Military History
All of this information has been compiled by Myron Broschat of Fergus Falls. Myron is well known for his work on the military history of Otter Tail County. In 1977 the Otter Tail County Historical Society published a book by Myron Broschat, Home Fires and Battleground: The Military History of Otter Tail County Minnesota. This book is still available in our gift shop.
World War I
A total of 36 men from Otter Tail County were killed in action or died of wounds in World War I. Another 52 men died of non-battle deaths, almost all of them from influenza. This information was taken from the Otter Tail County war book published by the Victor Lundeen Company in 1919:
Raymond O. Aarvig, Robert L. Adamson, Otto C. Arnquist, George Bergem, Carl F. Bredehoft, Nicholas J. Burelbach, Alex Buseth, Carl V. Cornell, John W. Downing, George F. Fairbanks, Walter A. Haimerl, John H. Harworth, Adolph Haug, Andrew Hess, John Holt, Claus A. Hultstrand, Edward K. Kratske, Louis A. Lien, Oscar J. Madson, Clarence Miller, Peat Moak, Henry T. Ongstad, Thom H. Pederson, Erdroy A. Peterson, Victor Savela, Floyd E. Scroggin, Frank H. Sczygiel, Fred C. Splittgerber, Edward H. Steineke, James W. Stinar, Harold T. Swenson, Fremont L. Tabbut, Edward Tangen, Frederick B. Vogel, Edward J. Whalen, Ladislaus W. Wichlacz.
World War II
A total of 139 people from Otter Tail County were killed in action or died of wounds in World War II. Another 25 people died of non-battle deaths. The * symbol follows the name of each non-battle death. This list does not include the men listed as missing when the war ended but declared dead sometime later and it does not include the deaths that were not reported to a county newspaper. That could bring the total up to 150 or more. This list was compiled using three sources: Fergus Falls Daily Journal of August 21, 1945; Veteran Service Office file; Fargo Forum list for northwestern Minnesota. This list is not complete.
| Aakerhus, Kenneth H. | Lidgerding, William |
| Adams, David J. | Lindely, Elmer N. |
| Aldrich, Stanley | Link, Ernest S. |
| Allen, Henry E. | Loerzel, James B. |
| Anderson, Arvin L.* | Loff, Lewis M. |
| Anderson, Keith Gordon | Luebke, Celestine |
| Anderson, Leslie W. | Lueders, Raymond H. |
| Anderson, Lester S. | Lukken, Palvin S. |
| Bergerson, Donald C. | Lundquist, Howard |
| Bettin, Frank H. | McKinney, Robert |
| Bixby, Glen | Mair, Frederick G. |
| Bjertness, Luther | Marsh, Wilbur L. |
| Bjertness, Sigurd | Martin, Robert W.* |
| Boedigheimer, L. M. | Melkert, Clifford L. |
| Boedigheimer, Leonard A. | Menze, Vernon |
| Boese, Lyle C.* | Meyer, Charles F. |
| Borgerson, Howard B.* | Meyers, Lester |
| Bortvedt, Einar I. | Mickelson, Einar |
| Braun, Orville V. | Mohs, Frank J.* |
| Breden, Edwin O. | Nelson, Maurice E. |
| Broden, Oscar | Nelson, Olaf T. |
| Brodin, Unite | Nelson, William O. |
| Campbell, Leo E. | Niemela, Melvin* |
| Carlson, Ernest E.* | Nissi, George M. |
| Carlson, Oscar | Norman, Orris N. |
| Christianson, Orval H.* | Ojala, Clifford N. |
| Christie, Howard | Olson, Clifford |
| Cordes, Wesley A.* | Olson, George W.* |
| Dahl, Leon | Olson, Sever |
| Davidson, Victor | Peterson, Erving L. |
| Drager, Ervin O. | Peterson, James L.* |
