Sgt. S.D. Smith (Center) with 2 unidentified buddies

Anyone seeking additional  information about the Leopoldville disaster or who wishes to contribute a photo of a relative to this In Memoriam page should contact Leopoldville disaster author/historian Allan Andrade via e-mail at agandrade37@msn.com.

Pfc. William P. Quinlan

Pfc. Quinlan from Omaha, Nebraska was born on November 15, 1924.  The body of the 20 year old was never found.

Pfc. Joe J. Quinonez

Pfc. Quinonez was from Trinidad, Colorado. In the autumn of 1944 he married, Eulalia, his longtime sweetheart. His body was recovered and after the war returned to the United States.

Sgt. James R. Ransom

Sgt. Ransom was from Dallas, Texas. His wife, Margaret, gave birth to their son, Richard, on December 21, 1944. The body of Sgt. Ransom was never found.

T/5 Seth W. Reed

T/5 Reed was from Herndon, Pennsylvania.  The 21 year old is shown with his wife, the former Corinne Klinger, on their wedding day January 1,1943. At the time of his death, his son, Garcia Lee, was 6 moths old.  Adding to the tragedy, his brother-in-law, 1/Lt. Kenneth H. Klinger, Army Air Corps was killed just over a month before on November 20th in a plane crash at George Field, Illinois.   The body of T/5 Seth Reed was recovered and buried in Normandy American Cemetery, France.

Pfc. Harold Paul Reeder

Pfc. Reeder from Colorado Springs, Colorado was born on July 10, 1924. He graduated from Cheyenne High School in 1942 and enrolled in the University of Colorado in the Fall of 1942. He enlisted in the Engineer Corps on April 16, 1943 and attended the Colorado School of Mines as a member of ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program). On April 1, 1944 he was transferred to the 66th Infantry Division.  His body was recovered and returned to the United States.

Sgt. Norman Lindell Rigdon

Sgt. Rigdon was from Farmington, Missouri. His body was never found.

Pfc. Frank Ritthaler, Jr.

Pfc. Ritthaler from Perry, Oklahoma was born on December 25, 1925. He was killed one day short of his 19th birthday. His body was never found.

Pfc. William Gordon Roberson

Pfc. Roberson from the state of Virginia was born on July 24, 1920. He was married and entered the army on April 22, 1944. His body was never found. Photo courtesy of Giovanni Trosselo.

Sgt. Wardell Joseph Roberts

Sgt. Roberts from Hendersonville, Tennessee was born on June 12, 1919. His body was recovered. He is buried in Normandy American Cemetery, France.

Pfc. Claude C. Robeson

Pfc. Robeson was from Flint, Michigan. His body was never found.

Pfc. Harry Conner Robison

Pfc. Robison from Texas was born on February 16, 1923. His body was recovered and buried in Normandy American Cemetery, France. Photo courtesy of Carol Anne Hoch.

Pfc. Robert Allison Rogers

Pfc. Rogers from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina was born on September 18, 1917. He married his wife, Lula Belle, during August 1940. His body was never found.

Pvt. William C.  Ross

Pvt. Ross was from Laurel Run Boro, Pennsylvania.  His body was never found.  Photo is from his newspaper obituary.

Pfc. Robert J. Rott

Pfc. Rott from Dillon, Montana was 20 years old. His obituary is from the Dillion Daily-Tribune March 12, 1945 newspaper report. His body was never found.

Pvt. Wilbur L. Rouch

Pvt. Rouch was from Atlanta, Texas. His body was recovered and he is buried in Normandy American Cemetery, France.

Pfc. Elmer D. Rowland

Pfc. Rowland from Indianapolis, Indiana was born on April 17, 1923. His body was recovered.

Lt.   Col.  Ira  C.  Rumburg

Lt. Col. Rumburg was from Spokane, Washington.  Many acts of bravery by him in saving others were later reported by survivors. His body was never found.

Pfc. Edward Rzemek

Pfc. Rzemek was from Buffalo, New York. He was married and had 3 children. His body was recovered and buried in Normandy American Cemetery, France.

Pvt.  Coleman  W.  Sanders

Pvt. Sanders was from Cloverport, Kentucky.  His body was never found.

Pfc.  Richard  F.  Sansone

Pfc. Sansone from Buffalo, New York was married and had a baby daughter. His body was never found.

Pfc. Nick Sapovchak

Pfc. Sapovchak was from Amridge, Pennsylvania. The photo is from the 1942 Ambridge High School Sophomore Yearbook. His body was recovered and returned to the United Satates after the war.

Pfc. Harry J.  Saska

Pfc. Saska was from Houston, Pennsylvania. His photo is from The Pittsburgh Press February 4, 1945. His body was never found. Tragically, his brother, Michael, was also killed while serving in the armed forces.

