on August 13, 1945. JACOB HERMAN III : Born February 1, 1923, Jacob Herman III entered the
U.S.A.F. on December 14,1942. He had the rating of Staff
Sergeant and was on his 50th air combat mission when he was
killed on December 17, 1944 in Moravia, Czechoslovakia. ROGER W. HERRICK : Born October 13, 1916, Roger W. Herrick entered the Army
on August 3, 1943. He was a Staff Sargeant in the Mountain
troops when he was wounded in action in Italy. He died on
February 21, 1945. RAYMOND WILLIAM HICKEY: Born August 15, 1920, Raymond William Hickey entered the
Army on September 4, 1942 and was a navigator in theAir
Force with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He was with the U.S.
15th Air Forces based in Italy and was on a mission over
Weigner, Neustadt, Austria, when he was killed on May 29,
1944. EDMOND B. HILL JR. : no biographical information FREDERICK F. HOLDSWORTH : Born July 18, 1920, Frederick Franklin Holdsworth entered
the Navy in June 1942. He was an Aviation Metalsmith, 2nd
Class and was serving aboard the U.S.S. Franklin in the
Pacific when he was killed on March 19, 1945. LESLIE J. HOLDSWORTH : Born January 23, 1922, Leslie J. Holdsworth entered the
Coast Guard on August 9, 1944. He was a Seaman 1st Class and
met death by drowning in Oswego, New York, on December 4,
1942 while on a rescue mission. The boat capsized during a
heavy storm. GEORGE R. KNIGHTLY : Born April 15, 1907, George R. Knightly entered the U.S.
Navy on July 17, 1942. He was an Ensign serving in the South
Atlantic area when he was reported missing in action as of
January 8, 1943. The merchant ship upon which he was
stationed was torpedoed and sunk. GORDON RAE MacLACHLAN: Born August 29, 1913, in Newton, MA., Gordon Rae
MacLachlan entered the Army on October 26, 1942. He was a
Lieutenant in the 743rd Tank Battalion Company A and was
attached to the Infantry Division when he was killed on
August 7, 1944 at Mortain, France. He was being briefed in
Infantry Command and was hit in the neck and shoulders. 88mm
shells drilled the area. ROBERT S. McDUFFY : Born Sept. 27, 1925, Robert S. McDuffy entered the Army
on February 27, 1944 and was a Private First Class in the
Infantry. He was in Eusheim, Germany during the initial
assault on the Seigfried line. On his own initiative, he
advanced up hill under hail of small arms and machine gun
fire in order to silence a pill box that was holding up
the advancement of the company. When near the objective he
was mortally wounded and died March 16, 1945. PAUL V. MEDOLO : Born May 21, 1923, Paul V. Medolo entered the Army on
January 29, 1943. He was a Fighter Officer in theAir Force.
While taking off from the Charleston Army Base in
Charleston, South Carolina, March 2, 1945, the engine
of his ship failed and in the crash the gas tanks exploded
taking every man on the ship. EVERETTE B. MERSEREAU : Born April 1, 1905, Everette B. Mersereau enlisted in the
National Guard in 1924 and on January 16, 1941 entered the
Army. He obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the
Infantry and had been overseas for 28 months, participating
in the Guadalcanal and Bougainville campaigns. When last
heard of, he was on his way back to the United States, a
passenger on a C-17 transport plane which left Bourgainville
for Guadalcanal. May 18, 1944. The plane did not reach its
destination and no trace of it was ever found. After having
been missing for a period of one year, the presumptive date
of Col. Mersereau's death was given as May 19, 1945 in the
Soloman Islands. FRANK J. MORGAN : Born Febraury 4, 1945, Frank J. Morgan entered the Army