| Drechsel, Harold H. | Peterson, Melvin |
| Dulski, Peter | Peterson, Raymond W. |
| Eckhoff, Irvin | Peterson, Royal F. |
| Eckley, Clinton | Petrick, Vernon L. |
| Erickson, Newman H. | Pfalzgrafh, Robert |
| Estrem, Paul J. | Pickrain, Leo G. |
| Fick, Harold | Putnam, Paul N. |
| Fick, Walter R. | Rasmussen, Geo. F. |
| Fraki, Hubert L. | Ritchey, Darwin L. |
| Frikken, William | Rosentreter, Carl E. |
| Fritz, Bernard W.* | Rund, Arlo E. |
| Geiser, Bernard | Rustand, Hanford J. |
| Getter, Richard M. | Samuelson, Arnold |
| Grande, Russell J. | Sandbank, Martin C. |
| Hagen, Albin | Scates, Burke |
| Halbakken, Gilman | Schmaltz, Fred E. |
| Halvorson, Alfred E. | Schmidt, John M. |
| Halvorson, Morris | Senske, John P. |
| Halvorson, Ruben* | Severson, Leverne R. |
| Hammer, John W. | Shamp, Leroy J. |
| Harry, Wallace M.* | Snook, Harold R. |
| Haugrud, Harold A. | Soland, Penn. |
| Hein, Boyd C. | Sorem, Douglas |
| Henderson, Maurice V. | Sorenson, Lavern A. |
| Hendrickson, M. E. | Sporcic, Michael J.* |
| Hendrickson, Marshall | Stenger, Marcella Grace* |
| Hepola, Ervin E. | Stigen, Leland L. |
| Higgins, Veral C.* | Stitzel, Cleon S.* |
| Huebsch, Joseph A. | Stoering, Edward S.* |
| Huhta, Richard* | Street, Harold |
| Huset, Maurice J.* | Stueve, Edwin C. |
| Jacobson, John H. | Syverson, Woodrow W. |
| Johnson, Clayton O. | Thompson, Joslyn M.* |
| Johnson, Herbert A. | Tjostelson, Milton H. |
| Karger, Harold E. | Torreano, Frank |
| Karsnia, Cyril J. | Tripp, Robert |
| Kehus, Alle A. | Tusow, Jean* |
| Keller, Leslie J. | Vollum, Ole C. |
| Kempf, Henry A. | Waskosky, Clifford |
| Kittelson, Arnold | Webb, Merlyn C. |
| Klein, Albert J.* | Wegner, Herman A. |
| Klimp, Henry A. | Welk, Gilmer |
| Klingler, Luvern C.* | Wenino, Jack M. |
| Korkalo, Hjalmber | Westlund, George H.* |
| Kratzke, Bernard L. | Williamson, Ray |
| Kugler, Jerry J.* | Winkels, Victor S. |
| Kuntz, Arthur B.* | Yatchak, Vincent |
| Lamphere, Eugene | |
| Langen, Owen T. | |
| Larson, Arvid C. | |
| Larson, Kenneth | |
| Lee, Robert | |
| Leeman, Lyle R. | |
| Lemke, Arvin E. | |
Korean War
This is a list of the men from Otter Tail County who were killed in action or died of wounds in the Korean War.
Ashbaugh, Robert W.; Bjerkebek, Orville; Clarno, Edward W.; Ellis, Walter L.; Erickson, Albert C.; Guszregen, Sylveste; Hazelwood, Harkness; Knutson, Edwin H.; Lindquist, Donald C.; Melvold, Gaylard D.; Oak, Walter R.; Risner, Stanley K.; Sorum, Lawrence R.; Stein, Roger A.; Strom, John O.; Wendt, Arlin H.; Wick, Morris J.
Vietnam War
At least 24 men lost their lives in the Vietnam War. The * symbol follows those that died from unknown/unlisted reasons:
Bakken, Duane; Beringer, Michael August; Carlson, David James; Carlson William; Cordes, Lowell R.; Dawson, Clyde D.; Fogard, Ronald Dean; Guck, Ralph Stephen; Hagen, Jerome Alfred; Harworth, Elroy Edwin; Hasbargen, Thomas; Jenson, Michael Gregory; Krull, James; Lemke, Ronald; Lilis, Richard Ned; Lind, Richard; Lovelette, Gary Vaughn; Moltzan, William John; Olson, Larry Lee; Quitmeyer, Tony John; Stoen, Marcus Sherwin; Wagner, William O.; Wilson, Ronald K.; Yates, John Charles.
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