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17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Division World War I Data

World War I: Names of those Killed In Action (KIA), Died Of Wounds (DOW), Missing in Action (MIA) or Non-Battle Death (NBD) – 17th Field Artillery Regiment

Second Lieutenant Roy L. Bauer

Died: October 8, 1918
Awarded the: Croix de Guerre
Entered the service from: Atlanta, Georgia
Buried: Plot E Row 20 Grave 16
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagn, France
Awarded: Croix de Guerre

Private Wilford W. Anderson – Battery A

Died: October 28, 1918 of wounds (DOW)
Entered service from: Logan, Utah
Buried at Logan City Cemetery, Cache County, Logan, Utah

Corporal Gordon Bartlett – Battery D

Died: September 17, 1918 (KIA)
Home Town: Peachdale, Rhode Island
Died of wounds in Evacuation Hospital No. 1
Buried: Plot D Row 28 Grave 21
St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France

Corporal Walter J. Behrens – Battery F

Died: July 6, 1918 (DOW)
Home Town: Lafayette, Indiana; Born May 7, 1893
Son of Henry and Rose Behrens
Buried at the village cemetery at Laferte, France

Private Dennis Butler – Battery D

Home Town: Stillwater, Oklahoma (Brother, Ross; Sister, Myrtle (Albert)
Died: June 23, 1918 (KIA)
Date of Birth: 1895
Was killed-in-action when Battery D came under heavy shelling from enemy artillery fire.
Entered Service from Adair County, Oklahoma
Enlisted at Tulsa, Oklahoma, December 1917
Buried: Stilwell Cemetery, Stillwell County, Stilwell, Oklahoma

Private Alvy Caya – Battery F

Died: July 22, 1918 (KIA)
Entered service from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Buried at Saint Gabriel Cemetery, Crawford County, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin

Band Corporal Hugh W. Chandler – Headquarters Battery, 17th Field Artillery Regiment

Died: June 25, 1919 – Non-Battle Death (NBD) Died of empyema (Age 23)
Entered Service from Wisconsin
Buried: Plot A Row 28 Grave 7
Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, Tardenois, France

Bugler Fay Chrisman – 17th Field Artillery Regiment

Home Town: St Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri
Died: February 1, 1918, Non-Battle Death (NBD), Died of disease
Entered Service from Missouri
Buried: Plot C Row 10 Grave 39
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Rogagne, France

Private Joseph (Joe) S. Copeland – Battery D

Private Fred Ebald – 17th Field Artillery Regiment
Died: January 12, 1918 (Unknown Cause)
Entered Service from Ohio
Buried: Plot A Row 10 Grave 37
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Rogagne, France

Private First Class Victoe Geisert – Battery D

Died: June 23, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds
Entered service from Chicago, Illinois
Was killed-in-action when Battery D came under heavy enemy artillery fire.
Buried: Plot A Row 8 Grave 32
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France

Private First Class Roy W. Halm – Battery D

Died: October 7, 1918 (KIA)

Private Lowell Hein – Battery C

Died: July 20, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds

Private First Class Jack C. Hickman – Medical Detachment

Died: July 20, 1918 (KIA)
Was killed-in-action when enemy airplanes bombed Battery D.
Entered service from South Dakota
Buried: Plot B Row 3 Grave 45
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France

Private First Class Fritz Hornke – Battery F

Died: July 12, 1918 of wounds (KIA)
Home Town: Rice Lake Wisconsin
Entered service from Wisconsin
Buried: Plot A Row 12 Grave 17
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France

Private First Class John H. Howell – 17th Field Artillery Regiment

Died: March 12, 1918 (Unknown Cause)
Entered Service from New York
Buried: Plot A Row 16 Grave 13
St Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucount, France

Private James Howard Hurd – Battery D (SN#132312)

Died: June 20, 1918 of wounds from heavy enemy artillery fire on Battery D (KIA)
Born at Florida, Ohio – 1894
Entered service from Michigan
Enlisted August 28, 1917 at Columbus Barracks, Ohio August 28 1917
Served in Supply Company 17th Field Artillery until October 23, 1917, then transferred to Battery D
Father: Henry Hurd, Napoleon, Ohio
Buried: Plot A Row 03 Grave 64
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France

Corporal Carl A. Jensen – Headquarters Battery

Died: November 10, 1918 (KIA)

Burglar Francis L. Johnson – Battery F

Died: July 25, 1918 (KIA)
Entered service from Massachusetts
Parents Charles and Betty Johnson
Buried at Old Swedish Cemetery, Worcester County, Worcester, Wisconsin

Private Frank P. Lillis – Battery C

Died: July 22, 1918, severely wounded and died of wounds age (approximately) 19 (DOW)
Entered service from Chicago, Illinois
Enlisted September 1917
Son of Mrs. Mary Lillis, Chicago, Illinois
Buried at Calvary Cemetery, Cook County, Illinois

