Shipley continues work on vet list
‘Some gave all’

By Rhonda Westfall

Gordon Shipley’s daunting task of creating a list of all veterans from Clinton County who have lost their lives in all the wars of the United States is continuing – spurred on by the added incentive of the county-wide Veteran’s Memorial that will feature granite slates etched with the names he is collecting.

Shipley’s quest began several years ago when he created a comprehensive list of all county comrades who died in the service of their country during the Vietnam War. He expanded that endeavor last year to include all veterans of all wars.

Shipley's initial effort was printed in the 2003 Memorial Weekend edition of the Clinton County News and DeWitt-Bath Review - prompting numerous responses from relatives and friends of veterans, along with an assortment of additional names.

"I'm very grateful for all the help I’ve received from so many sources – this could not happen without the information provided by the friends and relatives of the veterans," he said. "We’d really like to get a complete a list as possible with as much information as possible for use with the Veteran’s Memorial project."

Shipley is particularly interested in obtaining information like birth dates, places of residency and burial sites for any of the veterans included in the list. Draft copies of the complete list are available at the American Legion Post 153 in St. Johns, VFW Post 4113 in St. Johns and Clinton County DAV.

Persons with additional information on county residents who were killed in any of the nation's wars should call Shipley at (989) 224-4792.

Following are the names of veterans that Shipley is hoping to acquire detailed information about.

World War I

Henry E. Amsbaugh: Delta area, Clinton County

Joseph Esch, Sgt.: Canadian troops, formerly of Westphalia

Linden B. Jenkins: Elsie High School 1916

Maynard Lockwood: North Watertown.

Pearl Tinker: St. Johns.

Albert Viges: Canadian troops, formerly of Olive; Rheubottom School.

World War II

Gilbert Carrasco, PFC. Died: Dec. 25, 1945 in Germany

Stephen J. Cummings. Lived in Elsie area. Died: Dec. 17, 1944 in France

Richard E. Eckert, CPL. Died: April 13, 1945 in Okinawa

Francis Luther Graessle, PVT. Formerly of St. Johns. Died: Dec 25, 1944 in Luxembourg.

Howard Jolly, PFC. Lived in Eureka area. Died: Jan 25, 1945 in France. Buried: Name on Gratiot County Memorial.

Joe Wallace, Jr., PFC. Wife: Margaret Wallace of Mason John. Died: in Germany. Name on Gratiot County Memorial.

John Wrzesinski, PFC. Lived in St. Johns area. Died: in Italy.

Korea

William Clark Jewell, Jr. 

Shipley needs help in filling in new 'blanks' on vet list

By Rhonda Westfall

New names surface - but lots of 'blanks' still remain in Gordon Shipley's on-going project to create a list of all veterans who have lost their lives in all wars of the United States.

The Clinton County native, whose 'impossible quest' began several years ago when he created a comprehensive list of all county comrades who died in the service of their country during the Vietnam War, expanded that endeavor this past year to include all veterans of all wars.

Shipley's initial effort was printed in the Memorial Weekend edition of the Clinton County News and DeWitt-Bath Review - prompting numerous responses from relatives and friends of veterans, along with an assortment of additional names.

"I'm hoping to receive more detailed information on the names that I've added to the lists of the various wars," Shipley said. "Maybe people who see the additional names may have some more information - like birth dates, places of residency, and burial sites."

Draft copies of the complete list are available at the American Legion Post 153 in St. Johns, VFW Post 4113 in St. Johns and Clinton County DAV.

Persons with additional information on county residents who were killed in any of the nation's wars should call Shipley at (989)224-4792.

Following are the names of the additional veterans.

Civil War

Zelotes Avery, Sergt., Bingham.

Francis M. Humastum, Bengal.

Whipple A. Thornton, Bengal.

World War I

William Bishop, PVT. Lived in St. Johns area; Died: Oct 8, 1918 in France

Harvey Black, PVT. Lived in St. Johns; Died: Aug 29, 1918.

