After research found that Granite County had fourteen Patriots lost in World War II, I found an article in the April 15 1949 Philipsburg Mail stating that Clifford O’Brian’s body had just arrived in San Francisco. His mother Mary O’Brian of Hamilton had received word that the body will be cremated in San Francisco and then the remains will be returned to her. Obviously the reason Clifford was not listed as a Granite County loss was because his mother had moved. Clifford a Seaman First Class in the US Navy was killed in action in the Southwest Pacific on December 2, 1943. He had been drafted from Philipsburg in April 1943 and received his basic training at Farragut, Idaho and then assigned to the Pacific Fleet. Born in Wallace Idaho in 1922 he came to Philipsburg with his mother Mary O’Brian as a young boy and attended the local schools. Before being drafted he had worked as a miner. I will not be surprised if I find more Patriots lost while continuing my research.
In the same Philipsburg Mail in 1949 was the article describing the details of the return of Harvey Grant Edwards body. His funeral was scheduled for April 18th at the Wilson Funeral Home. Grant was the son of the late C.C. Edwards of East Fork and Mrs. Albertina (Miller) Gifford of Parkerville. He was killed in the invasion of Siapan on June 20, 1944 and was buried in a military cemetery in the Pacific area. His body had arrived in San Francisco in February according to a telegram received by his brother Bill Edwards. Grant was born August 27, 1919 in Philipsburg. He graduated from Granite County High School in 1938. As evidenced by the above two articles the War funerals continued long after the fighting ceased.
Gordon Spunich, a local native wrote a wonderful article in the October 28, 2010 Philipsburg Mail about William Cuthbert, another of our lost patriots. Gordon’s daughter Lacey had been able to visit her uncle William’s grave at the Normandy Beach cemetery in France. Gordon had married Jill Beck a niece of William and heard all the war stories which he chose to research. The original story was that Bill had been killed in a bombing run over France on April 20, 1944. The family received Western Union telegrams confirming his status as Missing in Action and finally as Killed in Action. After many months the Army Air Force finally confirmed on August 9, 1948 that his body had been positively identified through forensic tests on a previously unidentified body. The body had been severely broken and re-buried at two separate locations before the final ID. The family was given the option of either having the body sent home at government expense or being buried in France. Bill’s parents (William and Blanche) made the determination and William responded in longhand “It is my belief that my son would want to be buried where he fell. After his body is moved to a permanent location (I) would like very much if I could be furnished with a photograph of his cross with his name on it.” (December 12, 1948) The photograph was never delivered. Gordon requested and received Bill’s military files and learned that he had died a hero trying to save his crew member and friend, the nose gunner.
Bill was born in Alaska on May 9, 1919 and the Cuthbert family moved to Drummond in October 1929. Bill graduated from the Drummond High School in 1938 and joined the Army Air Force on February 1, 1941. He received training as a navigator and was a Second Lieutenant. He married Greta Vanderlan while in training and she gave birth to a baby boy on October 13, 1943. Bill never met his son and was shipped out to England with the Eighth Air Force in December 1943. Bill was awarded a Purple Heart and an Air Medal for his heroism and sacrifice. (refer to William's Photograph in the previous post)
The first patriot to fall from Granite county was Joseph Henry “Toby Joe” Marling a Seaman Second class USN, who was aboard the U.S.S. Arizona, on December 7, 1941. He was also the first person from the state of Montana to lose his life in World War II. Joe’s picture hung in the “Club Bar” for many years and Michael Stafford, Editor of the Philipsburg Mail in 2009, wrote an article on December 10th about residents recollections of Joe and the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. Michael unfortunately mis-spelled Joe's name as Marlin. Joe’s mother was Mrs. Hazel Flansburg of Philipsburg. Joe was born in Missoula, Montana on July 26. 1923. He was eighteen years old when he became memorialized at the Honolulu, Hawaii Pearl Harbor Memorial Site.