Private Charles W. Mason – Battery C

Died: July 20, 1918 (KIA)
Entered service from Lancaster County, Nebraska
Buried: Plot: Section 18 Site 4594
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia

Clerk John McGinnis – 17th Field Artillery Regiment

Died: February 6, 1918 (Unknown Cause)
Entered Service from Minnesota
Buried: Plot C Row 36 Grave 7
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France

Private First Class Lester W. Oster – Battery B

Died: October 9, 1918 (KIA)
Entered Service from Rochester, New York
Enlisted on June 26, 1917
Buried at South Division, Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Rochester, New York

Private First Class Harris R. Snyder – Battery C

Died: October 7, 1918 (KIA)
Entered service from Pennsylvania
Home Town: Muncy, Pennsylvania
Buried: Plot B Row 20 Grave 31
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France

Private First Class Walter Stelmaszek – Battery F

Died: June 11, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds
Entered service from Chicago, Illinois

Corporal Albert L. Strunk – Battery C

Died: July 20, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds
Entered service from Scott County, Tennessee
Parents: Alexander and Martha Ann (Taylor) Strunk
Buried at Tateville Baptist Cemetery, Pulaski County, Kentucky

Private Robert B. Taylor – Battery B

Died: September 11, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds
Entered service from New York

Sergeant Chester G. Umpheneur – Battery C

Died: October 6, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds
Entered service from Kansas
Buried: Plot G Row 05 Grave 02
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France

Private First Class Cornelius A. Westfall – Battery A

Died: October 4, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds
Entered service from Wyoma, West Virginia
Buried: Plot G Row 29 grave 40
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagn, France

Corporal Claude C. Wilheim – Battery D

Died: September 15, 1918 (DOW) Died of Wounds
On one of the volunteer gun crews that went forward close to enemy lines to fire captured German artillery pieces, Cpl. Wilheim and Cpl. Bartlett went reconnoiter for more German artillery pieces to fire. Cpl. Bartlett died of wounds in hospital and Cpl. Wilheim was never seen or heard of again. (From Chronology of Battery D)
Born: Windom, Kansas
Entered service from McPherson, Kansas
Buried: Plot B Row 5 Grave 8
St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France

17th Field Artillery Regiment and 17th Field Artillery Battalion, World War II Data.

The following names are listed on the American Battle Monument Commission site, www.abmc.gov.  The list contains only veterans who are buried in overseas cemeteries or MIA’s whose remains were never recovered.

Tec5 Homer J. Adsitt

New York
Ser. No. 32252382
Date of Death May 7, 1945
Buried at Epinal American Cemetery France

Sgt. Furman A. Boone

South Carolina
Ser. No. 06928294
Date of Death Feb. 14, 1944
MIA – North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Pvt. Edward Castel

New York
Ser. No. 32089101
Date of Death Nov. 18, 1943
Buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery Italy

Pfc. Pete Coletta

New Jersey
Ser. No. 32307616
Date of Death Jan. 23, 1944
Buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery Italy

Pfc. Harold Goldie

New York
Ser. No. 32160098
Date of Death Feb. 15, 1943
Buried at North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Cpl. Eric Guthman

Illinois
Ser. No. 36305080
Date of Death Dec. 10, 1944
Buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery Belgium

Pvt. Henry Q. Harbort

South Carolina
Ser. No. 06380600
Date of Death Feb. 16, 1943
MIA – North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

1Lt. Richard W. Kelley

Massachusetts
Ser. No. O-389206
Date of Death June 25, 1943
Buried at North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

SSgt. Marvin W. King

North Carolina
Ser. No. 06968913
Date of Death Feb. 14, 1943
Buried at North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Pfc. Anthony J. Kolacinski

Home Town: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Serial Number: 33078891
Date of Death: April 23, 1945.
Private Kolacinski was captured by the Germans at Faid Pass, on February 14, 1943 and held as a POW in Stalag 3B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia (Also KDOS (USA) #1-5; ARB BTNS 225-255) 52-14 and was shot while attempting to escape.
2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment
Buried: Roman Catholic Polish Cemetery, Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Pfc. Paul J. LaBlanc

Massachusetts
Ser. No. 31017032
Date of Death Feb. 14, 1943
MIA – North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Cpl. Edwin M. Majeski

South Carolina
Ser. No. 14037579
Date of Death Mar. 9, 1944
Buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery Italy

Sgt. Claus Mangels

Maine
Ser. No. 31000892
Date of Death Feb. 14, 1944
MIA – North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Pfc. Denny T. Meeker

