SSgt. Earl K. Castner – World War Two MIA

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Earl Kyler Castner was born 9 November 1914, in Marion County, Ohio. His parents were William Paul & Florence M. (Kyler) Castner of Marion, Ohio. Earl K. Castner graduated from Harding High School with the Class of 1932. In Marion he had been employed with the Woolworth store. He would later be the District Manager with the Shell Oil Company. He married Marion J. Castner, who was a teacher in California, where he entered service in September of 1942.

Earl K. Castner would attain the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSgt.) in the Army Air Corps. SSgt. Castner would leave for overseas duty in the South Pacific on 4 April 1944. He was assigned to the 394th Bomber Squadron, 5th Bomber Group, Heavy. He was a first engineer on a B-24J. SSgt. Castner’s aircraft was lost, on 18 June 1944, in bad weather while returning from a bombing mission. His aircraft was #42-73454. SSgt. Castner was awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.

SSgt. Earl K. Castner was not officially declared dead until 6 March 1946. SSgt. Earl K. Castner was never recovered. He 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.
SSgt. Earl K. Castner is also remembered on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philippines; and on the Kern Veterans Memorial, located in downtown Bakersfield, California, at the corner of Truxtun Ave. and S St.

Kern Veterans Memorial, located in downtown Bakersfield, California

Chief Aviation Pilot Floyd F. Kinsler – World War Two Casualty

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Floyd Fay Kinsler was born 18 October 1916. He was the son of Clifford Kinsler, of Agosta, Ohio, and Gayle Kinsler of Cincinnati. Kinsler attended New Bloomington school and later attended high school in Cleveland. Prior to enlisting, Kinsler lived in Marion with his grandmother, Clara Kinsler.
Floyd F. Kinsler served in the United States Navy as a Chief Aviation Pilot (CAP). Chief Aviation Pilot was an enlisted rating in the navy. Kinsler would receive his rating in 1942. He flew the Catalina PBY Flying Boat “Pigboat”. He attended his basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois. Kinsler also attended training at San Diego, Norfolk and Pensacola, Florida. While at Pensacola he was an instructor in aviation mechanics. He would also graduated from Pensacola as a naval pilot.

CAP F. F. Kinsler served in California on coast patrol duty. He was assigned to the U. S. S. Pocomoke (AV-9), a seaplane tender. In the fall of 1942, he would be part of a patrol mission in which he and his crew shot down an enemy patrol plane.

U. S. S. Pocomoke
Deck of the U. S. S. Pocomoke

On 17 June 1943, Chief Floyd F. Kinsler was killed in an aircraft crash, while performing his duties. He flew with Patrol Squadron 23.
He left behind a wife, Bernita I. Kinsler. The body of Floyd F. Kinsler was not repatriated until February of 1949, when he was returned to Marion County for burial. His remains were returned aboard the U. S. A. T Dalton Victory.
Floyd F. Kinsler is buried in Agosta Cemetery, in New Bloomington, Ohio. Floyd F. Kinsler 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.

Pvt. Clarence R. Phillippi – World War One Casualty

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Clarence Roy Phillippi was born 3 April 1897. His parents are John & Lola M. (Myers) Phillippi of near LaRue, Ohio.
Clarence was a Private (Pvt.) with D Company, on 31 May 1917, when they left Marion for service in World War One. Pvt. Clarence R. Phillippi would serve in France with D Company, until he was killed in action on 6 June 1918. Pvt. Phillippi was the first citizen from LaRue to be killed while serving in World War One. He was killed in a trench raid in the Baccarat Sector, near the village of Anclerville. Pvt.
Phillipi was first buried in the French Military Cemetery, Amcervillers, France. On 16 February 1921, his remains were disinterred for return to the United States. On 18 May 1921, his remains arrived aboard the U. S. A. T. Wheaton, at Hoboken, New Jersey. On 4 June 1921, his remains arrived in LaRue, Ohio, for final rest. The American Legion Post 101 in LaRue, Ohio, would be named in his honor.

Pvt. Clarence R. Phillippi’s name can be seen on the LaRue Veterans Memorial Column, in the LaRue Cemetery. He is buried in the LaRue Cemetery, LaRue, Ohio.

American Legion Post 101- Phillippi-Clement, LaRue, Ohio, co-named it’s post to honor his memory.
Clarence R. Phillippi 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.

Clarence R. Phillippi’s temporary grave at Ancerville, France. Grave #22 (behind Patrick Ferrel’s grave).

Pvt. Walter R. Brush – World War Two Casualty

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Walter Raymond Brush was born on 23 August 1916. His parents are Alec & Myrtle (Butts) Brush. Walter attended high school in Delaware, Ohio. On 2 September 1941, he married Katherine Kreis. Prior to enlistment Walter R. Brush was employed at the Marion Engineering Depot.
Walter R. Brush entered service while living in Waldo, Ohio, in 1942. He would receive training at Camp Forrest, Tennessee and Camp Dix, New Jersey. Pvt. Walter Bush would leave for England on 26 June 1944. He would serve with the 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division “Blue Ridge Division.” While fighting in France, Pvt. Walter R. Brush was initially reported as missing in action, on 20 August 1944. He was later accounted for and reported as Killed in Action on that same date.
Water R. Brush would leave behind his wife and a two and a-half year old son, Charles Eugene. He also had three sisters and three brothers. All three brothers were also serving in the military; PFC Donald Brush, served in New Guinea; PFC. Charles Brush stationed in Michigan; Pvt. George Brush stationed in Texas.
Pvt. Walter R. Brush is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Delaware, Ohio. Walter R. Brush 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.

AB James W. Smith – World War Two Casualty

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James Wilson Smith was 18 January 1909, in Marion, Ohio. His mother was Mrs. Chloe Ward. James W. Smith left Marion and worked on the Great Lakes as a guard. In January of 1943, he would join the Merchant Marines, under the United States Coast Guard. As a Merchant Marine he would have the rank of Merchant Seaman and the specialty of Able-Bodied Seaman (AB).
AB James W. Smith was aboard the S. S. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer. This was a Liberty Ship delivering cargo for the war effort. On 2 February 1943, the S. S. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer was steaming from New York, to a Scottish port called The Clyde. They were part of Convoy HX-224 and were transporting military trucks and supplies when they were torpedoed by a German submarine, U-456.

S. S. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer

On February 2, 1943, at 3:04 AM, the S. S. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer was torpedoed by the German UBoat 456, in the North Atlantic. The U-456 fired three torpedoes into the Van Rensselaer’s port side – an 8’x30’ hole was created; hatch covers were blown off, cargo was strewn overboard and several fires were started. In the crew’s haste to launch three lifeboats, two of the boats were capsized. One can only imagine the sailors’ anxiety – the harsh Arctic winds of the North Atlantic in February – the frigid sea – the pitch black darkness. “Eight men got away in a boat and others jumped overboard and swam to three rafts. . . 23 survivors (out of a crew of 71) and three bodies were picked up after five hours by a British rescue ship. . . the (Jeremiah Van Rensselaer) was scuttled by gunfire at 1300 hours . . One week later, two more bodies were recovered from a raft.”

From Crailo State Historic Site

AB James W. Smith would be lost at sea during this attack. His mother would receive a telegram from the United States Coast Guard about his “Lost at Sea” status and later would receive his Mariner’s Medal.
James W. Smith 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.