10/17/1943 PFC John Gatti, 1LT Frank E. Smith, Jr., and SGT Carl E. Christensen were killed on 17 October 1943. They were assigned to 236th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Company (Provisional) at the time of their deaths. PFC Gatti, 1LT Smith, and SGT Christensen were killed while rendering safe a British bomb
10/10/1943 Captain Frederick Harrison Dillon was born 23 February 1918 in Utica, New York. After several years employed with Savage Arms of Utica, New York, he enlisted in the Army in February 1941. He was subsequently assigned to Raritan Arsenal, New Jersey upon completing basic training that same year. In
10/10/1943 First Lieutenant Steven “Steve” Todorovich, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 5 May 1917 and resided at 3418 Smallman Street, in the city’s 6th Ward. In April of 1943, First Lieutenant Steven Todorovich deployed with 235th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Company (Provisional)to Oran, Algeria where the unit was assigned to the North African and Italian theater. In October
7/18/1943 1LT Delafield H. Wyckoff was lost at sea and presumed dead on 18 July 1943. At the time of his death 1LT Wyckoff was assigned to 237th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Company (Provisional) and was assigned as the Bomb Disposal Officer for the 37th Infantry Division, which required a disposal officer for
7/13/1943 CGM John H. Baldridge died in line of duty, 13 July 1943 at Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands from asphyxiation by a gas of “undetermined nature” while testing diving equipment. The tank from which Chief Baldridge was breathing was clearly marked oxygen. He was buried at Army-Navy-Marine Cemetary, Guadalcanal.
6/22/1943 S/SGT Edwin T. Walker was killed on 22 June 1943. S/SGT Walker was assigned to the 59th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad. *This bio was researched and authored by SGM Mike R.Vining, USA (Retired). Please send any additional information and/or corrections to the author of this bio by email: sgmmvining@gmail.com. The EOD
6/21/1943 1LT William W. Farris, Jr. and 2LT John A. Randall were killed on 21 June 1943. 1LT Farris was assigned to the 235th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Company and 2LT Randall was assigned to the 1st Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad. They were attempting to render safe an Italian naval sea mine when
6/21/1943 2LT John A. Randall and 1LT William W. Farris, Jr. were killed on 21 June 1943. 2LT Randall was assigned to the 1st Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad and 1LT Farris was assigned to the 235th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Company. They were attempting to render safe an Italian naval sea mine when
6/21/1943 2LT Robert B. Rodger and T/SGT Harry F. Rapp were killed on 21 June 1943. 2LT Rodger and T/SGT Rapp were both assigned to 5th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad (Separate), 707th Ordnance Company, 7th Infantry Division, which was the first bomb disposal unit to participate in an invasion during World War II. The 5th Ordnance Bomb
6/21/1943 T/SGT Harry F. Rapp and 2LT Robert B. Rodger were killed on 21 June 1943. T/SGT Rapp and 2LT Rodger were both assigned to 5th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad (Separate), 707th Ordnance Company, 7th Infantry Division, which was the first bomb disposal unit to participate in an invasion during World War II. The 5th Ordnance Bomb
5/27/1943 Sergeant Ira Wiggins was born 10 March 1919 in Altha, Florida. Sergeant Wiggins enlisted in the Army on 12 February 1942 at Camp Blanding, Florida. Upon graduation from Basic Training Sergeant Wiggins attended Bomb Disposal School in Aberdeen, MD. Sergeant Wiggins was assigned to 2nd Bomb Disposal Squad (Separate). The 2nd Bomb Disposal Squad (Separate) was deployed to North Africa in early 1943 where they conducted several operations with
5/26/1943 Private First Class Laurence C. Paystrup was born on 6 July 1919 in Levan, Utah. Private First Class Paystrup enlisted in the Army on 6 May, 1942 at Fort Douglas, Utah. Private First Class Paystrup attended training at Fort Francis E. Warren (Stockton, California) and Aberdeen Proving Ground before being assigned to the 2nd Bomb Disposal Squad (Separate). The 2nd was
5/15/1943 Private Clinton Earl “C.E.” Mullenix was born 30 January 1923 in Richland Township, Iowa. Private Mullenix studied industrial chemicals at Iowa Wesleyan college and worked as a civilian inspector at the Iowa ordnance plant. Private Mullenix enjoyed sports and spent his free time doing the play by play announcing for
7/19/1942 Lt. Crotty graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1934, and served aboard cutters based out of New York, Seattle, Alaska, and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. In 1941, Lt. Crotty was sent to study at the Navy’s Mine Warfare School, where he became the Coast Guard’s expert on mine
6/11/1942 John M. Howard was born in Chester, PA on Aug. 20, 1917. He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1935 at the age of 17. He was appointed as a Midshipman in November, 1940, and reported for U.S.S. Illinois. Following his commissioning and a brief tour with the
