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Members of the original 497th Engineer Heavy Shop Company, U.S. Army

 

 

Updated 03-11-2023

 

Most members of this US Army unit were employees of Caterpillar Tractor Company, Peoria and East Peoria, IL.


Enlistments closed on 09-28-1942, activation of the unit took place on 10-01-1942 and basic training was at Camp Claiborne, LA. They would serve on the "Ledo Road", with missions in India, Burma and China. The company was discharged, at Camp Grant near Rockford, IL, on 12-10-1945. A few of the following served in Europe and North Africa.

 

Members of the 497th who are deceased and have memorials on FindAGrave.com. I do not maintain these memorials and can make no changes to them.

 

Abel, Erven George

Alford, Aaron Eldridge

Amsberry, Franklin Blaine

Andell, Edwin Joseph

Arnold, Albert E "Al"

Ary, Lee. D.

Baer, Matthew

Bahr, Russell F.

Barrath, Rene L.

Barrett, James R. Sr.

Bartelmay, William J. Jr.

Bauernfeind, George Edwin

Beard, Walter David

Bennett, Harvey Milton

Bentz, Rudolph B.

Berger, Robert S.

Bergman, Henry Norbert

Bernius, Dewey Lee

Berthold, Kenneth B.

Best, William F.

Blackard, Ralph R.

Bolton, Carl Eugene

Brickner, Henry Etsert

Brigham, Clair Crandall

Brumleve, Clarence Joseph

Bruns, Jesse L.

Buchanan, Burrel R.

Buckley, John F. Sr.

Byford, Vernice I.

Caldwell, Myron Wilson

Callahan, James Bernard

Camp, LaVern Z. Sr.

Chenoweth, Clyde Clarence

Chenoweth, Maurice Anson

Coker, Paul B.

Conlon, Melvin Ray

Depeugh, Samuel R.

Doolan, John Patrick

Drake, William Joseph

Drury, Charles Edwin

Edminster, Eugene Cecil

Everett, Robert Daniel

Eversole, Jimmy Foster "Jim"

Favorite, Wallace W.

Flambers, Earl

Fleener, Dalton E.

Folkerts, Ralph Albert

Gaede, Donald V.

Gaffney, Joseph Darwin

Geskey, James D.

Getz, Harold E.

Getz, Robert James

Graham, Carl W.

Graham, Robert Paul

Graze, Russell Robert Sr. "Russ"

Grier, Edward D.

Gschwend, Henry John

Halberg, Carl Andrew

Hanelt, Earl Adolph

Hank, Fred H.

Hardin, Richard C.

Harless, Harold

Haw, Arthur Robert Jr.

Heller, Ethan A.

Hendricks, Lloyd Everett Jr.

Hickman, Joseph Arlie

Hill, Kenneth Everett

Hines, Howard D.

Holzknecht, Frank

Hudson, Charles Gordon "Red"

Johns, Wilbert Harold

Jones, Albert L.

Jones, Dalton D. Sr.

Keller, Robert Alan

Kern, Estel L. "Jack"

Kinney, John Milton

Kneer, John Bernard

Koll, Louis Julius

Kranz, Worthy Brown

Lacanski, Steve

Lane, William Junior, Jr

Lauher, Ernest Carlyle

Lautenberger, Henry E. Jr.

Law, Elmer Olin

Leach, Walter E.

Lenz, Charles F.

Linder, Lawrence E.

Longden, Lawrence

Madison, William A. "Bill"

Maher, John J.

Mahrt, Howard

Marshall, Robert Stanley Jr.

Martin, Perry Dale

Mathias, Samuel

Mazzini, Alfred

McCarty, Donald Keith

McComb, Percy D.

McConnell, William Leonard

McGovern, Harold Glenn

Menold, Jacob O. "Jake"

Molek, Frank

Monser, John Thompson

Moody, Wentworth

Myers, Marion E.

Neblock, Howard Glen

Neeley, Cloyed L.

Oakes, Henry Oscar Bruce

Orman, Myrle "Casey"

Orr, Francis Austin

Owens, Gregory A.

Palmer, Gerald Dean

Paschon, Daniel

Pierson, Robert L. "Bob"

Piquard, Eugene A. "Gene"

Pribble, Carl W.

Putnam, Lester O.

Rapp, Emerson R.

Raymer, Samuel Franklin

Reed, Earl William

Reese, Carroll F.

Renfro, Frank

Rieder, James Albert

Ring, Bernard F.

Robins, Clyde Audrey

Robins, Robert P. Sr.

Scanlon, John C. "Jack"

Scarcliff, Charles Shelby

Schaidle, Ernest A.

Schaub, Julius

Schleich, Richard David

Schutte, Floyd T.

Seaton, Merle

Sexton, Harold Dean

Sherman, John Stone

Skinner, George Walter

Smith, Mendlows P.

Stairwalt, Frederick Harold

Starr, Clifford W.

Stephens, Russell Thomas

Stevig, Paul Jacob

Stroman, Bruce Osman

Struebing, Robert W.

Tennant, Raymond W. "Abe"

Timmons, Charles A.

Towne, Dale B.

Trunk, Donald E.

Vergon, Monroe M. "Gus"

Wascher, Cleatus S.

Weast, Robert W.

Wegner, Kenneth R.

Whitsitt, Terence J.

Wilson, Bennie Burdette

Wilson, Woodrow

Wolland, Russell A.

Woods, Hubert L.

Woodward, Warren W.

Wynn, Richard John

Wyss, Benjamin Jr.

Yonaka, Clarence Amos

 

Members of the 497th who I can't confirm have memorials on FindAGrave.com or who may still be living.

 

Brown, Philip B.
Conlon, Melvin, R.
Crique, Oscar Edward
Crowe, John M.
Cunningham, Robert
Davidson, Robert
Davis, Ralph
Dutcher, Walter E.
Farnsworth, Raymond R.
Harrison, William H.
Hayes, Donald L.
Johnson, Milton D.
Milosovich, Steve (died in 2000 in AZ and is buried there, not on Find A Grave.)
Mitchell, John Robert

Northup, Ralph R.
Putnam, Willard C.
Rayburn, James A.
Robinson, Clifford L.
Rohman, Francis J.
Schlatter, Carl R.
Slater, Clarence O.
Smith, Howard L.
Starmer, Joseph W.
Stevenson, George A.
Stover, Edward E.
Usnik, Rudolph F.
Waddell, Wayne W.
Wagner, Russell E.
Walker, Jean
Walker, Leo E.
Walker, Robert J.
Wall, Jack D.
Weisbruch, Theodore J.
Wilkey, Raymond J.
Williamson, Maurice

Further information on the 497th, The Ledo Road, The Burma Road and The Stilwell Road:

 

Facebook (Peoria Historical Society)

 

To Burma and Back (article)

 

Wikipedia Burma Road

 

Wikipedia Ledo Road

 

Encyclopedia Britannica - Burma Road

 

YouTube video

YouTube video

YouTube video

YouTube video

YouTube video

YouTube video

 

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