Bethlehem Central Graduates in the

U.S. Military During World War II

by Clifford Lamere,

Science Teacher (Sep 1967 - June 1991)

Webpage May 19, 2022

This webpage contains information about Bethlehem Central students who fought in World War II.  Many male students in high schools around the country dropped out of school in order to join the military.  I have found many more

Pam Rich Amari (Class of '6p) is very interested in her mother's Class of 1943.  She started sending me death information for classmates of her mother, Virginia Mae Remington Rich.  That eventually gave me the idea to create this webpage.

World War II began in Europe in 1939 when Germany attacked Poland.  On September 11, 1941, a U.S. ship fired on a German submarine.  Each country claimed that the other country' vessel had fired first.  On December 7, 1941, Japan (an ally of Germany) attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii because they objected to the influence of the United States in the Pacific.  The U.S. and Great Britain declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941.  On that same day, Germany declared war on the U.S. in support of Japan, their ally.  On December 11, the United States declared war on Germany.

"Congress established the nation’s first peacetime draft in 1940 by passing the Selective Training and Service Act, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 35 to register for potential military service. Once the United States entered the war, the requirement expanded to include all men 18 to 65 years of age. Over 10 million men were inducted into the military while the Selective Training and Service Act was in effect from September 16, 1940, to March 1947." (link)  17-year-olds were allowed to enlist with parental consent.  Some successfully lied about their age.  The youngest member of the U.S. military was  12-year old who had enlisted in the Navy.

I sometimes used information from the BIRLS Death File (on the Ancestry website).  It is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File.

 

