Evening star., 1942-06-24
Maj. Benson, u. S. M. c., Killed
In Battle of Midway
Navy Casualty List DiscIoses Several
Officers ond Men From Capitol Missing

Marine Corps, of this city was
killed in the battle of Midway, it
was learned today as the Navy De-
partment made public a casualty
list for the period from May IL to
June 6.
The list also shows that two
Marine Corps officers, two marine
privates, first class. and one Naval
Reserve seaman, all of this city. are
missing" None from the District
was listed wounded"
Total casualties of the naval forces
which have been reported to next of
kin for the period were announced
to be SO dead, wounded and 2,lOl
missing.
The Maryland figures show one
dead, none wounded and Is missing.
Virginias report is seven dead,
one wounded and ~ missing.
Majority in Direct Action.
"The preponderant share Of these
casualties" said a statement by the
Navy Department, resulted from
direct action with the enemy, but
included in the total are names of
those who were lost in accidents at
sea. and in the air on duty con-
nected with wartime operations
The casualties cover personnel of
the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast
Guard. Natural deaths or acci-
dents not connected with operations
against the enemy are not included.
A large percentage of those miss
ing" was said to be due to the fact
many were serving in the Manila
Bay area when it capitulated to the
enemy, and, the Navy added, likely
are prisoners of war"
Born in Springfield, Mass, 40 years
ago, Maj. Benson attended school in
New England and joined the ma
rineS as an enlisted man, working
his way up to commission. He be-
came an officer in 1927, after going
through the Marine Candidates
School here.
After leaving Washington he
served first at Norfolk, Va. He went
to China in 1927, to Nicaragua in
1929 served in the Marine Guard on
the ill-fated ship Houston from 1888
to 1885, and spent considerable time
in China. San Diego and Bremerton
Navy yard.
To Midway in September.
Maj. Benson went to Midway Is
land last September. There he
became quartermaster and munitions
and transportation officer. He par
ticipated in the December 7 battle,
and in March was made command
ing officer of the Eastern Island de-
tachment of marines. Eastern Is
land is one of the two islands known
as Midway
He was killed in action during the
latest Japanese invasion attempt this
month. He held the Yangtze Service
Medal, the Expeditionary Medal and
the Second Nicaraguan Campaign
Medal.
Maj. Benson is survived by his
widow, who resides at the Chastle-
ton Hotel; his father and mother.
Mr.. and Mrs. w. w. Benson of
Springfield; one brother. the Rev.
Richard Benson of St. Louis, and
one sister, Mrs. Harold Ransom OF
Springfield.
Capt. Noel Oker Castle. Marine
Corps, who is listed as missing, is a
native of the District of Columbia
and a graduate of Central High
School, where he took a prominent
part in the cadet corps and on the
rifle team. He won several medals
for rifle fire. Attending the Univer-
sity of Maryland, he became a ma ior
in the Reserve Officers Training
Corps there.
To Manila in December.
After attending the basic officers
school for the Marine Corps, he was
stationed at Quantico for a while,
went to an ordnance school and was
in training in the Caribbean. In
March, 1910. he went to Shanghai,
China, where. he was promoted to
first lieutenant. From China he
transferred to the Philippines, ar
irving In Manila in December, 1941.
He was reported to his family as
missing after the battle of Corregi-
dor, and may be a prisoner of the
Japanese there. He is now 30 years
old.
The last messages from him per-
sonally were a cable on Christmas
Day and letter which reached
Washington March Is, saying he
was we'll
Capt. Castles mother, Mrs Annie
B. Castle, resides at 4l04 Maryland
drive. Brookmont, Md He has a
sister, Miss Thelma Castle, with the
War Department here; brother,
c. Earl, jr., with the telephone COM
pany; a brother, Alfred. with the
Potomac Electric Power Co.. and an
aunt. Mrs. Lottie E. Barkley, at 2901
Sixteenth street NV.
Capt. James Richard Bromeyer,
Marine Corps. listed as missing in
the Manila Bay area. IL the son of |