BRICK TOWNSHIP — Last year, William J. Duffy of Brick Township VFW Post No. 8867 compiled brief biographies to honor the “Brick boys who went off to war and did not come home,” from the Civil War, to Iraq.
Since then, Mr. Duffy has expanded the list to include fallen heroes from other communities, including Bay Head, Brick, Point Beach, Point Boro, Mantoloking and Lavallette. It has been shared with The Ocean Star for publication. [Related stories pages X and XX.]
WORLD WAR I
Bonnell, Edward C., U.S. Army, Private, Company L, 107th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division (Bay Head)
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Bonnell died on October 1, 1918, caused by wounds received on the battlefield in France. While moving between trenches, he was wounded by enemy fire on Sept. 29, 1918, passing the following day.
Clifton, Joseph J., U.S. Army, Private, Company M, 311th Infantry, 78th Infantry Division (Point Pleasant Boro)
Mr. Clifton died on Oct. 28, 1918, while fighting in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France.
Crane, Charles L., U.S. Army, Private, Company 12, Third Training Brigade, 154th Depot Brigade (Bay Head)
Mr. Crane died in the line of duty from typhoid fever at Camp Meade on Oct. 6, 1918.
Kurmin, Adolph, U.S. Army, Company M, 315th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division (Lavallette)
Mr. Kurmin died on Sept. 26, 1918 while combating enemy German forces in France during World War I.
Miller, Charles, U.S. Army, Private, Co. D, 148th Infantry, 37 Infantry Division. (Brick)
This fallen hero was killed in action on Sept. 28, 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Newbury, Reginald Spofford, U.S. Army Ambulance Service, Section 524 (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Newbury died on Jan, 13, 1918 while in service during World War I.
Petrie, Maitland Bertram, U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Barracks (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Petrie died on Jan, 26 1919, in service not in the line of duty but in a murder-suicide during World War I. His uncle fired a shot at him and his wife before turning the gun on himself. According to the family, the motive was attributed to the uncle’s mind as being “unbalanced” by his struggle to decide whether or not to join the war effort.
WORLD WAR II
Beecroft, John P., U.S. Army Air Corps, Technical Sergeant, 90th Bomb Group, 320th Squadron (Point Pleasant Boro)
John P. Beecroft, brother of Mr. Lawrence W. Beecroft, was presumed dead on July 19, 1945, when he and his crew of nine were declared missing in action during a mission over New Guinea while experiencing bad weather conditions. He died in New Guinea on Dec. 18, 1942.
Beecroft, Lawrence W., U.S. Army Air Corps, Sergeant, 869th Bomber Squadron, 497th Bomber Group (Point Pleasant Boro)
Lawrence W. Beecroft, brother of Mr. John P. Beecroft, was taken as prisoner on June 1, 1945, during a bombing mission over Osaka, Japan. He was later killed on July 21, 1945.
Bloom, Harry S., U.S. Army, Sergeant, First Battalion, 22nd Infantry, Fourth Division (Lavallette)
Mr. Bloom died on Aug. 28, 1944, when he was killed in the line of duty in France. This fallen hero is buried at the Epinal American Cemetery in Lorraine, France.
Cafarelli, Robert M., U.S. Army, Corporal, Ninth Army Information and Historical Division (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Cafarelli died on Jan. 10, 1945, while fighting in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.
Carleton, John R., U.S. Army, Private First Class, Company G, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division (Point Pleasant Boro)
Mr. Carleton died on Feb. 27, 1945, during Operation Grenade, and was killed after crossing the Roer River into Germany.
Feimster, Frank D., U.S. Marine Corps, Private First Class, Company D, Second Battalion, 29th Marines, Sixth Marine Division (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Feimster died on May 19, 1945, at the Battle of Sugarloaf Hill on Okinawa Island.
Fleming, William L., U.S. Marine Corps, Sergeant, Fourth Marine Division (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Fleming died on March 4, 1945, while in battle during Operation Detachment on the island of Iwo Jima.
