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The Story of Myron Lemke

by Edna Hathorne
Myron Lemke, born on the farm in the town of Plover in 1899, left home when he was about 20 years old. He went west to Montana where he homesteaded for a few years. He was home to see his family three or four times during his lifetime. He was a mail carrier for a few years and later worked in construction work on dams and bridges. He was injured by being run over by a truck at one time and was in the hospital in Salt Lake City.
After he recovered from his injury he went to work for the U.S. Government. He was on Wake Island helping to build an air strip when the Japanese captured the island in December of 1941. He was killed and is buried in the Hawaiian Islands. He was never married and had no children.
Uncle Myron Lemke and his car when he came home on one of his visits.
Probably about 1930.

More About Myron Lemke

by Bob Babcock

Wake Island Monument
in memory of Harry Morrison and his civilian contractors
– photo courtesy of Justin Babcock

IN MEMORIAM

THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED TO THE CIVILILIAN CONSTRUCTION
MEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE DEFENSE OF WAKE ISLAND
DURING THE JAPANESE INVASION DECEMBER 8—23 1941 AND
PLACED HERE BY THOSE MEN STILL LIVING KNOWN AS THE
CIVILIAN SURVIVORS OF WAKE ISLAND.
THEY CAME FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF OUR NATION, FROM ALL
WALKS OF LIFE WITH VARIED SKILLS UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF HARRY MORRISON. THE PACIFIC NAVAL AIR BASE CONTRACTORS
WERE BUILDING A BASE FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE PACIFIC WHEN
THE JAPANESE ATTACKED. THEIR WORK WAS THE FORERUNNER OF
THE FORMATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION, THE SEABEES.
USING THEIR EQUIPMENT AND THE MEAGER SUPPLY OF WEAPONS
AVAILABLE TO THEM ALONG WITH STRONG WILLS, FAITH IN GOD
AND ALLEGIANCE TO THEIR CHRISTIAN NATION, THESE MEN
FOUGHT ALONGSIDE THE UNDERMANNED MARINES, MANY TO THEIR
DEATH. THEY RESISTED THE ENEMY FOR 16 DAYS, A PROUD PART
OF AMERICAN HISTORY. ON DECEMBER 23 AGAINST OVERWHELMING
ODDS THE GARRISON WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 98 MEN HELD ON WAKE AND EXECUTED
BY THE ENEMY WITHOUT CAUSE IN OCTOBER 1943 THOSE
SURVIVING THE CONFLICT WERE SHIPPED TO PRISON CAMPS
WHERE MANY PERISHED.
NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
GRANTED MILITARY RECOGNITION TO THESE CIVILIANS FOR
THEIR HEROIC ENDEAVOR.

The Japanese executed 98 American civilian contractors on Wake in October 1943 and surrendered the island in September 1945. In the years following, the remains of those who died on Wake Island during World War II were moved to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, although the exact date is not known.
Due to the state of the remains and difficulties in identification at the time, they were buried in mass grave 68, Row O, Section G. This plaque at the grave lists the names of 178 men who died on Wake Island, including 47 military personnel and 131 civilians. Records show that Myron A Lemke died December 20 during the 16 day defense of the island.
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