U.S. Army, 1st Division, also awarded: Bronze Medal during operation Cedar Falls with the 1st squadron 4th Calvary of the 1st Infantry Division.

Field Artillery; also awarded European African Middle Easter Campaign ribbon, Bronze battle star & Good Conduct Medal.

Army, Bill Katz was in a mortar platoon of the headquarters company of the 22nd Tank Battalion of the 11th Armored Division. He was in Combat Company Regimental at the front and had been brought in as reinforcement to help stop the German "bulge" across the Seigfriend line. His company was marching from Magerotte (just beyond Neufchateau) to protect the flank of Combat Companies A and C with the objective being for all of them to reach Mande St. Etienne. The CCR was surprised by a German tank battalion hiding behind the ridge just west of Pinsamont. There was sudden mortar fire and everyone ran for cover. Bill Katz dove under his half-track, but shrapnel flew under there as well, slicing into his lungs. Quick action by medics got him out of there and to an army evacuation hospital. The result was a huge "deep valley" type wound that got him sent first to England and then eventually to a recovery hospital in Seattle. He was still in that hospital when the war ended.

Infantry, Co E 101st Inf Regt 26th Div. James was honored with the European African Middle Eastern Theater Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Bronze Service Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Germany Clasp, Combat Infantryman Badge, Honorable Servvice Lapel Button WWII, and Heroic-or-Meritorious Achievement awarded by Presidential Order. He was a scout behind enemy lines. He and his buddy were side by side and they were both hit at the same time, the buddy was blown to pieces. James had a severe shoulder wound, breaking the shoulder blade in two, and destroying a piece of the bone.

Army, Received two purple hearts in World War II, received Good Conduct Medal and the European-African Middle Eastern Service Medal, Keene joined in 1942 and recieved his honorable discharge in June 19, 1945 after injuries. Keene was 29th Division of 116th Infantry.

Gerald Keilers was drafted into the Marine Corps when he was 21 years old. He was in India Company, 3/4, and participated in several operations which resulted in his unit winning its colors back. He was participating in Operation Prarie when he was wounded at close range by a bullet from an M3 "Grease Gun" which impacted the right side of his head. Upon his wounding he was temporarily incapacititated and thrown to the ground. Before the enemy soldier could reload and finish him off, a young Marine named Charles Holgate, previously pinned behind a tree, emerged from cover and killed the enemy soldier saving my father's life.

Army, William Keller was close to 25 years of age when he was stationed in Germany in 1945. (June-December) His hometown was New York city. Was staying in German town of King Mountain during the month of July. Lived in guesthouse called SWAN.

Army, Edward J. Kelly, 82nd Airborne Division, 504 PIR, H Company, "Devils in Baggy Pants was wounded in action for the second time. Originally, wounded during the invasion of Italy, while particpating in the beach assault with the US Rangers. He was in the 3rd Battalion, H Company. Following the fighting in the mountains of Italy his unit returned to join the remainder of the battalion and then particiapted in Operation Market Garden (the Movie A Bridge to Far). His unit cross the river in rafts and afterward his was seriously wounded and crippled from the wounds. He subsequently returned to the US and died from his war wounds in 1951. He is presently buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, PA just outside of Philadelphia. He was married to the late Annabelle Hendrie.

Navy, June 8 1967,thirty-four crewmen were killed and 171 were wounded when the USS Liberty as attacked by Israeli air force planes and torpedo boats in international waters north of Sinai during the Six Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbors.The ship was bombed with napalm, torpedoed and shelled. Captain William L. McGonagle received the Congressional Medal of Honor. The ship also received the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

I was a member of Torpedo Squadron 84 aboard the USS Bunker Hikk - CV17. On April 7, 1945 we sank the largest Japanese battleship in the world, at that time. I was wounded by shrapnel after our release of our torpedo towards the front bow of the Yamato. We flew over the bow and almost immediately was hit with a 40mm shell over the radioman's exit door and I received the wounds to my right arm. I received 5 Air Medals for various combat flights over Tokyo, Okinawa, Kyushu, Iwo Jima, etc.; also 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses plus the Purple Heart. Our carrier was put out of action in May 1945 by being hit with two kamakazies when we received many casualties and damage. Shipmates from the USS Bunker Hill have a yearly reunion. This year we meet in Fort Myers, Florida on Oct. 21-25, 1998.