Florida
Ser. No. 34059537
Date of Death Feb. 20, 1943
Buried at North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Pvt. Robert D. Newson

North Carolina
Ser. No. 07006147
Date of Death Feb. 15, 1943
Buried at North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Pfc. James R. Phillips

South Carolina
Ser. No. 14037709
Date of Death Mar. 21, 1943
Buried at North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Cpl. Edward Roeben

New York
Ser. No. 12006577
Date of Death Feb. 14, 1943
MIA – North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

Pfc. Jesse W. Slagle

North Carolina
Ser. No. 06969234
Date of Death Nov. 10, 1953
Buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery Italy

Cpl. George P. Zilinski

Connecticut
Ser. No. 31020565
Date of Death Feb. 28, 1943
MIA – North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

#korean_war

17th Field Artillery Battalion Korean War Data

Names of the (Korean War) 17th Field Artillery Battalion (8in Towed Howitzer)
Name: PFC FLOYD THOMPSON

Battery: Unknown
Military Service Number: RA 18347541
Home: Hockley, TX
Year of Birth: 1931
MOS: 4812
Date of Casualty: November 30, 1950
Cause of Death: Unknown

Name:  PFC RICHARD F. DODMEAD

Battery: C
Military Service Number: US  5514681
Home: Clark, WI
Year of Birth: 1931
MOS: 3884
Date of Casualty: June 15, 1952
Killed by incoming 152mm round.

Name:  PFC MIKE M. GARAZ

Battery: C
Military Service Number: US 56096069
Home: Los Angeles, CA
Year of Birth: 1928
MOS: 3844
Date of Casualty: June 15, 1952
Killed by incoming 152mm round.

Name:  PFC DONALD B. PERRIN

Battery: C
Military Service Number: US 55185461
Home: Wayne, IN
Year of Birth: 1929
MOS: 3844
Date of Casualty: June 15, 1952
Reason Unknown

Name: PFC ALLEN R. DALE

Battery: C
Military Service Number: RA 17316732
Home: Renville, MN
Year of Birth: 1932
MOS: 1844
Date of Casualty: November 15, 1952
Killed by incoming 152mm round.

Name:  CPL HENRY LEE CHAMBERS

Battery: Unknown
Military Service Number: RA 14069544
Home: Dothan, AL
Year of Birth: Unknown
MOS; Unknown
Date of Casualty: December 8, 1952
Friendly Fire

Name: PVT CHARLES HENRY EVANS

Battery: A
Military Service Number: RA 13425372
Home: Hyattsville, MD
Year of Birth: Unknown
MOS: Unknown
Date of Casualty: January 16, 1953
Friendly Fire

Name: PVT FRED HAMLIN

Battery: B
Military Service Number: US 52131363
Home: Portsmouth, VA
Year of Birth: Unknown
Date of Casualty: February 8, 1953
Friendly Fire
Name: PVT Calos Manuel Hernandez

Battery A
Military Service Number: 51062063
Home: New York, New York
Year of Birth: 1926
MOS: Unk
Date of Casualty: January 16, 1952
Cause of Death: Non-Hostile near Chaj-Ahgni, South Korea

Name: PFC Frederick William Lankford

Battery A
Military Service Number: 55148498
Home: Saint Joseph, Missouri
Year of Birth: 1930
MOS: Unk
Date of Casualty: July 19, 1952
Cause of Death: Non-Hostile – He drowned while wading in deep water near Komipo, North Korea.

NAME: CPT HAROLD EUGENE VAN LEHN

Battery: Unknown
Military Service Number: O-0410791
Home: Unknown
Year of Birth: August 1, 1913
MOS: Unknown
Date of Casualty: May 24, 1953
Non-Hostile-Died of other causes

2d Howitzer Battalion, 17th Artillery, Vietnam Data

On the morning of 3 April, 1968, an enemy sapper unit of unknown size attacked C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 17th Artillery, More
Report from the 1 May, 1968 O.R.L.L.

The following 11 “C” Battery Personnel died in this incident.

On the morning of 3 April, 1968, an enemy sapper unit of unknown size attacked Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 17th Artillery, which was occupying a fire base near Tuy Phuoc in Binh Dinh Province.

At 0130 hours, bunkers in the battery area were engaged by B-40 rockets launched from outside the perimeter. The fire direction center bunker received the first round. Several enemy entered the perimeter unnoticed either before or during the B-40 attack and destroyed the battery observation post with satchel charges. At approximately the same time, part of the perimeter barrier wire was destroyed allowing the enemy to breach the position in force.

