IBM Endicott World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial honors Fifty-Seven

A marble monument located at Highland Park in Endwell, New York honors the fifty-seven men from IBM Endicott that were killed during World War II.  It was originally dedicated on August 16, 1947 at the then IBM Endicott Country Club and then moved in 2005 to Highland Park by the Endicott Artistic Memorial Company, which is the same company that worked with the Vermont Marble Company when the monument was originally build.

IBM Endicott WW2 Memoral Book.pdf

The monument was designed by Earl Richardson and built by Louis Lertola, both of the Vermont Marble Company, Proctor, Vermont. This is the same company that created various monuments including many in Washington DC. The booklet to the right and the plaques in the picture carousel have additional information on the monument design and meaning. Near the Monument is a bench, one I used a lot while reflecting on the monument and the men and filming. This bench was a gift in honor of the Richardson family, giving people a place to sit while visiting the monument and honoring the family behind the monument. See "The Story Behind the Story" for more on this and a special family.

All told, there would be 115 IBMers making the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country (114 men and 1 woman). IBM Poughkeepsie would lose six men and a similar recognition was made for them. 

Below, you'll find the list of the men, alphabetically, and some information on each. In some cases, there are pointers to other websites or additional information on them that I've collected. A special thanks to Joe Titti who did the original research on these men.

The story of how the Monument came together is pretty special. Researching it, I was reminded of how much IBM was both a family and a community in the 1940s and the degree to which that generation pulled together. The War Memorial Committee was formed to represent the employees as much, or more than the corporation. 

Video Tribute to the 57 Men published Memorial Day 2023. (15 minutes)

Full Presentation: Endicott History & Heritage Center, September 11, 2023 (60 minutes)

The Fifty-Seven

Below are the fifty-seven men, listed alphabetically. I've included some information here, but each man has a separate page with additional information that we'll be adding to over time. 

Raymond E. Abbey
Sergeant
 US Army
Enlist March 27, 1941
Died March 21, 1945
Age 31
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Robert Agan
2nd Lieutenant
 US Army Air
Enlist May 1942
Died: April 15, 1945
Age 26
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Walter T. Alestek
Seaman, US Navy
Enlist Sept. 1, 1942
Died: May 13, 1945
Age 22
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Forrest K. Ames

