1st Lt.

Flavelle, Brian Woolley

Born in Caldwell, New Jersey, 1st lt Flavelle boxed while attending Oregon State College, and was apart of the glee club. He graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture in 1938. Afterwards he enlisted into the Army Air Force on 14 Jul 1941 in New Jersey. His Silver Star was earned in the Ploesti raid “Operation Tidal Wave” on 1 Aug 1943 while coming in at treetop level to bomb Romanian Oil Refineries. While serving with the 512th Bomber Squadron 376th Bomber Group he was the lead aircraft for a 7 plane attack.

Fisher, Charles Richard

Born in 1917 in La Grande, Oregon 1st Lt Charles Fisher is the brother of 2nd Lt John Fisher also on this list.  While attending Oregon State College 1st Lt Fisher earned a Bachelors of Science in Forestry. While serving with the Army Air Forces 58th Bomber Squadron 5th Bomber Group he died near Papilou Island Hawaii when he was piloting the Douglas A-20 Havock Aircraft #40-125.  He was survived by his father.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28499367/la_grande_observer/?xid=637

Felts, Loyal Moore

Born in Oregon 1st Lt. Felts attended Oregon Agricultural College from 1934 to 1938 Earning a Bachelors of Science in Science. While serving with the Army Air Forces 423 Bomber Squadron 306th Bomber Group he was shot down 9 Nov 1942 while piloting B-17 Flying Fortress Buno # 41-24491 and was declared to be missing in action. On 1 Dec 1943 he was declared killed in action with his date of death being the day he was shot down. His plane crashed 5 miles north of St. Nazaire, France. He was survived by his parents, and his brother.  

Essman, August John

Born in Stockton, Kansas 1st Lt Essman came to Oregon Agricultural College to study Vocational Education. While serving with the 777th Military Police Battalion, he was shot during the Phoenix’s Thanksgiving Day Riot in Arizona on 26 Nov 1942, three days later he died from complications to the injury. He was survived by his wife, daughter, mother and two brothers.  

Coleman, John Crosland

Born in Oregon, there isn’t much known about 1st Lt John Coleman. He died while serving with the VMSB-142, 12th Marine Air Group, 1st Marine Air Wing, there has been no documentation that states how he lost his life. He was survived by his parents, sister and brother. 1st Lt Crosland’s remains were returned from Papua New Guinea, US Armed Forces Cemetery, Finschhafen No 5 New Guinea and interred at Golden Gate on 4 Feb 1949.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3562381

Christensen, Merle Loring

1st Lt Merle Christensen was born in Oregon and, served with the Army 24th Field Artillery Regiment. He was serving in the Philippines during the fall of Bataan, and was forced along the Bataan Death March as a Prisoner of War to the Japanese. While a prisoner at the Camp #1 Cabanatuan 1-2-3 Nueva Province Luzon Philippines 15-121 POW Camp, he was boarded onto one of the Japanese “Hell Ships”. During WWII the Japanese took transport ships and used them to transport POW’s without labeling the ships as POW Transport ships.

Chivers, Harold Joseph

Born in Portland Oregon, 1st Lt Chivers signed the draft on 16 Oct 1940. While serving with the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, 5th Air Force 1st lt Chivers took off from 7-mile Drome near Port Moresby Papua New Guinea to intercept incoming Japanese fighter near the Port. During the mission his Airacobra  P-39F # 41-7207 was shot down. The Missing Air Crew Report Number is 16440. He was retroactively labeled killed in action on 14 Dec 1945 with his date of death being the day he was shot down. He was survived by his parents.