World War II

Home Front     *     World War II Casualties     *     Photos of Veterans

Soon to be added to this site are about 70 more articles about Comanche County veterans transcribed and contributed by Shirley Brier, all of which will be linked from this page. Additionally, each of the 125 news articles about people from the county who served in the war which are all now on the Home Front page will be placed on pages of their own.

Also coming soon, courtesy of Bobbi Huck, is a page featuring photos of John Deewall's World War II memorabalia, including ribbons, awards, occupation money, unit historical booklets and a Nazi armband.

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Play a song popular during World War II: Under The Double Eagle

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1940 Registrants for the Draft From Comanche County, Kansas

U.S.A. President Franklin D. Roosevelt: War Message to Congress, December 8, 1941

The Western Star, December 19, 1941.
Comanche County's Honor Roll
A list of the Boys From Comanche County Who Are Now In The Armed Forces of the United States.

The Western Star, January 12, 1942.
SGT. ERIC A. SIMS DIES FROM WOUNDS
His Brother's Wife's Sister With Him When He Died.

The Western Star , May 29, 1942.
FOURTH SELECTIVE REGISTRATION LIST
Registration on April 27 Includes Men 45 to 65 Years of Age
Who Had Not Previously Registered in Comanche County.

The Western Star, Friday, June 19, 1942.
ELWIN E. SMITH KILLED IN ACTION
Is First Known Casualty From Coldwater in World War II.

The Western Star, January 16, 1942.
PROTECTION MAN KILLED NEAR PHILLIPINES

The Western Star, February 13, 1942.
A List of Comanche County Boys Now In The Armed Forces

The Western Star , March 20, 1942.
ALFRED SEIDEL IS ANOTHER WAR CASUALTY:
Protection Young Man on Ill Fated Houston Sunk by Japs

The Western Star, September 4, 1942.
Scrap Drive Response Is Most Amazing
Nearly a Million Pounds Gathered to help Our Boys

The Western Star, September 4, 1942.
Military Service News
Robert Edwin Gilchrist, Clyde T. "Billie" Giles, Roger Lehman, Lyle Martin, Jack Taylor, Albert Wall, Jack White and Vernie White

The Western Star, September 4, 1942.
V-Mail For Soldiers Is Proving Popular:
Letters Are Photographed And Film Flown Overseas

The Western Star, November 6, 1942.
COLDWATER NAVY CADET CRASH VICTIM
Herbert Seyfrit Killed Instantly While Landing Plane.

The Western Star, February 5, 1943.
MALONE TWINS NOW TOGETHER

The Western Star, 'The Letter Box', February 26, 1943.
Letter from 1st Lt. Hobert H. Thompson, USAAF

The Western Star , February 26, 1943.
LIEUT. DONALD WHITE MISSING IN ACTION
Has Been With Fighter Squadron Since December.

The Western Star, March 5, 1943.
LIEUT. DONALD WHITE STILL LISTED MISSING
Had Been piloting P-38s Since Being Commissioned

Documents from a P-38 Crash, Feb. 1943

The Western Star, May 21, 1943.
BILL FINNEY STILL MISSING

The Western Star, June 11, 1943.
DONALD BETZER A CRASH VICTIM:
Dies in Wichita Following Collision of Planes in Midair

The Western Star, June 11, 1943.
Coldwater Sailor Has Sailed the Seven Seas, Tommy Toothaker, CM1, USN.

The Western Star, June 18, 1943.
PFC. WM. FINNEY ALIVE IN PHILIPPINES: For a Year He Was Thought to Have Been Killed.

The Western Star, July 23, 1943
WILMORE BOY KILLED OVER GERMANY: Lieut. Truett Barron Shot Down and Killed June 26.

The Western Star, July 23, 1943
BILLY FINNEY HEARD FROM

The Western Star, August 27, 1943:
LT. HOBERT THOMPSON IS MISSING IN ACTION
Was The Co-pilot of B-24 Liberator Bomber in Pacific.

(circa) September 1943
Leighton Metzker Missing in Action: Was Gunner on Bomber In Raid Over China Territory

(circa) September 1943
LIST WICHITA MAN MISSING: IRA L. METZKER

The Western Star, September 17, 1943
AN OPEN LETTER To PFC. BILL FINNEY, JAP PRISONER

The Western Star, September 17, 1943
COLDWATER PILOT MAKES THE SUPREME SACRIFICE:
Official Word Comes That Lieutenant Thompson Was Killed in Action on August 8 in the South Pacific Area.

The Western Star , September 24, 1943.
SOLDIER DIES IN FLORIDA.

The Western Star, October 1, 1943.
PVT. MARTIN McMILLEN'S FUNERAL HELD IN WILMORE

The Western Star , October 15, 1943.
SGT. LEO C. THRALL IS MISSING IN ACTION
Protection Young Man Was On Second Raid Over Germany.

