85 Heroes From My School Who Gave Their Lives In War (Pt. 1)

This past year, I wrote a book about students at my school who gave their lives in war. This project started out in an odd way: with a dream. Not an idea, or a dream I was reaching for. A literal dream while I was asleep.

In that dream I was standing in the memorial quad at my high school. It’s right off to the side of the main quad. I had passed it a million times, but never thought anything of it. But in this dream, here I was, standing and staring at the names of these people I didn’t know.

When I woke up, I decided to learn a bit about the names on the plaque. I went there and wrote down the names, every single one. When I first went to visit the plaque, I found it covered in dirt, leaves, and cobwebs. It felt abandoned, forgotten. I felt some odd emotion when I realized that. I now realize it was grief. Though I had never met these people, and knew nothing about them yet, the thought of them being erased from history was unfathomable.

In response, I decided to learn more about the people on the plaque. I spent hours of my free time researching these veterans, working before school, after school, and during my prep periods. I would spend hours in the Palo Alto Archives searching through obituaries. I flipped through endless pages of Paly yearbooks and newspapers. I searched for any information I could find on each name.

Word got out. Suddenly, I had family members and friends contacting me. They told me stories about these people, shared photos and stories. I learned so much more about who they were beyond the basic information I could find. I got to know these men and women. They became more than just names etched in metal. They became people. People like me.

They ate at the same places I did. They went to Paly dances, hung out at the quad, performed in the Haymarket Theatre. They flunked tests, turned in late assignments, crammed for finals. They ran the mile and went to Paly football games. They would bike to school, squish into a small car to drive in the morning, race to class so they wouldn’t be late.

I learned little things about these people. Some did theatre, just like me. One shares my birthday. The more real they became, the more important this project was. I wanted to make sure they weren’t forgotten.

Doing research was incredibly interesting, but at times it was hard. Not because of the work itself. But because as I got to know these people, learning about how they died and the families they left behind became more painful. When I learned that he was engaged, that one was about to be a father, that he sacrificed his life to save others, it felt like a punch to the stomach. I let that feeling drive me. I wanted to share their stories. They deserve to be remembered for their heroism.

In February 2022, I went to Washington D.C. and visited the World War and Vietnam Memorials. I found the names of each veteran who died during Vietnam, and under their name I left a printed copy of their pages from this book. Just as we were leaving, I saw a family approach one. There were two young kids. The girl picked up Vendelin’s biography and read it. She excitedly announced, “He wanted to be a drummer!” She then found his name and pointed it out to her family.

The younger boy picked up Kingman’s information. He read every page and then the family searched for his name. They smiled when they found it. I was brought to tears when I saw this. It made this whole project worth it. The goal was to make sure that these heroes were remembered. To know that I taught even one person about them is more than enough.

I don’t know who you are. But I hope these stories touch you the same way it did me. And I hope this project helps these Paly students and alumni live on.

The full book with articles, photos, and information can be accessed free here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dFYhu75q9zHWK_NGTJNtrVI5KcpMUagh3ttz9vuYRRE/edit?usp=sharing

More info: docs.google.com

Arthur Clifford Kimber, class of 1914. Kimber went into combat with both Escadrille Spa. 85and the U.S. Air Service’s 22nd Aero Squadron, fighting in northeastern France in the summer and early autumn of 1918. He fought with the 22nd during the Americans’ St. Mihiel campaign, almost dying due to enemy gunfire. Acting as his patrol’s rear guard, he was jumped by a group of Fokker aircraft and his plane was shot. The squadron’s official historian said it was ‘Unreasonably shot to pieces’. Two weeks after this, he was killed. On september 26, 1918, while flying during the Sedan offensive, his SPAD XIII fighter was hit by a shell and his plane exploded. His body was not initially recovered. Three years later, his body would be IDed in an unmarked grave in a small french village. A year after that in the summer of 1922, 1st Lieutenant Arthur Clifford Kimber was finally laid to rest in Meuse-Argonne cemetery in France. His grave can be found towards the back of the American military cemetery at Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, in one of the final rows of the last plot. He volunteered early for the war in France, yet was one of the last to be buried there. You can read more about his story in the book “An American on the Western Front: The First World War Letters of Arthur Clifford Kimber, 1917-18” by Patrick Gregory and Elizabeth Nurser.

