Which World War II Hero are you most closely connected to?

Question

With the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II upon us, we're looking at heroes of that war in the Connection Finder this week, starting with Dorie Miller, a U.S. Navy sailor who was the first African-American to be awarded the Navy's highest award, the Navy Cross, for his valor when his ship was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Dorie was later killed in action in 1943. 

Here are several other heroes to check your connection to:

• Margaret O'Bryan, a nurse in the Australian Army Nursing Service. She was awarded the George Medal for bravery when the ship MV Empire Star, carrying 2100 people including numerous wounded—her patients—was attacked by enemy aircraft between Singapore and Java in February 1942
• Osla Benning, code breaker at Bletchley Park
• Princess Alice of Battenberg, hid Jewish family in home in Greece
• Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves, high officer in the French Navy, who joined the Resistance as early as September 1940. Betrayed in January 1941, he was arrested and sentenced to death, executed on Mont Valérien in August 1941.
• Einar Rasmussen, telegraph operator responsible for contact with England & Sweden during the occupation, & the distribution of illegal newspapers, among other things; imprisoned by Nazis for hiding Starheim, & ultimately took own life to avoid giving up details of the resistance.
• Nancy Forward, British agent involved with the French Resistance and the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and was given the nickname The White Mouse by the Gestapo.
• Neile Toffel, as a pre-teen assisted with the Philippines resistance efforts as a spy.
• Raoul Wallenberg, Swedish businessman and diplomat who worked to save Jews in Hungary.
• Susan Cuddy, first Asian American woman to join the US Navy.
• Nancy Harkness, first female pilot in the Army Air Forces (AAF), a predecessor of the US Air Force, who convinced them to create the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), which she ultimately commanded.
• Joseph Rochefort, code breaking efforts were key to the efforts in the Pacific Theater.

Which of these is closest to you on our single family tree? If you're one of the 31.3 million of us who are connected to each other on our big tree, you can check with the Connection Finder.

In addition to the above and our many Featured Connections, you can check your connections to any category on WikiTree, such as Pearl Harbor Attack, Purple Heart, and Women in World War II. Click the green MyConnections button in the upper right hand corner of the category page.

Let us know how you're related below. If you want to share your connection on social media with cousins and friends, click the "get shareable image" below the results, e.g. Rosalynn Carter and Dorie Miller. Then just upload it along with the URL of your direct connection. (Please refrain from sharing your connection on the featured profiles themselves, though. It clutters conversations on research and collaboration. Thanks!)

Help us find and improve the profiles for next week's feature on Napoleon and associates.

Comments

At the bottom of my profile it says the theme is "World War Ii Hero".

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Aaron, are you using a WikiTree extension on your browser? It looks fine when I look at it.

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Nevermind, I tracked it to "WikiTree BEE".

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As Nancy Wake did not marry Forward until 1957 - well after the war ended - and is best known as Nancy Wake, should not her name on the Connection finder (and in the above post) show as Nancy Wake instead of Nancy Forward?

Answer 1

I am 19 degrees from Alice of Greece (17th cousins)

20 degrees from Osla Henniker- Major

22 degrees from Honore d'Estienne d'Orves

24 degrees from Nancy Forward

25 degrees from Hanna Love (25th cousins twice removed)

25 degrees from Einar Korsvig Rasmussen

27 degrees from Raoul Wallenberg (25th cousins three times removed)

28 degrees from Joseph Rochefort

28 degrees from Neile Toffel

30 degrees from Margaret O'Bryan

32 degrees from Susan Cuddy

43 degrees from Dorie Miller

Answer 2

Princess Alice- 13c6r

Nancy Harkness- 12c2r (same as Audie Murphy)

Raoul Wallenberg- 12c4r

Answer 3

I am most closely connected to Joseph Rochefort at 19 degrees of separation.

Cousins:

• 22 degrees from Hannah Love (15C, 5R)
• 21 degrees from Alice of Greece (16C, 2R)
• 28 degrees from Raoul Wallenberg (17C, 3R)

No Relationship Found:

• 19 degrees from Joseph Rochefort
• 20 degrees from Einar Korsvig Rasmussen
• 21 degrees from Neile Toffel
• 22 degrees from Susan Cuddy
• 22 degrees from Osla Henniker-Major
• 24 degrees from Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves
• 24 degrees from Nancy Forward
• 24 degrees from Margaret O'Bryan
• 33 degrees from Dorie Miller

Comments

I'm 21 degrees away from Joseph Rochefort! :) That is so cool.