Bethlehem Central Graduates who participated in World War II (1941-1945)     (27)
NAME	RANK / BRANCH	DEATH DATE	BIRTH DATE	AGE	GRAD. YEAR	COMMENTS
Barker, Stephen Middleton	Lt. / Army	2006 Jun 22	1917 Jul 10	88	1936	Obit  YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in North Africa.    Dates from BIRLS death file.   Military List-2  [not Sp, Leg]
Bennett, Clifford E.	Pvt. / Infantry	1944 Feb 27	c. 1918	c. 26	1936	Obit below.  YB  WWII killed in action at Anzio, Italy.    Military List-1  Obit in Albany County Post (8-4&11-1944), but not online.  [Not SSAC, BIRLS]
Cooke, LeRoy James	Lt.	2016 Aug 3	1924 May 19	92	1942	Obit (photo)  YB  Born in Delmar.  Reported missing in action in Germany, but safely returned.  Not in BIRLS death file.     Military List-2  [not Sp, BIRLS, FH]
De Shaw, Albert Gray	2nd Lt. / AF Then Capt.	2006 Aug 20	1923 Sep 4	82	1941	Death Notice  YB  Article (Bomber pilot, became prisoner in German camp (Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12).    [SSAC.  Not Sp, Leg]
Dysinger, Robert Edwin	Tech. Sgt.	1996 Dec 15	1922 Jun 30	74	1940	Obit & Draft card.  YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in Italy.    Military List-2  [not Sp, Newsp, maybe OA]
Flint, William S.	Pvt.	2000 Mar 29	1925 Aug 30	74	1943	Obit below.  YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in Germany.    Military List-2  [not Sp]
Fuller, Marlin/Martin S.	Lt.	2002 Aug 30	1919 Jul 24	83	1937	Obit  YB  Home in Delmar.  Prisoner of War in Germany until surrender.  Served in the Army Air Corps.    Military List-2
Gallup, Allen Durward	S/Sgt.	1989 Apr 18	1924 Aug 7	64	1943	BIRLS death File.  YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in Luxembourg.    Dates from BIRLS death file.  Military List-2  [not Sp, FH, OA, Leg, Newsp]
Gibson, Edward L(uther?) Jr.	Sgt. / 7th Army	?2000 Aug 16, 18 or 29?	?1918 Jul 14?	?82?	1936	YB  Article.  Home in Delmar.  Prisoner of War in Germany until surrender.     Military List-2  [not Sp, OA, Goo, FS, Newsp]
Glover, Earl Lawrence	Army	1981 Nov 1	1916 Dec 3	64	1940	YB  BIRLS death File. Enlisted 1942; discharged 1955.  Also see last line of the Article (below) for his brother Jackson.
Glover, Jackson William	Tech. Sgt	1979 Jan 29	1918 Mar 17	60	1937	YB  Article.  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in Italy.  1946 living in South Weymouth, Mass.    Military List-2  [not Sp, FH, ]
Grant, Benjamin William	Lt.	1998 Dec 15	1922 Nov 16	76	1941	BIRLS death File.  YB  Home in Slingerlands.  Prisoner of War in Germany until surrender.    Military List-2  [not Sp, OA]
Hamann, Arthur H.	1st Lt. / Artillery	1968 Oct 24	1914	54	1932	Obit & Article & Enlistment record below.  YB    [not Sp, BIRLS]
Hayner, Robert L.	Capt.	1978 Jun 7	1919 May 30	59	1935	Obit below.  YB + YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in France.    Military List-2  [not Sp]
Henkel, Richard C.	2nd Lt./ Air Force	1945 Apr 8	c. 1918	c. 27	1936	Obit & 2 Articles below.  YB  Home in Delmar.  Killed in bomber crash near Knoxville, Tenn.    Military List-2  In ACP 1945 Apr 20 & 13.
Henkel, Robert Louis	Seaman (1c)	2008 Apr 26	1923  Dec 20	84	1941	Obit  YB
Herrick, Charles Arthur	Cpl. / Army	2003 May 24	1918 Feb 3	85	1937	Obit & Article & SSAC  YB  Home in Delmar.  Prisoner of War in Germany until surrender.    Military List-2
Hicks, Robert S.	Pfc. / Army		July 1, 1925		1943	YB  Article  Home in Elsmere.  Wounded in Germany.    Military List-2  Married (1949) Catherine T. Beuker of Grand Rapids, Michigan  [Not SSAC, Newsp, OA, Article in Sp]
Menges, Roger G.	Lt. / Army Air Force	2005 Dec 26	c. 1920	85	1937	Obit  YB  Home in Delmar.  Injured in airplane accident.  Prisoner of War in Germany until surrender.     Military List-2
Moak, William J.	Navy gunner	2001 Feb 7	c. 1923	78	1941	Obit  YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in the Pacific.    Military List-2
Mosall, George William	2nd Lt. / Army Air Corps	1981 May 14	1917 Oct 3	63	1937	Obit  YB  YB2  Home in Delmar.  Wounded at Pearl Harbor.  Also reported missing in action, but safely returned.    Military List-2  [not Sp, OA]
Mott, George S. 3rd	Lt.	?1980 Jul 13?	?1924 Feb 28?	?56?	1941	YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in Germany.   Possible birth & death dates from BIRLS death file.  Went to Yale College.    Military List-2  [not Sp, OA, Leg, Newsp]
Nichols, Norman B.	Electrician's Mate Third Class / Navy	1945 May 11	c. 1922	23	1941	Article & photo  Memorial  YB  Home in Delmar.  Killed in the Pacific (on the USS Bunker Hill).  Buried at sea.    Military List-1
Playford, Leonard V.	Pfc.	2000 Oct 3	c. 1920	80	1938	Obit below.  YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded in Marshall Islands.    Military List-2  [not Sp, FH]
Prince, Lennox B.	F/O	1990 Jan 10	c. 1922	68	1940	Obit  YB  Home in Delmar.  Burned in plane crash in Italy.    Military List-2
Simon, Richard Carl	Pfc.	2016 May 29	1925 Aug 21	90	1943	Obit (photo)  YB  Salutatorian  Home in Delmar.  Prisoner of War in Germany until surrender.    Military List-2    5/10/22
Taylor, Harold George	Pfc.	2007 Apr 21	c. 1925	82	1942	Obit  YB  Home in Delmar.  Wounded twice in France.    Military List-2  [not Sp, OA]

List of Men in World War II - part 1

List of Men in World War II - part 2    [found by Pam Rich Amani]

Bennett, Clifford E.

De Shaw, Albert  --  [Source: Pamela Rich Amani]

Dysinger, Robert Edwin  --  two items

     World War II Draft Cards Young Men

         [Published December 16, 1996 in the Portland Press Herald (ME)]

ROBERT EDWIN DYSINGER LIBRARIAN, SELF-TAUGHT MYCOLOGIST

    Robert Edwin Dysinger, 74, of Main Street died Sunday at the Veteran's Home in South Paris.

