MIA ID Card Found After 45 Years

The Nutley Sun this week reports the recovery of an ID card of Nutley's Vietnam War MIA Lt. David Dinan III.

From The Nutley Sun: 

Nutley Lt. David Thomas Dinan III's military identification card was recently found by a rescue team, 45 years after his body was left in Laos during the Vietnam War.

"It was just absolutely astounding," John Dinan, David's brother, of Nutley told the Sun. "I never thought they would find anything."

David Dinan, an air force F105S pilot, was killed in action on March 17, 1969, at the age of 25, after his parachute went down in Laos, located near Vietnam during the war. Dinan had been forced to eject from his plane after his jet had been hit by ground fire. He had parachuted into the trees, went crashing down a steep hill and got wrapped in his parachute. Dinan had been a pilot from the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Airbase, Thailand.

- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/nation/45-years-later-nutley-soldier-s-belongings-recovered-1.1041665?page=all#sthash.XuRfa2YX.dpuf

More information about Nutley son Lt. David Dinan III.

C. Bruce Dunthorn

Informed of Son's Death In Action In South Pacific 

C. Bruce Dunthorn, Marine Killed In Cape Gloucester Invasion Mission 

(March 3, 1944) - In a telegram received Wednesday from Lt. General A. A. Vandergriff of the U.S. Marine Corps, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus W. Dunthorn of High Street were informed of the death in action Jan. 15, of their son, Pfc. Cecil Bruce Dunthorn, 22, of the celebrated Fifth Marines.

Two days before they had received a letter from Pfc. Jon La Barbera, one of Bruce's buddies telling them of their son's death while on a mission early in February during the invasion of Cape Gloucester, New Guinea.

Lt. Gen. Vandergriff's wire stated that Bruce was "killed in action in the performance of duty and service of his country."

Pfc. La Barbera wrote: "Before he passed away, Bruce asked me to write home for him. I have known Bruce for two years and we've been through thick and thin. When we lost Bruce, we lost the squad. He was undoubtedly the best. Two boys attempted to bring him to safety but did not succeed. One of the boys was wounded, the other was not hurt." When he returned he would be able to tell the story in detail.

Mr. and Mrs. Dunthorn last heard from their son in a letter written Jan. 24, in which he had asked that some toothpaste be sent to him. Earlier, in reply to a letter from his parents in which they had asked what he would like to have for Christmas, he had written that he wanted "only a handful of snow."

Pfc. Dunthorn, who was a sniper scout, had also taken part in most of the battle of Guadalcanal. He had been left behind in New Caledonia because of a broken wrist, but a few days later managed to stow away on a bomber and joined his unit at Guadalcanal.

He entered into the Marines the day after Pearl Harbor, and trained at Parris Island, S.C., and New River, N.C. His unit left New River in May 1942 for New Zealand where they went through an earthquake a day or two after arrival.

After Guadalcanal, Pfc. Dunthorn was evacuated to Brisbane, Australia, going from there to a town near Melbourne for a short rest. He later went to New Guinea for several months duty there.

On Feb. 4, Mr. and Mrs. Dunthorn had received word that their son had been recommended for the Navy V-12 training program in this country.

He is a graduate of Nutley high school.

A brother, Lt. Cyrus Dunthorn Jr., 25, is serving with an ordnance ammunition company in the Aleutians. He was graduated from Nutley high school and won a scholarship to Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. He later attended Rutgers university.

Another brother, Gunners Mate s/c Byron Dunthorn, is in the Navy armed guard and is captain of a gun crew on a merchant ship. When he last wrote to his family, he was in Scotland. He is also a graduate of Nutley high school and enlisted on Navy Day.

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Charles Katt

(April 7, 1944) -- Sgt. Charles W. Katt, U. S. Army, died Nov. 27, 1943.

The War department notified Mrs. Aileen Katt of Conover avenue that her husband had gone down on an Allied troop ship -- likely HMT Rohna --  sunk as the direct result of enemy action.