Answer 4

Alice of Greece - 16th cousins 6 times removed

Hannah Love - 21st cousins four times removed

Raoul Wallenburg - 22nd cousins three times removed

Answer 5

All of these are far far away from me connection-wise:

• 29 degrees are Einar Korsvig Rasmussen, Neile Toffel and Hannah Love
• 31 degrees are Alice of Greece, Susan Cuddy and Joseph Rochefort
• 32 degrees are Osla Henniker-Major, Honoré d‘Estienne d‘Orves and Nancy Forward
• 36 degrees is Margaret O‘Bryan
• 38 degrees is Raoul Wallenberg
• and 44 degrees is Dorie Miller

And, of course, no cousins. I guess I‘m not very heroic …

Comments

Hey, Hannah Love got closer: 27 degrees now!

As did Alice of Greece: down to 30 degrees.

Thanks to all who work on shortening connections!

Answer 6

I am most closely connected to Alice of Greece at 18 degrees.

Answer 7

My closest relations are Princess Alice of Battenberg and Nancy Harkness, who are my 14^th cousins, 1x removed. My closest connection is Joseph Rochefort at 14 degrees away.

Ancestors and Cousins

• 19 degrees from Princess Alice of Battenberg – 14^th cousin, 1x removed.
• 20 degrees from Nancy Harkness – 14^th cousin, 4x removed.
• 25 degrees from Raoul Wallenberg – 14^th cousin, 1x removed.

Connections

• 14 degrees from Joseph Rochefort – 5 branches (1-5-3-3-3)
• 20 degrees from Neile Toffel – 5 branches (1-4-9-4-3)
• 21 degrees from Osla Benning – 5 branches (2-1-1-6-12)
• 21 degrees from Susan Cuddy – 7 branches (1-1-2-7-2-4-5)
• 22 degrees from Margaret O'Bryan – 5 branches (1-5-3-7-7)
• 22 degrees from Einar Rasmussen – 5 branches (6-4-5-4-4)
• 23 degrees from Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves – 6 branches (4-1-2-1-9-7)
• 23 degrees from Nancy Forward – 3 branches (3-10-11)
• 32 degrees from Dorie Miller – 8 branches (3-2-5-4-3-3-9-4)

Answer 8

Ancestors & Cousins

• Nancy Harkness - 8c3r, and 19 degrees
• Alice of Greece - 15c3r, and 21 degrees
• Raoul Wallenberg - 16c4r, and 28 degrees

Connections

• Neile Toffel - 19 degrees
• Joseph Rochefort - 20 degrees
• Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves - 21 degrees
• Nancy Forward - 21 degrees
• Osla Benning - 21 degrees 
• Einar Rasmussen - 22 degrees
• Margaret O'Bryan - 22 degrees 
• Susan Cuddy - 23 degrees
• Dorie Miller - 36 degrees

Answer 9

Greetings all...I have 2 cousins in this group, Princess Alice and Nancy Harkness and my closest connection is Neile Toffel

Princess Alice of Battenberg (16c2r), 20^o, 4 branches via my maternal grandmother

Nancy Harkness (17c2r), 20^o, 3 branches via my maternal grandfather

Neile Toffel 17^o, 3 branches via my maternal grandmother

Joseph Rochefort 17^o, 4 branches via my paternal grandfather

Einar Rasmussen 19^o, 5 branches via my paternal grandfather

Susan Cuddy 20^o, 6 branches via my maternal grandmother

Osla Benning 22^o, 4 branches via my paternal grandmother

Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves 22^o, 5 branches via my maternal grandmother

Nancy Forward 22^o, 5 branches via my maternal grandfather

Raoul Wallenberg 25^o, 4 branches via my paternal grandmother

Margaret O'Bryan 25^o, 7 branches via my maternal grandmother

Dorie Miller 31^o, 7 branches via my paternal grandmother

Answer 10

17 degrees from Alice of Battenberg. 16th cousin 1 time removed. MRCA Margaret (Beauchamp) Welles (abt 1410 - bef 1482).

18 degrees from Neile Toffel.

18 degrees from Joseph Rochefort.

19 degrees from Susan Cuddy.

20 degrees from Osla Henniker-Major.

20 degrees from Einar Korsvig Rasmussen.

21 degrees from Honore' d'Estienne d'Orves.

21 degrees from Nancy Forward.

21 degrees from Hannah Love. 17th cousin 1 time removed. MRCA Elizabeth (Segrave) Mowbray (1338 - bef 1368).

23 degrees from; Margaret O'Bryan.

27 degrees from Raoul Wallenberg. 17th cousin 3 times removed. MRCA John Stewart of Innerneath (abt 1348 - 1421).

30 degrees from Dorie Miller.

