USS Marion County (LST-975) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named on her haul, but was referred to by her hull designation (LST-975 in this case). The LST-975 was commissioned on 3 February 1945. She operated during World War Two in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. In July of 1955, she was named after counties in seventeen states, that bore the county name of “Marion.” She was the only U. S. Naval vessel to bear the name. The LST-975 would earn six battle stars during the Korean War. The LST-975 would see service during the Vietnam War under the Republic of Vietnam as HQ-500. The United States Navy would remove her from the list of ships on 1 June 1963.
Home Rea Dutt was born on 20 July 1915, in Marion, Ohio. His parents were Henry F. & Idella (Fisher) Dutt of Marion. Homer R. Dutt had attended school in Marion City at the Vernon and Central Junior High Schools. He was a 1933 graduate of Harding High School. He was employed with the Haberman Chevrolet Company. He would later be the owner/operator of a filling station. Dutt would later work as an erector’s helper at the Marion Steam Shovel Company. Homer R. Dutt would enter service on 22 January 1941, with the United States Army. Homer R. Dutt attended basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Private First Class (PFC) Dutt would be assigned to the Philippines in October of 1941. PFC Dutt was assigned as a mechanic in the 192nd Tank Battalion and served in the Philippines. When Bataan was taken by the Japanese, in April of 1942, PFC Dutt was taken prisoner. PFC Dutt was able to send cards to his parents through the Red Cross. He had communicated to them that he was healthy in a card dated 15 August 1942. PFC Homer R. Dutt was aboard a prisoner ship, the Arisan Maru, in October of 1944. The Japanese ship was sunk in the South China sea on 24 October 1944, with 1,775 prisoners aboard. The sinking occurred about 200 miles from the coast. Four prisoners were picked up by the Japanese. Five prisoners were able to escape. They reached the coast aboard a small boat. All others were reported lost at sea. Two other Marion Veterans were also aboard the Arisan Maru, Pvt. Charles W. Zwolle and PFC William J. Wilson, Jr. The Arisan Maru was a Japanese “Hell Ship.” Hell Ships were non-military freighter ships that carried prisoners of war and were not marked. They were legitimate targets of allied submarines. They term “Hell Ship” was due to the deplorable conditions and treatment of the prisoners. The submarine that sunk the Arisan Maru was the USS Snook (SS-279). The submarine did not know that the Arisan Maru was transporting prisoners of war at the time of the attack. The USS Snook, built in 1942, was reported as “Lost” 8 April 1945. Lost with the USS Snook were 84 crewmen. PFC Homer R. Dutt is memorialized on the on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.
PFC Homer R. Dutt is remembered in Marion on the Honor Roll, at the Marion Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery: on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse.
Gerald Romain Plotner was born 4 September 1930. Plotner was from Prospect, Ohio, and his parents were Mr. & Mrs. Henry M. Plotner. Prior to enlisting, Plotner was doing farm work for Harry Beaver of Green Camp. Plotner enlisted in the Army on 17 January 1949, in Marion, Ohio. Gerald R. Plotner went to basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He would then would then be stationed in Tokyo, Japan. When the war began in Korea, Pfc. Plotner would move with the 24th Infantry Division to Korea. Pfc. Gerald R. Plotner of the 24th Infantry Division, United States Army was captured while fighting the enemy near Chochiwon, South Korea on 11 July 1950. Plotner was 21 years old at the time of his death. He was part of the “Tiger Death March”, in which prisoners were marched 90 miles into North Korea, two-thirds of the 830 men died. Pfc. Gerald R. Plotner died at Hanjang-ni, North Korea on 6 March 1951. Pfc. Plotner’s remains were never recovered as of this writing, February 2019. Pfc. Plotner was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, when he was captured. Since his remains are not recovered he is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial Courts of the Missing, Court 4, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii; and Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C.; on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio; and on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse.