Pfc. Harold W. Schlueter

Pfc. Schuleter from Demossville, Kentucky was born on November 3, 1925. He was known by his middle name, Wayne, rather than Harold. He had two brothers, Melvin Lee and John Edward. His body was never found. There is a memorial grave stone for him in Pleasant Ridge Church cemetery in Pendleton county, Kentucky.

Pfc. Hartselle B. Scholl

Pfc. Scholl was from Chicago, Illinois. His body was recovered. He is  buried in Normandy American Cemetery, France.

Pfc. Jack A.  Schramm

Pfc. Schramm was from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His photo is from his newspaper obituary in The Pittsburgh Press April 5, 1945. Besides his parents he was survived by three brothers and two sisters. His body was never found.

Pfc.  Eugene  Amos  Schwitzgebel

Pfc.  Schwitzgebel from Canton, Ohio, was born on August 12, 1925. The body of the 19 year old was never found.

Pfc. William Everett Scott

Pfc. Scott From Roanoke, Virginia was born on February 12, 1926. His body was never found.

Pvt. Joseph G. Secich

Pvt. Secich was from Verona, Pennsylvania. His body was never found.

Pvt. Paul S. Sgroi

Pvt. Sgroi from Frankfort, New York was born on November 25, 1925. His body was never found.

Pfc. Glenn B. Shaver

Pfc. Shaver was from Royal Oak, Michigan. His body was never found.

Pvt.  William  Alger  Shaw  Jr.

Pvt. Shaw was from Reno, Nevada. For the rest of her life, his mother decorated an outside Christmas tree with lights during the Christmas season in honor of her son.  Pvt. Shaw’s brother continued the tradition after their mother died.  Pvt. Shaw’s brother has also passed away but his niece, Sally Lobkowicz, has kept the tradition alive by placing white lights at Christmas on a large blue spruce in front of her home.  The body of Pct. Shaw was never found.

Pvt.  Chester  B.  Simmons, Jr.

Pvt. Simmons was from Camp Seale, Texas. His body was never found.

Pfc. Bernard W. Simpson

Pfc. Simpson from Ponca City, Oklahoma was born on January 28, 1923. His body was recovered. He is buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Pfc.  Walter  J.  Skibinski

Pfc. Skibinski was from Scranton, Pennsylvania.  His body was never found.

Sgt.  Wilbur J. Sloan Jr.

Sgt. Sloan from New Castle, Pennsylvania was born on February 5, 1921. He attended Edinboro State Teachers College in Pennsylvania with the goal of becoming an art teacher. His room-mate, Richard Rockwell, nephew of Norman Rockwell, later wrote, “Wilbur was probably the most talented artist of all of us.”  Sgt. Sloan’s body was recovered and returned to Pennsylvania after the war.

S/Sgt. C. D.  Smith

Sgt. Smith was from St. Louis, Missouri. He married the former Joy Frances McGill on September 16, 1939.  His daughter, Antoinette,  was born on April 7, 1945. His body was recovered and buried in France.

Pvt. Donald William Smith

Pvt. Donald W. Smith was born on April 2, 1923 in Duluth, Minnesota. He moved to Aberdeen, South Dakota with his parents in 1934.  Known as “Cherry” to his friends, his body was never found.

Pfc.  Lewis  A.  Smith

Pfc. Smith was from Berwyn, Illinois. His body was never found.

Pfc. William F. Smith

Pfc. William Fred Smith from Bessemer, North Carolina was born on November 2, 1924.  He married Ruby Blanche Plumley on December 15, 1943.  One of 17 soldiers from North Carolina killed in the disaster, his body was never found.

Pfc.  James J.  Smrecak

Pfc. Smrecak , from Munger, Michigan, was born on February 12, 1926.  His body was recovered and returned to the United States after the war.

Pfc.  Clarence  C.  Smrkovski

Pfc. Smrkovski from the rural farming community of Pocahontas, Iowa was born on June 30, 1918. Pfc. Smrkovski’s wife, Dorothy, later remarried.  His body was never found.

Pvt. Joseph J. Solotes

Pvt. Solotes was from Lockport, New York.  His body was never found.

S/Sgt. Merle Wilson South

S/Sgt. South from Bonner Springs, Kansas was born on April 21, 1924. His body was never found.

Pfc.  Sherman  A.  Spaulding

Pfc. Spaulding from Webb, West Virginia, was born on October 30, 1925.  His body was never found.

Pfc.  William J. Steele, Jr.

Pfc. Steele was from Falls River, Massachusetts. His body was never found.

Pfc.  Donald  L.  Stewart

Pfc. Stewart from Troy, Ohio was born on 12/28/1925. His son, Gary Lynn, was only 2 months old at the time of his death.  His body was never found.

Pfc. Robert Stills

Pfc. Stills was from Johnson City, Tennessee. His body was recovered.

Pfc.  Edward  F.  Stone

Pfc. Stone was from Brownville, Maine.  His body was never found.

