Bussey American Legion Post #505: World War II Veterans

Photos and Service Records: Surnames N-R

The following information is from a book published by the Bussey American Legion Post No. 505 in 1947. Businesses and individuals from Bussey, Albia, Knoxville, Tracy, Attica, Hamilton and Lovilia, Iowa provided financial assistance. The Post dedicated the book as "a memorial to our buddies, who were killed in action."

(Note: Names in the book are not in alphabetical order; however, I have alphabetized them. ~KB)

Note: To return to the List and Index of World War II Veterans, go to BusseyPost_WWII.php.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Ronald Owen Nylander Ronald Owen Nylander, Seaman 1/c

Entered service March 8, 1943. Overseas on Sub Tender under U.S.S. Fulton in South Pacific. Decorations: Button with 5 stars designating 5 successful runs with Sub. Equatorial Certificate Extraordinary. Discharged January 23, 1946.

LeoDOConnor T/Sgt. Leo D. O’Connor, 83rd Inf. Division

Entered service August 1935. Overseas April 1944, England, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany. Decorations: Combat Inf. Badge, E.T.O. Ribbon, 5 battle stars, Bronze Star, Presidential Citation, Meritorious Badge, American Theatre and Victory Medal, Mexican Ribbon, Good Conduct. Returned to States September 1945. Still in service.

PaulOConnor S/Sgt. Paul O’Connor, 83rd Inf. Division

Entered service December 7, 1938. Served overseas at England, France, Luxemburg, Germany. Decorations: E.T.O. Ribbon with 5 battle stars, Good Conduct, American Theatre, Victory Medal, Mexican Ribbon, Occupation Ribbon, Presidential Citation, Meritorious Badge, Combat Inf. Badge. Left States April 1944. Returned September 1945. In service 7 years, 10 months.

ElmerOwen Elmer E. Owen, 860-57-17, 1/c Radarman

Entered service May 3, 1944. Trained at Great Lakes, Illinois, then Wright Jr. College, Chicago, Radar School at Point Loma, San Diego, California. Assigned to Amphibious Base, Norfolk, Va. as Radar operator on L.S.M. Little Creek, Virginia. Injured there. Medical Discharge March 15, 1945.

KennethBOwen Kenneth B. Owen, Aviation Radio Man 2/c

Entered service July 21, 1942, Coast Guard. Basic training Curtis Bay, Md. Overseas, European Theatre. Decorations: Air Crew Wings, E.T.O. Ribbon, Good Conduct, American Theater Ribbon. Discharged February 4, 1946.

RobertCOwen Sgt. Robert C. Owen, 17117552 Radio Mechanic

Entered service March 15, 1944. Overseas Hawaii, Guam. Decorations: A.P.T. Ribbon, 1 battle star, American Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Ribbon. Discharged March 24, 1946. In Reserves.

WilliamJOwen Pvt. William J. Owen, Army Air Force

Entered service September 27, 1946. Still in service.

NathanFPerry Pfc. Nathan F. Perry

Entered service December 29, 1942, Camp Dodge, Iowa. Hq. –Hq. Dct. 170, C.A., Bn. Decorations: Carbine Marksman. Discharged July 14, 1945, Jefferson Barracks. In service 31 months, killed by train accident August 4, 1945.

EugenePinnick Eugene Pinnick, F 1/c

Entered service January 18,1945. Boot training at Great Lakes, Illinois. Advanced training, Wright’s Junior College, Chicago, Electrician School, Great Lakes. Sea duty Cuba on U.S.S. Simpson January 1946. Returned May 1946 to States. Assigned to U.S.S. Tatum May 1946. Sea duty until August 1946. Still in service.

ClarenceHPlum

Pfc. Clarence H. Plum, 133rd Inf. 34th Division

Entered service April 14, 1941. Overseas February 19, 1942, England, North Africa, January 3, 1943. Left North Africa August 17, 1943. Arrived in States August 30, 1943. Decorations: European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Medal, American Defense, Good Conduct Medal. Wounded in battle in Africa May 5, 1943. Discharged August 3, 1944 from Walter Reed Hospital at Washington, D.C. In service 42 months.