on March 7, 1941. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry
and was listed as missing in action in France since July 1,
1944. The presumptive date of his death is given as July 1,
1945. WILLIAM R. MULLER : Born Febraury 15, 1911, William R. Muller entered he U.S.
Army on December 13, 1944 and served in the Quartermaster
Corps. obtaining the rating of Private First Class. He was
reported missing as of June 9, 1944 while serving in the
invasion of Normandy. JOHN W. NEIL : Born February 8, 1921, John W. Neil entered the Army in
March 1943. He wasa Private First Class in the Infantry and
was killed crossing the Roer river at Linnick, Germany,
February 23, 1945. GEORGE C. NICOLL : Born May 7, 1923, George C. Nicoll entered the Army on
Febraury 23, 1943. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force
and was the bombardier on a plane thast failed to return
from a mission to Austria. Lost November 11, 1944 over the
Adriatic Sea, he was reported missing for over a year. EDWARD P. POYNTER : Born April 21, 1920, Edward P. Poynter entered the Army
in March 1942. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Force
and was killed at Adak in the Aleutian Islands on July 15,
1943. He was co-pilot of the Liberator Bomber returning from
a mission to Kiska. While the pilot was in charge, the
bomber failed to clear the mountains in the fog. Lt. Poynter
received the Purple Heart posthumously. JOHN WALTER READING : Born July 1, 1920, John Walter Reading entered the Army
in July 1942. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Corps and
was on a mission to Germany when his plane crashed at
Wasigney, France on February 26, 1945. PAUL D. REIDY : no biographical information W. HARRIS RICHARDSON : Born June 24, 1917, W. Harris Richardson entered the Army
on January 1, 1942. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force
and after receiving wings as as gunner and then as a fighter
pilot, he served overseas at Ascension Island during the
winter of 1944. On June 28, 1944, while taking further
training as a Mustang P-51 pilot he was killed in an air
collision in Florida. THOMAS RYAN : Born June 9, 1915, Thomas Ryan entered the Army in March
1942. He was a Private First Class in a Reconnaissance
Company, 643d Tank Destroyer Battallion in General Patton's
Third Army.While reconnoitering a route through an enemy
village in Germany on April 12, 1945, he was shot and
instantly killed by small arms fire from ambush. He was
buried in a military cemetery in Margraten, Holland. H. EARLE SHAW JR. : Born Decmeber 7, 1913, H. Earl Shaw Jr. entered the U.S.
Army on May 5, 1944. He received the rank of Captain and
died in the service of his country. ALFRED D. SHEA : Born January 1, 1919, Alfred D. Shea entered the Army in
December 1942 and was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. He
died on July 26, 1945 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. JOHN H. THOMAS : Born April 13, 1920, John H. Thomas entered the Army on
January 19, 1942. He was a Corporal in the Air Force and was
killed in the service of his country at Leyte, Phillipine
Islands, April 13, 1945. ROBERT T. THOMPSON : Born October 12, 1917, Robert T. Thompson entered the
Army in August 1940. He was a flying cadet in the Air Force
and having completed advanced training was night flying at
Maxwell Field, Alabama on April 9, 1941 when the engine of
his plane failed and his chute did not open. WILLIAM J. THOMPSON : William J. Thompson was a Sargeant in the U.S. Marine
Corps, serving in the 2nd Marine Division. He was killed on
June 13, 1945, the date that unit went ashore to assist in
the first drive against the Japs in Okinawa. GERARD N. TWOMEY : Born May 27, 1925, Gerard N. Twomey entered the U.S. Army
on October 22, 1943. He was in the 7th Army 86th Black Hawk
Infantry Division serving in the European theater when he
was killed in action. CHARLES L. VALENTINE JR. : Born August 17, 1926, Charles L. Valentine Jr. entered
the Navy on August 1, 1944. He was a Seaman 2nd Class and
was at Clatskanie, Oregon while attached to the Seventh
Special Seabees at an ammunition supply base. GEORGE M. VIVENEY: Born September 13, 1909, George m. Viveney entered the
Army in March 1942. He was a Staff Sargeant in the Armoured
Divison and was killed in action in France on August 13,
1944. ALEXANDER SMITH WALDIE : Born August 5, 1921, Alexander Smith Waldie entered the
Army on April 16, 1943. A Private First Class, he received
his training at Camp Blanding, Florida and went from there
to Camp Robinson, Arkansas. He was attached to the 66th
Panther Division and went overseas in June 1944 from Camp
Ruckner, Alabama. He was in Company I 7th Infantry Division
at the time of his death on October 6, 1944 when he was
instantly killed in the Vosges Mountains, France, by
fragments of an enemy shell that hit him in the head. JOHN C. WHITE : Born November 16, 1916, John C. White entered the Navy on
December 4, 1942 and was a Ship's Cook, 2nd Class. He was
killed on May 11, 1945 while aboard the aircraft carrier
U.S.S. Bunker Hill on duty in the Pacific Theater. The
carrier was off Okinawa when a Jap dive bomber crashed her
flight deck. ALBERT V. WINWARD: Born July 13, 1917, Albert V. Winward entered the Navy in
November 1942. A Specialist (V.)3rd Class, he was killed in
an airplane crash on July 22, 1944 at Macero, Brazil.
Source : Andover; What it Was, What it Is ~ 300th Anniversary
May 30th thru June 2nd, 1946
published by Elmer Grover, 1946
transcription re-printed here with permission of current publisher
