M.I.A. (Missing In Action)
Updated 08/21/2023
"M.I.A." or "Missing In Action" is perhaps the most frustrating or upsetting of military designations because, by its very nature, the fate of that particular soldier remains uncertain. The M.I.A. soldier might have voluntarily gone "A.W.O.L." (Absent With-Out Leave) which is normally considered a disgraceful act. The M.I.A. soldier might have been "W.I.A." (Wounded In Action)...indicating that the individual could be lost and suffering from wounds inflicted in battle. The M.I.A. soldier could be a "P.O.W." (Prisoner Of War)...a status in which they are involuntarily interred within an enemy encampment, usually enduring anything from poor to horrific conditions. The final category of M.I.A. soldier could also be a K.I.A. (Killed In Action) individual who, due to the nature of their demise, their actual status is uncertain. For example, the soldier may have been killed at sea but no body was ever recovered, or the soldier may have suffered a fate in which their body was so disfigured or mutilated that positive identification was impossible. This webpage is dedicated to those Auburn-area residents who were, at one time, considered "M.I.A."...and their subsequent fate, if known.
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KEY:
ACOG - Auburn Church of God cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA
Blue font - Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.)
Bold font (of name) - Auburn-area affiliation has been confirmed
Italicized surname only - Maiden name
Italicized entire name of veteran - Military service during this war is unlikely or has been disproved.
Mill Street - Auburn Cemetery, Mill Street, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA
Purple font - Wounded In Action (W.I.A.)
Red font - Killed In Action (K.I.A.)
SJC - St. John's Church cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA
SJC-895 - St. John's Church cemetery, Rt. 895, West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, PA
SPC - St. Paul's Church cemetery, Summer Hill Road, South Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, PA
* - Asterik after veteran's name indicates "Missing In Action" (M.I.A.)
(NOTE: While "technically" incorrect, this website recognizes any veteran who "died while in service" as being
"Killed In Action" (K.I.A.), especially if they died from illness, while being held captive in an enemy prison,
or as a result of prolonged injuries obtained in battle.)
ACOG - Auburn Church of God cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA
Blue font - Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.)
Bold font (of name) - Auburn-area affiliation has been confirmed
Italicized surname only - Maiden name
Italicized entire name of veteran - Military service during this war is unlikely or has been disproved.
Mill Street - Auburn Cemetery, Mill Street, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA
Purple font - Wounded In Action (W.I.A.)
Red font - Killed In Action (K.I.A.)
SJC - St. John's Church cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA
SJC-895 - St. John's Church cemetery, Rt. 895, West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, PA
SPC - St. Paul's Church cemetery, Summer Hill Road, South Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, PA
* - Asterik after veteran's name indicates "Missing In Action" (M.I.A.)
(NOTE: While "technically" incorrect, this website recognizes any veteran who "died while in service" as being
"Killed In Action" (K.I.A.), especially if they died from illness, while being held captive in an enemy prison,
or as a result of prolonged injuries obtained in battle.)
Auburn-area affiliated veterans
who were Missing In Action (M.I.A.)*
CIVIL WAR:
Brommer, David* - Private; Company F; 116th Regiment; Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; served from 02/19/1864 until 05/1864?; reported Missing In Action (M.I.A.) at the Battle of the Spotsylvania Courthouse; actually was a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.) within the Andersonville Prison; died while in captivity (date uncertain) (K.I.A.).
David Brommer is believed to have been born circa 1849 and to have died circa May, 1864 in the Andersonville Prison, exact date of death uncertain. He may be interred within an unknown site somewhere near the prison site in Macon County, Georgia. |
NO GRAVE MARKER IMAGE AVAILABLE
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Kramer, Samuel* - Co. K; 2nd Regiment; Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; Mexican-American War; served from 12/24/1846 to 01/20/1847. Also served in Company G; 116th PA Volunteer Infantry; Civil War. Listed as Missing In Action (M.I.A.) on 06/22/1864; was a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.) in the Salisbury Prison in North Carolina.
