87th Infantry Division Association

1. Background

In the Fall of 1985, Bob McMurrough (G-346), who is now deceased, borrowed and copied a few Company G records from Dick Shue (G-346), with the intent of analyzing what had occurred to the men of this company. He also made use of the 346th Regimental book, which listed all those present at the time of deactivation, as well as those prior to deactivation. Unfortunately the study was not completed prior to Bob's passing. This review makes use of those same records and current analysis of the 346th Regimental Book, supplemented with years of research conducted independently by Paul E. Nessman (F&M-347).

2. Records and Research

2.1. Memorandum to 346th Infantry

Subject:	Commissions - Awards - MIA & KIA (11 June 1945)
To:	S-1, 346th Infantry

KIA:

⁽¹⁾

MIA:

39		dated 11 Dec 1944
5		dated 09 Jan 1945 ⁽²⁾
4		dated 08 Feb1945
1		dated 28 Feb 1945
1		dated 04 Mar 1945

Purple Heart:

⁽³⁾

Silver Star:

⁽⁴⁾

Bronze Star:

⁽⁵⁾

2.2. Untitled listing of men separated from the company for the period from 11 Dec 1944 through 4 June 1945.

These codes are not officially defined, and were a focus of concern to Bob McMurrough, who attempted to verify his definitions with known reasons. His definitions are used here.

Code	Description	Count

SLD	Sick in line of duty	127
LWA	Light wound in action	128
NBW	Non-battle wound	6
SWA	Serious wound in action	10
SIA ⁽⁶⁾	Sick in action, e.g. frostbite, trench foot	2
NBI	Non-battle injury	8
LIA	Seems similar to SLD	13
NBC	Non-battle casualty (accidents or injury not enemy related)	18

2.3. References to Co. G in the 346th Regimental Book

Total relieved from duty prior to inactivation - 262 enlisted men (includes non-commissioned officers) and 8 officers separated. Of these 262 enlisted men, 35 were noted as killed in action and 3 died of wounds.

Present at time regiment was deactivated were 181 enlisted men (includes non-commissioned officers) and 8 officers.

Overall totals of unduplicated names of enlisted men and officers
relieved from duty prior to inactivation, as well as those present at time regiment was deactivated - 459

2.4. Discrepancies and Comparisons

2.4.1. Discrepancy regarding 'Killed in action' and 'Died of wounds'

It should be noted that definitions are unclear as to distinctions between immediate death and later death through wounds or sickness at an aid station or hospital. Paul Nessman, was consulted for this section of the study. Findings are based on Company G records; 346th Regimental book; and Paul Nessman's research at the American Battle Monuments Commission, Arlington VA. (Individual Deceased Personnel Files); the Army Mortuary Service, Alexandria, VA. (microfiche research); and his visits to numerous military cemeteries overseas and in the United States. Earle Hart (A-345) assisted Nessman by providing a list of serial numbers, beyond those found already found, which were required for research at the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⁽⁷⁾

Company G records - 50 names listed
Regimental book - 35 names identified as killed in action
Nessman findings - 56 names identified as killed in action

2.4.2. Comparison matching of names from Company G records and Regimental book showed the following:

Four names listed as KIA on Co. G records are not listed at all with Co. G in the Regimental book. (One who L Rublin knew personally, was found listed in the Regimental book correctly as KIA, but with wrong unit - CO. C, which was incorrect). Fourteen other names listed as KIA on Co. G records (and Nessman research) were identified in the Regimental book as relieved from duty prior to inactivation, but they are not marked as KIA.

2.4.3. Comparison matching of names from Company G records and Paul Nessman's research showed the following:

Three names listed as MIA on Co. G records were found KIA by Nessman research. Three names listed as wounded on Co. G records were found KIA by Nessman research, (as well as in the Regimental book).

2.4.4. According to Nessman's research, 21 members of 346 G are buried overseas.

Some information as to the location of individuals buried overseas, Nessman received from Jim Amor (A-345) in 1989. The numbers buried at each location are: Henri-Chappell: 11, Lorraine: 3, Luxembourg: 6, and Netherlands: 1.

