Washington County Gold Star Veterans Memorial

This listing of service men and women who died in the service of their country was compiled from various sources[cite: 2]. Many obituary transcriptions were donated by Pat Oestman of Wray, Colorado, while Arlene Glenn of Otis and the late Steve Chaplin of Yuma were invaluable in tracking down service details[cite: 2].

If you have comments, corrections, photographs, clippings, award citations, or additional information about these veterans, please contact Dan Cooley by email at dbcooleyw@gmail.com[cite: 2].

Click on an underlined name below to access the veteran’s individual memorial and biographical dossier[cite: 2].

History of the Blue and Gold Star Traditions
The practice of displaying a service banner or ribbon to recognize family members serving in the Armed Forces dates back to the Spanish-American War and the Civil War[cite: 2]. The modern standard of a red-and-white banner displaying a blue service star for each serving family member originated in 1917 during World War I[cite: 2]. Following President Woodrow Wilson’s 1918 approval for a Gold Star pin to be presented to mothers of fallen service members, the blue star on home banners was covered with a gold star to honor those killed in service[cite: 2]. Other early variations placed a silver star over the blue to honor those invalided home with severe combat wounds[cite: 2]. Formal standardization was completed during World War II, when formal flag presentations to families became an integral part of community memorial services[cite: 2].

History of the Blue and Gold Star Traditions

The practice of displaying a service banner or ribbon to recognize family members serving in the Armed Forces dates back to the Spanish-American War and the Civil War[cite: 2]. The modern standard of a red-and-white banner displaying a blue service star for each serving family member originated in 1917 during World War I[cite: 2].

Following President Woodrow Wilson’s 1918 approval for a Gold Star pin to be presented to mothers of fallen service members, the blue star on home banners was covered with a gold star to honor those killed in service[cite: 2]. Other early variations placed a silver star over the blue to honor those invalided home with severe combat wounds[cite: 2]. Formal standardization was completed during World War II, when formal flag presentations to families became an integral part of community memorial services[cite: 2].