T/4  Ray  S.  Stull

Ray Stull was from Orange, California. His body was never found.

Sgt.  James  T.  Suder

Sgt. Suder was from Marietta, Ohio. His body was never found.

Pfc. Clarence M. Suntinger

Pfc. Suntinger from St. Louis, Missouri was born on May 22, 1919. His body was never found.

Pfc. Elmer Svenningsen

Pfc. Svenningsen  was from Stamford, Connecticut. Pfc. Svenningsen (2nd from right) is shown in a family picture with his wife Rita, two brothers, Arne wearing Navy hat and Curley to his left, and his sister, Emma. Assigned to Company F, 262nd regiment which was quartered where the torpedo struck the ship, his body was never found.  At the time of his death, his son, Arne, was 4 years old and his daughter, Elsa, was only 11 months old.

Pfc. Robert Chester Sweet

Robert Sweet was born in Ashhatabula, Ohio, on December 15, 1913. The family later moved to Lawrence Park located next to Erie, Pennsylvania. He had 5 brothers and 2 sisters. He played semipro baseball as a pitcher for the Erie Sailors. His body was never found.

Pfc. Dominic G. Tambascia

Pfc. Tambascia was from Waltham, Massachusetts. His body was never found.

Pfc. John Z. Tarr

Pfc. Tarr was from St. Paul, Minnesota. He is shown in a family photo from about 1942. On the left are his brother-in-law, N.R. Dittberner & his mother, Brigitte.  His nephew, Jerry, and his sister, Emily, are seated.  John Tarr is standing behind his nephew and sister. His father, John Tarr, is on the extreme right. The body of Pfc. Tarr was never found.

T/Sgt. Forrest Dale Taylor

T/Sgt. Taylor’s last stateside address  was from Plattsmouth, Nebraska. He is pictured at the Schofield Barracks in Hawaii where he boxed in the army and won championships in three different weight classes. He was later transferred back to the states and reassigned to the 66th Infantry Division.  His body was recovered and returned to the states after the war.

Pfc.   Jay  Warren  Taylor

Pfc. Taylor from Elizabeth, Pennsylvania was born on 10/5/1921. One of 6 children, he had 2 brothers and 3 sisters. His body was never found.

T/5 Eugene Rodney Temple

T/5 Temple from Indianapolis, Indiana attended Arsenal Technical High School and was employed by the Hook Drug Company before enlisting in the army in March 1943. He was married and had a 3 month old son, Michael Eugene Temple. He had a brother and sister.   His body was recovered and buried in France. His wife Alice, was living with her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Casey. His photo is from the Indianapolis Star newspaper January 27, 1945.

T/5 Eugene  R.  Temple

The bodies of 76 soldiers killed in the Leopoldville disaster are buried at Normandy American Cemetery, France. One soldier, T/5 Eugene R. Temple from Indianapolis, Indiana was buried in Epinal American Cemetery located in the foothills of Vosges mountains near Epinal, France. Albert C. Temple, Eugene’s brother, was killed in fighting near Epinal on January 25, 1945. At the request of the Temple family, the two brothers were buried side by side in Epinal cemetery at Plot A — Row — 5 –graves 27/28.

Pvt. Ralph M. Tener

Pvt. Tener from Neosho, Missouri was assigned to Medical Detachment, 2nd Battalion, 262nd Regiment.   There were only 8 survivors from his unit of which 3 were hospitalized. No bodies were recovered. Pvt. Tener’s body was among 19 never found. Stats clearly indicate that the soldiers assigned to the Medical Detachment were more concerned about caring for the injured then their own safety. Photo of Pvt. Tener is from his school yearbook.

Pvt. James Harold Terry

Pvt. Terry from Cullman, Alabama was born on October 26, 1919. His body was never found.

Pfc. Joseph E. Thibodeau

Pfc. Thibodeau from Massachusetts was married. His body was recovered and buried in France.

Pfc. Jesse James Tibbetts

Pfc. Tibbetts from Ball Club, Minnesota was born on January 16, 1923. His body was never found.

Pfc.  Ralph  A.  Truelock

Pfc. Truelock was from Sullivan, Indiana.  He married his high school sweetheart, Bonnie McCombs, on 4/28/1943.  His daughter, Vicki, was born on 12/29/1944, just 5 days after his death.  His body was never found.

Pfc. Warren C. Tucker

Pfc. Tucker from Charlotte, North Carolina was born on August 18, 1912. His body was never found.

Pvt. Isadore Turisk

Pvt. Turisk was born in Michigan in 1919. His parents moved to Buffalo, New York in 1920 where he was raised with his sister, Goldie. He was married to the former Evelyn Dalke and they had 3 children. Before entering the army in 1944 he was employed as a truck driver. His last civilian address was Niagara Falls, New York. His body was never found.

Pfc.   Kenneth   J.   Turner

Pfc. Turner from Lee Center, New York was born on 10/15/1925.  His body was never found.