15 Dead, 2 Missing from South Jersey

Evening Courier - June 13, 1944

Former Camden Resident, Holder of Six Awards, Among New Casualties

Shiloh Flier Listed Downed in Europe

Fifteen South Jersey men were among the 1,511 reported by the War Department today as killed in action on the six fighting fronts. Two others from this area are reported missing.

Killed:

• Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Pearce, of 330 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, formerly of 3404 Federal Street, Camden.
• Private First Class Charles La Porta, of 142 Chestnut Street, Williamstown.
• Private Frank Ballerino, of 2004 South 10th Street, Camden.
• Sergeant Elmer F. Day, of 521 Lexington Avenue, Merchantville.
• Corporal William T. Eastlack, of 142 I Street, Carney's Point.
• Private Clarence T. Jaggers, of Columbia Road and St. James Walk, National Park.
• Sergeant Carl E. Johanson, of 5019 Jefferson Avenue, Pennsauken.
• Corporal Steven V. Koscianski [sic], of 966 Bulson Street, Camden.
• Private First Class William R. McKeon, of Pine Avenue, Blackwood.
• Sergeant Andrew W. Olsen, of Dorothy.
• Corporal Aldo Steffanice, of 74 Norman Avenue, Pennsgrove.
• Private First Class John A. Landicina, of 402 Southeast Avenue, Vineland.
• Michael Carr, of 1059 Everett Street, Camden.
• Captain Carlton P. Hogan, of 207 East Union Street, Burlington.
• Corporal Millard E. Buckingham, of 38 Grant Street, Deepwater.

Missing:

• Lt. Robert Probasco, of Shiloh.
• Lt. John Ruggiero, of Bridgeboro Road, Beverly.

3 on Troopship Lost

Ballerino, Koscianski, and Carr are believed to have met their fates on the same transport. War Department telegrams to families of all three men reveal that each was a passenger on a troopship that was lost due to enemy action in the Mediterranean on Nov. 27, 1943. All have been awarded Purple Hearts.

This was the closest that the general public got to the truth of the matter. As a matter of fact, 12 of the fifteen men listed above were on that transport, the HMTS Rohna. Five other Rohna victims were also on the War Department casualty lists for that day.

Koscianski, 34, formerly was in the used car business here. His death marks the second war casualty among the three sons of his widowed mother, Antonia. His brother Walter, former truck driver for the city highway department, was killed in Algerian [sic] Feb. 6, 1943. Another brother, Anthony, is employed in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

The following reported as dead in today's official casualty list were previously reported as missing: Sergeant Day, Private Jaggers, Corporal Koscianski, Private McKeon, and Private Steffanice.

Also listed as dead in today's official casualty list but previously reported in these columns are: Private Michael Yachus, 679 Ferry Avenue, Camden; Joseph H. Johnson, 1273 South Merrimac Road, Camden; Private Harry V. Taylor, 3 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield; Private Merl H. Reagle, Maple Avenue, Lindenwold; Private Jacob K. Jenkins, Marne Highway, Mt. Holly, formerly of Pennsauken; Private Harry E. Harker, 6 Beach Avenue, Blackwood; PFC Jack S. Dubois, Church Street, Williamstown, and Charles R. Stewart Jr., 319 Linden Street, Camden.