    He was born in Glen Ridge, N.J., a son of Fredrick and Elfreda Miller Dysinger. He grew up in Westminster, Mass., and spent many summers in Maine. He started college at Bowdoin, but joined the Army when World War II started. He received a Purple Heart Citation in 1944. He returned from the service and graduated from Bowdoin. He went on to receive two masters degrees - one in literature from the University of Michigan and the other in library science from State University of New York.

    Mr. Dysinger worked as a librarian for Colby College, Bowdoin College, the University of New Hampshire and the University of Southern Illinois. He was a self-taught mycologist and did extensive study on mushrooms.

    He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Mary Jordan Dysinger of Fryeburg; a son, Dr. Calvin Dysinger of Hawaii; a daughter, Amy Dysinger of Waltham, Mass.; and two grandchildren.

    Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Burial will be in Woodside Cemetery, Westminster, Mass. Wood Funeral Home of Fryeburg is in charge of arrangements.

Flint, William S.  --  [Published April 1, 2000 in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL)]

William S. Flint, 74, Englewood, died March 29, 2000.
    He was born Aug. 30, 1925, in Delmar, N.Y., and came to Englewood from Willsboro, N.Y. He retired in 1990 as an investigator with the New York State Attorney General's Office. He was an Army veteran of World War II and received a Purple Heart. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Elks and Masonic Lodge.
    Survivors include his wife, Florence (Lenney); a daughter, Judith Sherman of Schoharie, N.Y.; a son, William S. Jr. of Colonie, N.Y.; and three grandchildren.
    A memorial service will be later. Inurnment will be in New York. Lemon Bay Funeral Home, Englewood Chapel, is in charge.
    In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.

Gallup, Allen Durward

        U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File

Gibson, Edward L(uther?) Jr.

Glover, Earl Lawrence

    U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File

Glover, Jackson William  --  2 items

     [Published 4/4/1944 in the Knickerbocker News, Albany, NY]
Wounded in Italy
    Tech. (5g) Jackson W. Glover, 26, of 41 Douglas Rd., Delmar, is recovering from a wound in his right arm suffered in Italy, the War Department has informed his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl S. Glover.
    He has been in service three years and overseas two years during which he fought in North Africa and Sicily. He formerly was a student at Vesper George Art School, Boston. A brother, Sgt. Earl L. Glover, 22, is serving in Alaska.

Grant, Benjamin W.

        U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File

Hamann, Arthur H.  --  3 items

[Published June 1, 1945 in the Albany County Post, Delmar, NY]

News of Local People In Service

    Arthur H. Hamann has been advanced from second to first lieutenant while on duty somewhere in Germany according to announcements.  He is the husband of Mrs. Jean Stephens Hamann and son of Mrs. Lillian Skillman, 21 Oakwood Place, Delmar.

    A graduate of Bethlehem Central High School, Lt. Hamann entered service in June, 1942. After attending Officer’s Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he received his commission in May, 1943, as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army Artillery. In January, 1945, he, with battalion of Armored Field, arrived in France for duty.

     World War II Army Enlistment Records

Hayner, Robert L. 

Henkel, Richard C.  --  3 items

    [Published April 13, 1945 in the Knickerbocker News, Albany, NY]

LT. RICHARD C. HENKEL
Funeral services for Lt. Richard C. Henkel, 174 Adams St., Delmar, bomber-pilot instructor who was killed Sunday when his plane crashed near Telico Plains, Tenn., will be at 2 p. m. Sunday at Zwack and Sons' Mortuary.  The Rev. Leon Adkins of State Methodist Church, Schenectady, will officiate. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Cambridge.
    A graduate of Bethlehem Central High School and Purdue University, Lieutenant Henkel is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Nichols Henkel; an infant daughter, Jennifer Lee; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter F. Henkel, and a brother, Seaman (1c) Robert Henkel , stationed at Treasure Island, Calif.
   

Herrick, Charles A.  --  3 items

     Social Security Applications and Claims Index

Mosall, George William

Nichols, Norman B.  --  2 items.  [Middle initial is wrong in title and below the photo.  B is accurately given in text of article.]

