Borgstrom brothers
Encyclopedia
The Borgstrom brothers were four siblings killed over a six month period during World War II
. They were the sons of Alben and Gunda Borgstrom of Thatcher, Utah
. The brothers were:
. Before the United States' involvement in World War II, one of the sons died from a ruptured appendix. When the U.S. entered the war, five of the remaining brothers enlisted or were drafted into the military: Boyd, Clyde, Elmer LeRoy, Rolon, and Rulon.
While clearing an air strip on Guadalcanal
, Solomon Islands
, Clyde was killed by a falling tree in March 1944. Three months later, Elmer LeRoy was killed in Italy
. In August, Rolon died after a bombing raid over Germany
. His twin brother, Rulon, who was initially reported missing, died 17 days later from wounds received in an attack on Le Dreff near Brest, France
.
When Rulon went missing, the Borgstrom family, with help from neighbors and the Utah congressional delegation, successfully petitioned for Boyd, the last Borgstrom son in the military, to be released from service. Shortly thereafter, he was transferred to the United States and discharged by special order of the Marine Corp's commandant. Eldon, sometimes spelled Elton, who was not yet of enlistment age in 1944, was also exempted from military service.
It took almost four years after the four brothers' deaths for their bodies to be returned to Utah by the American Graves Registration Service. A funeral service for the four brothers was then held in the LDS Church's Garland Tabernacle in Garland, Utah on 25 June 1948. Clarence E. Smith, former principal of Bear River High School, Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw
, LDS Church President George Albert Smith
, and General Mark W. Clark spoke at the funeral. Rear Admiral John R. Redman
, Major General LeRoy P. Hunt
, and Brigadier General Ned Schramm were in attendance. The brothers were then buried side-by-side in the Riverview Cemetery in Tremonton, Utah
.
During the funeral service, the brothers were posthumously awarded three Bronze Star Medals, one Air Medal, and one Good Conduct Medal. According to Colonel Leonard R. Crews, "commanding officer of the Sixth Army escort detachment at Ogden," the Borgstrom family was the "only four-star Gold Star family
on record in World War II." (The Sullivan brothers
were a five-star Gold Star family.)
was enacted (1948), the deaths of the Borgstrom brothers, along with the deaths of the Sullivan brothers
and others, may have contributed to the development of said policy.
In April 1959, the Army honored the Borgstrom brothers by naming a reserve training center in Ogden, Utah
in the their honor. In August 2001, a soldiers' memorial was dedicated in Tremonton, Utah, which had the images and names of the brothers in a place of prominence.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. They were the sons of Alben and Gunda Borgstrom of Thatcher, Utah
Thatcher, Utah
Thatcher is a census-designated place in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. It is a small farming community, located southwest of Bothwell and west of Tremonton. The population was 789 at the 2010 census....
. The brothers were:
- Clyde Eugene Borgstrom, 28 (born 15 February 1916, died 17 March 1944), U.S. Marine Corps
- Elmer LeRoy Borgstrom, 30 (born 30 April 1914, died 22 June 1944), U.S. Army
- Rolon Day Borgstrom, 19 (born 5 May 1925, died 8 August 1944), U.S. Army Air Forces
- Rulon Jay Borgstrom, 19 (born 5 May 1925, died 26 August 1944), U.S. Army Air Forces
History
Alben and Gunda Borgstrom were the parents of ten children, seven of which were boys. All of the boys graduated from Bear River High School in Garland, UtahGarland, Utah
Garland is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,400 at the 2010 census.-History:Garland was originally named Sunset and settled in 1890. The first settler was David E. Manning....
. Before the United States' involvement in World War II, one of the sons died from a ruptured appendix. When the U.S. entered the war, five of the remaining brothers enlisted or were drafted into the military: Boyd, Clyde, Elmer LeRoy, Rolon, and Rulon.
While clearing an air strip on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
, Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, Clyde was killed by a falling tree in March 1944. Three months later, Elmer LeRoy was killed in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In August, Rolon died after a bombing raid over Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. His twin brother, Rulon, who was initially reported missing, died 17 days later from wounds received in an attack on Le Dreff near Brest, France
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
.
