This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: Lutes
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/nh.2ADE/2424
Message Board Post:
Eugene T. Lutes of Hartford City, Indiana in Blackford County, was declared killed in
action after being missing for a considerable length of time while serving in the United
States Navy; World War II South Pacific. He was on the USS Houston (CA-30) which was lost
in the Battle of Sunda Strait in March 1943. His status remains missing or buried at sea
and his name is honored on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery in the
Philippines.
We have found the following reference at the Indiana State Library website; World War II
database. We do not have the information because we do not have access to the microfilms
here in the Philippines but we are hoping for some help from our posting. Our goal is to
find the families of Indiana servicemen and present them with free photographs of their
loved one’s grave sites or their names as they appear on the “Tablets”. This information
will increase our chances of finding the families. Please help us!
References:
Indianapolis News
April 3, 1942
Missing in Action
Part 1, Page 12, Column 2
Hello, I am a retired American veteran residing in the Philippines with my Filipino wife.
A year ago we visited the memorial as visitors but came home with a mission in our hearts.
As we gazed over the beautifully manicured acres and the 17,202 American graves, it was
obvious only a few families had ever visited their graves.
I stepped into the soft grass and focused my camera on one of the white crosses, a grave
of an Ohio soldier. A strange calmness was in the air as I walked a few more steps and a
cross of an Indiana soldier lay square in my path. The letters of the inscription on the
marker was bolder than ever, here lay a soldier from my home state.
At that moment a quiet brainstorm aroused my humble thoughts. I wondered if I could locate
any of the families of these men. My stride became more defined and within a few moments I
had located and photographed eight more graves.
Since those gut-wrenching but touching moments we have energized our efforts in finding
the families of these American men from Indiana. We have located well over 100 and have
delivered the FREE photographs to them via email.
Please visit our website and see the men we have honored and the families we have assisted
in finding a more genuine closure of a horrible tragedy.
http://fizkid.tripod.com/
Our success in finding the families was the result of journalists, amateur genealogists,
historians, historical societies, librarians and lots of wonderful Hoosiers and those with
Indiana ties across America.
During our search we have also reached families from other states as well and have filled
special requests for photos from the Manila American Cemetery. We presently have
photographed only the graves of the Indiana soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen; however
we have photographed all of the names that are engraved on the "Tablets of the
Missing". We offer them free of charge to anyone who asks.
We ask for your help in finding their families. We understand this is a genealogy board
but we do not need immediate genealogy in that form, we need leads to find the families.
Please become one of our special volunteers today and find the family of an Indiana
serviceman from near your home. A list of the men from your Indiana county is available,
free and all you must do is request it.
Eugene Thomas Lutes
Seaman First Class
United States Navy
Blackford County – Indiana
Service Number 2915827
DOD - December 15, 1945
He is missing or buried at sea
His name is honored on the “Tablets of the Missing” at
Manila American Cemetery – Philippines
Purple Heart
Father: Mr. Hamer Lutes, Rt. 4, Hartford City, Indiana
He served aboard the USS Houston (CA-30) and was killed in action on March 1, 1942 in the
Battle of Sunda Strait.
Dave and Apple Dwiggins
San Pablo City, Philippines