Gold Star Veterans - Yuma County, Colorado

    This listing of Yuma County servicemen and servicewomen who died in the service of their country was originally compiled by the Yuma Museum and the Yuma American Legion Post. The accompanying photographs were taken or collected by them unless otherwise credited.

    These pages are dedicated to Stephen K. Chaplin (1941-2004) - area historian, Yuma museum board member, faithful critic of my "facts", fellow Army veteran and long time contributor to this Yuma County website - who succumbed to cancer April 18, 2004. Steve wouldn't allow me to credit him by name for doing the research to put together the six, thick, loose-leaf notebooks that were used as the starting point for this list of Gold Star Veterans, insisting that I credit the Yuma Museum and the Yuma Legion Post instead.

    An old military toast, to both Specialist 4th Class Steve Chaplin and to the many veteran's listed here, seems appropriate, "To absent friends and comrades."

    Many of the obituary transcriptions published here were donated by Pat Oestman, 529 Ash St, Wray, CO 80758. Thank you Pat!

    Arlene Glenn of Otis has been tireless in tracking down information on and headstone photographs for those buried outside the county. Thanks Arlene!

Blue and Gold Star Flags

    The practice of displaying a service banner or ribbon to recognize members of the family serving in the armed forces dates back to at least the Spanish American War and perhaps to the Civil War. The current design of a red and white flag with a blue service star (Blue Star Flag) for each serving family member originated in 1917 during World War I. After 1918 when President Wilson ordered a Gold Star pin given to the mothers of dead WWI servicemen, the blue service star on the service banner was covered with a gold star to honor those killed in service. Another variation had the the blue star covered with a silver star to honor those invalided home from wounds received in action. The design wasn't standardized until World War II.

    Blue Star Flags were widely displayed by families during World War II. A Gold Star Flag and Gold Star Certificate presentation to the family were a routine part of a World War II memorial service. Service flags were seldom seen during the Vietnam War but have been making a comeback since 1990.

    If you have comments, corrections, photographs, clippings, award citations or any other additional information about these veterans please contact Lee Zion, email lzion@plains.net, 23288 County Road 27, Vernon, CO 80755.

• Name, Home Town, Rank and Branch of Service, Date of Death, Place of Death
  Click on the underlined name to go to a page with the individual's details.

• Ackelson, Homer J, Wray, SGT AAF, died March 4, 1944, over Yugoslovia
• Adams, James E, Yuma, CM2 USNR, died September 23, 1945, Okinawa
• Allen, Larry D, Yuma, EN1 USN, died January 2, 1967, Vietnam
• Altig, Orton T, Vernon, PVT USA, died April 6, 1945, Germany
• Anderson, Leon, Eckley, PFC USA, died November 18, 1944, France
• Anderson, M. Dwayne, Vernon, AVRM3 USNR, died November 24, 1943, Gilberts
• Armagost, Jack M, Eckley, Tech Sgt USA, died February 23, 1944, Italy

• Ballard, Harold D, Eckley, 2LT AAF, died November 30, 1944, Tucson, Arizona
• Banaka, Leslie C, Wray, PFC USA, died February 21, 1945, Luxemburg
• Banaka, Samuel A, Wray, PVT USA, died July 12, 1944, France
• Beecher, Fred H, 2LT USA, died September 17, 1868, Beecher's Island
• Bingham, Harold M, Laird, PFC USA, died April 6,1945, Luzon, Philippines
• Bishop, Wilbur Earl, Wray, Tech 5th USA, died March 4, 1942, Camp Polk, Louisiana
• Blair, Finley M. , grandson of Hunt Welch, Hale, PFC USA, died June 23, 1944, France
• Bowen, Donald W, Eckley, PVT USA, died January 19, 1945, Belgium
• Bowman, Benjamin D. "Bud", Yuma, AO1 USN died March 15, 1948, Seattle, Washington
• Bowman, Harold V, Yuma, CPT USAF, died May 25, 1955, Garden City, Texas
• Bowman, Ray Juel, Wray, SGT USA, died July 3, 1942, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
• Brandon, Joe, Yuma, LT USAF, died October 1, 1951, San Angelo, Texas
• Brenner, Franz J, Idalia, PVT USA, died March 3, 1945, Florence, Italy
• Brown, Lyle D, Wray, T/SGT USA, died July 12, 1944, Italy
• Brown, Lyle L, Eckley, PVT USA, died May 29, 1943, Aleutian Islands
• Bullard William B (Bill), Wray, PVT USA, died February 8, 1965, New York
• Bullock, Gordon P. , Army Air Force gunner, MIA Phiollipines 1943
• Bullock, Ralph M, Wray, S/Sgt USA, died September 5, 1944, France
• Burton, Orville A, Yuma, PVT USA, died October 25, 1945, France

