Carey M. Field was born 28 June 1890, in Richwood, Ohio. His parents were Fred N.& Sarah B. (Gibson) Field. Carey M. Field lived about seven miles north of Marion. When he was about fifteen years old the family moved to Montana. Prior to entering the service he was a farmer.
While in Montana, Carey M. Field would enter service. Field would be training at Camp Lewis, Washington. He would attain the rank of Private First Class (Pfc.) and serve in Europe during World War One. Pfc. Field was in a machine-gun company with the 362nd Infantry Regiment of the 91st Infantry Division “the Wild West Division.”
Pfc. Carey M. Field was killed in action on 26 September 1918. Pfc. Field is buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Lorraine, France. His marker there spells the name “Fields”, yet his parents and grandparents spelling of the last name is “Field.”
There is also a grave in Sunnyside Cemetery, Stevensville, Montana. It is not known if he was reinterred or not.
Carey M. Field is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War One Honor Roll, located on the second floor of the Marion County Courthouse.
S1C James L. Duffey – World War Two Casualty
James Lowell Duffey was born 9 July 1924, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are James E. & Mildred C. (Wagner) Duffey of Marion, Ohio. James L. Duffey has a brother who served in the military in Guam, during World War Two. James was a graduate of Harding High School. James entered service on 21 December 1942.
James L. Duffey was serving in the United States Coast Guard and attained the rank of Seaman First Class (S1C). He was serving aboard the Lightship Ambrose III (Lightship LV-111) out of New York Bay. This ship functioned much like a light house. It was used to help ships navigate. The Lightship Ambrose III was stationed in the Ambrose Channel of New York Harbor.
Just prior to the “Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944,” S1C Duffey would suffer a fall. This may have been from the rough seas prior to the hurricane. S1C James L. Duffey sustained a fatal head injury and died in service to his country on 20 September 1944, at U. S. Marine Hospital, New York City. S1C Duffey would be one of the more than 300 United States Coast Guard and Naval personnel killed in the storm which was responsible for the loss of the destroyer USS Warrington and the Coast Guard cutters USCGC Jackson and USCGC Bedloe.
S1C James L. Duffey is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Delaware, Ohio. James L. Duffey is remembered Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War II Veterans Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.
Pfc. Jacob R. Northrup, Killed in Action, Operation Market Garden
Jacob Rehrine Northrup was born on 2 October 1914, in Union County. His parents are William & Mrs. Northrup, of Prospect, Ohio. Jacob had attended school in Prospect. Prior to entering service Jacob had married and divorced Puatrice H. Northrup. Together they had a son, Jacob James Northrup. Jacob R. Northrup was employed as a baker, with the Omar Baking Company (possibly in Franklin County, Ohio).
Jacob R. Northrup entered service in May of 1942. He attended training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; Camp Wolters, Texas; Fort Benning, Georgia; and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Jacob would leave for overseas duty in September of 1943.
Jacob R. Northrup attained the rank of Private First Class (Pfc.), while serving with C Company, 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division “Screamin’ Eagles.” He participated in Operation Market Garden. It appears he was shot while under parachute descent over Holland, on 18 September 1944. He died from his wounds.
He had a brother also serving in the military at the time of his death, Sergeant William Northrup, of Eagle Pass, Texas.
Pfc. Jacob R. Northrup was temporarily buried near Son (aka. Zon), Holland, with military honors. It was not until 20 March 1949, that Pfc. Northrup would be returned home for burial in the Prospect Cemetery. Military services were conducted for him to honor his service and sacrifice for his country.
Pfc. Jacob R. Northrup is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War II Veterans Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.
Read below about the temporary battlefield burials and the respects given by those that were liberated in the war.
WAR CEMETERY SON
On September 17 September 1944 and the days following the 17th, the U.S. 101st Airborne Division landed near Son by parachute and glider as part of Operation Market Garden. The following days the 101st Airborne Division and British XXX Corps and support units had some bitter fighting. During these fights against German units many young American and British soldiers lost their life. The wounded American casualties were mainly transported the the Sanatorium in Son or the nunnery in Veghel. For those who paid the ultimate price, they were brought to the newly created U.S. war cemetery in the fields on the northern side of Son, near the farm called ‘Waterhoef’.