Marcus Bowlby, Lived in Ovid area; Died: Oct 9, 1918 in France.

Christian Cook, Jr., Lived in DeWitt area; Died: in France

Gilbert Frank Coty, Died: Oct 5, 1918 in Glasgrow, Scotland.

D. O. Cranston (Dr.?) Lieut. Lived in St. Johns area. Died: Oct 19, 1918 at M.A.C.

Maynard Lockwood, Lived in north Watertown area

John Pung, Lived in Eagle area. Died: Oct 22, 1918.

John P. Schmidt, lived in Westphalia/Eagle area; Died: Oct 12, 1918 in France World War II

World War II

Milton Barrett, PFC. Lived in Maple Rapids/St. Johns. Son of Bernard Barrett, St. Johns. Died: South Pacific.

William Keith Blacker, 1st LT. Lived in Pewamo area. Employed: Jay Egan, St. Johns. Died: Dec. 23, 1944 at Belgium

Lloyd Brainard, T-Sgt Born in Ionia County, lived in Elsie area. Died: Sept 25, 1944 in France

Clay U. Bullis, Capt. Lived in Maple Rapids area

Gilbert Carrasco, PFC. Died: Dee 25, 1945 in Germany

Cecil R. Cooley, Capt. Born: Aug 30, 1903, in St. Johns. Died: Aug. 20, 1945 in Tenn.

Stephen J. Cummings. Lived in Elsie area. Died: Dee 17, 1944 in France

Donald Diller, PVT. Son of M/M Dan Diller. Lived Maple Rapids/St. Johns area. Died: Nov 15, 1944 in France

Richard E. Eckert, CPL. Died: Apr 13, 1945 in Okinawa

Clyde C. Ferguson PFC. Mother, Corda Ferguson, St. Johns. Died: in France

Francis Luther Graessle, PVT. Formerly of St. Johns. Died: Dee 25, 1944 in Luxembourg.

Willis A. Gregory (1st)LT. Elsie High School, 1941. Died: in California. Buried: Fort Calhoun, Neb.

Donald Afred Hansen, PFC. Son of M/M Peter Hanson, St. Johns. Died: July 17, 1944 in France.

Robert C. Harris SGT. Lived Maple Rapids area. Died: in camp accident.

Raymond Horn, CPL. St. Johns High School, 1929. Died: Oct 3, 1944 in France.

Howard Jolly, PFC. Lived in Eureka area. Died: Jan 25, 1945 in France. Buried: Name on Gratiot County Memorial.

Albert J. Kesteloot, PVT. Born: Sept 17, 1923. Died: Sept 19, 1944 in France. Lived in Fowler/St. Johns area.

Gale G. Lapham, LT. Died: June 14, 1944 in France.

Ernie W. Lockwood 1st Class Seaman. Born: 1914. Died: 1945 in South Pacific. Name included on In Memory Of in Eureka Cemetery; Name on Gratiot County Memorial

Bill E. Maloney, Sgt. Son of M/M Martin Maloney. Lived in Ovid area. Died: July 12,1944 in France.

Ronald A. Myers, SSG. Former Clinton County Conservation officer. Died: May 8, V E Day in Czecho-Slovakia.

Frank Perrone, SSgt. Bath High School, 1939. Died: Aug 3, 1944 in Munich.

Gerald C. Robbins, PFC. Son of M/M Charles Robbins. Died: May 15, 1944 in Central Pacific.

Roger Rutter, PVT. Lived in Bath area. Died: Sept 18, 1944 in France.

James C. Sandborn, PVT. Son of M/M William Sandborn. Lived in Hubbardston area. Died: Aug 5, 1944 in France

Joe Wallace, Jr., PFC. Wife: Margaret Wallace of Mason John. Died: in Germany. Name on Gratiot County Memorial.

John Wrzesinski, PFC. Lived in St. Johns area. Died: in Italy.