Leicester, Massachusetts Roll of Honor
Leicester, Massachusetts Roll of Honor
This Honor Roll totals 102 men that can be documented in some way who died in military service from 1745 – 2008. Their ages span from 15 – 55 years old when they died. There is one grandfather/grandson pair, one father/son pair, four sets of brothers, several cousins, and nephew/uncle pairs.
These men were from the following service branches, 1 from the U.S. Navy, 7 from the U.S. Marines Corps, 10 airmen from the U.S. Army Air Corps, U.S. Army Air Force, U.S. Air Force, and U. S. Army and 84 were soldiers from the Massachusetts Militia, Continental Army, or U.S. Army.
Of these men, eighteen are buried in National Cemeteries, eight are buried overseas at U.S. Military Cemeteries, thirty-six are buried in family plots all in Massachusetts, forty lay buried in graves that are marked “Unknown” or in graves totally lost to history. One is officially listed as Missing in Action with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, four were lost at sea, and one is mis-buried in Ireland, his marked grave in France has another soldier with the same name mis-buried there in that plot. Four have their names inscribed on Tablets of the Missing or Buried at Sea at different U.S. Military Cemeteries and Memorials.
King George’s War
December 16, 1740 – October 18, 1748
Private James Smith, Sr. Massachusetts Militia
Died, between May 1745 and June 1746, Louisbourg Expedition, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, age about 38, Grave Unknown.
The French and Indian War
May 28, 1754 – February 10, 1763
Private James Smith, Jr., Massachusetts Militia
Died, between September and December 1755, 1755 Crown Point Expedition, Lake George, New York, age 28, grave unknown
Private John Presson, Massachusetts Militia
Killed or Missing in Action, 1756, 1756 Crown Point Expedition, Lake George, New York, age 18, Grave Unknown
Private John Earle, Massachusetts Militia
Died of disease, smallpox, November 25, 1760, age 20, Leicester, Massachusetts
Friends Cemetery, Leicester
The Revolutionary War
April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783
(All casualties Continental Army unless noted)
Private Jonathan Sargent III
Wound in Action, died enroute home from Cambridge between October and December 1775, age 24, Grave Unknown
Fifer Elijah Green
Died, December 25, 1775, Roxbury, Massachusetts, age 15.
Grave Unknown.
Private Phinehas Sargent, Massachusetts Militia
Died, January 1776, Leicester, Massachusetts, age 29.
Grave Unknown.
Private Phinehas Green, Massachusetts Militia
Died of illness, February 22, 1776, Leicester, Massachusetts, age 47.
Grave Unknown.
Private William Brown
Died of wounds and fever in hospital August 27 or 29, 1776, New York City, age 18.
Grave Unknown
Private Perley Brown
Killed in Action, October 28, 1776, Battle of White Plains, New York, age 39.
Buried on the battlefield, Grave Unknown
Doctor John Honeywood
Died, November 1776, Fort Ticonderoga, New York, age about 45.
Grave Unknown
Private Timothy Earle
Died, while enroute home, November 3, 1777, age 18.
Grave Unknown
Private Isaac Robinson
Died, February 14, 1778, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Grave Unknown
Private Abijah Stowers
Died, February 14, 1778, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, age 39
Grave Unknown
Private Otho Silvester
Died of wounds, May 20, 1778, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, age 20.
Grave Unknown
Private John Ayres
Died, August 30, 1778, West Point, New York, age 19.
Grave Unknown.
Private Nathan Whittemore
Died, October 25, 1778, Tiverton, Rhode Island, age 55
Grave Unknown
Private Abraham Converse, Massachusetts Militia
Killed in Action, October 19, 1780, Battle of Klock’s Field, St. Johnsville, New York., age 22, Grave Unknown
Private David Barton
Died of illness, December 1781, Alexandria, Virginia., age 22.
Grave Unknown
Private Jabez Swan
Died in service during Revolutionary War, date and place unknown, age about 32.
Grave Unknown
The War of 1812
June 18, 1812 – February 18, 1815
West Point Cadet Thomas Denny, Jr.
Died, September 12, 1814, Fort Powhatan, Virginia, age 17.
Rawson Brook Cemetery, Leicester
The Civil War
April 12, 1861 – May 13, 1865
(All casualties U. S. Army)
Private Charles H. Gough
Killed in action, October 21, 1861, Battle of Ball’s Bluff, Leesburg, Virginia, age 25.
Ball’s Bluff National Cemetery, Grave marked “Unknown”.