The soldier, who was graduated from Nutley High School, married Eileen Rulison on July 10, 1941, his 20th birthday and they have a year old son, Charles Richard.
He is also survived by his parents Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Katt, and three sisters, the Eleanor, Dorothea and Joan.

Read more about Charles W. Katt and Frederick Comer. 

His son Charles Richard Katt Guttilla was killed in action in Vietnam on Feb. 20, 1967.

Frederick Comer

(January 7, 1944) - Frederick Comer, 38, a private in the 31st Signal Construction Battalion was reported missing in action since Nov. 26.

Pvt. Comer is married to the former Miss Gertrude Miller, daughter of John Miller of 27 Princeton Street. They have a 17-month old son, David.

Pfc. Frederic W. Comer was in the 31st Signal Construction Battalion. He is listed on the Tablets of the Missing, at North Africa American Cemetery, Carthage, Tunisia.

From The Nutley Sun
January 7, 1944
In Different Divisions, Both
Are Casualties On Same Day

See also Charles Katt. 

More information. 

John Del Grosso

(Nov. 12, 1943) -- Marine Master Tech. Sgt. John Del Grosso, of Cleveland Street, U.S.M.S.R., died Nov. 8 in the Naval hospital at Corona, Calif. 

He had been under treatment for pernicious anemia - a blood disease, and in spite of several blood transfusions, succumbed suddenly after a short illness.

With him in California, were his wife, the former Blanche Orlando of Race Street, Nutley, and his sons Jack, 11, and Bob, 9. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Minnie Del Grosso of Newark.

A Marine for four years before the war, and honorably discharged, Del Grosso re-enlisted shortly after Pearl Harbor.

He had learned to fly in Nutley, and hoped for overseas service.

He was stationed, however, at the Naval Air Base at Santiago, Calif., as a technical instructor where he was joined by his family about a year ago.
There was plenty of action even in California, for Sgt. Del Grosso was on flight duty, making repairs and testing planes.

Nutley residents remember John as the Scoutmaster of Troop 7 and a member of the Franklin Reformed church. He was a watchmaker by trade, and for several years had his own business here.

More information.

Stanley Hand

2^nd Lt. Stanley S. Hand, U. S. Army Air Forces, 96th Fighter Squadron, 82^nd Fighter Group, was killed in action on August 13, 1945.

Lt. Hand was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart Medal, WWII Service Lapel Button, WWII Victory Medal.

According to the 82nd Fighter Group history, 2nd Lt. Hand was reported missing in action on Oct. 4, 1943.

He entered the service from New Jersey. His service number is 0-792830.

Lt. Hand is listed as Missing in Action or Buried at Sea on the Tablets of the Missing at North Africa American Cemetery, Carthage, Tunisia.

Richard Van Divort

(Dec. 21, 1945) -- Posthumous awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with one silver cluster and one bronze oak leaf cluster, was made yesterday to Capt. Richard Van Divort, son of Mr. and Mrs. S.E. Van Divort, of Oak Ridge Avenue, who was killed on a routine flight over Forestell, Mo., in October 1943.

The captain was a graduate of Nutley High school and Dartmouth college where he was president of his fraternity, Gamma Delta Phi.

More information.

Charles Braun

Charles Braun Was gunner on Bomber Flying from Barksdale Field 

(Sept. 3, 1943) - Mrs. Willis C. Breyfolgle of 134 Rutgers Place, Nutley, was notified yesterday by the War Department her son, Sgt. Charles A. Braun, 19, had died as result of an Army bomber crash Wednesday near Belcher, La.

Sgt. Brawn was stationed at Barksdale Field, Shreveport, La. The Nutley youth enlisted in the Army Air Forced in March 1942. He was born in Newark and had lived in East Orange and Arlington before his family moved to Nutley three years ago.

At Nutley High he played football. Sgt. Braun leaves also a brother William; a sister Marilyn, both of the Nutley address; his step-father, Willis C. Breyfogle, and a half-brother, Cpl. Millard Breyfogle, an Army Air Forces instructor at Orlando, Fla.