The Western Star , October 22, 1943:
PROTECTION YOUTH DOWNED OVER GERMANY
Staff Sgt. Leo C. Thrall Was On His Second Raid.

The Protection Post, November 12, 1943.
List Of Men Serving In The Armed Forces.

The Western Star, November 19, 1943.
JOHN JENKINS IS MISSING IN ACTION: Is Thought to Be on Overdue Sub in Pacific.

The Western Star, November 19, 1943.
Sanders Brothers See Many Months of Service:
Ensign Nelson Sanders Wounded in Santa Cruz Battle, Grover Gets Advanced Schooling and Ralph Sees Action in South Pacific.

The Wilmore News, January 28, 1944.
ERNEST TRUMMEL REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION

The Wilmore News, January 28, 1944.
Delmar Horner Promoted to Technician 4th Grade

The Western Star, January 28, 1944.
LIEUT. MONROE HUCK GETS WINGS HARD WAY
Spurned Master Sergeant Rating to Get Into Air Corps.

The Western Star, February 25, 1944.
STAFF SGT. BERT HILL HOME AFTER 25 RAIDS:
Awarded D. F. C. Air Medal And Three Oak Leaf Clusters.

The Western Star , March 10, 1944.
SGT. ERNEST TRUMMEL DOWNED OVER FRANCE
Wilmore Gunner Missing Since January 5th, 1944.

The Western Star, March 24, 1944.
PFC. LAWRENCE YORK WOUNDED IN ACTION
Was Awarded The Purple Heart; Twice Hit by Japs.

The Western Star, April 28, 1944.
Chas. A. England A Pharmacists Mate;
Helps keep the Pacific Sailors in Fighting Trim

The Western Star, May 26, 1944.
COLDWATER NAVIGATOR INJURED IN COMBAT
Lieut. Monroe Huck Awarded Two Oak Leaves For 20 Flights.

The Western Star , June 2, 1944.
BEN VONACHEN KILLED OVER ITALY BY GERMANS
Was the Tail Gunner In a Flying Fortress

The Western Star, June 9, 1944
PROTECTION SAILOR DIES IN PRISON CAMP
Alfred G. Seidel Succumbs to Inhumane Treatment by Japs.

The Western Star, July 28, 1944.
BILL GRIFFITH KILLED IN ACTION: Was on L. S. T. on French Invasion Coast

The Western Star, July 28, 1944.
SGT. AUBREY HOLLAND KILLED on BIAK ISLAND: Leaves Wife and Six Children in New Mexico.

The Western Star, July 28, 1944.
PROTECTION SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION

The Western Star, July 28, 1944
PVT. HOWARD KING MISSING IN ACTION

The Western Star, July 28, 1944.
LAWRENCE YORK JR. AWARDED BRONZE STAR

The Western Star, August 4, 1944.
PROTECTION SOLDIER DIES in INVASION of FRANCE.
Pfc. Hugh H. Melrose Leaves Wife and Three Children.

The Western Star, August 4, 1944.
BILL ROBBINS is MISSING in ACTION.
County's Only Paratrooper Is Unaccounted For Since D Day.

The Western Star, August 18, 1944.
SGT. LEE HECHT RECEIVES CITATION
Awarded Air Medal And Oak Leaf Cluster.

The Western Star, August 18, 1944.
T. SGT. EDW. WALLER AWARDED BRONZE STAR.
Heroic Acts of Bravery Shown in St. Lo Sector.

August 25, 1944
CPL. ROBERT BOOTH KILLED in FRANCE.

The Western Star , September 8, 1944.
PROTECTION SOLDIER KILLED in FRANCE.
Pfc. Melvin Verl Park Died in Battle of Cherbourg.

The Western Star, September 8, 1944
PVT. HOWARD KING A BATTLE CASUALTY.
Was Killed During The Invasion Of France.

The Western Star, September 9, 1944.
SGT. EDWARD WALLER WOUNDED IN FRANCE.

The Western Star, September 15, 1944
Coldwater Pilot Knocks Out 6 Planes
Lieut. Harry Little in P-38 Lightning Spreads Destruction

The Western Star, September 15, 1944.
SCHROCK BROTHERS UNITED AFTER 4 YEARS.
John Severely Wounded And Has Purple Heart Award.

The Western Star, October 27, 1944
PVT. BILL ROBBINS A GERMAN PRISONER
Will Receive Bronze Star and Presidential Citation

The Western Star, October 27, 1944.
S. SGT. ELMER SCHULTZ WOUNDED SECOND TIME
Is In Hospital in France After Battles in Germany.

The Western Star, October 27, 1944.
LIEUT. VICTOR WILLARD BOMBS JAP ISLAND.
Coldwater Bombardier Receives C. O. Commendation.