Private Simeon E. Ball
Died in Hospital, January 24, 1862, Poolesville, Maryland, age 19.
Grave unknown.
Corporal Randall H. Mann
Died of Wounds, February 10, 1862, Roanoke Island, North Carolina, age 26.
Pine Grove Cemetery, Leicester
Private Edward R. Graton
Died of Wounds, March 9, 1862, Roanoke Island, North Carolina, age 19.
New Bern National Cemetery, New Bern, North Carolina
Private William M. Davis
Paroled Prisoner of War, Died at home of tuberculosis, March 10, 1862, age 24.
Greenville Baptist Cemetery, Rochdale.
Private Thomas Hurst
Killed in action, March 14, 1862, Battle of New Bern, North Carolina, age 32.
New Bern National Cemetery, Grave marked “Unknown”
Private John Lord
Killed in Action, June 27, 1862, Battle of Gaines’ Mills, Virginia, age 18.
Grave Unknown
Private James H. Whitney
Died of Disease, June 27, 1862, aboard transport Iberville near Vicksburg, MS., age 23.
Grave Unknown
Sergeant Aaron M. Bowman
Died of disease, July 29, 1862, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, age 44.
Grave Unknown
Private William Conway
Died of illness, August 4, 1862, U. S. General Hospital 1101, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, age 19.
Philadelphia National Cemetery
Private James Bell
Killed in Action, September 1, 1862, Battle of Ox Hill, Fairfax, Virginia, age 33.
Grave Unknown.
Private Alfred Warren Davis
Died of Wounds, September 22, 1862, Hagerstown, Maryland, age 28.
Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Maryland
Private George Emerson Kent
Died of disease, October 10, 1862, New Bern, North Carolina, age 19.
Pine Grove Cemetery, Leicester
Corporal Thomas James Groves
Died of illness, November 23, 1862, New Bern, North Carolina, age 21.
New Bern National Cemetery, New Bern, North Carolina
Private Henry Sargent Thayer
Died of disease, February 11, 1863, New Orleans, Louisiana, age 33.
Grave Unknown
Private Edwards Dickinson Farr
Died of Wounds, April 7, 1863, Boston General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, age 20.
Pine Grove Cemetery, Leicester
Corporal Freeman Davis
Killed in Action, May 6, 1864, Battle of the Wilderness, Orange County, Virginia, age 21, Grave Unknown
Private George P. Davis
Killed in Action, May 6, 1864, Battle of the Wilderness, Orange County, Virginia, age 33, Grave Unknown.
Private William H. Anthony
Killed in Action, May 24, 1864, Battle of North Anna River, Virginia, age 18.
Grave Unknown
Private Patrick H. Manville
Killed in Action, May 24, 1864, Battle of North Anna River, Virginia, age 16.
Grave Unknown
Private James Lackey
Died of Wounds, June 1, 1864, Lincoln Hospital, Washington D.C., age 32.
Arlington National Cemetery
Private George W. Gould
Killed in Action, June 3, 1864, Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, age 31.
Grave unknown
Private Albert S. Hurd
Killed in Action, June 3, 1864, Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, age 27.
Pine Grove Cemetery, Leicester
Private William H. Kenney
Killed in Action, June 3, 1864, Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, age 20.
Grave Unknown
Private Lyman Moulton
Killed in Action, June 3, 1864, Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, age 25.
Grave Unknown
Private Hiram Streeter
Killed in Action, June 17, 1864, Battle of Meade Station, Petersburg, Virginia, age 39.
Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Petersburg, Virginia
Private Lincoln L. Johnson
Died of Wounds, August 1, 1864, Harrisonburg, Virginia, age 40.
Grave Unknown.
Private William Fearnley
Died, Prisoner of War, August 7, 1864, Camp Sumter, Andersonville, Georgia, age 41.
Andersonville National Cemetery
Private Charles Myron Ball
Killed in Action, August 20, 1864, Battle of Fort Steadman, Petersburg, Virginia, age 20.
Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Petersburg, Virginia
Private Albert Frisbie
Died, Prisoner of War, September 8, 1864, Camp Sumter, Andersonville, GA., age 22.
Andersonville National Cemetery
Private Henry Clay Maloney
Died of illness, October 5, 1864, Albany, New York, age 17.
Pine Grove Cemetery, Leicester
Private Andrew Stowe
Died, Prisoner of War, October 1, 1864, Camp Sumter, Andersonville, Georgia, age 31.
Andersonville National Cemetery
Corporal Thomas Doyle
Died of Wounds, October 29, 1864, Magnolia, Florida, age 29.