Jump to: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W

A

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Anderson, Perry A.	Akron	SM2, USN	May 13, 1944 – Admiralty Islands[cite: 2]
Arthur, Clifford A.	Arickaree	PFC, USMC	Jul 10, 1944 – Saipan[cite: 2]
Attebery, Joseph M.	Akron	Pvt, USA	Sep 17, 1944 – France[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Bartholomew, Rufus E.	Otis	Pvt, USA	Nov 2, 1918 – California[cite: 2]
Bingham, Harold M.	Otis	PFC, USA	Apr 6, 1945 – Philippines[cite: 2]
Bowen, Frank	Simpson	Pvt, USA	Jul 29, 1918 – Missing, France[cite: 2]
Brandon, Joseph Jr.	Akron	Lt, USAF	Oct 1, 1951 – Texas[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Cass, William P.	Akron	1Sgt, USA	Sep 7, 1944 – Pacific[cite: 2]
Clark, James D.	Akron	1Lt, USAAF	Nov 9, 1944 – Over France[cite: 2]
Cross, Melvin D.	Cope	Pvt, USA	Sep 1, 1944 – France[cite: 2]
Christoffersen, Axel P.	Pinneo	Sgt, USMC	Jun 13, 1918 – France[cite: 2]
Cure, George A.	Akron	Sm2, USN	Jul 13, 1943 – Missing, Solomon Islands[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Deel, Robert C.	Otis	PFC, USA	Mar 25, 1951 – Korea[cite: 2]
Diamond, James J. Jr.	Akron	FM2, USN	Nov 30, 1942 – Missing, off Guadalcanal[cite: 2]
Dodge, Jerry E.	Akron	Cpt, USAAF	Nov 16, 1943 – Missing, over France[cite: 2]
Drullinger, Ray H.	Cope	Sgt, USA	Jul 10, 1943 – Sicily[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Fallert, Oscar J.	Akron	Lt Cdr, USN	Jan 2, 1947 – New Mexico[cite: 2]
Farley, Elmer C.	Akron	F3c, USN	Oct 12, 1918[cite: 2]
Feyereisen, Robert F.	Akron	SSgt, USA	Oct 20, 1950 – Korea[cite: 2]
Fine, George E.	Akron	PFC, USA	Jun 21, 1945 – Philippines[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Gebauer, Chester W.	Akron	SM1c, USN	Oct 24, 1944 – Philippine Sea[cite: 2]
Gemaehlich, William J.	Burdett	Cpl, USA	Oct 5, 1943 – Italy[cite: 2]
Graves, Alva N.	Akron	PFC, USA	Jun 14, 1918 – Missing, France[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Heltenberg, Walter R.	Otis	SSgt, USA	Apr 1, 1945 – Germany[cite: 2]
Horn, Lester J.	Burdett	PFC, USA	Jun 6, 1944 – Normandy[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Jackson, Jacob A.	Otis	Pvt, USA	Dec 25, 1953 – Germany[cite: 2]
Johnson, Glenn L.	Akron	Pvt, USMC	Jan 28, 1943 – New Britain[cite: 2]
Jones, Dennis D.	Akron	Sgt, USA	Early 1945 – Luzon[cite: 2]
Jordon, Walter R.	DeNova	Sgt, USA	Jul 6, 1942 – Philippines[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Lanning, Maurice	Messex	PFC, USA	Nov 1, 1918 – France[cite: 2]
Layton, Walter K.	Akron	AS, USN	Jul 7, 1936 – California[cite: 2]
Lesher, James B.	Akron	2Lt, USAAF	Sep 1, 1944 – Texas[cite: 2]
Long, Lester W.	Akron	2Lt, USMC	Jul 20, 1944 – North Carolina[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Marez, Eugenio	Akron	Pvt, USA	Died in service (WWI)[cite: 2]
McBeth, Everett P.	Lindon	2Lt, USAAF	Apr 1, 1943 – California[cite: 2]
McCalmont, Howard V.	Akron	TSgt, USAAF	Jul 20, 1943 – New Guinea[cite: 2]
McGee, Charles L.	Denver	Pvt, USA	Jan 18, 1945 – Belgium[cite: 2]
McPeak, Harvey J.	Anton	SSgt, USAF	Jul 4, 1955 – Texas[cite: 2]
Mercer, Frank F.	Rago	2Lt, USMC	Nov 1944 – Peleliu[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
O’Brien, James F.	Akron	PFC, USA	Jun 12, 1944 – Normandy[cite: 2]
Oman, Lee E.	Lone Star	2Lt, USAAF	Jul 28, 1943 – Texas[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Parrish, Laverne	Harrisburg	Tec4, USA	Jan 24, 1945 – Luzon[cite: 2]
Peacock, Byron	Cope	PFC, USAAF	Nov 19, 1944 – England[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Reed, Kenneth	Akron	SSgt, USA	Mar 1, 1945 – Luxembourg[cite: 2]
Rogers, Marvel D.	DeNova	Sm1c, USN	Oct 12, 1942 – Solomons[cite: 2]
Rogers, Robert M.	Glen	PFC, USMC	Mar 6, 1945 – Iwo Jima[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Schenk, John H. Jr.	Akron	Pvt, USA	Dec 1, 1944 – Germany[cite: 2]
Shirley, Arthur L.	Akron	Cpl, USA	Nov 10, 1918 – France[cite: 2]
Shockey, Donald P.	Akron	Coxn, USN	Oct 15, 1942 – Missing, Solomon Islands[cite: 2]
Smith, Floyd R.	Cope	Pvt, USMC	Nov 20, 1943 – Tarawa[cite: 2]
Spencer, Roy J.	Cope	Pvt, USA	Jan 12, 1945 – Belgium[cite: 2]

Veteran	Residence	Rank & Branch	Date & Location of Death
Waldvogle, Earl E.	Akron	PFC, USA	Oct 4, 1918 – France[cite: 2]
Wenz, Arlin G.	Otis	Sgt, USA	Jul 18, 1944 – France[cite: 2]
Westover, Paul A.	Anton	1Lt, USA	1945 – Germany[cite: 2]