Samuel was born on 10/30/1810 in Pennsylvania. He married Esther Kramer. He had at least one child because his obituary lists that he was survived by his grandchildren. Civil War military records indicate he was 5'5" and had brown eyes. His civilian occupations included that of a laborer and a blacksmith, but his obituary stated he was also a farmer. The obituary further states that Samuel built the hotel known as the "Delmonico" (previously located along the (Philadelphia &) Reading railroad tracks and Deiter Snyder Street - what is now known as Bear Creek Street in Auburn). Samuel died on 10/11/1886 in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA, and was interred within the Auburn Cemetery, Mill Street, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA.. |
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Moyer, Daniel Jr.* - Sergeant, Company F; 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; began service 02/19/1864; believed to have been captured as a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.) at Spotsylvania, Virginia, on 05/11/1864; listed as Missing In Action (M.I.A.) on 05/12/1864; believed to have died in captivity (K.I.A.) on 11/01/1864.
Daniel Jr. was born on 11/29/1810 in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Daniel Moyer Sr. and Elizabeth Drace Moyer (Daniel's first wife). He was a brother of Elisabeth Meyer (Moyer), Elizabeth Moyer Mertz, Joseph Moyer, Mary Moyer Meck and William K. Moyer. Daniel Jr. was a half-sibling of Adolph F. Moyer, Elisabeth M. Moyer, Hannah Tomasin Moyer Mengel, Jacob K. Meyer (Moyer), Leannah Moyer, Mary Sybilla Moyer Mengel, Molinda Elizabeth Moyer, Samuel B. Moyer and William Hiram Moyer. Daniel Jr. married Rebecca Stout Moyer. They had the following children: Diana Moyer Borkey, Ellen Rebecca Moyer Auman, James M. Moyer and William Francis Moyer. Military records indicate that Daniel Jr. was 5' 1/2" and had a civilian occupation of mason. Daniel Jr. is presumed to have been buried in a mass grave in Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville National Historic Site, Andersonville, Macon County, Georgia. (NOTE: No individual grave marker exists for this veteran). |
NO GRAVE MARKER IMAGE AVAILABLE
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WORLD WAR II:
Berger, Robert Lee* - Private First-Class; Company A; 7th Infantry and/or 271st Infantry; 3rd Division; served from 05/03/1943 (or 05/07/1943) until 02/03/1944; reported Missing In Action (M.I.A.) at Cisterna, Italy on 02/09/1944; reclassified as Killed In Action (K.I.A.) on 02/03/1944 in Cisterna, Italy (the reason for the unusual date discrepancy between when he was actually Killed In Action (K.I.A.), and when he was finally reported as Missing In Action (M.I.A.), is unknown).
Robert Lee Berger was born on 03/18/1924 in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. He was the son of Robert Calvin Berger and Nora Mae Dissinger Berger. He was a brother of James L. Berger; Joyce Annette Berger; Lester Alfred Berger; an unidentified infant boy (who lived only two days in 1914); and a second unnamed infant boy who was stillborn in 1927. Robert Lee Berger died on 02/03/1944 in Italy and was interred within the Auburn Church of God Cemetery; Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
Fidler, Lewis W.* - Private First Class; ; 66th Panther Division; Army Infantry; reported Missing In Action (M.I.A.) on August 7th (year uncertain); captured in France; held as a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.) in Germany.
Lewis W. Fidler was born on 01/15/1924 in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. He was the son of Jeremiah Fidler and Ellen Mabel Werner Fidler. He was a brother of Fay C. Fidler Smith; Fern Elizabeth Fidler Moyer; Grace Ellen Fidler Correll; Henry Fidler; Rudy Wilson Fidler; and an unnamed infant sister who was possibly stillborn with her date of birth and date of death both being 03/31/1932; as well as a step-brother of Eva Agnes Fidler Hughes and Vera Mae Fidler Boyer Lengel. Lewis married Phyllis L. Aulenbach Fidler. They had at least two children: James Fidler (who predeceased Lewis) and Sally Fidler Magalengo. Lewis died on 01/31/2018 at Seton Manor, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, PA; and was interred within the St. Paul's Church cemetery, Summer Hill Road, South Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, PA. |
McMenamin, John T. (Sr.?)* - Lieutenant Commander; listed as Missing In Action (MIA) in Germany on 11/21/1944. Captured and incarcerated as a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.) in a German interment camp; escaped confinement on 04/17/1945.
