No matter how you look at it, World War II was devastating. Entire cities with many centuries of history were destroyed, and the loss of life was incalculable. Just about every American family was affected by World War II in one way or another, and residents of every state were killed in action.
The death toll of World War II is nearly impossible to comprehend. The United States suffered a total of 416,800 military deaths during the war, and other countries lost even more of their armed forces – including Japan (2 million), China (3 to 4 million), Germany (5.5 million), and the Soviet Union (up to 10.7 million). And that’s only the military. The U.S. sustained only about 1,700 civilian deaths during the course of the war, but it’s been estimated that the number of Chinese civilians killed may have exceeded 50 million. (These are the countries that suffered the most civilian casualties in World War II.)
The lives lost during World War II were cut short by a global conflict not of their own making, and when FDR made the decision to send American troops into harm’s way he knew that many of those young men would not be returning home. They made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the world from fascism, and each left grieving families behind. (Some were among the most decorated war heroes in American history.)
Thousands – in some cases hundreds of thousands – of men and women from every state served in World War II, a global calamity whose echoes and repercussions are still being felt today, 82 years since the first shots were fired.
The Department of Defense breaks out deaths differently, with Army and Army Air Forces deaths measured as killed in action, as well as by injuries or wounds sustained on the battlefield (the U.S. Air Force as an entity independent of the Army wasn’t formed until 1947). The Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard assessed their totals as combat deaths, including from wounds and disease.
Click here to see how many people from your state died in World War II
24/7 Tempo calculated the totals and ranked the states according to which saw the most servicemen fall from combat. The total number of service members from each state is a rough estimate from Quora using historical enlistment records in the National Archives.
50. Alaska
> Died from combat: 40
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 26 — 49th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 14 — 50th most
> MIA: 4 — 50th most
> Total served in World War II: 1,156 — 50th most
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49. Nevada
> Died from combat: 273
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 199 — 48th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 74 — 48th most
> MIA: 70 — 49th most
> Total served in World War II: 9,766 — 48th most
48. Delaware
> Died from combat: 504
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 389 — 47th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 115 — 47th most
> MIA: 105 — 47th most
> Total served in World War II: 17,043 — 44th most
47. Wyoming
> Died from combat: 611
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 426 — 46th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 185 — 45th most
> MIA: 192 — 45th most
> Total served in World War II: 8,757 — 49th most
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46. Hawaii
> Died from combat: 633
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 559 — 45th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 74 — 48th most
> MIA: 76 — 48th most
> Total served in World War II: 13,994 — 47th most
45. Colorado
> Died from combat: 729
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 8 — 50th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 721 — 32nd most
> MIA: 784 — 31st most
> Total served in World War II: 39,635 — 35th most
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44. Vermont
> Died from combat: 754
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 598 — 44th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 156 — 46th most
> MIA: 166 — 46th most
> Total served in World War II: 22,226 — 43rd most
43. New Hampshire
> Died from combat: 1,134
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 813 — 43rd most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 321 — 39th most
> MIA: 273 — 44th most
> Total served in World War II: 34,313 — 38th most
42. Montana
> Died from combat: 1,226
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 926 — 40th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 300 — 41st most
> MIA: 417 — 39th most
> Total served in World War II: 36,256 — 37th most
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41. South Dakota
> Died from combat: 1,252
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 961 — 39th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 291 — 42nd most
> MIA: 310 — 43rd most
> Total served in World War II: 14,894 — 45th most
40. Idaho
> Died from combat: 1,261
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 914 — 41st most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 347 — 38th most
> MIA: 328 — 40th most
> Total served in World War II: 34,162 — 39th most
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39. Utah
> Died from combat: 1,283
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 911 — 42th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 372 — 37th most
> MIA: 429 — 37th most
> Total served in World War II: 38,048 — 36th most
38. Arizona
> Died from combat: 1,311
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1033 — 38th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 278 — 43rd most
> MIA: 325 — 41st most
> Total served in World War II: 26,855 — 42nd most
37. New Mexico
> Died from combat: 1,365
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1146 — 36th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 219 — 44th most
> MIA: 567 — 35th most
> Total served in World War II: 31,029 — 40th most
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36. North Dakota
> Died from combat: 1,473
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1170 — 35th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 303 — 40th most
> MIA: 325 — 41st most
> Total served in World War II: 14,713 — 46th most
35. Rhode Island
> Died from combat: 1,611
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1129 — 37th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 482 — 35th most
> MIA: 447 — 36th most
> Total served in World War II: 52,739 — 34th most
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34. Maine
> Died from combat: 1,878
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1479 — 34th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 399 — 36th most
> MIA: 418 — 38th most
> Total served in World War II: 59,780 — 32nd most
33. Oregon
> Died from combat: 2,604
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1724 — 33rd most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 880 — 28th most
> MIA: 931 — 26th most
> Total served in World War II: 68,804 — 30th most
32. Nebraska
> Died from combat: 2,612
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1965 — 31st most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 647 — 33rd most
> MIA: 708 — 33rd most
> Total served in World War II: 30,053 — 41th most
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31. Connecticut
> Died from combat: 2,681
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1725 — 32nd most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 956 — 24th most
> MIA: 943 — 25th most
> Total served in World War II: 136,029 — 18th most
30. Mississippi
> Died from combat: 2,759
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 2158 — 29th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 601 — 34th most
> MIA: 693 — 34th most
> Total served in World War II: 138,544 — 17th most
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29. South Carolina
> Died from combat: 2,922
