Having just celebrated Memorial Day in Cheboygan County, I wanted to focus the next few columns on a colossal list of our World War II veterans I recently received from Raymond Olson.
Raymond is brother to the late Ellis Olson, our county’s famed historian (and mayor) who discovered the original site of the Mill Creek sawmill, an 18th century sawmill between Cheboygan and Mackinaw City. The mill supplied lumber for the British to build up Mackinac Island.
Raymond’s list records the names of more than 1,250 men and women from our county who served during the war.
I was stunned!
On a somber note, Raymond wrote, “Lest we forget that this country was preserved by their selfless sacrifices, and it is the home of the free and the brave. This roster from our small, rural community reminds us of that ‘all gave some and some gave all.’”
I want to begin by sharing the names of some of our soldiers who were classified as “Killed in Action” during the war.
Tragically, their deaths robbed them of the joys of living in the north, enjoying the beauty and, in many cases, the joy of raising a family. Let us always honor their sacrifices.
1. Pvt. First Class Technician 4 (Sergeant) Gerald Amick, US Army (Cheboygan)
2. Myron Baier, U.S Marine Corps (Cheboygan)
3. Sergeant Arthur Bertagmon, US Army Air Force
4. Pvt. Richard C. Bills, U.S Army (Onaway)
5. Staff Sergeant Kenneth Bonsecours, US Army Air Force (Cheboygan)
6. Ralph G. Cantile, US Army (Cheboygan)
7. Pvt. First Class Frank Capoletti, U.S Marine Corps
8. Pvt. First Class John Carroll, died of wounds, US Army
9. Clifton H. Cochran, US Army (Indian River)
10. Paul Congleton, US Marine Corps. (Presque Isle)
11. Glenn R. Corrion, US Army
12. Pvt. First Class Richard Cunningham, US Marine Corps
13. Second Lieutenant Robert Bigby, died of wounds, US Army Air Force
14. Cpl. Edward Dodge, US Army
15. Pvt. Oswald Donavan, US Army, died of wounds, (Black River)
16. Cpl. Lowell Douglas, US Army (Hebron Township)
17. Pvt. First Class Lawrence Fleury, US Navy
18. Cpl. Robert George, US Army (Nunda Township)
19. Pvt. James Glen, US Army (Cheboygan)
Special Medals and Honors
Distinguished Flying Cross: Sergeant Arthur Bertagmon and Staff Sergeant Fred Crowner, US Army Air Force.
Bronze Star: Cpl. Earl Allaire, US Army (Aloha); Pvt. First Class Cecil Baker, US Army (Aloha); Sgt. Carl Charboneau, US Army; Sergeant First Class, Bernard Clark, US Army, (Cheboygan); Carl Ceadick, US Army (Wolverine); John Derry (Cheboygan) Pvt. First Class Raymond Douglas, US Army (Hebron); Sgt. Joseph Fleury, US Army; Cpl. James Gardiner, US Army, (Indian River); Tech. Sgt. Edward Gauthier, US Army (Cheboygan).
Distinguished Service Medal: Pvt. Clinton Bowman, US Army (Mackinaw City); Phillip Bellrose (Cheboygan); and Joseph Javis (Cheboygan).
Distinguished Navy Service Medal: Second Lieutenant Forest Carl, US Army Air Force
Silver Star: Pvt. First Class Cecil Baker, US Army (Aloha)
Oak Leaf Cluster: Lt. Joseph Bilitzke, US Army Air Force (Cheboygan)
Air Medal: Lt. Joseph Bilitzke US Air Force (Cheboygan); Staff Sgt. Raymond Dowell US Army Air Force (Munro Township) and Staff Sgt. Edwin Fause, US Army Air Force (Grant Township).
Missing in Action: Cpl. Robert Conklin, US Army (recovered) and Sgt. Robert Ferguson, US Army Air Force (Benton Township).
Prisoners of War
1. Pvt. First Class Cecil Baker, US Army
2. Tech Sgt. Francis Debski, US Army Air Force
3. Cpl. John Defrain
4. Cpl. Arnold Ellenger, US Army
5. Sgt. Joseph Fleury US Army
6. Jack Gauthier, Royal Rifles (Victory Ribbon)
I will write more about our courageous servicemen from Cheboygan County in WW2 in
future columns.