Playford, Leonard V.  --  [Published October 5, 2000 in the Times Union, Albany, NY]

ALBANY -- Leonard V. Playford, 80, of Albany, died Tuesday, October 3, 2000 at St. Peter's Hospital. Mr. Playford was born in Schenectady and lived in the Capital District all his life. He was a graduate of Bethlehem Central High School and the Albany Business College. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, 4th Marine Division at the invasions of Iwo Jima, Siapan, Tinean and the Marshall Islands. He was employed for many years by the State Architects Office of the NY State Office of General Services in Albany. He also was a member of the American Legion. Mr. Playford is survived by his wife, Annette O'Neil Playford; his children, Gregory Playford of Slingerlands, Deborah Zarrelli of Guilderland and Timothy Playford of Fishers, IN; six grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at the Hans Funeral Home, 1088 Western Avenue, Albany, Friday morning at 9:15 and 10:00 in St. Margaret Mary's Church, Homestead St., Albany. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will be in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands.

Prince, Lennox B.

PRINCE, LENNOX B., 68, of Dunedin, died Wednesday (Jan. 10, 1990) at Mease Hospital Dunedin. He came here in 1957 from his native Albany, N.Y. He was an insurance inspector with Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Co. He was a World War II Army Air Forces veteran and a Protestant. Survivors include two sons, Stewart B., Auburndale, and Gordon L., Clearwater; a daughter, Joanne Pierce, Clearwater; and two granddaughters. Moss-Feaster Guardian Funeral Home, Dunedin Chapel.

Taylor, Harold George 

LINCOLN, RI  --  Harold G. Taylor, 82, formerly of Auburn, died Sat., April 21st in the Philip Hulitar Hospice in Providence, RI after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Cecile L. (Beauregard) Taylor of Lincoln, RI; his sister-in-law, Jeanette Smith wife of Robert, of Millis; sister-in-law, Alice Brodeur, wife of Richard of Shrewsbury; brother-in-law, Olof T. Johnson of Auburn; nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Anna Taylor and his brothers, Jacob, Edward, Harvey and Frank Taylor. Harold was born in Bethlehem, New York, the son of Harvey J. and Catherine (Urchel) Taylor. He was a WWII Veteran having served in the European Theater. Harold was awarded the Purple Heart twice during his service in the Army. He attended Becker Junior College and graduated from Albany Business College. He worked as an Auditor for Travelers Insurance. He was a longtime member of the Masons. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Harold's funeral service at Noon on Wed. April 25th, in the Britton-Wallace Funeral Home, 91 Central St., Auburn. A calling hour will be held from 11AM to Noon. Burial will follow in Hillside Cemetery, Auburn. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 or to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. For directions or to visit Harold's personal on-line memorial, please visit: www.brittonfuneralhomes.com

[The following lines will likely be omitted.]

1940 BC graduates = 107

1941 = 110

1942 graduates = 117   Pearl Harbor attack was during this school year.

1943 = 107

1944 = 93

1945 = 111

1946 = 128

1947 = 131

To find news of people in the military during WWII, do an exact search for the following in Fulton History site:  NEWS OF LOCAL PEOPLE IN SERVICE

Piazza, George  --  [Published 8/14/1987 in the Ballston Journal (NY)]

George Piazza, 73, of Mapleridge Avenue, Albany died August 23, at Albany Medical Center Hospital after a long illness.
    Mr Piazza was born in Rensselaer and was a graduate of Bethlehem Central High School. He lived in Albany for 30 years.
    He owned and operated the Staats Express trucking company in Rensselaer, retiring in 1980.
    He served in the Navy during World War II.
    He was a member of St James Church in Albany and of its Hold [sic - Holy?] Names Society.
    Survivors include his wife, Mrs Helen G Piazza; two sons, George P Piazza and Mark T Piazza, both of Albany; three daughters, Angela Glebatis of Rensselaer, Paulette Furdyna of Ballston Lake and Louise Costello of Albany; two sisters, Stella Salamida and Concetta Robilotto, both of Albany; and six grandchildren.
    Memorial contributions may be made to St James Memorial Fund.

