WW11 Soldiers from Hartford Michigan

1939 « World War II » 1945
H - L A - G H - L M - S T - Z
Killed in Action Wounded in Action POW/MIA Died during active duty + Contracted disease-illness-disability during service
Hadley, Elmer Eugene "Gene" US Army b 9-16-1922 Berrien Springs MI d 9-17-2000 Zephyrhills FL Age 78y, 3d Buried at North Shore Memorial Gardens Hagar Shores MI In service 19__ to 19__ Served in the Philippines Member of Hartford Fire Department for 35 years, Assistant Fire Chief for 19 years, Member of Hartford Ambulance Service for 9 years, Hartford Councilman for 8 years			Haight, George S. US Air Force b 2-20-1924 d 1/1/1968 Age 43y, 10m, 12d (exact DAY of death not certain) Served in Marina Islands Serving 19__ to 19__ From Hartford MI HHS Class of 1941 Letter to Home 1945
	Hall, George S. US Army In Service 19__ to 19__ Ft. Knox KY From Keeler MI Photo submitted by Robert Hall, brother of George Hall, 4-22-2003 Be sure to check out the photo of some of the "Keeler Boys"		Hallgren, Roger US Army - Signal Corps Technician 4th Class In service 1945-1947 Stationed in Italy From Norway, MI Norway High School Class of 1945 History, Physical Education Teacher and Girls Basketball Coach at Hartford High School for several years. Moved to Hartford in 1952
Hand, Keith A. b 7-4-1922 d10-26-2007 Berrien Center MI Age 85y, 3m, 24d Buried at North Shore Memorial Gardens Coloma MI In service 19__ to 19__ Married Dorothy Geisler in Chelsea MI Son of James & Cassie Hand Retired as Laundry Engineer from Whirlpool Corporation Last residence Hartford MI	Helweg, Otto US Navy - Commander In service 19__- 1946 Served in WW1 and WW11 Earned 15 battle stars, 14 in the Pacific and 1 in the invasion of Sicily. Nine of the ribbons he earned during the first 3 years of the war. Helweg's last battle action in the war was aboard the carrier San Jacinto which engaged in one of the final heavy strikes against the Japanese home islands. Former Commander of the Stoddard post of the American Legion of Hartford 1945 article with Ernie Pyle, War Correspondent. HHS Class of 19__		Hogue, Fred Killed in Action In service 19__ to 19__ See WW11 Memorial HHS Class of 19__
Hollar, Raymond D.			Hubbard Jr., Ralph US Army - Captain Served in the field artillery in Italy, France, and Germany. In service 19__ to 19__ HHS Class of 1936 Two setters to Home 1944, 1945
US Army Supply Clerk - Tec/5 132nd Signal Co. 42nd Rainbow Division b 3-19-1915 d 6-5-1999 Nappanee IN Kalamazoo MI Age 84y, 2m, 19d Buried at Sumnerville Cemetery Pokagon Twp MI In service 8-27-1943 to 1-8-1946 Served at Rhineland, Central Europe Awards and Medals » American Theater Ribbon » EAME Theatre Ribbon with 2 bronze stars » Good Conduct Medal » Victory Medal WW11 Son of Joseph and Sylvia (Pippenger) Hollar Married Jannette Cook Lived in Hartford from 1960-1966 and 1982-1992 and in Kalamazoo MI 1996 until his death. He was a former treasurer-financial secretary for Grace United Methodist Church in Niles MI, Paw Paw United Methodist Church in Paw Paw MI, & Hartford United Methodist Church in Hartford. Raymond's sons, Kenneth Hollar and Dennis Hollar served during the Vietnam War. 4-2008 - Information and photo submitted by his daughter, Jean Hollar.