• Casey, Hubert P, Yuma, CPL USA, died March 12, 1943, Camp Hood, Texas
• Clark, David R (Bob), Kirk, SM1 USN, died Aug 2, 1944, San Diego, California
• Colpitts, Frank W, Kirk, SGT USA, died November 28, 1944, Germany
• Conrad, Francis J, Wray, PVT USA, died September 30, 1942, Wray, Colorado
• Currence, James W, Wray, LT USA, died December 1, 1945, Fort Sill, Oklahoma

• Devlin, Gerald J, Laird, T/SGT USA, died September 21, 1944, Italy
• Diercks, Elmer A., Yuma, CPL USA, died December 22, 1954, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
• Dietrich, Helmut O, Idalia, CCS USN, died April 1, 1945, Pacific Ocean
• Doddridge, Philip M, Kirk, SGT AAF, died October 11, 1943, west of Fort Collins, Colorado
• Duckworth, Hally O, Vernon, PVT USA, died October 9, 1918, France
• Durfey, Lawrence E, Laird, SGT AAF, died April 20, 1944, Mediterranean Sea

• Ebert, Lloyd, Vernon, PFC USA, died September 9, 1944, Italy
• Edwards, Walter E, Yuma, S/Sgt AAF, died July 5, 1943, over Sicily
• Elliott, Dorral B, Wray, Tech 5th USA, died April 11, 1945, Germany
• Elliott, Eldon M, Idalia, T/Sgt AAF, died October 25, 1942, South Pacific

• Fields, Walter, Yuma, 2LT USA, died November 15, 1944, France
• Fisher, Ronald J, Wray, ARM2 USN, died June 5, 1942, Battle of Midway
• French, Lloyd D "Don", Eckley, 2LT AAF, died September 12, 1944, Germany

• Garcia, James D, Idalia, COL AAF, died August 23, 1945, Guam
• Gemaehlich, William J, Otis, CPL USA, died October 5, 1943, Italy
• Gibson, Walter L, hometown?, PVT USA, died August 30, 1944, France
• Gilliland, Bruce A, Eckley, PVT USA, died May 6, 1943, North Africa
• Gimer, James S, Kirk, PVT USA, KIA WWI, died November 17, 1918
• Graves, Houston H., Kirk, PVT CSA, KIA Arkansas 1862 - burial unknown.

• Harvey, Samuel G, Kirk, PVT USA, died in WWI
• Hawks, Wilbur K, Wray, T/Sgt AAF, died June 4, 1944, Italy
• Heinrichs, Louis W, Kirk, WO(JG) USA, died November 19, 1954, North Carolina
• Heins, John H, Laird, PVT USA, died September 5, 1918, France
• Heltenberg, Walter R, Yuma, S/Sgt USA, died April 1, 1945, Germany
• Hickman, Joseph M, Yuma, LT USN, died November 8, 1974, El Centro, California
• Hill, Hubert M, Wray, CPL AAF, died May 23 1944, Corsica
• Howell, Gary L, Yuma, LTjg USN, died January 6, 1967, South China Sea
• Hoyda, Chester V, Kirk, S/Sgt USA, died April 28, 1945, Italy

• Jewell, Delbert E, Yuma, PVT USA, died January 30, 1945, Luzon, Philippines
• Johnson, Wallace E, Yuma, CPL USA, died March 1, 1901, Manila, Philippines
• Jones, Roy, Kirk, USN, died 1943
• Jones, Thomas W, Eckley, S/Sgt USA, died June 2, 1944, Italy
• Jonson, John E, Wray, SGT USA, died January 1, 1945, Belgium

• Karns, James D, Wray, PVT AAF, died October 24, 1940, Fitzsimmons AH, Denver
• Kibel, Charley C, Vernon, PFC USMC, died April 4, 1967, Vietnam
• Koons, Earl T, Yuma, PVT USA, died October 21, 1918, Camp Lewis, Washington
• Kuntz, Alfons G, Otis, PFC USA, died July 3, 1944, Normandy, France

• Lamb, Wilbur, hometown? rank? svc?, died Jun 5, 1945, where?
• Lawver, Lawrence S, Eckley, died September 8, 1942, Newark, Ohio
• Leonard, Thomas R, Wray, PVT USA, Missing as Japanese POW, Philippines