The Western Star, December 15, 1944
Clayton Zimmerman Dies a Jap Prisoner
Former Comanche County Soldier Captured on Corregidor

The Western Star, December 15, 1944
Orla Morton Located In Hospital

The Western Star, January 19, 1945.
PFC. WARREN L. PETTY KILLED IN GERMANY
Popular Protection Youth Reported Missing, Then Killed.

The Western Star, January 19, 1945
T5 KEITH CRAWFORD KILLED IN BELGIUM
Was Husband of Evelyn Wall-Crawford of Coldwater.

The Western Star, January 26, 1945.
T. SGT. WILBUR R. LYTLE HAS SILVER STAR AWARD.
Kills Several Germans And Captures Seven Alone.

The Western Star, February 9, 1945.
PVT. BILL ROBBINS, NAZI PRISONER, WRITES.
Card Received Last Saturday In His Own Handwriting.

The Western Star, March 2, 1945.
LIEUT. HARRY LITTLE STILL ALIVE IN GERMANY
After Five Months of Silence, Writes He Is Prisoner.

The Western Star, April 6, 1945.
S. SGT. ELMER SCHULTZ WOUNDED THREE TIMES
Is Home on a 30 Day Convalescent Furlough

The Western Star , April 13, 1945.
S. SGT. LEE HECHT IS MISSING in ACTION
Was on His 25th Mission When His Plane Was Downed.

The Western Star, May 11, 1945.
T4 ROBERT L. HOUGH KILLED IN PHILIPPINES
Had Never Had a Furlough Home In 29 Months of Service.

The Western Star , May 22, 1945.
IS LIBERATED FROM GERMAN PRISON CAMP
Pvt. William Robbins a Prisoner Since June 6, 1944.

The Western Star, May 25, 1945.
PFC. WM. H. FINNEY LIBERATED FROM JAPS.
Was In Corregidor When It Fell Three Years Ago.

The Western Star , June 22, 1945.
PVT. BILL ROBBINS INTERNEE, NOW HOME.
Coldwater Paratrooper Had Been Missing Since D Day.

The Western Star, June 29, 1945.
PFC. WM. H. FINNEY DIES ABOARD JAP SHIP: Was Being Taken From Manila When U. S. Sub Sinks Ship.

The Western Star, September 28, 1945.
PFC. AUGUST METZGER IN THREE CAMPAIGNS
Has Ear Drums Ruptured and Arm and Hand Shattered

The Western Star, November 9, 1945.
Memorial Shaft Dedication Sunday,
Special Armistice Day Service in Charge of Legion

The Western Star, November 9, 1945.
Family Dinner For Returned Soldier T4 Harvey Myers

The Western Star, November 9, 1945.
Many Veterans Home

The Protection Post, November 16, 1945.
Scotte Hecht Says Typhoons Are Worst;
Was in Several Invasions In the Southwest Pacific

The Western Star, December 21, 1945.
BRONZE STAR AWARD GIVEN POSTHUMOUSLY
Presentation Made Sunday to Parents of T 4 Robt. L. Hough.

The Western Star, March 29, 1946.
SILVER STAR AWARD TO LORIN D. BLISS:
Extreme Bravery in Taking Strong Fortification Recognized.

The Western Star, May 10, 1946.
S. SGT. LEE H. HECHT NOW DECLARED DEAD
Was on 25th Mission Over Nazis When Downed.

The Western Star, September 20, 1946.
IVAN KESSEE, BM1c BROUGHT BACK IN CAST.
Will Need To Undergo Two Serious Operations.

The Western Star, September 20, 1946
STILL SUFFERING FROM SERIOUS WOUND
Pfc. Carl H. Schenk in Hospital With Total Disability

The Western Star , February 7, 1947.
Will Return Bodies of Men Killed Overseas

The Western Star , April 18, 1947.
IVAN KEESEE HAS SERIOUS BACK INJURY.

The Wilmore News, August 20, 1948.
Cpl. William Henry Taves: Last Rites For War Hero

The Western Star, December 2, 1949.
G. Ronald Herd Presented Bronze Star

Five Comanche County men were killed in the invasion: Robert Booth of Wilmore, Johnnie Casteel (formerly of Protection), Howard R. King of Protection, William M. Griffith of Coldwater, Hugh Melrose of Protection, and Melvin V. Park of Protection.

Wilbur Lytle of Coldwater landed at Normandy and later won the Silver Star. Twin brothers, Lloyd & Floyd Malone, of Coldwater, landed together at Normandy as part of the 9th Cavalry Divison. Bill Robbins of Coldwater, a paratrooper, was captured on D-Day of the Normandy Invasion and spent the rest of the war in a German POW camp. S.Sgt. Eugene Bill Chance earned 5 Battle Stars while serving in the Normany Invasion and other campaigns, then was shot to death in Colorado in 1948 for joking with a service station owner about his moustache.

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Also see:

Comanche County, Kansas, World War II Army Enlistment Records

Comanche County, Kansas, World War II Army Enlistment Records - Reserve Corps

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Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news articles to this web site!