Dedicated to the 137 Minneapolis Edison Tommie alumni that died in service to the country during World War 2, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War
Remember Nick Janosco today. He was killed while serving on the USS San Francisco on 13Nov1942
Nick is the 101st (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site.
Click on this link to learn more about Nick.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
Memorial Day honors all U.S. military personnel who died in service.
Originally called Decoration Day, it began in the late 1860s as people decorated Civil War soldiers’ graves with flowers. In 1868, General John A. Logan, head of a Union veterans’ group, designated May 30 for this purpose, chosen for its neutrality and blooming flowers. By the late 19th century, it was a widespread tradition. Post-World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American war dead. In 1971, Congress made it a national holiday.
This site was originally created to honor and memorialize the 116 Edison alumni who died in service during World War 2.
On 27May1949, the Friday before Memorial Day, a memorial plaque was dedicated and placed at the entrance to the school auditorium where it has been located for the last 77 years.
Through the diligent efforts of many, 7 Edison Heroes from the Korean War, and 14 Edison Heroes from the Vietnam War are now honored with memorial plaques hanging in the same hallway as the original World War 2 plaque. Click here to see pictures of the 3 plaques.
On this Memorial Day, please honor and remember the 137 Edison alumni, and every man and woman who died in service to the country during war.
Their names can be found here.
Remember Rose Puchalla today. She was killed in a plane crash off the coast of Accra, West Africa on 30May1945
Rose is the 100th (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site. She is the only Edison woman to die in service to the country.
Click on this link to learn more about Rose.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
8May2026 is the 81th anniversary of V-E (Victory in Europe) Day. The unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and the end of fighting in Europe.
World War 2 started on 1Sep1939 with the German invasion of Poland. The United States officially entered the war in Europe on 11Dec1941 when the United States Congress declared war on Germany.
In just under 6 years, it is estimated that the war in Europe killed between 15 million and 20 million civilians. Total military deaths (from both sides) are estimated at 13.7 million and 18.1 million.
An estimated 140,000 US soldiers, sailors, and airman died in the European Theater of Operations (ETO).
56 Edison Heroes are included in that total.
Walter Wojcik was the first Tommie to die when he was killed during the invasion of Sicily on 10Jul1943 while serving in Tunisia.
Dayhart Jacob was the last Tommie to die when he was killed in Austria on 30Apr1945, just 7 days before the war was over.
48 of the 56 Edison Heroes killed in the ETO have been featured on this site to date. Learn more about them here.
Walter Wojcik
Robert Stevens
Earl Meister
Charles Perlick
George Coe
Robert Sorenson
Clayton Fitzgerald
Morris T. Johnson
Lucien Houle
Edward Caputa
Anthony Sohorowich
Walter T. Anderson
Paul Raupach
Robert Irmen
Richard Picore
Roger Nielsen
Irving Knealing
Casimir Karbowniczek
Steve Kovalitsky
Gordon Stoen
Boleslas Horowicki
Carl Ezuck
William Rogers
Orlando Mancuso
William Mueller
Charles Knaeble
John Haglund
Richard Fick
Winston Fisher
Stanley Swanson
Ervin Hegre
Sigurd Fagerlee
Milton F. Nelson
Robert Borchardt
Martin Kostik
Philip W Anderson
Bjarne Xavier
Lincoln Abraham
Floyd Doncaster
William Nelson
Henry Nadeau
George Selinsky
Adolph Karkula
Frank Leba
Donald Grisen
Clyde Sloss
Edward Cisek
Joseph Barres
Charles Randolph
George Thomas
Robert Stromberg
Lloyd Olson
Harry Super
Ivert Olson
Warpeha, Jr
Dayhart Jacob
Remember Casimir Karbowniczek today. He was killed in action on 23Jun1944 while serving with the US Army in France.
Casimir is the 99th (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site.
Click on this link to learn more about Casimir.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
Remember Marvin Johnson today. He died of wounds received in an accidental explosion on 2Dec1945 while serving with the United States Navy in the Pacific.
Marvin is the 98th (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site.
Click on this link to learn more about Marvin.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
Remember Carl Ezuck today. He was killed in action on 21Jul1944 while serving with the United States Army Air Forces on a mission over Czechoslovakia.
Carl is the 97th (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site.
Click on this link to learn more about Carl.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
Remember Stanley Slonski today. He was killed in action on 16Feb1945 while serving with the United States Marine Corps on Okinawa, Japan.
Stanely is the 96th (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site.
Click on this link to learn more about Stanley.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
Remember Frank Leba today. He was killed in action on 4Feb1945 while serving with the United States Army in France.
Frank is the 95th (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site.
Click on this link to learn more about Frank.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
Remember Robert Johnson today. He died on 9Nov1943 while serving with the United States Navy in Chicago, Illinois.
Robert is the 94th (of 116) Edison Hero from World War II to be featured on this site.
Click on this link to learn more about Robert.
Click on this link to learn about the other Edison Heroes from World War 2.
Edison Heroes 