Graves registration personnel of the 101st Airborne Division already established a cemetery site and had about twenty deceased american soldiers ready for processing and burial. From the 605th Graves Registration Quartermaster company a detachment of company headquarters and first platoon were sent towards Son, leaving from Burg-Leopold (Leopoldsburg, Belgium). They were attached to the 101st Airborne Division and would arrive around 15.15 hours at the burial site. The burial site selected by the Graves registration personnel of the 101st Airborne Division wasn’t a perfect one because of the four feet water level. A better location was selected by second lieutenant William F. Cocklin, commanding officer of the first platoon, 605th Graves Registration Quartermaster company. The cemetery was opened on September 19 1944, officially named: ‘Zon cemeteries 1 & 2’*. Cemetery 1 was the allied part and cemetery 2 the german part of the cemetery.
The bodies of the deceased were brought to the newly selected location east from the farm called “Waterhoef” on September 19. On September 20 ‘Zon cemetery 1’ and ‘Zon cemetery 2’ were fully operational. About 50 to 100 German prisoners of war (POW’s) were daily brought in from the assembly area at the soccer field in Son by troops of the 101st Airborne Division and glider pilots from IX Troop Carrier Command to work on the cemetery. German POW’s under guard of the Americans were marched along the main highway from Son to St. Oedenrode and then up the dirt track with shovels and other working tools in their hands in the direction of the Waterhoef farm. The dirt track would be the main entrance to the cemetery from September 19 1944 until the cemetery was closed in 1948.*=On the map the Americans used the town Son was spelled as Zon. The Americans used a reprint of the 1939 Michelin road maps which were converted to military maps. On their maps the town Son, was written as Zon, but that is wrong. We do not know when or where this error occured, but the town has always been named Son.
On September 20 about 80 deceased servicemen were buried on the cemetery and the first full military service was held around 17.00 hours which was attended by General Maxwell Taylor of the 101st Airborne Division and members of his staff. Morgues, processing tents and an office were set up on the cemetery grounds and work was organized that identification processing and withdrawal of personal effect were accomplished in a few minutes. Full military services were held daily at 17.00 hours officiated over by chaplains of the 101st Airborne Division and frequently the services were attended by high ranking officers and enlisted men of the units. The total number of burials at the cemetery is: 411 American, 46 British, 1 Canadian and about 220 German soldiers/servicemen. The cemetery was properly aligned in accordance with directives on cemetery operations. The cemetery was kept scrupulously clean and presentable at all times. On October 5 1944 the U.S. section of the cemetery was closed for further burials and was turned over to a Dutch guard unit until properly relieved by U.S. army graves officials. Most graves of allied servicemen on the cemetery were adopted by civilians of Son or other neighboring towns. Many of the people who adopted a soldier’s grave started correspondance with the family in the United States or the United Kingdom.
From: War Cemetery Son (Zon)
Every year untill 1948 memorial services were held. During these memorial services many people attended to pay the final respects to their liberators who paid the ultimate price.
Around 1948 the U.S. government started with a program to return the deceased to the United States of America or to rebury their beloved ones on the U.S. cemetery in Margraten in the southern part of The Netherlands. About 60% of the U.S. servicemen were repatriated. In 1949 the grounds where the cemetery had been was given back to the former owner and till this day it’s still in use as farmland. Untill 2006 nothing remembered this remarkable place, but in December 2006 there was a stone marker unveiled on the crossing of former ‘Hell’s Highway’, the main road between Son and St. Oedenrode and the road that led to the US Cemetery Son.
http://www.ww2marketgarden.com/warcemeteryson.html
CM2C Ira C. Howard – Died in Service, 1943
Ira Clarence Howard was born 18 November 1898 in Bennington Township, Morrow County, Ohio. His parents are Frank O. & Rose (Thorp) Howard of Waldo, Ohio. Ira C. Howard was married to Shirley G. (Barnhart) Howard on 19 July 1942, in Marion, Ohio. During World War One, Ira C. Howard had served in the United States Army. While living in Marion, he had worked as a construction contractor.
Ira C. Howard joined the United States Navy Reserve on 24 September 1942. He would attend basic training at Williamsburg, Virginia. He was trained and served as a Sea-bee. He was stationed with Battery 63, Company C, Platoon 3. He was rated a Carpenters Mate Second Class (CM2C).