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 2200 — 28th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 722 — 31st most
> MIA: 709 — 32nd most
> Total served in World War II: 103,953 — 23rd most
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28. Florida
> Died from combat: 3,050
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 1978 — 30th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,072 — 20th most
> MIA: 905 — 28th most
> Total served in World War II: 114,361 — 22nd most
27. Arkansas
> Died from combat: 3,299
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 2511 — 25th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 788 — 29th most
> MIA: 841 — 29th most
> Total served in World War II: 63,854 — 31st most
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26. Louisiana
> Died from combat: 3,386
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 2367 — 27th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,019 — 23rd most
> MIA: 974 — 24th most
> Total served in World War II: 83,228 — 27th most
25. Maryland
> Died from combat: 3,727
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 2964 — 24th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 763 — 30th most
> MIA: 806 — 30th most
> Total served in World War II: 77,741 — 28th most
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24. Washington
> Died from combat: 3,842
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 2391 — 26th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,451 — 11th most
> MIA: 1333 — 14th most
> Total served in World War II: 101,424 — 24th most
23. Kansas
> Died from combat: 3,892
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 2988 — 23rd most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 904 — 27th most
> MIA: 1058 — 23rd most
> Total served in World War II: 54,846 — 33rd most
22. Alabama
> Died from combat: 4,205
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 3142 — 22nd most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,063 — 21st most
> MIA: 1111 — 19th most
> Total served in World War II: 170,169 — 13th most
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21. West Virginia
> Died from combat: 4,448
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 3497 — 20th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 951 — 25th most
> MIA: 909 — 27th most
> Total served in World War II: 99,968 — 25th most
20. Oklahoma
> Died from combat: 4,481
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 3530 — 19th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 951 — 25th most
> MIA: 1215 — 17th most
> Total served in World War II: 122,914 — 20th most
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19. Georgia
> Died from combat: 4,519
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 3479 — 21th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,040 — 22th most
> MIA: 1078 — 22th most
> Total served in World War II: 186,254 — 11th most
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18. Iowa
> Died from combat: 5,122
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 3782 — 18th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,340 — 15th most
> MIA: 1448 — 12th most
> Total served in World War II: 85,307 — 26th most
17. Virginia
> Died from combat: 5,178
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 3943 — 17th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,235 — 17th most
> MIA: 1103 — 20th most
> Total served in World War II: 121,449 — 21st most
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16. Tennessee
> Died from combat: 5,714
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 4532 — 15th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,182 — 18th most
> MIA: 1202 — 18th most
> Total served in World War II: 193,713 — 10th most
15. Kentucky
> Died from combat: 5,861
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 4771 — 12th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,090 — 19th most
> MIA: 1098 — 21st most
> Total served in World War II: 139,817 — 16th most
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14. Minnesota
> Died from combat: 5,866
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 4422 — 16th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,444 — 12th most
> MIA: 1393 — 13th most
> Total served in World War II: 69,101 — 29th most
13. Wisconsin
> Died from combat: 6,025
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 4700 — 14th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,325 — 16th most
> MIA: 1312 — 15th most
> Total served in World War II: 126,646 — 19th most
12. North Carolina
> Died from combat: 6,070
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 4706 — 13th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,364 — 14th most
> MIA: 1296 — 16th most
> Total served in World War II: 213,542 — 9th most
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11. Indiana
> Died from combat: 6,962
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 5536 — 10th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,426 — 13th most
> MIA: 1499 — 11th most
> Total served in World War II: 179,119 — 12th most
10. Missouri
> Died from combat: 7,153
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 5347 — 11th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 1,806 — 10th most
> MIA: 2037 — 10th most
> Total served in World War II: 162,930 — 14th most
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9. New Jersey
> Died from combat: 9,319
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 7159 — 8th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 2,160 — 9th most
> MIA: 2124 — 9th most
> Total served in World War II: 275,763 — 7th most
8. Massachusetts
> Died from combat: 9,568
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 6605 — 9th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 2,963 — 7th most
> MIA: 2658 — 7th most
> Total served in World War II: 284,716 — 6th most
7. Michigan
> Died from combat: 11,468
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 8970 — 7th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 2,498 — 8th most
> MIA: 2455 — 8th most
> Total served in World War II: 142,924 — 15th most
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6. Texas
> Died from combat: 12,640
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 9617 — 6th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 3,023 — 6th most
> MIA: 3608 — 5th most
> Total served in World War II: 362,885 — 5th most
5. Ohio
> Died from combat: 14,543
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 11432 — 4th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 3,111 — 5th most
> MIA: 3159 — 6th most
> Total served in World War II: 401,745 — 4th most
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4. Illinois
> Died from combat: 16,140
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 12546 — 3rd most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 3,594 — 4th most
> MIA: 3686 — 4th most
> Total served in World War II: 249,177 — 8th most
3. California
> Died from combat: 16,447
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 10001 — 5th most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 6,446 — 1st most
> MIA: 5597 — 2th most
> Total served in World War II: 473,932 — 3rd most
2. Pennsylvania
> Died from combat: 22,507
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 18405 — 2nd most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 4,102 — 3rd most
> MIA: 4734 — 3rd most
> Total served in World War II: 477,183 — 2nd most
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1. New York
> Died from combat: 25,935
> Army (including Army Air Forces) killed in action, or from wounds or injuries: 20776 — 1st most
> Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard combat deaths: 5,159 — 2nd most
> MIA: 5777 — 1st most
> Total served in World War II: 896,586 — 1st most
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