Hunt, Grady Lee US Army b 3-26-1921 d 5-1981 Columbus GA Watervliet MI Age 60 Buried at Keeler Cemetery Keeler MI In Service 19__ to 19__ From Keeler MI (resided in Keeler most of adult life) Information submitted 8-8-2007 by his son, David Lee Hunt	Hurlbut, Charles Hial In service 19__ to 19__ From Hartford MI		Hurt, James
			US Army Corps of Engineers b 5-13-1922 d 1-8-2005 Chicago IL Hartford MI Age 82y, 7m, 29d Buried at Maple Hill Cemetery Hartford MI In service 1942 to 1946 Resided in Hartford MI most of his life. Served in England, France, and Germany James' son-in-law, Bill Williams, served during the Vietnam Era.
Ishoy, Albert (Don) US Navy - Signalman Served aboard the LSM in the Pacific Theater. HHS Class of 1944	Jetzke, Edward Sgt. In service 12-5-1942 to 2-9-1945 Killed in Action while in Germany See WW11 Memorial HHS Class of 19__		Johnson, Allen Dean US Army - Pvt. b 3/19/1924 d 9/27/1990 Age 66y, 6m, 10d Buried at Ft. Custer National Cemetery Augusta MI Plot 11 0 2216 Last residence: Hartford MI
Johnson, Charles Henry Killed in action
See WW11 Memorial Was supposed to have been driving General in a jeep when it exploded from a land mine. Son of Jay Fowler and Adeline (Meachum) Johnson Charles lived his entire life in Hartford. HHS Class of 1937 Information submitted by Virginia (Ginny) Meachum in 2002. Photo from the album of Roy (Bud) Davis.		Lieutenant b 1-15-1920 d 6-4-1944 Age 24y, 4m, 19d Buried in the National Cemetery, Italy. In service 19__ to 6-2-1944 Served in Italy
Hartford Day Spring 7-6-1944 Lt. C.H. Johnson Killed in Action Serving in Italy. First Lieutenant Charles H. Johnson. Hartford soldier, was killed in action in Italy on on June 2, according to a message received from the war department by his father, Jay Johnson, Sunday morning, July 2. The telegram stated: "'We regret to inform you of the death of your son, First Lieutenant C. H. Johnson, who was killed in action in Italy June 2." A letter giving more complete details was expected to arrive in Hartford some time this week. The Hartford soldier, who was serving with a mechanized unit of the fifth army, somewhere in Italy, had written three letters to relatives which were dated June 2. In his last letter to his father, also written June 2, he spoke of plans for contacting Captain Ralph Hubbard. another Hartford serviceman in Italy, but stated that as yet, the two had been unable to see each other. Lt. Johnson entered service April 1, 1943, receiving his initiatory training at Camp Roberts, California. At Fort Benning, Georgia, he was commissioned second lieutenant November 9, 1943, and was then transferred to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he remained until sent overseas. He shipped on February 16, 1944, going first to North Africa, where he remained a few weeks, and thence into Italy. The 24-year-old youth was born in Hartford township January 15, 1920, and attended the Hartford public school for twelve years. After his graduation in 1937, he studied at Michigan State Normal College in Ypsilanti for a year, returning to assist his father in the management of their large farm south of Hartford. until his entrance into military service. Besides his father, he is survived by one sister, Mrs. Jean Matieu of Bridgman. Lt. Johnson was the sixth Hartford serviceman to give his life in the present world conflict. Other Hartford casualties have been Sgt. Robert O. Timmons, who died in a plane crash in Utah; Jay Jordan, who was killed in action in the Pacific while serving with the marines; Fred Hogue, killed in action; Lt. Hartford Kolb, who crashed with his plane off the coast of Florida, and James Stevens. first Hartford serviceman to be listed as a casualty.