Fritz Barkan JR, class of 1933

William Bassett

Howard Benson

Jack Bleasdale, class of 1932

Hiram Fisher

Russel Braga, class of 1944

Julian Burnette, class of 1940

Samuel Carson, class of 1937

Bernard Casaraung, class of 1936. While attending Paly, he was involved in music and sports. He was admitted to Boy’s Glee Club in 1933. He was president of the Glee Club in 1936, the sole tenor in one Acapella group in 1934, and played second sax in Rodger’s Band. He also did track with the Paly Track and Field Team. Before enlisting, he worked as an actor. Casaraung enlisted in Moffett Field in 1941. He became a lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He was killed February 12, 1945, when his B-29 crashed at sea. He was flying B-29 #42-24842 on a reconnaissance mission for the Navy. They developed engine trouble with one of their engines, causing them to crash into the sea near Saipan. “Lt Bernard A. Casaurang and crew of the 39th Squadron crashed into the ocean about forty-five minutes after takeoff on the 12 February mission. Crew members of other ships in the formation observed the plane lose No. 4 engine and fire break out on the starboard side. They also saw the ship explode as it struck the water. Dumbo search planes found only small bits of wreckage near the scene. This was the Sixth’s first combat loss. [“Pirate’s Log”, p. 29]”. He served as a First Lieutenant, Pilot, and Aircraft Commander on B-29 #42-24842, 39th Bomber Squadron, 6th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, 20th Air Force. His service number was O-724593. He left behind a wife, Rita A. Casaraung. His name is on the Honolulu Memorial, Courts of the Missing, Court 7. His Memorial ID is 56117423.

William Cashin

Harvey Clarke, class of 1936

Deane Clementson. Born in Minnesota in 1925, Deane Clementson grew up in California. Deane never got the chance to graduate. Though he would have graduated in 1943, he left high school before graduating. He enlisted in San Francisco in 1943. His army serial number was 39140901. Deane was killed when his plane crashed in Germany while he was on a mission. His box number is 1397 and his film reel number is 6.163. He left behind a wife, Bette Clementson.

Frederick Cooley

George Culiver, class of 1931

Norman Dahlin, class of 1943

J.R. Frank Dally, class of 1944

Albert Davies, class of 1932

Morian Deal, class of 1931

Philip Doty, class of 1941. Born on December 7, 1922, Phillip Doty graduated with the class of 1941. He first went to Mountain View High, where he was the freshman class president, before transferring to Paly. While there, he worked on the Madrono. He attended the University of Washington. He enlisted for the army on June 30, 1942, in Berkeley. According to his draft card he was 5’11,” 168 lbs, and had brown hair and eyes. Philip was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1943. By the spring of 1944, he was in flight training at Naval Air Station Miami, Florida. Philip eventually flew the Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless dive bomber with squadron VMSB-341, based in the South Pacific on Green Island. He was shot down over the island of Palau on November 9, 1944. He received horrid burns, but survived until dying of his wounds three months later at Mare Island Naval Hospital in Vallejo. The aircraft Philip was flying when shot down had bureau number 54759. He was only 22 when he died.

Henry Estes, class of 1936

Glen Faris, class of 1939. Glen Faris was born in 1920. He was a member of the class of 1939. He became a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Unit 5 Service Fts. He was killed on May 8, 1942, in an airplane crash at Brantford, Ontario. His ship, Anson I, stalled and crashed soon after taking off on an air test before a night training flight. His service number was R/118365. He is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, plot Section L, grave 7776. His memorial ID is 10445977. He is commemorated on Page 72 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. He was the son of Homer Judson and Clara M. K. Faris.