Folsom, Robert H., U.S. Army Air Corps, Staff Sergeant, 844th Engineer Aviation Battalion (Brick)
Mr. Folsom died on June 16, 1945, due to a kidney infection at the Halloran General Army Hospital in Staten Island, New York.
Forsyth, Chester A., U.S. Army, Corporal, Battery C, 429th Coast Artillery (Bay Head)
Mr. Forsyth died while in service on Nov. 23, 1944.
Greubel, Joseph F., U.S. Army, Technical Sergeant, 16th Infantry Regiment, First Infantry Division (Point Pleasant Boro)
Mr. Greubel died on Aug. 7, 1944, during battle in France.
Hankins, Percy C., U.S. Army, Private, 46th Field Hospital Medical Unit (Point Pleasant Boro)
Mr. Hankins died on Jan. 14, 1945, while fighting the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium.
Henriksen, Max T., U.S. Navy, Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Henriksen died on March 1, 1942, when a ship he was aboard was attacked by Japanese air forces while serving World War II.
Hey, William Austin., U.S. Army, Tank Commander, 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, First Army (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Hey died on Jan. 7, 1945 while combating enemy German forces near Saart, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Hill, Hugh Winmill., U.S. Army Air Corps, MOS-Bombardier, 32nd Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomber Group (Mantoloking)
Mr. Hill died on May 25, 1944 while flying over Italy. Mr. Hill was aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress, returning from a bombing mission over France, when his B-17 collided in mid-air with another B-17, approximately 20 miles from their base at Lucera Aidrome.
Kieb, Jr., Norman Hudson, U.S. Navy, Aircraft Pilot (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Kieb, Jr. died on Jan. 28, 1942 when his plane crashed into the sea, somewhere in the North Atlantic Ocean. Mr. Kieb was returning from submarine scout patrol duty while aboard the USS Wasp (CV-7). After a thorough search, Mr. Kiev’s body is believed to have sunk with his plane and was never recovered.
Miller, Charles Richard, U.S. Army, Company L, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32 Infantry Division (Point Pleasant Boro)
Mr. Miller died on Nov. 26, 1944, while combating hostile enemy Japanese forces on Leyte Island, Philippine Island during World War II.
Morris Jr., Robert W., U.S Navy Pilot, Patrol Squadron 44 (Point Pleasant Boro)
Mr. Morris Jr. died in service on Oct. 24, 1943, of wounds received in late September of 1943, while piloting a night landing on Oakland Bay, California.
O’Connor, Joseph, U.S. Army Air Corps, 441st Troop Carrier Group, 9th Armored Division (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. O’Connor died on Sept. 17, 1944, while piloting a Douglas C-47 Skytrain airplane, towing Army gliders full of paratroopers during Operation Market Garden over Holland during World War II.
Osborn, Isaac John, U.S. Navy PBY Catalina Pilot, Patrol Squadron 34 (Lavallette)
Mr. Osborn went missing in action and became a prisoner of war, when his plane was damaged by Japanese enemy force. After the war and based on interviews of fellow POWs, it was determined that Osborn and the other crew members were escorted out of the camp blindfolded and handcuffed, and he was never seen again. His official classification, to this day, is “executed/missing in action.”
Solomon, Charles, U.S. Army, First Cavalry Division (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Solomon died on Feb. 1, 1945, while combating Japanese enemy forces in Manila, Luzon Island in the Philippines during World War II.
Townley, John Holmes, U.S. Army, Lieutenant, MOS-Artillery Liaison Pilot, 231st Field Artillery Battery, 6th Armored Division (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Townley was killed in action in France during World War II.
KOREA
Berg, William H., Jr., U.S. Army, Company F, 23rd Infantry Division (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Berg, Jr. was killed in action during the Korean War on March 8, 1951. He was awarded the Silver Star following his death.
Gavio, Martin J., U.S. Army, Lieutenant, Second Platoon Leader, Heavy Tank Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, Seventh Infantry Division (Lavallette)
Mr. Gavio died on Feb. 15, 1952, due to wounds received fighting in North Korea.
