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Military Honor

Please submit your nominations to honor Milirary Service        <Click the Name or Picture to read the Bio>

 

         The Honor Roll: Killed in Action 



Class of 1933

Leroy Lehman

Leroy was assigned to the 127th Infantry and took part in The Battle of Driniumor River (also called The Battle of Aitape) 10 July - 25 August 1944 in Western New Guinea or specifically at Aitape, Sandaun Province, Papau New Guinea.  During July and August 1944, nearly 10,000 Japanese perished. Almost 3,000 Americans fell along the Driniumor, 440 of them killed. In terms of American casualties, it was MacArthur's most costly campaign since Buna.

 

 

 



Class of 1940

Edward "Wayne" Hoke 

Senior Class Vice President                                                                                                    

 

Sgt. Hoke shot down by enemy fighters

 



Class of 1940

               "Bob" McKane

Senior Class President   

Fatally wounded by enemy gunfire

during the attempted evacuation of a wounded comrade.

 Silver Star for gallantry in action

 



Class of 1940

"Tom" Shields

Chaplain's Aide Killed in Italy

88th "Blue Devil" Infantry division of the Fifth army in Italy

 

 

 



Class of 1941        Don Wilson

LIEUT. DONALD G. WILSON KILLED OVER ITALY

Lieutenant Wilson, pilot of a B-17 bomber, who once before was missing in action over Germany but out-witted enemy forces and returned safely to his base last November, was stationed in Italy with the army's 15th air force. Purple Heart medal for wounds suffered.

The young officer had participated in raids over southern Germany, Austria, Hungary and northern Italy, and had supported the Russians in their drive in Silesia.

Lieutenant Wilson, pilot of a B-17 bomber, "on the way to a vital industrial target in Austria when, in a low undercast, the plane in which your son, Donald, as pilot collided with another."

"He was a leader among men and will long be remembered by those with whom he served."

Awarded the air medal and an oak leaf cluster



John A. "Johnnie" Schultz     -      Class Of 1949

 

Official Report:

Private Schultz was a member of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on September 2, 1950. Private Schultz was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

 



Class of 1966

Jay Forsberg

Killed by sniper in Vietnam

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 




Decorated Military Service



Sgt. Milton O. "Buck" Buchanan  Class of 1938

The famed "Third Ranger" battalion.

"Corporal Buchanan has added the third oak leaf cluster to his purple heart, having been wounded for the fourth time, April 14, in Germany."

"He fought in the stand-still battle of Anzio.  On the morning of January 30, 1944, some 1,500 Rangers attacked the village of Cistenna De Littoria.  At noon there were just 199 Rangers still alive."

"...he was wounded while leading two Sherman tanks into Templesgreth, Germany.  While in front of the tanks, he was fired upon and unable to find cover.  He holds several citations including a presidential unit citation.  He also wears eight battle stars and the purple heart with three clusters."



Mainord Weaver, Teacher 1951

Army Air Corp, 1st Air Commando Group, Glider Pilot

Flew "the China-Burma-India Hump"

 

 

 



 Class of 1935

Capt. Stuart Jay Bearup

 

World War II, combat Brittany region of France

Promoted to Captain and received the Bronze Star

 

 



 Class of 1965

Tom Ames

Awarded the Bronze Star

A medic in Vietnam. His Bronze Star was from staying behind with a Doctor to tend  

wounded that couldn't be moved as unit retreated due to enemy advance.

Great Lakes National Cemetery
Holly, Michigan 2013
 


Class of 1940

Charles "Nate" Greene

Wounded in action, purple heart.

Pvt. Charles Nathan Green, 23, served with the field artillery in Italy.  In June 1944, he and another soldier captured three German prisoners, was wounded, returned home, then a month later, returned to duty with his company.  He served, with distinction, until honorable discharge in 1945.

 



Class of 1962

Joe Bilitzke

Chief Warrant Officer – U.S. Army Aviation
Vietnam (1966-1969), Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991), & Operation Enduring Freedom/GWOT (2000-2006)

Shot and Shot Down a number of times in Vietnam.  Read about his military career by clicking this link.

 

 

 



Class of 1965                       Steve Senzig  <<link to his profile>>

Click to read, Vietnam Vignettes:   From Tet Offensive, The Racetrack, "We used .50 caliber machine gun fire to blow openings in the brick wall around the race track (five feet high and four feet thick), then drove through the openings and engaged the enemy. I will never forget the look on the face of the NVA artillery guy as he frantically cranked to bring his gun to bear on us, knowing he wasn't going to make it."   (Parental Warning: Some of Steve’s language is graphic and a few of the scenes he describes are violent, but these are extraordinary recollections and we wanted to let his own words come through. The language and opinions are not meant to offend, but to illuminate the extreme experiences of one of our most dedicated classmates.)


 

 



Class of 1950

Jerry Burch

Purple Heart, wounded in action, Korea

 

 



Edward Kapalla        Shop and Drafting Teacher 1953 to 1975

The division was sent into combat on 19 October in the Moselle bridgehead sector east of Moselle and South of Metz and patrolled the Seille near Cheminot, capturing the forts surrounding Metz and repulsing enemy attempts to cross the river.  It was during the defense of this town from repeated German attacks that the division received its nickname, "The Iron Men of Metz."

Bronze Star The Battle of Metz, France

"The Iron Men of Metz."   WWII