Army, landed on Omaha Beach 2 days after D-Day. Was wounded twice. Was awarded: a Purple Heart w/Bronze Star and Cluster, African & European Campaign Medals. He died in the early 1990's and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

384th Bombardment group, 547th Squadron, stationed in England. Was shot down while piloting a B-17; was with the French underground for about 6 months before being captured by the Gestapo was imprisoned as a POW for a year; Was liberated by Patton.

A Co., 21st Marines, 3rd Marine Division, was hit in the morning by rifle fire and hit in the afternoon with shell fragments.

Army, Private Kilpatrick was killed while sitting outside of his foxhole due to a German shelling and counter-attack. He was killed as a result of shell blast resulting in multiple wounds to his head, neck and chest area. Private Kilpatrick received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/ 2 Bronze Service Stars, WW II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Belgian Fourragere and also the Honorable Service Lapel Button WW II. Pvt Kilpatrick is buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, plot B row 7, grave 40. Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. He served from June 2, 1944 until his death on March 14, 1945.

306 Bomb Group (H), 8th. Army Air Force, Per "MIGHTY EIGHTH ROLL OF HONOR" B-17, lost 15 May 1943, 306th BG, MACR 15512, crew position: Ball Turret, his grave is at: Plot D. Row 9, Grave 14, Ardennes American Cemetery.

Army, Major Kindig was commanding officer, 121st field artillery battalion, 32nd infantry division; posthumously awarded the legion of merit and purple heart.

George Ben's temporary burial was in Sicily. May 27, 1947 the War Dept. moved his remains to Paestum, Italy. Burial location, United States Military Cemetery, Mt. Soprano, Italy, Plot D, Row 2, Grave #560. He left his parents John and Lena King and two brothers, Glenn and John Jr. and a sister Mary Elizabeth. Both His brothers were serving in the Army at the time he was killed.

My father was shot in the right leg February 14th (during the night) in the Korean war. He was carried by stretcher down the hill by Bob Larson and others. He spent 2 years in Camp Atterberry hospital in Indiana having surgeries and having the wound healed. The wound was a bullet that went straight threw the tibia. He fell into a cold stream that caused the leg to get cold and stopped the bleeding. The resulting surgeries caused problems with my fathers knee because of the casting that was done. He also recieved the bronze star. Prior to the Army he was in the Navy and served on the USS Enterprise. He was also in the Seabee and was stationed on the island of Siapan and they installed all the plumbing on the island of Siapan.

Army, Bronze Star, victory world warII, army good conduct, combat Inf. Award. Was bazzoka operater 79 division 313th infantry, camp John McCabe ant-tank division. He is buried in Lorraine American Cemetery and memorial St. Avold France, Plot A row 25 Grave 10.

Army Air Corps; Air Medal, Pow Medal. My father was in the Army Air Corps and flew missions as a radio/gunner aboard a B-17 and B-26. He was shot down in a B-26 10 aug 1944 bombing German troop concentrations in support of the breakout from Normandy. Severely wounded he was captured by the Germans and spent the remainder of the war in Stalag Luft 1 located near Barth, East Pomerania. After liberation by the Russians, he spent nearly a year in various hospitals stateside recovering from physical as well as psychological wounds.

Marines, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Elton Kirby. Entered service: Nov. 10, 1942. Embarkation: Jan. 1, 1944. Involved in Saipan and Roi Namur. KIA while leading his tank from a coral reef through a lagoon to the beach in the attack on Saipan. Wounded twice in his walk and swim to shore and a third burst killed him as he gained the beach. He gallantly gave his life for his country. Also awarded Navy Cross, Victory Medal, and Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Medal.

Navy, This information comes from the Park City Daily News February 11, 1999. He is all alone now and loney. He lives in government housing today. Ray Kirby recieved two Purple Hearts serving on the two different ships listed above. The USS Savannah saw action in European, Asiatic and Philippine theaters.

Air Force, was wounded by a terrorist bombing at Khobar Towers. Was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal with Valor device for saving six peoples lives following the terrorist attack.