Johnson, Frank (Nary) In service 19__ to 19__ HHS Class of 1944	Jordan, Jay US Marines Killed in action at See WW11 Memorial 6-29-1944 Hartford Day Spring A memorial service for Jay Jordan, former popular Hartford high school athlete who was killed a year ago while fighting with the Marines in the Pacific, will be held at the Methodist church in Hartford at 3 o'clock on Sunday, July 9. No previous service for him has been held because Mrs. Jordan, residing in Ypsilanti, was loth to accept the report of her husband's death until a member of his company recently home on furlough visited her and not only confirmed it but supplied the details lacking in the war department's advices. Mrs. Jordan elected to hold the service in Hartford where the dead Marine spent the greater part of his life, instead of in Ypsilanti where he was living at the time of his enlistment. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the American Legion and Auxiliary, Mothers of World War 11 and other patriotic groups, together with the myriad friends of the deceased in this community will be interested in attending this tribute to his memory. The Rev. Wm. E.Goltz will speak. Other details of the service will be announced in the Day Spring next week. HHS Class of 1936		Jordan, Ora Jack US Army Killed in action at Luxemburg on 1/29/1945 See WW11 Memorial HHS Class of 1936
Joyner III, George Edward US Navy b 2-9-1927 Judsonia AR d 7-7-2001 Age 74y, 4m, 29d Buried in Coloma Cemetery Coloma MI Drove Hartford school bus for 7 years.	Karpus, Anthony Killed in action See WW11 Memorial HHS Class of 19__
Kelley, Raymond US Army - Paratrooper Sergeant 82nd Airborne Division			Kelley, Richard US Army
In service 6-1940 - 1945 June 10,1944 captured POW of the Germans. Liberated from a German prison camp 1/31/45. Hartford Day Spring 4-12-1945 Russians Free R. Kelley from Nazi Prison - Paratrooper Back in U.S., Coming Here Liberated by advancing Russian armies, S-Sgt Raymond Kelley, 26, Hartford paratrooper, is on his way home after 10 months in a German prison camp. Completely out of touch since last June with anyone he knew except a fellow prisoner with whom he had trained, Kelley arrived in the United States this week and telephoned Mrs. Charles Hafer, a high school classmate, at Hartford to obtain the address of his father and that of Miss Muriel Van Riper. The Sergeant's father, Harry Kelley, had moved from Hartford to Benton Harbor and then to Niles, where he is now living at the Powell hotel, since Sgt. Kelley was lost in action last June 9. Got Word From Moscow At Ann Arbor, where she is a nurse at University hospital, Miss Van Riper told how reports of Sgt. Kelley's whereabouts were relayed to her by his father. About three weeks ago, she said, the elder Kelley received notice from Moscow that his son had been liberated by Russian troops fighting in Germany. A week later Kelley received a letter which his son had written in Italy. In it Sgt. Kelley said that he was on his way home. Although he was permitted to make only one five-minute telephone call and could not tell his location, Sgt. Kelley is believed to have called Mrs. Hafer from an east coast port, probably Boston, for a shipload of liberated war prisoners arrived there Sunday night.	Received No Mail Sgt. Kelley told Mrs. Hafer that he had received no mail from home since his capture last June. However, cards which he wrote from a prison camp near Kuestrin, Germany, reached Mrs. Van Riper and his father. The sergeant, who was officially listed as missing on June 8 but said he was captured June 10, 1944, told Mrs. Hafer that he was in good health and excited to be back in this country. He declared that he would return to Hartford as soon as possible and would describe some of his experiences then. His last visit here was in May, 1943. Hunger Hinted In the letter which he wrote to his father from Italy, Sgt. Kelley said that he had expected that he could eat voraciously after his liberation, but found when he finally was freed that he could eat only a little at first. Kelley entered service in June 1940. He had been overseas since December 1943. It was last Aug. 4 that his father learned that Sgt. Kelley was missing. A month later he was reported a German prisoner. At the same time he was awarded the bronze star for meritorious service. Landed Before D-Day He was a member of the 82nd airborne division, which landed in Europe by parachute and glider several hours before D-Day. Three hours before the invasion began, the division had captured an important junction. Sgt. Kelley was graduated from Hartford High School in 1936. Two of his brothers are in the service. Sgt. Richard Kelley is with the Army in China and Pat Kelley is a navy gunner's mate in the Pacific. From Hartford HHS Class of 1936