James Field, class of 1937

John Fredericks, class of 1941

George Fuchs, class of 1943. Born on June 24, 1924, George Fuchs was an active member of Paly life. He was a member of the class of 1943, and throughout his time at Paly, he was a star football player and a popular student around town. He lived in Canada until he was 6, when his family moved back to Palo Alto. He is and was remembered fondly by students and faculty alike, especially Coach Ray. He enlisted in San Francisco in 1943, completing only three years of college. He joined the Signal Air Corps, and was originally assigned the address 882 Signal Cos Depot, (Avn), APO No 9162, c/o Postmaster, San Francisco. He was trained all over the U.S. before being deployed overseas. He died on January 13, 1945 in a hospital in Australia. It is unclear whether it was due to an illness or an explosion, or perhaps a combination of both. He was only 20. He is buried in Santa Clara Mission Cemetery. His memorial ID is ​​60471393. His army serial number was 39122317. His film reel number is 6.159 and his box number is 1394.

Thomas Gorman, class of 1938

Robert Griggs, class of 1942

William Gunther, class of 1939

Alvin Harroun, class of 1929

Bryson Hills, class of 1936. Born in Idaho in 1917, Bryson Hills graduated from Paly in 1936. At Paly, he played basketball all four years, and captained the team in 1933. Before enlisting, he worked as an advertising agent. He enlisted in Moffett Field in 1941. He then became a technical sergeant, more specifically an aerial engineer that was in charge of planes while they were in flight. Bryson was killed on September 14, 1943 while fighting in the European theatre of war. He had received the air medal and three oak leaf clusters for gallantry in combat flying. His army serial number was 19040312. His box number is 0302. His film reel number is 3.24.

Michael Hite, class of 1944

Robert Hoffman

Theodore Holmes, class of 1936

William Houston, class of 1928

Jack Howell, class of 1941

Paul Jungermann, class of 1933. Paul Jungermann was born on June 16, 1915, in Berkeley, California. His father was a science teacher at Paly, and Paul himself was part of the class of 1933. He was an active member of the Paly student body, working as an associate editor of the Campanile, a Madrono staff member, a Thespian, a Forum Club member, and member of the tennis team. Post graduation, Paul attended San Jose State College, Stanford University, the Boston University Medical School, and the Stanford Medical School where he was studying physical therapy before enlisting. He graduated from Stanford in 1937. While there, he was very active in Christian life, organizing events and services. His major is listed as biology, basic medical sciences. He was part of Alpha Kappa Lambda. In the service, Paul continued working as a physical therapist. For two years he was stationed at Mare Island. He was then stationed at the Alameda Naval Air Station, where he was in charge of two floors of the base hospital. Paul was killed when a naval transport plane crashed on April 28, 1944. He was 28. He is buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery, Section H, Site 2648. His memorial number is 3594455.

Donald Kelly. Donald Kelly enlisted in the army in 1941. Before enlisting, he worked at the State Motor Vehicle Department in Monterey, and before that had taught at the Palo Alto Military Academy. At one point, according to the Campanile, his address post enlistment was apt, QM Corps, US Army, APO 464, c/o Postmaster, New York City. He was married to his wife in 1932, and he had two sons with her. Donald died on December 13, 1945 due to injuries. He was overseas in France at the time of his death. He was 32.

Lowell Kuehnle, class of 1935

Emil Kunz, class of 1941. Born in 1923, Emil Kunz graduated Paly in 1941. At Paly, he was an active student. He was a reporter for the 1939 – 1940 Campanile, part of the taxidermy club, played on the soccer team, and was the president of the Nature Club in 1940. After graduation, he went to San Jose State College. He enlisted for the army in San Francisco in 1941. He became a cadet in the Air Force. Emil was killed in training at Maxwell Field, Alabama, on November 18, 1942. His army serial number was 19064189. He’s buried in Alta Mesa Memorial Park, Section B, Subdivision 5. His memorial ID is 188063734. His box number is 0304. His film reel number is 3.26.

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