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Golden's own remembered

Contributed by: Richard Gardner on 3/7/2008

Golden's Honor Roll of those who have died in our wars is always subject to change if a forgotten person who belongs has been at last rediscovered. Here are four more Goldenites whom I have recently added, which brings Golden's total number to 46.

Three were not listed with their fellow servicemen on Golden's historic World War I Honor Roll, as published in the media, because their deaths did not occur immediately in war but as a result from service years later. The fourth is Golden's first confirmed casualty of the Korean War, for which no Golden honor roll was published or memorial created. Here are their stories:

Gustave Hilbert Ternstrom died at his home in Golden on his 45th birthday on June 30, 1934. He died from pneumonia aggravated by complications contracted from his war service some 15 years after the war had ended. Ternstrom was a member of the 173rd Aero Squadron and had served for a year overseas, possibly in France. He was born June 30, 1889 at Ouray, Colorado, and came to Golden to live in 1910. After returning from the war he married Jennie J. Dahlberg of one of Golden's Swedish families, and they had one son, Hilbert Alvin Ternstrom. He was the son of his mother Lena Walberg and stepfather Claus Walberg, who also came to live in Golden. Ternstrom was a member of the Golden Masonic Lodge, the Lutheran church, and belonged to the Veterans' Organization of the World War. Ternstrom is buried at the Golden Cemetery.

Harry E. Brown died at Mercy hospital in Denver on April 26, 1921 as the result of a severe poison gassing on the battlefield in France, which affected his lungs and also caused tubercular peritonitis. Brown was a member of the 30th Division, the "Old Hickory" division, which was brigaded with British troops. He was part of the 114th Machine Gun Battalion, which was part of at least six major movements of severe fighting in the region of the St. Quentin and Sambre canals in France. It was during the drive on the Sambre Canal that Brown was severely gassed. Brown was born in Marinette, Wisconsin in the middle of 1889, the son of Charlesand Mrs. Brown. The family came to Golden when he was a boy and he had lived here since. A decidedly popular young man, he worked in the United States Postal Service and as a United States Forest Ranger. When the United States entered World War I, Brown attempted enlist but was rejected. He later made three more attempts to enlist, but was rejected each time. Finally when the first draft came he was taken into service and he received his training at Fort Deming. Brown was a member of the Golden Fire Department, Woodmen of the World and the American Legion. He was given a military funeral and is buried at the Golden Cemetery.

Sylvester Spieles died at his home on 9th Street in Golden on June 19, 1922, at the age of 30 years. He had served in an unusual theater of World War I, when the 27th Infantry with which he served was sent across the Pacific to take part in the Siberian campaign. Spending 12 months there in 1918-19, the harsh Siberian winter broke his health and tuberculosis developed, from which he could not rally despite spending time in various government hospitals once he returned home. Despite his impaired health Spieles kept a cheerful spirit and fought the disease to the last. Spieles was born in Summit County and came to Golden with his parents in 1901. He was a general favorite here, was married and had a son. Spieles was also a member of the American Legion, and received a burial with full military honors at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. He is likely related to Goldenite Billy W. Spieles, possibly his nephew, who died in World War II.

Edward Rolland Francis was killed on January 27, 1953 when the airplane on which he was the navigator, a B-29 Superfortress Bomber, crashed three miles north of Suwon Airfield in South Korea while on a combat mission. Francis served with the 370th Bomber Squadron, 307th Bomber Wing based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. He was born in Denver to Joe and Mrs. Francis on August 27, 1924, and attended the schools there and in Nederland. Francis then attended the United States Coast Guard Academy, but resigned during World War II so he could see action sooner. In that war Francis was part of the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in the Pacific theater. When the war ended he returned to Golden to study at the Colorado School of Mines. He was married to wife Katherine and had a daughter Katherine and sons Michael and Patrick, and the family lived at Prospector Park while in Golden. After graduating in 1951 Francis was employed as a petroleum engineer by the Phillips Petroleum and Refining Company at Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Said to show great promise, Francis co-patented a new process for the production of hydrocarbon polymers. When fighting broke out in Korea Francis returned to duty in the U.S. Air Force and attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Francis was awarded the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.


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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Richard Gardner

Golden , CO

Richard Gardner has posted 150 stories and 1 comment since joining on 9/15/2005. Richard Gardner 's average story rating is 4.96.
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