His father, William Braun, veteran of World War I, died nine years ago.

Newark News, Sept. 3, 1943
Blue Star Mothers clippings, Nutley Historical Society.

More information.

James Murren

(Jan. 14, 1944) - Sgt. James P. Murren Jr., 19, son of James P. Murren of Woodland Avenue, was killed on Aug. 31 in an aerial collision over the Straights of Dover.

Murren was aboard B-17 named Snooks when it was returning from a mission at Romilly Sur Siene, France, and collided with another B-17.
Sgt. Murren served in the 8th Air Force, 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy. 

 He attended St. Mary's Parochial school. Surviving besides his parents are sisters, Patricia and Carol.

From The Nutley Sun, Jan. 14, 1944

MASS OF REQUIEM
FOR TAIL GUNNER

More information.

Allen Duke

(September 10, 1943) -- Flying Officer Allen T. Duke, Jr., a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, was killed in action overseas on August 17.

He was buried in an Air Force Cemetery in Oxford, England, on Aug. 21.

Duke was born in London, March 3, 1929, and came to this country as a youth and later lived in Nutley.

From The Nutley Sun
September 10, 1943
MEMORIAL FOR ALLEN DUKE JR.
Killed In Action Overseas,
Rites Sunday For Former Resident

More information. 

Warren Marks

(September 3, 1943) -- Midshipman Warren Prime Marks, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Marks of St. Mary's Place, has been killed in action somewhere in the Mediterranean.

Engine cadet Marks and 11 others were killed aboard the Liberty ship Timothy Pickering on July 13, according to the U.S. Merchant Marines.

The  vessel was bombed and sunk by aircraft while anchored at Avola, Sicily.

Warren Marks was born in Nutley on Sept. 20, 1923, attended Nutley schools, graduating from Nutley high school in January 1941. He was a member of the high school dramatic club and took part in the senior play. He was a member of Vincent Methodist church.

Marks has a sister, Annis Jean, and a brother Roger Dow, both living at home.

In a letter sent Aug. 31, 1943, to his surviving sons Pete & Dave serving in the war, Mr. Lyman reports of the death of his son William "Boots" Lyman aboard the Pickering as told to him by survivor Chris Breman:

"... To save you all the time of reading this in order to get to the point, I will tell you now that three of the four are lost and Bill is no doubt one of them ... They were blown to bits in the Port of Siracusa in Sicily taking in troops and supplies to back up our men who had already been landed ... they were put into the Sicily job with plenty of other ships and sailed to their end as I have told you. They had gasoline and TNT in their holds waiting to be unloaded when at about 11:30 a.m., on July 13, two dive bombers came over the high hills with motors shut off and were not seen in time for the ships to open up on them and they planted a good fair sized on the deck and in a second the Pickering blew to bits and there was nothing where she had been ... Bill was on deck getting washed to get on his deck watch at noon and ... he was not seen again. Warren was in the engine room on watch and was never seen again. ... The two planes were knocked down by the other ships a second after ..."

Letter courtesy: Ellen Dester Hayes

More information.

From The Nutley Sun: September 3, 1943- Midshipman Reported Killed In Action In Mediterranean

Percy Shuart

(October 8, 1943) -- A paratrooper in the opening invasion of Sicily, Cpl. Percy W. Shuart, 23, was killed in action there on July 11, his mother, Mrs. Patrick O'Neill, of 154 Whitford Avenue, has learned through the war department.

A subsequent letter from Gen. Marshall informed Mrs. O'Neill that her son had died ''gallantly in action,'' and that she had every reason to be proud of him.

He is also survived by Mrs. Thomas Murin, who resides at the Ambassador apartments on Park avenue.

More information.

From The Nutley Sun

October 8, 1943

CPL P.W.SHUART  
KILLED IN ACTION
Member Of Paratroop Invasion
Of Sicily, There Only A Month