HarlonEPlum

Harlon E. Plum, C.C.M. 859-28-17

Entered service May 15, 1943. Overseas February 22, 1944, Milne Bay, New Guinea, Finschafen, New Guinea, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, Biak, Schouten Island, Cape Sausapor, Dutch New Guinea, Moratai, Halmahera Islands, Leyte, Philippines, Mindoro, P.I., Dutch Borneo. Returned to States November 1, 1945. 21 months overseas. Decorations: 4 battle stars, 3 commendations. Discharged November 11, 1945.

LeslieJPlum

Sgt. Leslie J. Plum, 37042742, 133rd Inf. Reg.

Entered service April 14, 1941. Overseas 27 months, 34th Division in Ireland, England, Africa, Italy. Returned May 2, 1944. Decorations: American Defense, E.A.M.E. Theatre of Operations Ribbon with 3 battle stars, Good Conduct. Discharged July 13, 1944.

RoyKennethRedding

S/Sgt. Roy Kenneth Redding, 35th Inf., 25th Division

Entered service October 5, 1944. Overseas March 26, 1945 in South Philippines Liberation, 6 months and 1 year in Japan, Occupational Forces. Decorations: Combat Inf. Badge, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon, 1 bronze star, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 1 bronze star, Occupational Medal, Victory and Good Conduct Medal. Discharged October 6, 1946.

WilliamKeithRedding

2nd Lieut. William Keith Redding, A.A.F.

Entered service April 25, 1941. Served 2 years at Mechanical Training, Chanute Field and 2 years at Presque Isle, Maine, transferred for pilot training, November, 1943. Commissioned April 15, 1945, Douglas, Arizona. Decorations: Good Conduct, American Theatre, Victory Medal. Discharged November 1, 1945. Now in Reserves.

LelandMReed

Leland M. Reed, T/5 24th Refing, Tnks. Det.

Entered service March 8, 1945, Truck Driver. Overseas Pacific Area. Decorations: Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon, Philippine Ind. Ribbon, Victory Medal. Discharged October 29, 1946.

RobertPReed

Cpl. Robert P. Reed, U.S. Marine Corps

Entered service December 15, 1939. Overseas, was in the Philippines and taken prisoner for 3 ½ years by the Japanese when Bataan and Corrigador fell. Came back to States September 1945. Was at Honolulu, Midway, Wake, Guam, Philippines, Formosa, Hong-Kong, China. Discharged January 15, 1946. In service 6 years, 1 month. Decorations: Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, Army Distinguished Unit Badge, 1 oak leaf cluster, American Defense, 1 bronze star, Asiatic-Pacific, 1 bronze star, Philippine Defense, 1 bronze star, Victory Medal.

ThomasJReed

Pfc. Thomas J. Reed, U. S. Marine Corps

Entered service April 17, 1945. Took boot training in South Carolina. Still in service in Alaska.

HarleyRouze

Harley E. Rouze, T/3 81st F. A. Bn

Entered service August 17, 1944. Overseas May 2, 1945, England, France, Germany. Decorations: Good Conduct, E.T.O. Ribbon, Occupation Ribbon, Victory Medal. Returned to States June 23, 1946. Discharged June 29, 1946. In service 23 months.

RobertDRowley

Robert D. Rowley, T/4 37421294, Medical Corps

Entered service June 27, 1942. Overseas January 5, 1942. Overseas January 5, 1943, Australia, New Guinea, Philippines, till December 23, 1945. Decorations: Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon, 1 bronze star, Philippine Liberation, Good Conduct, Unit Citation Medal. Discharged January 4, 1946. 42 months in the service.

Contributed by Karyl Bonnett, North Liberty, Iowa, with the permission of Oren Shobe, the present commander of Post #505 (January 2007).