Murray, Philip Richard  --  [Published 9/18/2002 in the Times Union, Albany, NY]
ALBANY -- Philip R. Murray, 87, a lifelong resident of Delmar, died at his home on Monday, September 16, 2002 after a brief illness. He was the son of the late Philip R. Murray Sr. and Mary Gertrude FitzSimmons. Mr. Murray was a graduate of Bethlehem High School, Villanova University, and Albany Law School. During World War II, Mr. Murray served in the Pacific Theater as a B25 and A20 observer and intelligence officer in the Army Air Corps, retiring with the rank of major. Mr. Murray was a practicing attorney in Albany and Rensselaer from 1940 until his retirement in 2000. He was a past president of the Albany County Bar Association and also headed the legal department at the Albany County Department of Social Services. Active in local Democratic politics, Mr. Murray served as Bethlehem party chairman in the 1950s and 1960s and ran for various town offices over the years. Mr. Murray was recently honored as the longest active member of the University Club of Albany, having joined in 1935. He was also a longtime member of Normanside Country Club where he served as an officer and board member of both the club and the corporation. Mr. Murray had been an active organizer and volunteer of the Albany County American Legion Junior Baseball League. He was a parishioner of historic St. Mary's Church in Albany. Mr. Murray was the widower of Frances M. Murray to whom he had been happily married for 58 years. He is survived by his daughter, Jean M. Peterson and her husband, Scott of Middlebury, Conn.; his brother, John Murray of Albany; his grandson, James Peterson of Westfield, N.J.; his granddaughter, Hilary Peterson of Aspen, Colo.; a great-granddaughter; and several nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, September 21, 2002 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, 10 Lodge St., Albany. Friends may call at the Applebee Funeral Home, 403 Kenwood Avenue, Delmar on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, Glenmont. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Church, 10 Lodge St., Albany, NY 12207 or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Schultz, Otto P. Jr.  --  [Published 1/10/2002 in the Times Union, Albany, NY]

VOORHEESVILLE  --  Otto P. Schultz Jr., 86, died Friday, January 4, 2002 at the Hospice Inn at St. Peter's Hospital. Born in Colonie, NY, Otto was the son of the late Marietta and Otto R. Schultz. He was a graduate of the former Delmar High School. Otto retired in 1978 after 31 years in the postal system. He began his career with the railway mail system and retired as a postal clerk in the Loudonville Post Office. Otto was a barber for 72 years, operating his own shop in Clark Mills, NY from 1960-1968 and continuing to cut hair for family and friends until recently. Otto served in Company D of the 803rd Military Police Battalion of the U.S. Army during World War II. Otto is survived by his wife of 63 years, Esther Crounse Schultz; two sons, Carl L. Sr. of Schenectady and David W. of Liverpool; three grandchildren, Carl L. Jr. of Voorheesville and Peter G. Michael D. of Liverpool; a brother, William W. of Voorheesville. He was predeceased by a brother, Harold of Voorheesville. There will be a memorial service at the New Scotland Presbyterian Church where Otto formerly served as a deacon, located at 2010 New Scotland Road, New Scotland at 1 p.m on Saturday, January 12, 2002. A reception honoring Otto's memory will be conducted in the church hall following the service. Friends and relatives may call at the funeral home from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, January 11, 2002. It was Otto's request that contributions in his memory be made to the charity of one's choice.
 

Ulion, Michael Anthony  --  [Published 7/17/1996 in the Times Union, Albany, NY]

VOORHEESVILLE -- Michael A. Ulion, 81, of Ponderosa Dr., died Monday, July 15, 1996 at the Teresian House Nursing Home in Albany. Mr. Ulion was a lifelong resident of Voorheesville and a 1934 graduate of the Bethlehem High School. He was employed first as a Meat Cutter at his own store in Altamont and then as Assessor for almost 30 years for the Town of New Scotland. He also worked for many years as a Custodian at the Voorheesville Elementary School. Mr. Ulion was a 45 year member of the Voorheesville Volunteer Fire Department and a member of the Voorheesville Ambulance Squad, the Voorheesville Rod & Gun Club and the Albany County Assessor's Association. He was a veteran of the United States Army, serving in the Army Military Police during World War II in the North Africa, Sicily and Italy campaigns. He was a member of the Voorheesville American Legion Post #1493. Mr. Ulion was the widower of the late Evelyn Ulion; father and father-in-law of Dennis and Sylvia Ulion; grandfather of Jamie and Kelly Ulion and brother of Charles Ulion, Julia Uliano and the late Agnes Preska. Services 9:00 o'clock Thursday morning from the Reilly & Son Funeral Home, 9 Voorheesville Ave., Voorheesville and at 9:30 at St. Matthew's Church, Mountainview Rd., Voorheesville. Calling hours will be Wednesday from 4 to 8 in the funeral home. REILLY & SON, VOORHEESVILLE 765-3633