Texas Birth Index- Mendenhall Surname, Part 11 (1918)

 ~Texas Birth Index- 1918~

~Lee Gripon Mendenhall- 2nd Cousin, 3x Removed 

Lee Gripon Mendenhall was born on August , 1918 in Chambers County, Texas to Corwin Guy Mendenhall (1891-1961) and Eula Leona Gripon (1894-1989). He had 2 siblings- Corwin Guy Jr. and Marilyn Alice. 

His brother Corwin- I wrote about in my previous post- you can read about him Here.

Lee married at the age of 28 on May 31, 1947 in Jefferson, Texas. He married Miss Zelma Mae Measeles (1918-1993) and together, they had one daughter: Laura Lynn Mendenhall (1953-1968). Laura was only 14 at the time- having died of a cerebral hemorrhage due to a thrombocytopenia and acute leukemia. To the right is a picture of Laura.

Lee lived to be 83 years old and died on July 7, 2002 in La Porte, Texas. He is buried beside his wife in the Fairview Cemetery in Winnie, Texas.

~George Elby Mendenhall- 9th cousin, 3x Removed 

George was born on September 15, 1918 in San Patricio County, Texas to Elby Leroy Mendenhall (1885-1941) and Jessie Smith Sutcliffe (1885-1959). He was the youngest of 4- Alberta, Francis and Joseph. 

George never married or had any children. He died at the age of 25 while fighting in WWII in Italy. He is buried in the Sinton Cemetery in Sinton, Texas. 

Memorial Day 2020- Mendenhall Men, WWII

As most of America complains about social distancing on Memorial Day weekend, let me offer a tribute to the real reason we have a Memorial Day...and it's not about hot dogs & socializing. 

This post is in memory of the brave men who fought for their country and lost their lives.

I saw this on Facebook, so powerful! 

Casualties of WWII in my tree: 

~William C. Mendenhall

Born: 23 Jun 1923 in Montgomery County, Ohio

Died: 20 Jun 1944 over Germany, age 20

Cause of death: William's bomber was over Germany when it went down.

Army- Sergeant- Service # 35625420

Son of Russell Lowell Mendenhall (1892-1970) & Irma E. Mannier (1895-1993)

William never married or had children.

William is buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium  Grave # B 36 48

William's Gravestone in Belgium 

~Gordon C. Mendenhall

Born: 23 Jul 1924 in Payson, Utah

Died: 25 Oct 1944 at Sea, age 20

U.S. Navy- Shipfitter USNR

Son of Byron Mendenhall (1889-1969) & Ida Marie Cherrington (1896-1975).

Married: 20 Mar 1944 to Eunice Cook (1925-2001)

Enlisted in the Navy- 30 Sep 1944

Died not even a month later! 

Burial: 

Memorial at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Fort Bonifacio in Manila, Philippines. 

~Van Max Mendenhall 

Born: 23 Mar 1924 in Alabama 

Died: 09 Oct 1945, Killed in action- Okinawa, Japan,  age 21

Cause of death: "non-combat"

Navy- Gunner's Mate, 2nd Class, Service # 8372615

Son of Van Dewitt Mendenhall (1889-1956) & Bessie A. Moring (1892-1965)

Van never married or had children. 

Van is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Magnolia, Alabama

~Robert V. Mendenhall

Born: 27 Nov 1922 in Alameda County, California

Died: 18 Jun 1945 in Lorraine, France, age 22

Army- Second Lieutenant- 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group

Service #2057507

Son of Jesse Vertner Mendenhall (1877-1936) & Nelda Marie Prairie (1886-1983)

Robert never married or had children.

Burial: Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, France

- Grave #C 12 88

Robert's memorial at Lorraine.

~Dean Mendenhall

Born: 02 Sep 1919 in Payson, Utah

Died: 16 Oct 1942- Shot down into Sea near Hawaii, age 23

Dean was piloting a B-26 Maraunder- killed along with his co-pilot and 2 crew members.

Army Air Force- 2 LT, Service # 0724796

Son of Harvey Henry Mendenhall (1896-1971) & Sarah Alexander (1898-1985)

Dean never married or had children.

His memorial is at Honolulu Memorial in Hawaii.