A second breach of the perimeter was made while sappers inside the perimeter attacked the fire direction center, executive post, two howitzer emplacements and perimeter bunkers on the north side of the battery area with satchel charges, grenades and small arms. RF personal supporting the battery regrouped at the M55 position and remained there out of the action until the sappers withdrew. During the attack the battery fired direct fire with a 105mm howitzer and was supported by a platoon of ARVN 105mm howitzers firing illumination. Additional support was provided by a helicopter flare ship, gun ships and an observation aircraft. With the aid of repeated strikes by supporting gun ships and observation by the pilot of the OH-1 the battery regained control of the position and the observation post. At approximately 0530 hours, the enemy withdrew.

SP-4 FRED R. GLOVER

Home: Fartow, FL
DOB: July 9, 1946
MOS: 13E40
Date of Casualty: April 3, 1968
The Wall: Panel 47E Row 050

SP-4 DANNY J. RICHARDSON

Home: Covington, GA
DOB: March 26, 1948
MOS: 13E20
Date of Casualty: April 3, 1968
The Wall: Panel 47E Row 053

CPL EDGAR L. SIMMONS

HOME: Pine Bluff, AR
DOB: March 18, 1946
MOS: 13B40
Date of Casualty: April 3, 1968
The Wall: Panel 47E Row 055

PFC THOMAS P. VISKER

HOME: Warden, WA
DOB: March 22, 1947
MOS: 13A10
Date of Casualty: April 3, 1968
The Wall: Panel 47E Row 057

PFC CLIFFORD A. DRAPER

Home: Hasting, NE
DOB: August 26, 1944
MOS: 13A10
Date of Casualty: August 23, 1968
PFC Draper died from multiple fragmentation wounds received when LZ Schueller received 20-25 82mm mortar rounds.
The Wall: Panel 47W Row 040

SGT FRANCIS B. MADDEN

HOME: Newark, NJ
DOB: June 25, 1932
MOS: 13E40
Date of Casualty: June 15, 1969
SGT Madden died of wounds when a vehicle he was a passenger in struck a mine.
The Wall: Panel 22W Row 054

WO PETER C. BEHRENS

HOME: Newburg, MO
DOB: November 28, 1944
MOS: 6280
Date of Casualty: December 4, 1970
WO Behrens died in helicopter crash. He was pilot returning to Ban Me Thuot from Nha Trang.
The Wall: Panel 06W Row 105

CW2 Kermit Leslie Matthews
Home: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
DOB: May 18, 1938
Date of Causality: December 4, 1970
CW2 Matthews died in a helicopter crash to Ban Me Thuet from Nha Trang
(He was assigned to Service Battery as the Maintenance Warrant Officer.)

MSG Robert Joseph Gritte

 
Home: Milford, MA
DOB: November 25, 1929
Date of Casualty: March 4, 1967
The Wall Panel 16E, Row 16
MSG Gritte died as the results of an accidental homicide. He was the Battalion’s S2 Sergeant and was shot trying to break up a fight in the barracks.

PFC William Cutshaw

Home: Greeneville, Tennessee
DOB: April 19, 1946
MOS: 11B40
Date of Causality: January 1, 1966
Non-Hostile, died from a grenade accidentally going off in his hands.
The Wall Panel 04E Row 076

Operation Iraqi Freedom, Data

On Saturday, October 15, 2005 a flagpole dedication was held at a subdivision near Chapel Hill, NC. It was to honor one of our own, Spec. 4 Bradley Beard, who was killed October 14, 2004 by a roadside bomb in Iraq. He was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery. He was a member of 2/17th FA.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for the ceremony. Approximately 200 people were there. Fox news and ABC also provided coverage.

Spec. Beard’s First Sgt. Woodson Bond presented and raised the flag along with his platoon Sgt. Jose Rodriquez, and friend Sgt. Paul Southers. Rolling Thunder, a motorcycle group made up mostly of veterans was also present and they too presented a flag to the Beard family.

The 17th FA Regiment Association presented a wreath made out of red and white carnations, green leaves, a blue banner down the middle with 17th FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT ASSOCIATION on it. It also had an 8″x 11″ copy of our crest in the middle. Charles Riley and Richard Smith wore their standard issued red berets while Robert Kinton wore a class A WW II uniform as they acted as Honor Guard at the wreath. Richard Smith gave a brief speech about the history of the 17th and letting everyone know that Brad’s death was not in vain. The cost of Freedom is not free. Brad’s death was so that others in the world could live in freedom and not under dictatorship, freedom of speech, assembly, worship without the worry of imprisonment and torture. His parents were thanked on behalf of the 17th for the sacrifice their son had made for the cost of other’s Freedom.

Mr. & Mrs. Beard closed giving a talk about the memories of their son. A reception was held afterwards at the pool clubhouse. The Beards were also invited to our reunion next October in Charleston, SC.

(Applications for membership in the Association were also given to the three active duty personnel from 2/17th.)

Richard A. Smith

Afghanistan Data