Evening star., 1945-03-11
Killed

wounds received in action Septem
Der 81, the War Department ha!
announced. His father is an audi
tor with the Reconstruction Finance
Corp. here.
A member of the 508th Parachute
Infantry of the 82d Air-borne Di.
vision, 1t. Duke jumped behind tht
enemy lines, remained there fol
three days, and reached his regiment
before being wounded. He wa'
caught in machine gun cross-flrt
while leading his platoon in an at
tack against the enemy.
He was born in Washington, grad.
uated from Surattsville High Schoo
in Clinton, and then from Maryland
University in 1943. He then went
into the Army, trained at Fort Ben
ming, Ga, and attended Officers
Candidate School there. He went
overseas in June, 1914.
Besides his parents, 1t. Duke Il
survived by four brothers and three
sisters. The brothers are 1t. q. g.
Roland Nelson Duke, a Navy pilot
now ferrying planes in the United
I States; David, 16, who operates the
Star newspaper route in Clinton;
Richard, IA, and Thomas Edward
8. The sisters are Catherine, l9;
Florence, l3, and Joan, 9 years old
Capt. Henry A. Griffin, 80, hus-
band of Mrs. Ollie M. Griffin, 455e
Macarthur boulevard, has been
killed in action. Previously report
ed missing in action, he was killed
December II in Germany, his wife
has been notified.
After graduation from high school
at Greenville, S. c., his birthplace,
Capt. Griffin served for several years
! in the Army. He later resigned and
was in the hotel business at Ash
vile, N. c., before being called to
active duty with the reserves in
1899. He has been overseas since
October.
Besides his widow, he is survived
by a sister, Miss Louise Griffin,
Greenville, and his mother, Mrs.
A. J. Hughes, Greer, S. c.
Capt. Genaro H. Mondragon, hus-
band of Mrs. Rose B. Mondragon,
who formerly lived at 2414 Monroe
street NE, has been reported killed
in action. Mrs. Mondragon and her
8-year-old daughter, Linda, now
live at Fayettville, N. c.
| Mrs. Mondragon's family here
said she had been notified that
Capt. Mondragon was killed by a
fbomb while a prisoner in Germany
on December %. A field artillery
man, he had been overseas since
| December 3.
1t. Theodore o. Smith, "a, was
killed in action February II in
Italy, one month after he had been
awarded the Silver Star for his
bravery in leading small patrol
on a mission that netted the Amer
leans two Nazi prisoners and four
enemy dead. His parents, Mr.. and
Mrs Frank Smith, 82l Division ave-
nue. NE, have been notified.
| According to the citation, 1t
Smith led his 14-man patrol 2
miles across a mined area through
enemy lines to climb up a noun
tain where the enemy was holding
out. Risking his life to lead the
mission, this action made it pos
sible for the Americans to accom-
plish their objective and capture a
strategically important point on the
5th Army front.
1t. Smith was born in Washing
! ton and was graduated from Dun
bar High School. He received his
B. A. degree from Howard Univer-
sity where he was a captain in the
ROTC. A former War Department
employe, he entered the Army in
June, 1912, and was sent overseas
with the infantry last October. Be-
sides his parents, 1t. Smith is SUR
vived by a brother, Francis l..
Smith, who recently was dis
charged from the service.
Staff Sergt. Abe NJ. Kuzminsky
| 19-year- old infantryman, was killed
in action in Germany February 27
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Simon K
Kuzminsky, 1920 Fourteenth street
NV, have been informed. Sergt
Kuzminsky was graduated from
Central High School and attended
Wilson Teachers College before en-
tering the Army in August, 1943.
Going overseas in September
1914, he was awarded the Silver
Star for action in Germany. When
his unit was forced to withdraw
under furious enemy counterat-
tack and he was cut off from his
unit, Sergt. Kuzminsky remained
in his position, firing his rifle with
such deadly accuracy that the en-
emy suffered heavy casualties ano
was forced to withdraw" He also
received the Combat Infantryman's
Badge as result of his action, his
mother said.
In a letter written to his par.
ents in December, Sergt. Kuzmin-
sky said he wasn't afraid to die.
What worries me-" he wrote, "is
how you folks are going to take il
when you get the yellow telegram
with two red stars on il"
Sergt. Robert ]. Gleason, son O.
Thomas A. Gleason, formerly O.
427 Peabody street NE, and nov
living in Scranton, Pa, has beer
reported killed in action.
A tail gunner on a B-24, Sergt
Gleason was reported missing il
action on a flight over German.
February "a, 1914. The family wa
notified that he had been killed il
action December II. His mother
Mrs. Jane Collier Gleason, died her
shortly after learning of her som
death. Sergt. Gleason was born il
Scranton and was employed at tn
Treasury Department before enter
ing the service in November, 194C
He had been overseas since Novem
Der, 1943.
A brother, Pvt. John M. Gleason
lives at 1912 Bryant street NE. HI
also leaves three other brothers
Pfc. James Gleason, serving with tn
Army in Germany; Pfc. Thomas A
Gleason, jr., serving with the Arm,
in Belgium, and Donald Gleason