On 30 April 1943, he was assigned to the Southwest Pacific. In June of 1943, he arrived at Guadalcanal. He performed here as a construction worker until he became sick and entered the 52nd Field Hospital on 4 August 1943. He was then sent to the 8th Marine Hospital on Guadalcanal. In August he would be sent to the U. S. S. Pinkney. CM2C Ira C. Howard then died of illness on 7 September 1943, in New Caledonia. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease.
CMC2C Ira C. Howard’s remains were one of the first two remains returned home to Marion, Ohio, after temporary burial overseas. They were disinterred from their original overseas burial locations. They left Hawaii on 30 September 1947. They arrived back in the United States, aboard the United States Army Transport (USAT) Honda Knot, arriving in San Fransisco, California, on 10 October 1947 . When the U. S. A. T. Honda Knot arrived, all Navy ships in port were displaying their colors at half-mast. On 22 October 1947, the bodies of CMC2C Ira C. Howard and 1st. Lieutenant Busby W. Sweney, arrived at the Union Station, Marion, Ohio. CMC2C Ira C. Howard was accompanied by CMM Garner, Honor Guard.
The City of Marion ordered the flag, at the front of the Marion County Honor Roll (Court House), to be placed at half-mast at 4 o’clock and stay as such until after the funeral services are completed. Also, in honor of all World War Two dead that are to be returned in the future; local merchants were asked to display their flags. The courthouse bell was rung for five minutes, beginning at 2:30pm. Also, at that time the whistles at the Marion Power Shovel Company and the Huber Manufacturing Company would be blown for the five minutes, while business operations were suspended, in honor of the war dead. This was one of Marion’s expressions of honor for all those yet to return home for burial in the years to come.
Ira C. Howard is buried in the Marion Cemetery.
CM2C Ira C. Howard is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War II Veterans Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.
Lt. Walter L. Ruzzo – World War Two Casualty
Walter Lawrence Ruzzo was born in Marion, Ohio, on 18 October 1917. His parents are James & Florence (Viggins) Ruzzo. The parents immigrated from Italy to America about 1906. Walter L. Ruzzo graduated from Harding High School in 1935. Walter had two brothers who also served during World War Two; Edward J. Ruzzo and Francis A. Ruzzo.
Walter L. Ruzzo entered service in May of 1942. Walter would attend training at Santa Ana, California, and his last duty station in the states would be at Baer Field, Indiana. Walter married Rose Margaret Evans, also of Marion Ohio, on 20 July 1943. They were married at the Post Chapel at Baer Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana. After less than a month of marriage, Lt. Walter L. Ruzzo would leave his bride and depart for service overseas.
While overseas Lt. Ruzzo would serve as a Navigator and Co-Pilot with the 48th Squadron, 313th Troop Carrier Group. He few in C-47 Commandos and C-46 Dakotas. He had participated in the Sicilian Invasion, he would patrol over the seas on submarine patrol, and serve in the African Theater.
His last mission would be 24 March 1945, participating in Operation Varsity. He would be the Navigator on a C-46 Commando troop carrier to transport troopers of the 17th Airborne Division “Golden Talons.” This was the last major airborne operation of World War Two. Lt. Walter L. Ruzzo was on C-46 (#44-77602) and delivered all of it’s troopers to the designated zone (DZ). The aircraft was struck by flak and the left engine was on fire when last seen. All crew except one were killed in the incident. The one surviving crew member was Tech. Sergeant Charles L. Williams, Crew Chief. Williams was partially out of the side hatch when the aircraft made a crash landing. He was thrown from the wreckage and later carried by German medics, who treated him and moved him to a nearby cellar. American forces would later find him.
Another Marion veteran was also killed on Operation Varsity, Lt. Gerald E. Hamilton. Hamilton was a pilot on the same flight formation. Lt. Hamilton was piloting another C-46 (#44-77512). He also delivered his troopers to the DZ and was shot down.
Lt. Walter L. Ruzzo is buried in Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands.
Lt. Walter L. Ruzzo is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War II Veterans Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.
You may also like to read about the Rescue and Return of Lt. Walter L. Ruzzo’s Funeral Flag.
Honoring Marion Ohio Veterans 