John T. McMenamin (Sr.?) was born 11/01/1921. He married Elizabeth M. Meiswinkel McMenamin. They had four children: Elizabeth McMenamin Naggy; John T. McMenamin (Jr.?); Mark T. McMenamin; and Teresa McMenamin Valentine. John (Sr.?) died on 03/29/1986 and was interred within the Greensburg Catholic Cemetery, Greensburg, Westmoreland County, PA. |
Orlando, Joseph* - Private; Infantry; began service on 12/21/1943; served in Belgium, France, Germany and Holland; listed as Missing In Action (M.I.A.) on 12/22/1944.
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NO GRAVE MARKER IMAGE AVAILABLE
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Staller, Marlin E.* - T-Sergeant; 328th Bomber Squadron; 93rd Bomber Group; served as a Chief Engineer; served from 04/23/1941 until sometime in 1944; served in North Africa; listed as having flown fifteen missions over enemy territory; awarded two Air Medals with four Oak Leaf Clusters; initially listed as Missing In Action (M.I.A.) on 01/21/1944; revised to Killed In Action (K.I.A.) on 01/19/1943.
Marlin E. Staller was born on 02/19/1921 in Auburn, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Paul Adam Staller and Ruth Jemima Kamb Staller. He was a brother of Gladys E. Staller Blacker; Janice A. Staller; and Naomi R. Staller Lane. Marlin is one of two military servicemen who were Killed In Action (K.I.A.) during World War Two after whom the Staller-Luckenbill VFW Post #3975 in Auburn, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania was named. Marlin's remains may not have been recovered; he was memorialized within the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia. |
Wike, Jean "Dilly" Nelson* - Private First Class; U.S. Army Combat Infantry; served from 05/28/1943 until 10/30/1945; served in Africa, Europe and Middle East; received the Service Ribbon with two Bronze Battle Starts, a Combat Infantry Badge, and a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.) badge and ribbon; listed as Missing In Action (MIA) 09/01/1944 in Southern France; was a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W.) in Moosburg, Germany, until 04/29/1945.
Jean "Dilly" Nelson Wike was born on 09/27/1924. He was the son of Edward C. Wike and Mamie Wike. He was a brother of Charles Wike; Dorothy Wike Stewart; James "Jim" H. Wike (WWII & Korea); John "Honna" H. Wike (WWII & Korea - W.I.A.); Mary Wike Reppert; Robert Milton Wike Sr. (WWII, Korea and Vietnam - W.I.A.); Ruth Wike Hain; "Tots" Wike Sunday; and a "Mrs. Leroy Weaver of Reading (Berks County, PA)". Jean married Blanche L. Auman Seiler Wike. They had a daughter, Diane L. Wike Schwenk. Jean died on 05/10/1993 and was interred within the St. John's Church cemetery, Rt. 895, West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, PA. (Editor's note: two versions have been offered as to the origin of Jean's nickname of "Dilly". The first being that the word is slang for someone who is considered "remarkable" or "unusual". The second being that he allegedly idolized John Dillinger and the nickname was a bastardized form of the surname "Dillinger".) |
KOREAN WAR:
Clark, Arthur Walton* - Private; 101st Airborne Division; 9th
Infantry Division, U.S. Army; served from circa 1949 until circa 1952; reported Missing In Action (M.I.A.) in September, 1950 after a battle near Pohang, Korea; was actually Wounded In Action (W.I.A.) with "shell-shock" and narrowly escaped capture by the enemy by pretending to be dead; he was lost behind enemy lines for five days. Arthur was Wounded In Action (W.I.A.) a second time on 11/29/1950 with an injury to one arm and a partially collapsed lung; he was sent to the Percy Jones Hospital, Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan to be treated and recover. Arthur was born on 01/02/1932. He was the son of Irene Clark. Arthur died on 07/14/1993 and was interred within the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville, Lebanon County, PA. |
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