Thomas E. Andrews was born 5 July 1875, in Union County, Ohio. His parents were Marion A. Andrews of Delaware, & Angeline (Leonhardt) Andrews of Union County. T. E. Andrews was listed on 30 May 1893, as a private with Co. G, 14th Infantry, Marion, Ohio. On 1 September 1893, he would be promoted to Corporal; to sergeant on 2 February 1894; and he would serve as first sergeant beginning 1 July 1896. T. E. Andrews would begin his career as an officer on 27 April 1898, as a second lieutenant. While G Company was serving with the 4th O. V. I., he would receive his promotion to First Lieutenant on 21 August 1899. He would become a Captain on 7 August 1900. T. E. Andrews would see active service on 6 – 9 June 1894, during the Wheeling Creek Strikes and in August of 1900, during the Akron Riots. He would serve with G Company, 4th O. V. I. during the War with Spain, seeing action 5 August and 8 August of 1898. While in Puerto Rico, he would also lead Musician Harry Love and Private Shaffer in capturing a Spanish flag. On 7 – 23 October 1898, he would be assigned special duty with K Company. He would be mustered out on 20 January 1899. His service would continue with the Ohio National Guard up to and beyond the First World War. He would again be commissioned a first lieutenant in World War One. He would return after World War One to hold office as Mayor of Marion, Ohio. He would resign this post to accept the appointment as Assistant Adjutant General on the staff of Governor Harry L. Davis with the commission of lieutenant colonel. He would train recruits at Camp Perry and serve on the administrative staff of the Ohio National Guard until his retirement in 1938. He also served a superintendent of the The Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans’ Home in Xenia and for four years as mayor of Waldo, Ohio. He married Gertrude Michel Andrews on 9 March 1941. He would died on 27 April 1960. He is buried in the Waldo, Cemetery, Waldo, Ohio.
T. E. Andrews, Retired Guard Officer and Ex-Mayor, Dies Col. T. E Andrews, retired National Guard career soldier, and former mayor of the city, died Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in the Willits Convalescent Home. He had been ill five years. Col. Andrews served as a second lieutenant in Company G of the 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry of Marion during the Spanish American War and as a first lieutenant in World War I, After Word War I, he returned to Marion in 1919 to be elected mayor. Short before his term expired he was appointed assistant adjutant general on the staff of Gov. Harry L. Davis with the commission of lieutenant colonel. He was a trainer of recruits at Camp Perry and on the administrative staff of the Ohio National Guard until his retirement at the age of 64 in 1938. He also served a superintendent of the Soldiers and Sailors Home in Xenia and as mayor of Waldo for four years. He was a member of the American Legion. He was born July 5, 1875, in Union County to Marion A. Andrews of Delaware and Angeline Leonhardt Andrews of Union County. His wife, Gertrude Michel Andrews, whom he married March 9, 1941 in Waldo, survives. He was a member of the Christ Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Marion Lodge 70 F&AM. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Schaffner-Denzer Funeral Home. The Rev. Harry G. Myers of the Waldo Methodist Church and the Rev. A. A. Turner of the Waldo church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Waldo Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7:30 tonight. Note: Willits Convalescent Home was on North Prospect Street, Marion, Ohio
Hubert Leland Taylor was born in Wood County, Ohio, on 30 August 1896. His parents were David H. & Hulda M. (Elarton) Taylor. Hubert L. Taylor would come to Marion, Ohio, in 1909. While in Marion, Taylor was employed with the Marion Powers Shovel Company for 26 years. On 24 June 1916, Taylor would marry Gertrude Estella (Whitt). They would raise four children. Hubert L. Taylor’s military career began when we see his name on the roster of Marion’s D Company, when it was called to mobilize on 19 June 1916, for the Border Campaign. At this time Taylor was serving as a private. Taylor would serve on the border with D Company and stay with them when they returned and shortly thereafter mobilized for World War One. Taylor would serve in Europe until the end of the war. He would return to Marion and continue to serve with D Company as a sergeant until he was commissioned and eventually take command of D Company. By World War Two Taylor would attain the rank of Colonel in the Ohio National Guard. Colonel Hubert L. Taylor would die in Marion County on 19 November 1959 and be buried at Chapel Heights Memory Gardens, Marion County, Ohio.
Honoring Marion Ohio Veterans 