Magnolia Springs Cemetery, Green Cove Springs, Florida, Grave unmarked
Private Charles Adams Gleason
Died, Prisoner of War, November 8, 1864, Camp Lawton, Millen, Georgia, age 27
Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, South Carolina, Grave marked “Unknown”
Private Oliver Gosler
Died, Prisoner of War, November 26, 1864, Salisbury Prison Stockade, Salisbury, North Carolina, age 19, Salisbury National Cemetery; burial trench marked “Unknown”.
Private James Smith Foster
Died of illness, February 1, 1865, New Bern, North Carolina, age 22.
Oxford Gore Cemetery, North Oxford, Massachusetts
Corporal Augustus Adams
Died, Prisoner of War, February 16, 1865, Florence Prison Stockade, Florence, South Carolina, age 28, Florence National Cemetery, burial trench marked “Unknown”.
Private Levander M. Gould
Died of disease, February 20, 1865, New Bern, North Carolina, age 21.
Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts
Corporal James Rawdon
Died of Wounds, April 8, 1865, Point of Rocks, Virginia, age 21.
St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts
The Spanish – American War
April 25, 1898 – December 10, 1898
Private Joseph Clarence King, U. S. Army
Died of disease, August 28, 1898, Moro Castle, Santiago Bay, Cuba, age 25.
Greenville Baptist Cemetery, Rochdale
Private William David Roberts, U. S. Army
Died of disease, September 3, 1898, Worcester City Hospital, Worcester, Massachusetts, age 19, Cherry Valley Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Philippine Insurrection, February 4, 1899 – July 4, 1902
and Chinese Boxer Rebellion, June 21, 1900 – September 7, 1901
Private Eugene Francis Drury, U. S. Army
Died of disease, November 1, 1902, Worcester City Hospital, Worcester, Massachusetts, age 32, St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
World War I
August 2, 1914 – November 11, 1918
U. S. involvement, April 6, 1917 – November 11, 1918
Private William Joseph Cooney, U. S. Army
Killed in Action, July 13, 1918, Meaux, France, age 30.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Private Lawrence Francis McCarthy, U. S. Army
Killed in Action, October 4, 1918, Brieulles-sur-Meuse, France; age 26.
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.
Private First Class Herbert Sabastin Bean, U. S. Army
Killed in Action, October 15, 1918, St. Juvin, France, age 22.
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.
Corporal Thomas Francis Shannon, U. S. Army
Died of Wounds, October 20, 1918, Mar-sur-Alliers, France, age 22.
Misburied at Killeinagh Graveyard, County Clare, Ireland, grave marked Private Thomas J. Shannon.
Peace Time Casualty
Flying Cadet Leroy Joseph Conway, U. S. Army Air Corps
Died in plane crash, June 2, 1931, Galveston, Texas, age 22.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
World War II
September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945
U. S. official involvement, December 7, 1941 – September 2, 1945
Apprentice Seaman Chester Albert St. Martin, U.S. Navy
Killed in action, February 28, 1942, thirty miles southeast of Cape May, New Jersey, age 21, Lost at Sea
1st Lieutenant James Francis Sugrue, U.S. Army Air Force
Killed in action, March 12, 1943, shot down near Le Sers, Tunisia, age 24.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Private John Arthur Davis, U. S. Army
Killed in action, March 30, 1943, Battle of El Guettar, Tunisia, age 20.
North Africa American Cemetery, Carthage, Tunisia.
Staff Sergeant Leo Edward Bernard, U.S. Army Air Force
Killed in action, October 8, 1943, shot down over Vegasack, Germany, age 19.
Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium.
Technical Sergeant Vinal Lee Wade, U.S. Army Air Force
Killed in action, December 1, 1943, shot down near Cassel, France; age 28.
West Ridge Cemetery, Charlton, Massachusetts
Private First Class Edward William Grady, U. S. Army
Died in vehicle accident; December 24, 1943, near Lebanon, Tennessee, age 24.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Private First Class Lawrence Henry Harris, U. S. Army
Killed in action, January 25, 1944, Borgo Montello, Italy, age 20.
Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy.
Private Ralph Ernest Dwinell, U. S. Army
Killed in action, March 20, 1944, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands, South Pacific, age 28.