Kelly, Pat US Navy - Gunner's Mate Photo taken just prior to leaving for service HHS Class of 1940	Kesterke, Erwin (Sonny) US Army In service 1945-1946 From Hartford MI HHS Class of 1945		Kiefer, James F. US Army b 8-26-1942 Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian Islands In service 1942-1944 Photo with wife, Elaine Kiefer From Litchfield MI 2002 - Resides in Keeler Mi
			Kime, Ingelow "Joe" Jasper US Navy Chief Warrant Officer b 7-21-1913 d 2-18-2006 Watervliet MI Berrien Springs MI Age 92y, 6m, 31d In service 1941 - 1949 From Hartford HHS Class of 1931 Member of the Ancient Order of the Deep, Crossed the Equator on the USS Henry T. Allen Life longer member of VFW Son of George W. and Esther (Wise) Kime Last residence - Berrien Springs MI
Kime, Russell US Army Infantry b 2-23-1924 d 2-5-2006 Kalamazoo MI St Joseph MI Age 81y, 11m, 15d In service 1942 to 1945 Wounded in action Served in Germany Battle of the Bulge Awards Bronze Star Medal From Hartford MI HHS Class of 1941 Lifetime member of the St. Joseph Elks Club	Kling Davis, Marion L. Cadet Nurses Corp. Completed Nurses Training and received R.N. in 1946, after the war ended. Would have gone into service, probably the Navy, if the war had continued. HHS Class of 1943 from Hartford MI Married Roy "Bud" Davis HHS 1942, who served in the US Army Air Corp.		Knight, Fred US Air Force Buck Sergeant 306 Infantry - 33rd Division In service 9-1942 to 12-1945 Served in the South Pacific. Married to Reva (Buskirk) Knight Retired in 1982 after 20 years as supervisor at DuWel of Hartford. Resides in Hartford MI
Kolb, H. Hartford Killed in Action In service 19__ to 19__ See WW11 Memorial HHS Class of 19__
Lamb, Robert US Air Force - Maj. Ret. In service 194_ -19__ HHS Class of 1938 From Hartford MI	LaMotte, Maiteland Robert
	US Army b 11-26-1918 d 3-22-1998 Hartford MI Tompkinsville KY Age 79y, 3m, 26d Buried at Bowman Cemetery Poplar Log KY (photo above is of Maiteland and Trixie taken on their wedding day in 1944) In service 19__ to 19__ Maiteland painting a picture of Trixie while stationed on the Aleutian Islands while in the Army. From Hartford MI Class of 1938 Professional Photographer for University of Michigan.
	Langston, Andrew US Army - Tec 5 1/2 Track Driver b 19__ d 11/8/1991 Age 66y In service 1944-1946 Luzan, Philippines From Paragould, Arkansas Attended Senath MO High School, class of ? moved to Hartford in 1954 Awards Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon Philippines Independence Ribbon * Army of Occupation Ribbon (Japan) Victory Ribbon 2 Overseas Service Bars Andy is the father of Michael Langston, who served in Vietnam.		Larsen, Aage US Navy - 2nd Class Quartermaster USS Fond Du Lac APA 166 b 2-22-1922 In service 1942 - 1945 Shown with wife, Hildreth Balfour Larsen WHS Class of 1940 From: Watervliet MI Resided in Hartford from 1946-present Aage and Hildreth are the parents of Larry Larsen, who served in Vietnam
Leach, Harold (Jack)			Lee, D. Paul
US Air Force - Pilot 1st Lieutenant b 1-16-1922 d 3-26-1991 Age 69 In service 9-1944 to 10-1945 Awards * Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters * Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with five battle stars * Philippine Liberation Ribbon HHS Class of 1939 From Hartford MI	The Hartford Day Spring 11-8-1945 Harold Jack Leach, former Air Corps, First Lieutenant, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for "extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on March 24." Co-pilot on a Liberator bomber, Leach was discharged from active service three weeks ago, after serving for more than three years. "During this