When Rulon went missing, the Borgstrom family, with help from neighbors and the Utah congressional delegation, successfully petitioned for Boyd, the last Borgstrom son in the military, to be released from service. Shortly thereafter, he was transferred to the United States and discharged by special order of the Marine Corp's commandant. Eldon, sometimes spelled Elton, who was not yet of enlistment age in 1944, was also exempted from military service.
It took almost four years after the four brothers' deaths for their bodies to be returned to Utah by the American Graves Registration Service. A funeral service for the four brothers was then held in the LDS Church's Garland Tabernacle in Garland, Utah on 25 June 1948. Clarence E. Smith, former principal of Bear River High School, Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw
Herbert B. Maw
Herbert Brown Maw was an American politician and the eighth Governor of Utah. He served as governor from 1941 to 1949. He was a Democrat.He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-Early life:...
, LDS Church President George Albert Smith
George Albert Smith
George Albert Smith, Sr. was the eighth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:...
, and General Mark W. Clark spoke at the funeral. Rear Admiral John R. Redman
John R. Redman
John "Jack" Roland Redman was an admiral in the United States Navy. A naval communications officer, he played key roles in signals intelligence during World War II in Washington, D.C., and on the staff of Admiral Chester W...
, Major General LeRoy P. Hunt
LeRoy P. Hunt
General LeRoy P. Hunt was a United States Marine Corps general who commanded the 2nd Marine Division at the end of World War II.-Biography:...
, and Brigadier General Ned Schramm were in attendance. The brothers were then buried side-by-side in the Riverview Cemetery in Tremonton, Utah
Tremonton, Utah
Tremonton is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 7,647 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Tremonton is located at ....
.
During the funeral service, the brothers were posthumously awarded three Bronze Star Medals, one Air Medal, and one Good Conduct Medal. According to Colonel Leonard R. Crews, "commanding officer of the Sixth Army escort detachment at Ogden," the Borgstrom family was the "only four-star Gold Star family
Gold Star Mothers Club
Shortly after World War I the American Gold Star Mothers Inc. was formed in the United States to provide support for mothers who lost sons or daughters in the war. The name came from the custom of families of servicemen hanging a banner called a Service Flag in the window of their homes. The...
on record in World War II." (The Sullivan brothers
Sullivan brothers
The Sullivan brothers were five siblings who were all killed in action during or shortly after the sinking of the light cruiser USS Juneau , the vessel on which they all served, on November 13, 1942, in World War II....
were a five-star Gold Star family.)
Legacy
The Salt Lake Tribune reported in November 1944 that the deaths of the four Borgstrom brothers resulted in "the armed services rul[ing] special consideration will be given any family in which two or more sons have been killed and only one member in service survives." Even though the article was published a few years before the Sole Survivor PolicySole Survivor Policy
The Sole Survivor Policy or DoD Directive 1315.15 "Special Separation Policies for Survivorship" describes a set of regulations in the U.S. military that are designed to protect members of a family from the draft or from combat duty if they have already lost family members in military...
was enacted (1948), the deaths of the Borgstrom brothers, along with the deaths of the Sullivan brothers
Sullivan brothers
The Sullivan brothers were five siblings who were all killed in action during or shortly after the sinking of the light cruiser USS Juneau , the vessel on which they all served, on November 13, 1942, in World War II....
and others, may have contributed to the development of said policy.
In April 1959, the Army honored the Borgstrom brothers by naming a reserve training center in Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
in the their honor. In August 2001, a soldiers' memorial was dedicated in Tremonton, Utah, which had the images and names of the brothers in a place of prominence.
See also
- Bixby letter
- Niland brothersNiland BrothersThe Niland brothers were four American brothers from Tonawanda, New York, serving in the military during World War II. Of the four, two survived the war, but for a time it was believed that only one, Frederick Niland, had survived...
- Sullivan brothersSullivan brothersThe Sullivan brothers were five siblings who were all killed in action during or shortly after the sinking of the light cruiser USS Juneau , the vessel on which they all served, on November 13, 1942, in World War II....
- Sole Survivor PolicySole Survivor PolicyThe Sole Survivor Policy or DoD Directive 1315.15 "Special Separation Policies for Survivorship" describes a set of regulations in the U.S. military that are designed to protect members of a family from the draft or from combat duty if they have already lost family members in military...