VIETNAM
Crouter, Robert, U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant, Co. D, 2nd Signal Group, 1st Signal Brigade (Brick)
Mr. Crouter died on May 20, 1968, as a result of non-hostile action, when he was in a motor vehicle accident while serving in Vietnam.
Dege, Raymond, U.S. Army, Specialist Fourth Class, 149th Maintenance Company, 62nd Maintenance Battalion (Brick)
Mr. Dege died on May 7, 1970 as a result of non-hostile action, when he was in a military vehicle while on a military mission while serving in Vietnam.
Harger, Don R., U.S. Army, Warrant Officer One, 18th Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation Battalion (Brick)
Mr. Harger died on Aug. 17, 1967, as a result of non-hostile action, when he was a copilot of a military aircraft, which departed on a mission and did not reach its destination while serving in Vietnam.
Hayes, Jeremiah M., Jr., U.S. Army, Specialist Five, Battery A, First Battalion, 30th Artillery, First Cavalry Division (Bay Head)
Mr. Hayes died on Aug. 12, 1969, while serving in Vietnam in Tay Ninh Province.
Lamberson, Carl, Jr., U.S. Army, First Lieutenant, E Co., 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 199th Infantry Brigade (Brick)
Mr. Lamberson died on July 2, 1969, as a result of non-hostile action when, as a platoon leader, he was given a mission to rescue a helicopter crew that had crashed near a river while serving in Vietnam.
Lospinuso, James, U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant, E Co., 20th Infantry (Brick)
Mr. Lospinuso died on Jan. 10, 1972, as a result of non-hostile action during his second tour of duty in Vietnam.
Marshall, Donald, U.S. Marine Corps, Lance Corporal, H/S Co., Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Brick)
Mr. Marshall died on Sept. 8, 1967, when he was killed in action by enemy rifle fire. This fallen hero is buried at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Toms River.
McKenna, Abdul, U.S. Army, Infantry Division Airborne qualified, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Point Pleasant Boro)
Mr. McKenna died on March 20, 1966, in Vietnam while combating enemy forces.
Nash, James, U.S. Marine Corps, Private First Class, L Co., Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Brick)
Mr. Nash died on July 24, 1966, when he was killed in action while engaging with enemy forces.
Nichols, Richard A., U.S. Army, HHC Company, 160th Signal Group, 69th Signal Battalion (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Nichols died on Nov. 21, 1968 from non-hostile action while serving in Gia Dinh, Vietnam when he was accidentally electrocuted while working on electrical lines.
Pollen, George John, U.S. Air Force, 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force (Lavallette)
Mr. Pollen was declared as missing in action on April 29, 1967 while serving in Vietnam, 31 miles southwest of Hanoi.
Ram, Cornelius, U.S. Marine Corps, Major, H/S Co., Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Brick)
Mr. Ram died on Jan. 10, 1971, when he was killed in action while coming to the aid of fellow Marines engaged against enemy forces.
Skinner, Donald Alvah, U.S. Army, 2nd Platoon, Company C, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 196th Infantry Brigade (Lavallette)
Mr. Skinner died on May 23, 1967, while combating hostile enemy forces during the Vietnam War.
Wood, Robert Helm, U.S. Marine Corps, H/S Company, 3rd MPBN, 1st Force Service Regiment, III MAF (Point Pleasant Beach)
Mr. Wood died April 9, 1968, while on patrol as a result of hostile enemy action while serving in Vietnam.
Yohn, Thomas, U.S. Army, Private First Class, Headquarters Co., First Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division [Screaming Eagles] (Brick)
Mr. Yohn died on June 8, 1966, when he was killed in action while engaged against enemy forces in a hostile ground action.
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Check out our other Brick Township stories, updated daily. And remember to pick up a copy of The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Subscribe today! If you're not already an annual subscriber to The Ocean Star, get your subscription today! For just $34 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
 2x2.jpg)