The November 23, 1945 Philipsburg Mail’s Headline:” The Air Medal Awarded Posthumously to Lt. Ralph Williams” carrying the story of another Patriot who was (and according to his headstone still is) Missing in Action. Ralph was the first born to Ralph and Susie (McDonald) Williams on May 13, 1917. Ralph graduated with honors from Granite County High school after being a star Basket Ball player. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in July of 1941 at Seattle. He was sent to Ellington Field, Texas for ground training. Then in April 1942, Ralph graduated from the Army Air Force Technical School at Kessler Field, Mississippi. He then served as an instructor at the Midland Advanced Flying School in Midland, Texas. Ralph was accepted as an Aviation Cadet in September 1942 and received his Silver Wings and officer’s commission at Altus, Oklahoma May 24, 1943. He was sent to the European Theater in September after a furlough where he visited his family in Philipsburg.
A letter from the War Department reported him Missing in Action on February 3, 1944. At that time he was a co-pilot on an unnamed bomber. In March of 1944, Ralph’s mother, Mrs. Susie McDonald Williams “had received The Purple Heart Medal, awarded posthumously as a tangible expression of the county’s gratitude for his gallantry and devotion”. Extensive research has failed to produce a picture of Ralph.
Henry Luthje, the son of Hans and Margaretha (Bohrnsen) Luthje, born May 6, 1910 was drafted at the age of thirty-one into the U.S. Army in March of 1941. His younger brother John had been drafted earlier and had a “nervous breakdown” due to the overwhelming number of people surrounding him. Having grown up isolated on Upper Willow Creek and attending small one room school houses he just could not accept the change in living situation. Because of the War Department rules of at least one male from every family being drafted, Henry became next in line because he was still single.
In Anne D. Luthje’s book “Upper Willow Creek’ there are a number of letters written by Henry to Jennie Klaver while he was in training and overseas that show a great fondness between the two. When Henry came home on furlough in January 1944 he and Jennie were engaged. The last letter published in Anne’s book is dated December 4, 1944 from Henry to Jennie and the Luthje family received the dreaded visit from the Granite County Sheriff later that month. On December 12, 1944 the young man affectionately known as “Hen” had been killed in “The Battle of the Bulge”. Unable to return his body home he was buried in the Netherlands. Henry’s headstone in the Philipsburg Cemetery states” U.S. 5th Armd. Div. Co. C 15th INF. BN. Buried in Holland”.
A family by the name of Eakhorn adopted Henry’s grave in Holland.
Another family on Upper Willow Creek was most anxious when they heard of Henry’s death as they also had a son they had not heard from for a long period of time who was serving in India.
Peter Mungas, the son of Mary and George (Zatesalo) Mungas was born in Anaconda on November 18 , 1924. He attended the rural schools on Willow and Rock Creek and then High School in Thompson Falls. Peter then returned to the ranch on Willow Creek to help his father with the ranch. Peter was inducted into the service on March 23, 1944 and went into the Medical Corp. He attended basic training at Camp Barkley, Texas and then Fitzsimmons Hospital in Denver and Bushnell General Hospital in Brigham, Utah. He was assigned to the 66th Field hospital and transferred to Camp Swift, Texas. From there he was sent over seas in February 1945.
The July 27, 1945 Philipsburg Mail carried the headlines: Pfc Peter Mungas Dies in Burma”. Peter had been serving the Medical Corp in India and their unit was moving to China via the Burma Road. Peter was driving one of the trucks and on July 4, 1944, during bivouac Peter was under the vehicle greasing it. He asked a buddy to engage the starter while the vehicle was in gear in order to move the truck slightly forward. The friend accidently started the vehicle and the front wheel rolled over Peter’s chest. He died enroute to the hospital. The Honor Guard accompanied Peter’s body home and stayed with the family while funeral arrangements were made, carried out and burial accomplished in the Philipsburg Cemetery.
Upper Willow Creek was now grieving the loss of two brave young men.
Peter Mungas
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