25th Infantry, Entered US Army in 1940, stationed in Pearl Harbor during attack. Active in all Pacific theater activities involving the 25th.

Navy, Mr. Kiskaddon was aboard the USS California when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He survived this attack only to be killed just over a year later in an air attack on his ship. Mr. Kiskaddon's father relayed this information to me just prior to his death and I cannot allow his sons life to be forgotten as he had no wife or children of his own at the time of his death.

Army, 82nd Airborne Division, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, KIA 6 June 1944 (D-Day) in or near Sainte-Mere-Eglise, Normandy, France. He is buried in the American Cemetery near Colleville-sur-Mer, France (Omaha Beach), Plot C, Row 5, Grave 45.

Injury, abrasion of lower left foot. Was in duty at Binh Hung outpost, Coord VQ 847817 when outpost was attacked with mortar fire. Incomming round of mortar exploded near by causing injury. Injury is result of hostile action. Was also awarded Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster) with "V" device.

Obituary printed in the Stevens Point Daily Journal September 19, 1951.

Forrest N. KNICH, 27, Route 3, is First from County to Die

Sgt. 1/cl. Forrest N. Knich, 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Knich, Stevens Point, Route 3, was killed in action in Korea on July 31, 1951, according to word received by his parents from the adjutant general of the army. Sergeant Knich is the first Portage county soldier to be reported killed since the outbreak of the Korean conflict.

Born at Stevens Point on Feb. 28, 1923, he attended St. Casimer's parochial school and the Stoney Ridge school in the town of Hull. After he finished the eighth grade at the latter school, he worked at his father's farm and later was employed by the McDill Lumber company.

A veteran of three years in the army during World war two, including service in the European theatre of operations, he was discharged at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He had attained the grade of technician, fifth grade, and had been awarded the purple heart for wounds received in action in Europe.

Upon his return to Portage county, he was employed again by the McDill Lumber company for a time and then went to Milwaukee, where he re-enlisted in the army in 1948. He was with the occupation forces in Tokyo, Japan, when the fighting broke out in Korea. He had never married.

Besides his parents, Sergeant Knich is survived by one brother, Gregory, at home, and three sisters, Mrs. Stanley Garske, Milwaukee; Mrs. Raymond Kawleski, 413 Washington avenue, and Mrs. Gregory Bemowski, 930 Fifth avenue.

A brother, Conrad, was killed in an auto accident on Aug. 17, 1946, at West Bend, where he was employed.

Army, is now Deceased. Lost leg, metal plate in head (fractured skull) and broken damaged radial bone. Wounded from artillary/motor fire. Was also awarded: EAME Theatre Ribbon with One Bronze Star, American Theatre Ribbon, Victory Medal, Good Conduct Ribbon.

Army, 1st Battalion 504 82nd Airborne. Three combat jumps, including Nijmegen where he participated in the river crossing. Received the Bronze Star.

Anthony Korkuc was killed in action in a B-17G. His position was Ball Turret Gunner. It is believed that this mission was his 16th Combat Mission. His plane crashed in Willmandingen, Germany. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, section 34, plot 1631. He is buried in a group burial along with 3 other crewmates--Earl Wonning, Boyd Burgess, and Dale Schilling. On the mission 6 were killed, and 4 survived.

Marines, Bobby failed the physical for the Marines several times before he finally got in. He was a classmate of mine at Clifton High-Class of 1966, and a very good friend. The small side street next to the High school is named after him, which is kind of fitting as Bobby was a short guy, but the heart of a lion!! I, and the Class of 1966 miss him.

Army, B co. 634th Tank destroyer Bn. 1st Inf. Div. He was in Normandy after the invasion, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and central Europe.

Thank you for you time in keeping memories alive. Other info: *Co. K 28th Infantry, *inducted July 1941, in Europe from 17 Dec 43 to 5 May 45.

Army, All I know is my uncle was killed by land mine during the battle of Normandy and he has a grave marker at Saint James Cemetery in France.

Private Kynoch was a member of the 10th Mountain Division, 85th Regiment, Company I. He was drafted into the Army on May 9, 1944. During the offensive to break out into the Po Valley, he was killed by a sniper. He left a wife and two children: a daughter, Marcia (deceased) and William R.