Answer 11

Ancestors and Cousins

• 19 Degrees to Hannah Love 9C 2xR (Uncertain)
• 21 Degrees to Alice of Greece 17C 3xR
• 27 Degrees to Raoul Wallenberg 19C 1xR

Connections

• 17 Degrees to Einar Korsvig Rasmussen
• 19 Degrees to Joseph Rochefort
• 19 Degrees to Neile Toffel
• 20 Degrees to Nancy Forward
• 21 Degrees to Susan Cuddy
• 22 Degrees to Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves
• 23 Degrees to Osla Henniker-Major
• 25 Degrees to Margaret O'Bryan
• 34 Degrees to Dorie Miller

Answer 12

17 degrees from Joseph Rochefort
17 degrees from Nancy Forward
18 degrees from Hannah Love (8th cousins, 3x removed)
19 degrees from Neile Toffel
20 degrees from Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves
21 degrees from Alice of Greece (13th cousins, 2x removed)
21 degrees from Einar Korsvig Rasmussen
22 degrees from Osla Henniker-Major
22 degrees from Susan Cuddy
24 degrees from Margaret O'Bryan
26 degrees from Raoul Wallenberg (14th cousins, 2x removed)
31 degrees from Dorie Miller

Answer 13

Cousins (Other Connection)
Hannah Love - 16C4R - (18 degrees)
Alice of Greece - 16C6R - (23 degrees)
Raoul Wallenberg - 18C4R - (28 degrees)

Connections
Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves - 18 degrees   
Nancy Forward - 22 degrees
Neile Toffel - 22 degrees
Einar Korsvig Rasmussen - 23 degrees
Susan Cuddy - degrees
Joseph Rochefort - 24 degrees
Osla Henniker-Major - 25 degrees
Margaret O'Bryan - 26 degrees
Dorie Miller - 38 degrees

Answer 14

Closest ... hrmmm Henry Stimson, being a Thurber - is a 5th cousin (through his mother).

Franklin Roosevelt, through Chaplin/Holman - 8th cousin. I imagine there are other ways as well.

Douglas MacArthur several connections - 8th cousin - connection is through his grandmother (a Belcher) - however -need to look up the Great Puritan Migration common ancestor.

Comments

Franklin Roosevelt is my 7th cousin, four times removed (I'm a 5th cousin, four times removed from his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt and a 4th cousin, five times removed from Theodore Roosevelt).

Douglas MacArthur is my 9th cousin, three times removed.

Answer 15

My closest connection is to Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves, at 17 degrees.

Comments

The French connection :-)

Answer 16

Cousins

• 13 degrees - Alice of Greece
  • 19C4R -- MRCA - Elizabeth Samlesbury, Robert de Holland
• 20 degrees - Hannah Love
  • 16C4R -- MRCA - John Danvers MP
• 26 degrees - Raoul Wallenberg
  • 21C2R -- MRCA - Elizabeth Samlesbury, Robert de Holland

Connections

• 21 degrees - Osla Henniker-Major
• 21 degrees - Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves
• 22 degrees - Neile Toffel
• 22 degrees - Joseph Rochefort
• 23 degrees - Margaret O'Bryan
• 24 degrees - Einar Korsvig Rasmussen
• 24 degrees - Nancy Forward
• 25 degrees - Susan Cuddy
• 35 degrees - Dorie Miller

Answer 17

Princess Alice of Battenberg 14th Cousin 2R, 18 degrees

Nancy Harkness 19 Cousin 3R, 20 degrees

Raoul Wallenberg- 22 Cousin 1R, 29 degrees

Answer 18

18 degrees, Joseph Rochefort, two branches (1-18), his wife, Elma Fay (Aery) Rochefort (1900-1969), Aery-15., 7th cousin twice removed MRCA Pettway-80, Judkins-44

18 degrees, Hannah Lincoln (Harkness) Love, Harkness-1163, three branches (6-4-9, 15th cousin three times removed MRCA Kelke-1, Tyrwhitt-12

20 degrees, Neile Toffel, six branches (1-5-4-3-2-6), her husband, Terrence Steven McQueen (1930-1980), McQueen-764, 15th cousin MRCA Wentworth-7, Constable-47

20 degrees, Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves, three branches (4-1-16)

20 degrees, Princess Alice of Battenberg, four branches (2-1-7-10) 18th cousin, MRCA Percy-15, Neville-58, her husband, Andrew Oldenberg, 17th cousin once removed MRCA Neville-58, Percy-15

21 degrees, Nancy Forward, three branches (3-6-13)

22 degrees, Susan Cuddy, six branches (1-1-2-3-7-9)

22 degrees, Elinor Korsvig Rasmussen, four branches (6-7-1-9)

22 degrees, Osla (Benning) Henniker-Major, six branches (2-1-1-6-3-10)

25 degrees, Margaret O'Bryan, seven branches (1-3-2-5-3-3-9)

28 degrees, Raouf Gustaf Wallenberg, Wallenberg-7, five branches (12-3-3-3-8), 20th cousin MRCA Holand-65, Zouche-64

35 degrees, Dorie Miller, eight branches (3-2-5-4-8-3-4-7)

Answer 19

10 degrees from Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves - thanks to my wife

16 degrees from Alice of Greece (idem).

Note that Honoré and Alice are 12 degrees from each other, through a "flat" path of profiles all born after 1850.

Answer 20

I'm 18 degrees from Alice of Greece