2nd Lieutenant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist March 13, 1942
Died Nov. 30, 1943
 Age 24
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Forrest M. Baldwin
Technical Sergeant
 US Army
Enlist Mar. 23, 1942
Died Jan. 13, 1945
Age 26
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Gerald C. Beach
Private
 US Army
Enlist May 27, 1942
Died Nov. 18, 1944
Age 29
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William H. Broadley
1st Lieutenant
US Army
Enlist June 8, 1941
Died June 14, 1944
 Age 31
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George R. Bryan
Staff Sergeant
US Army Air Forces
Enlist February 1, 1943
Died August 10, 1944
 Age 31
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Clarke F. Clemons
Private
US Army
Enlist June 15, 1942
Died Dec. 25, 1944
 Age 27
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Harold P. Corey
Staff Sergeant
US Army Air Corps
Enlist June 10, 1941
Died March 16, 1944
 Age 25
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Robert J. Cotanche
Private First Class
US Army
Enlist March 4, 1943
Died January 2, 1945
 Age 20
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Arthur B. Craw
Corporal
US Army
Enlist July 1943
Died January 3, 1945
 Age 37
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James E. Crawford
Private
US Army
Enlist July 28, 1944
Died April 12, 1945
Age 23
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Samuel A DeStefano
Private
US Marine Corps
Enlist June 28, 1944
Died March 8, 1945
 Age 26
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Donald R. Douglass
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist Feb 22, 1943
Died April 8, 1945
 Age 25
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Hugh V. Ellis
Technical Sergeant
US Army
Enlist January 27, 1942
Died March 9, 1945
Age 31
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Louis M. Fertig
2nd Lieutenant
 Naval Air Corps
Enlist Sept. 4, 1943
Died  June 13, 1945
Age 29
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Nicholas W. Freije
2nd Lieutenant
 US Army Air Forces
Enlist Feb. 24, 1943
Died Oct. 10, 1944
 Age 27
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Stephen Gordon
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist March 1943
Died June 6, 1944
 Age 19
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Stephen J Gyles
Private First Class
 US Marine Corps
Enlist May 1942
Died March 16, 1945
 Age 22
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Carl H. Hirthler
Staff Sergeant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Aug. 28, 1942
Died July 5, 1944
 Age 28
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Clinton H. Hitchcock
Sergeant
 US Marine Corps
Enlist February 1943
Died March 19, 1945
 Age 21
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John W. Irving
1st Lieutenant
 Army Air Corps
Enlist July 1942
Died Feb. 4, 1945
 Age 23
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Harold D. Kenner
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist March 11, 1943
Died Sept. 30, 1944
 Age 19
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Paul F. Kinney
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist Jan. 16, 1944
Died Dec. 11, 1944
 Age 27
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Stephen Kisacky
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist March 10, 1941
Died Oct. 13, 1943
 Age 29
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William Kotchick
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist Mar. 20, 1943
Died Nov. 25, 1944
 Age 20
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Leonard B. Landon
Petty Officer
 US Navy
Enlist Jan. 8, 1941
Died June 6, 1944
 Age 28
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Ivan R. Lee
Staff Sergeant
 Army Air Forces
Enlist May 27, 1942
Died March 26, 1944
 Age 22
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Gerald L. Ludlam
Sergeant
 US Army
Enlist Mar. 23, 1942
Died July 11, 1943
 Age 26
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Jack E. MacMullen
Private
 US Army
Enlist Mar. 30, 1944
Died Nov. 21, 1944
 Age 32
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Stanley E. Marciniak
Private
 US Army
Enlist May 14, 1942
Died May 13, 1944
 Age 33
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Paul McGranaghan
Lieutenant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Jan. 21, 1943
Died March 5, 1945
 Age 21
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Henry W Michalovic
Corporal
 US Army
Enlist Jan. 20, 1943
Died Sept. 12, 1944
 Age 21
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Richard C. Millage
Sergeant
 US Marine Corps
Enlist Dec. 8, 1943
Died Oct. 3, 1944
 Age 20
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William J. Nabinger
Lieutenant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Sept. 23, 1942
Died July 7, 1944
 Age 22
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Assaph J. Nassif
Private
 US Army
Enlist April 29, 1944
Died Dec. 25, 1944
 Age 27
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Curtis I. Oliver
Machinist Mate 1st Class
 US Navy
Enlist Aug. 8, 1942
Died Dec. 25, 1943
 Age 35
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Jack H. Olson
Private
 US Army
Enlist Jan. 28, 1944
Died Feb. 8, 1945
 Age 23
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Charles E. Pero
Sergeant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Aug. 10, 1942
Died Nov. 27, 1943
 Age 26
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Leonard F. Peterlin
Sergeant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Dec. 5, 1942
Died Feb. 11, 1945
 Age 21
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Lewis J. Pierce
Staff Sergeant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Sept. 21, 1942
Died March 15, 1945
 Age 23
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Robert G. Relyea
Staff Sergeant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Nov. 11, 1942
Died May 21, 1944
 Age 21
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Wendell J. Root
Captain
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist August 1942
Died July 8, 1944
 Age 24
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Milton T. Roseboom
Sergeant
 US Army
Enlist Mar. 24, 1942
Died Aug. 10, 1944
 Age 35
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Joseph J. Salata
Corporal
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist March 24, 1941
Died Oct. 24, 1944
 Age 35
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Irwin B. Shaffer
Lieutenant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist Oct. 27, 1942
Died July 8, 1944
 Age 29
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Howard R. Sitgreaves
Fireman 1st Class
 US Coast Guard
Enlist June 18, 1942
Died March 9, 1944
 Age 23
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Lawrence W Smith Jr.
Staff Sergeant
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist July 22, 1942
Died Oct. 9, 1943
 Age 22
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George E. Somerville
Lieutenant
 US Army
Enlist Nov. 13, 1941
Died Jan. 3, 1945
 Age 25
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Walter M.
Stavel
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist Aug. 27, 1943
Died Feb. 25, 1945
 Age 22
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William W.
Thorne
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist May 1942
Died Feb. 24, 1944
 Age 26
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Roger D. Webster
Private
 US Marine Corps
Enlist May 1944
Died March 11, 1945
 Age 28
<More> 

Walter W. Williams
Private First Class
 US Army
Enlist Mar. 27, 1944
Died Dec. 23, 1944
 Age 27
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William R. Wilson
Corporal
 US Army
Enlist March 17, 1941
Died May 19, 1945
 Age 27
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John E. Wright
Flight Officer
 US Army Air Corps
Enlist March ??, 1942
Died Oct. 25, 1944
 Age 31
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Paul F. Yudin
Sergeant
 US Marine Corps
Enlist August 3, 1942
Died Feb. 22, 1945
 Age 23
<More>

Additional References