This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: Messang, Grossman, Dirks, Walters, Meer, Roell
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4h.2ADI/1851
Message Board Post:
SGT William J. Messang of Ripley County Indiana was killed February 10, 1945, while
serving in the United States Army; 151st Infantry Regiment, 38th Infantry Division, during
World War II in the Pacific. Buried Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
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.
William Messang
Sergeant
United States Army
151st Infantry Regiment, 38th Infantry Division.
Service Number 35103561
Morris - Ripley County – Indiana
DOD - February 10, 1945
Buried Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines
Plot N Row 4 Grave 95
The Batesville Herald-Tribune – February 22, 1945
Five Batesville Men Awarded Ribbons
Somewhere in the Philippines Five Batesville men have just been awarded the Philippines
Liberation ribbon. They are all members of a well-known Infantry Division now in the
Philippines.
The medal is given to all troops actively engaged in the liberation of the Philippines. It
was suggested by the President of the Commonwealth and approved by the War Department.
They include: SSGT Lambert F. Dirks, R.R. 3; Sgt Vernon J. Walters, 306 W. Catherine St.;
Sgt. William J. Messang, R.R.3; PFC. Albert B. Meer, R.R. 3; and PFC Lawrence W. Roell,
R.R. 3.
The Batesville Herald-Tribune – March 15, 1945
Sergeant William Messang age 32 was killed in action on Luzon Island in the Philippines
February 10, 1945. Sergeant Messang was inducted in the Armed Forces on April 15, 1941, at
fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis. He was then transferred to Camp Shelby Mississippi
for basic training and was assigned to the 38th Infantry Indiana Home Guard Reserve
Division. He also received advanced infantry training at Fort Benning Georgia, Camp
Carrabelle, Florida and Camp Livingston Louisiana. He arrived in the Hawaiian Islands
December 24, 1943. In July he was sent to New Guinea and in December 1944, he was
transferred to the Philippine Islands where he was awarded the Philippine Liberation
Medal, approved by the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the War
Department of the United States. While engaged in combat action on Luzon, Sgt. Messang was
called to die a martyr for his country. A very close buddy of Sgt Messang’s was also
killed in action on Luzon on the!
same day, namely: Sgt. Rudolph Diefenbach of Sunman.
Sgt. Messang was an active and loyal member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church of Morris and
held membership with the St. Joseph’s Young Men’s Society. He also held a wide
acquaintance in farm circles. Surviving are his beloved parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob
Messang of Morris, three brothers, Mr. Mike Messang of Morris, and Messrs. John and Nick
Messang, at home, four sisters, Misses Agnes, Rose and Cecelia Messang, at home and Mrs.
Elizabeth Grossman of Morris, and a host of relatives and friends both near and far. A
Requiem Mass was held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church at Morris, on Tuesday morning,
March 13th, at 7:30 A.M., with Rev. A.J. Shad officiating.
A close buddy, SSGT Lambert Dirks, who also was assigned to the 38th Infantry Indiana Home
guard Reserve Division and who recently arrived home from the Philippines, was in
attendance.
Dave and Apple Dwiggins
San Pablo City, Philippines