• Maag, Morris P, Wray, 2LT AAF, died December 1, 1943, Insein, Burma
• Mann, Elton E, Denver, YM1 USN, died October 18, 1943
• Martin, D. Friend, Waverly, 2LT AAF, died November 9, 1943, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• Mayo, John L, Yuma, S/Sgt AAF, died November 3, 1944, near Frankfurt, Germany
• McCalmont, Howard V, Eckley, T/Sgt AAF, died July 20, 1943, New Guinea
• McCracken, Charlie N, Yuma, CPT USAF, died December 19, 1956, Germany
• McKie, John M, Wray, LT USA, died June 14, 1944, France
• McLean, Chester E, Kirk, SGT USA, died January 10, 1945, Luzon, Philippines
• Medlock, Earl W, Haigler, PVT USA, died December 3, 1944, Roer Valley, Germany
• Metzler, Crystal A, Yuma, PVT USA, died May 27, 1998, Colorado
• Moler, Ray C, Eckley, PVT USA, died October 5, 1918, Illinois
• Mooers, John H., USA Med Dept, died September 19, 1868, Beecher's Island
• Moran, Lewis R, Eckley, WT1 USN, died October 25, 1944, Leyte Gulf
• Morris, William F.B., Armel, LT AAF, died September 8, 1942, Rendova Island, South Pacific
• Mowry, Otto L "Pat", Yuma, 1LT USA, died November 2, 1918, POW Germany
• Munson, Alvin, Yuma, PVT USA, died October 13, 1918 France
• Mustard, Jim, Kirk, CPL USA, died April 1, 1945, Philippines

• Nadolph, George M, Wray, PVT USA, died February 9, 1945, England

• Olsen, Edward C, Arriba, PFC USA, died December 19, 1944, Philippines
• Oman, Lee E, Lone Star, 2LT AAF, died July 28, 1943, Texas

• Palmrose, Clayton E, Wray, CPT USA, died September 7, 2007, Missouri
• Price, Duane F, Yuma, PFC USMC, died September 11, 1951, Korea

• Ridlen, Harry K., Laird, Pvt USA, killed in action WWI, France.
• Runkle, Archie C, Yuma, PFC USA, died June 6, 1945, Okinawa

• Sampson, Bert T, Laird, 2LT USA, died March 10, 1945, Philippines
• Seward, Byron E, Laird, CPL USA, died April 16, 1945, Germany
• Shurtleff, Bernard G, Yuma, PVT USA, died October 18, 1918, France
• Sigmon, Gene E, Yuma, AA USN, died September 14, 1960, Oak Harbor, Washington
• Simons, Roy G, Yuma, A1c USAF, died November 9, 1967, Lackland AFB, Texas
• Smith, Floyd R., Cope, PVT USMC, died November 20, 1943, Tarawa
• Spencer, Roy J, Yuma, PVT USA, died January 12, 1945 Flamizoville, Belgium
• Stockwell, Elvin E, Laird, AMM3 USN, died January 8, 1945, near Philippines
• Strom, Carl A, Yuma, CPL USA, died July 19, 1950, near Taejon, Korea

• Titterington, Lloyd, Yuma, Recruit USA, died November 10, 1918, Pueblo
• Thomas, Howard W, Witherbee, PVT USA, died December 25, 1944, Belgium
• Tracy, Spencer (WWII)
• Trego, Richard, Denver (prev Yuma), PVT USMC, died December 10, 1946, Mt. Rainier, Washington
• Twedell, Donald R, Yuma, SGT USMC, died November 24, 1943, Tarawa

• Van Horn, Ralph C, Yuma, LT WANG, died September 18, 1955, Torrington, Wyoming

• Wages, Robert C., Wray, SGT USA, died September 8, 1944, France
• Wells, Larry D, Wray, HM3 USN, died January 13, 1968, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam
• White, Guy F, Yuma, SGT USA, died August 20, 1942, POW camp, Philippines
• White, William J, Joes, SM2c USN, MIA November 14, 1942, South Pacific
• Wills, Walter, Wray, PFC USA, died January 9, 1945, Belgium
• Wilson, Howard D, Abarr, PFC USMC, died November 25, 1943, Tarawa
• Winterstein, Leo A, Vernon, PVT USA, died in WWI
• Wisdom, John W, Wray, PFC USA, died March 6, 1945 Rhine River, Germany
• Wise, Emmett W, Kirk, T/SGT USA, died October 23, 1944, Leyte, Philippines
• Wittlake, Henry E, Eckley, ARM3 USNR, lost at sea, North Atlantic, June 24, 1943
• Woolard, Dale D. born July 13, 1918 north of Wray, 16th Engineering Battalion, killed April 25, 1945 - buried Loveland, Colorado.
• Workman, Bobby D, Yuma, SN USN, died October 1, 1951, Oceanside, California

    If you have additions, corrections, photographs or clippings to add to this list please contact Lee C. Zion email lzion@plains.net.

Return to the Yuma County Veterans Listing.

Return to the Yuma County Data Page.