2.4.5. Listing of G-346 Men Killed in Action, prepared by Paul Nessman.

Last Name	First Name	Rank	Hometown		Date Killed	Cemetery ⁽⁸⁾

Miller	Marvin D	pvt	NJ	Newark	11 Dec 1944
Perry	Leon W	SS	TX	Dallas	12 Dec 1944
Krug	Frank J	pvt	IL	Chicago	13 Dec 1944
Parker	Gilbert W	S	IL	Chicago	13 Dec 1944
Rampone	Frederick J	pvt	CT	Newington	13 Dec 1944
Dupre	Francis V	pfc	NY	Rochester	15 Dec 1944
Griswold	Richard S	pvt	CT	Stratford	15 Dec 1944	Lorraine
Kelly	William A	pvt	NY	New York	15 Dec 1944	Lorraine
Lawrence	William D	pvt	NY	Poughkeepsie	15 Dec 1944
Owens	Clyde V	pfc	NC	Gastonia	15 Dec 1944	Lorraine
Potter	John S	pfc	MO	St Joseph	15 Dec 1944
Sala	Edward	T5	NY	Buffalo	15 Dec 1944
Smith	La Mar J	pvt	MN	Wells	15 Dec 1944
Whitten	Feggen P	S	OK	Tecumseh	15 Dec 1944
Kauderer	Howard L	pvt	OK	Columbus	31 Dec 1944
Leger	Lester	pvt	LA	St Landry	31 Dec 1944	Luxembourg
Rickfelder	Marvin L	pvt	IL	Greenville	31 Dec 1944
DeCarlo	Armondo	pvt	NY	Schenectady	01 Jan 1945	Luxembourg
Gillmore	William J	pfc	NY	Syracuse	08 Jan 1945
Kekonis	Frederick J	pfc	WI	Oshkosh	08 Jan 1945
Brown	Richard E	S	PA	Altoona	09 Jan 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Downs	John W	pfc	IL	Shelbyvillle	09 Jan 1945	Luxembourg
Herzstein	Morris J	pfc	PA	Philadelphia	09 Jan 1945
Notaro	James	pvt	NY	Trenton	09 Jan 1945
O'Mara	Thomas A	pvt	MA	Boston	09 Jan 1945	Luxembourg
King	Robert E	pvt	IA	Des Moines	10 Jan 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Wimer	Russell P	pvt	PA	Slippery Rock	23 Jan 1945	Luxembourg
Diffenderfer	Joseph F	pvt	MD	Baltimore	01 Feb 1945
Seaman	John W	S	UT	Cedar Grove	06 Feb 1945
Petros	Frederick R	pvt	MA	Lowell	08 Feb 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Wesolowski	Albert	pfc	NJ	Linden	08 Feb 1945
Nitz	John H	S	WI	Madison	13 Feb 1945
Felice	Nicholas C	pfc	IL	Chicago	28 Feb 1945
Holland	Richard L	pfc	PA	Wayne	28 Feb 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Hurley	Sam	pvt	VA	Kelsa	28 Feb 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Lambert	Oliver E	SS	MI	Kalamazoo	28 Feb 1945
Lawler	Charles W	pvt	IL	Chicago	28 Feb 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Lukasiak	Victor	T4	PA	Titusville	28 Feb 1945
Perales	Paulo R	pvt	CA	Modera	28 Feb 1945
Reinhart	David R	S	MA	Harvard	28 Feb 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Roberts	Loyd W	pvt	TN	Cleveland	28 Feb 1945
Scheib	Leonard G	SS	NY	Buffalo	28 Feb 1945
Conley	Lynn W	pfc	MN	Eagle Bend	01 Mar 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Carleton	John E	pfc	VT	Procktor	04 Mar 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Clark	Irvin L	SS	DC	Washington	04 Mar 1945
Cremer	Charles J	pfc	IL	Chicago	04 Mar 1945	Luxembourg
Lister	Eugene R	pfc	MO	Springfield	04 Mar 1945
McCullough	Billy G	pfc	TN	Lewisburg	04 Mar 1945
Reseburg	Robert	pvt	OR	Sandy	04 Mar 1945
Saylor	Harry N	pfc	CA	Taft	04 Mar 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Schaffer	Vernon R	pvt	KS	Luray	04 Mar 1945
Garcia	Russell J	SS	NY	Warwick	07 Mar 1945
Burgess	Edward H	TS	WV	Spencer	08 Mar 1945	Henri-Chapelle
Wyatt	Russell F	pvt	WV	Elkins	13 Apr 1945
Masek	George A	pvt	CT	Bridgeport	18 Apr 1945
Sobaski	John R	pvt	IL	Chicago	18 Apr 1945	Netherlands