Oxford Gore Cemetery, North Oxford, Massachusetts
Private James Alfred Mullen, U. S. Army
Killed in action, June 6, 1944, Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, age 24.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Private First Class James Francis Barrett, U. S. Army
Died of wounds, June 17, 1944, Taunton, England, age 29.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Corporal Gerald Joseph Lemerise, U. S. Marine Corps
Killed in action, June 18, 1944, Saipan, Mariana Islands, age 20.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Private First Class Joseph Henry Whitehouse, U. S. Army
Killed in action, July 13, 1944, Hill 192, St. Lô, Normandy, France, age 21.
Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
Corporal Robert Allen Gladding, U. S. Marine Corps
Killed in action, July 21, 1944, Guam, Mariana Islands, age 23.
Pine Grove Cemetery, West Brookfield, Massachusetts
2nd Lieutenant Roger Hugh Kane, U. S. Army
Died of Wounds, July 29, 1944, Normandy, France, age 28.
St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts
Private First Class Waldo Eugene Stevens, U. S. Army
Killed in action, October 26, 1944, Morotia Island, Dutch East Indies, age 26.
Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.
Private First Class William Edward Barrett, U. S. Army
Killed in action, November 5, 1944, Raon L’Étape, Voges Mountains, France, age 32.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
2nd Lieutenant John Logan Bassan, U. S. Army Air Force
Killed in action, November 27, 1944, crash landing, Mourmelon-le-Grand, France, age 21, Epinal American Cemetery, Dinozé, France.
Private Charles Sassoon, U. S. Army
Killed in action, December 2, 1944, Metz, France, age 21.
Forestdale Cemetery, Holyoke, Massachusetts
1st Lieutenant Chester Wade Lawrence, U. S. Army Air Force
Killed in Action, January 18, 1945, crashed 20 miles southeast of Clacton-on-Sea, England, age 24.
Lost at Sea.
Private First Class Arthur Davidson La Motte, U. S. Marine Corps
Killed in action, March 8, 1945, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, age 20.
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Staff Sergeant Howard Robert Gallant, U. S. Army
Killed in action, April 13, 1945, Arneburg, Germany, age 23.
Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts
Private First Class Eugene Joseph Parenteau, U. S. Army
Killed in action, June 7, 1945, Negros Island, Philippines, age 20.
Body not recovered, Missing in Action.
Sergeant George Joseph Poirier, Jr., U. S. Army Air Force
Killed in Action, June 10, 1945, shot down 20 miles south of Tokyo, Japan; age 27.
Lost at Sea.
Sergeant Peter Lawrence Lorentzen, U. S. Marine Corps
Died, accidental gun shot wound, August 10, 1945, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, age 23.
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii
Korean Era and Korean War
June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953
Private First Class James Edward Daigle, U. S. Marine Corps
Died in training accident, June 20, 1951, Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, North Carolina, age 19, Pine Grove Cemetery, Leicester
Corporal Edward J. Phillpot, U. S. Army
Killed in Action, Kumsong, North Korea, December 25, 1951, age 23.
St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts
Private First Class (E-3), Edward Joseph Pepin, U. S. Army
Killed in Action, July 24, 1953, Observation Point Westview, Old Baldy (Hill 266), North Korea, age 21, St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Vietnam Era and Vietnam War
February 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975
Technical Sergeant Bernard F. Rivers, U. S. Air Force
Died in plane crash, March 5, 1961, Biggs Air Force Base, El Paso, Texas, age 31.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
1st Lieutenant James A. Higgins, U. S. Air Force
Died in plane crash, May 27, 1962, 50 miles east of Ocean City, Maryland, age 28.
Lost at Sea
Lance Corporal Richard Warren Huntoon, U. S. Marine Corps
Killed in action, May 12, 1966, Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam; age 19.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Sergeant First Class Paul Donald Spillane, U. S. Army
Killed in action, July 26, 1968; Gai Dinh Province, South Vietnam; age 33.
Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton, Massachusetts
Private First Class Patrick Michael Lorditch, U. S. Marine Corps
Died, vehicle accident, August 6, 1968; Da Nang, South Vietnam; age 18.
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cherry Valley
Specialist 4th Class Ronald Lester Granville, U. S. Army
Killed in action, September 27, 1968; shot down 19 miles north of Phu Cat, Binh Dinh Province, South Vietnam; age 21, Oxford Gore Cemetery, North Oxford, Massachusetts
Iraq War / Global War on Terror
March 20, 2003 to Present Day
Specialist 4th Class Richard Gee Hanna, U. S. Army
Died, February 1, 2008, accidental gun shot, Killeen, Texas, age 24.
Florence National Cemetery, Florence, South Carolina