~Thomas Denver Mendenhall

Born: 11 Oct 1919 in Washington County, Ohio

Died: 06 Jun 1944- killed in action in France, age 24

Army- Technician Fifth Grade- Service # 35405344

Son of Hobart Daniel Mendenhall (1896-1974) & Leota Lindamood (1894-1974)

Thomas was married to Ilean L. Ramsier (1924-2010) & had 1 son: Thomas Eugene

Thomas is buried in the Bloomfield Cemetery in Bloomfield, Ohio

~Stanley Filtodus Mendenhall 

Born: 03 Dec 1918 in Custer, South Dakota

Died: 26 Oct 1944, Killed in action at Inger, Germany, age 25

Enlisted in Army- 24 Oct 1942

            Private- Service #: 37462553

Son of James Fowler Mendenhall (1877-1949) & Eva Viola Gould (1880-1969)

Stanley was married to Charlene Faye Crabb & had two twin daughters: Karen Raye & Mary Faye.

Stanley was buried in Custer Cemetery in Custer, South Dakota.

Gravestone at Custer Cemetery

~George Elby Mendenhall

Born: 15 Sep 1918 in San Patricio County, Texas

Died: 1943- killed in action in Italy, age 25

Cause of death: "Diagnosis: Wound, penetrating

                           Location: Head 

                           Causative Agent: Shell Fragment from Shell explosion"

Enlistment Date: 29 Mar 1941, Service # 38030414

Son of Elby Leroy Mendenhall (1885-1941) & Jessie Smith Sutcliffe (1885-1959).

George never married or had children.

George is buried in the Sinton Cemetery in Sinton, Texas.

Gravestone at Sinton Cemetery

~Clinton Vernon Mendenhall

Born: 03 Dec 1918 in Woodside, Illinois

Died: 28 Jul 1944 in France, age 25

Army- Enlistment Date: 25 Nov 1940-

Second Lieutenant- Service # 697571

Son of Errett Elder Mendenhall (1888-1975) & Flora Elizabeth Bridges (1890-1923)

Clinton never married or had children.

Clinton is buried in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois

~Eugene Arthur Mendenhall

Born: 21 Feb 1918 in Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Died: 02 Feb 1945 in Philippines, age 26

Army- Private- Service # 37019434

Son of George Henry Mendenhall (1887-1945) & Lilly B. Fisher (1893-1963).

Eugene never married or had children.

Eugene is buried in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

~Waldo Neal Mendenhall

Born: 01 Jan 1919 in Bonnie, Illinois

Died: 14 Apr 1945 in Okinawa, Japan, age 26

Cause of death: died in the hospital of a bullet wound in the head

Army- Enlistment Date: 19 Mar 1941, Staff Sergeant- Service # 36011066

Son of Emote E. Mendenhall (1890-1953) & Dora E. Johnston (1894-1986)

Waldo never married or had children.

Waldo is buried in the South Hickory Hill Cemetery in McClellan, Illinois.

Gravestone at South Hickory Hill Cemetery

~Duncan Stevens Mendenhall 

Born: 05 Jan 1917 in Conrad, Indiana

Died: 06 Sep 1944- Killed in action in Bretagne, France, age 27

Army- Private- 116th Infantry, 29th Division, Service # 35898078

Duncan is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery in Saint-James, France

Plot H, Row 10, Grave 3

~Carl Russell Mendenhall

Born: 05 Aug 1913 in Preble County, Ohio

Died: 10 Dec 1944 - killed in action in Germany, age 31

Cause of death: Unknown, Casualty in battle

Enlistment date: 31 Jan 1944

Son of Burton Norwood Mendenhall (1884-1965) & Rosa May Hager (1887-1961)

Carl had a wife- Eva Taggart (1916-1958) & 2 children: Norwood Lee & Judith.

Carl is buried in the Sugar Grove Cemetery in West Alexandria, Ohio.

Carl's Gravestone in Sugar Grove Cemetery 

Relation to me: 

William C.  Mendenhall 1923-1944, age 20, 7th cousin, 4x removed

Gordon C. Mendenhall 1924-1944, age 20, 6th cousin, 5x removed

Van Max Mendenhall 1924-1945, age 21, 5th cousin, 4x removed

Robert V. Mendenhall 1922-1945, age 22, 6th cousin, 4x removed

Dean Mendenhall 1919-1942, age 23, 6th cousin, 5x removed

Thomas Denver Mendenhall 1919-1944, age 24, 8th cousin, 4x removed

Stanley Filtodus Mendenhall 1918-1944, age 25, 8th cousin, 4x removed

George Elby Mendenhall 1918-1943, age 25, 9th cousin, 3x removed

Clinton Vernon Mendenhall 1918-1944, age 25, 7th cousin, 4x removed

Eugene Arthur Mendenhall 1918-1945, age 26, 8th cousin, 4x removed

Waldo Neal Mendenhall 1919-1945, age 26, 8th cousin, 4x removed

Duncan Stevens Mendenhall 1917-1944, age 27, 1917-1944, 8th cousin, 3x removed

Carl Russell Mendenhall 1913-1944, age 31, 6th cousin, 3x removed