mission,"the citation stated, "Leach and the other members of his crew assisted in destroying enemy troop concentration and ground installations at Naga City, Cebu, at a time when neutralization of enemy positions was most essential to our ground forces in the pending invasion of this island. "Despite the bad weather his formation encountered on the 1600-mile trip, the difficult flying conditions and intense anti-aircraft fire, Leach assisted in keeping his plane in formation until the target was reached. Throughout this mission, which spearheaded the invasion forces' attack, he conducted himself in a resourceful and heroic manner that was in keeping with the highest traditions of the army air forces."		US Army Sergeant 80th Infantry Division In service 9-23-1941 to 19__ Served in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, France. Awards » Combat Infantryman's badge » European Theatre Ribbon with 1 battle star » Presidential Unit Citation » American Theatre Ribbon » Defense Ribbon From Hartford HHS Class of 1941 Paul is a brother to Julia Mary Lee, who also served during WW2. Little girl in the photo is Nancy Dyer Huffman. Photo submitted by William (Bill) Dyer 6/2003
Lee, Julia Mary US Army Nurse Corp. 1st Lieutenant 101st General Hospital b 2/18/1922 d 12/23/1997 Age 75y, 10m, 15d In service 4-1944 to ____ Stationed in England, France, and Germany From Hartford HHS Class of 1940 For many years after military duty, Mary was a Nurse Assistant to Dr. Joseph Conway in Watervliet MI. Mary is the sister to D. Paul Lee, who also served during WW2. Photo submitted by William (Bill) Dyer 6/2003.	Lee, Sally Photographer In service 19__ to 19__ From Hartford HHS Class of 1934		Lewis, Mitchell
			US Army - E3 PFC Utility Repairman b 7-28-1922 d 7-20-1991 Age 68y, 11m, 24d Buried in Maple Hill Cemetery Hartford MI In service 7-17-1943 to 10-30-1945 Wounded in action 25 MAR 45 European Theater Served in Rhineland, Central Europe Medals and Awards » Bronze Star Service Medal » Purple Heart Service Medal » Army Good Conduct Medal » 4 Overseas Service Bars » Presidential Unit Emblem » European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal » WW II Victory Medal » Army of Occupation Medal » Combat Infantry Badge » Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Bar, » Honorable Service Lapel Button WW II with Germany Clasp From Bradley MI Attended Bradley High School. Did not graduate with class, but entered military service. Resided in Hartford 12-1945 to 7-1991 Photo and information submitted 12/17/2003 by his grandson, Terry Ray Dixon, Jr. who also served in the Army
Lightner, Seward (Bubs) In service 19__ to 19__ HHS Class of 1945	Lightner, Keith Hoover Pvt b 6-3-1925 d 8-26-1996 Age 71y, 2m, 25d Buried in Maple Hill Cemetery Section 8 - Lot 5 Hartford MI In service 19__ to 19__		Locke, William Martin US Army - Sergeant b 8-12-1927 d 4-11-2006 Chicago IL Centreville MI Age 78y, 8m, 1d Interment at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery Worth IL In service 19__ to 19__ From Hartford HHS Class of 1946 Son of William Martin and Mary T. O'Day Locke Retired after 32 years as Account Executive at Goodyear Tire & Robber Co. serving in Akron, Memphis and the Chicago areas.
Loomis, Harold Heath US Army Surgical Technician b 6-12-1915 d 2-20-2006 Bangor Twp MI Dowagiac MI Age 90y, 8m, 12d Buried at Ft Custer National Cemetery August MI In service 19__ to 19__ Resided in Bangor MI Attended Webster Hill Grade School Hartford High School Graduate of Panton Beauty College Kalamazoo MI Retired from Watervliet Paper Co. after 24 years of service.	Lutin, Willis US Army Wounded in Action Luxenberg - 1945
Links: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq11-1.htm#anchor2118718 - Casualties on US Ships Hit by Allied Gunfire During WW2 http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/index.html. Very informative site on Revolutionary through Desert Storm Wars and Conflicts of the United States Navy.
This site will change when names and photos become available. Check back often for updates. Please email the webmaster with information about anyone who served in the military and lived in Hartford OR Keeler at any time during their life.