Re: military info - Wm. N. Barthell
BARTHELL, NIERLING, REEDER
Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer (email) In Response To: military info (paul barthell)
Date: 5/31/2009 at 02:41:38
I searched NewspaperArchive.com and found many articles about Dale Reeder, who was a POW for 36 months in a communist prison camp. One of the articles was lengthly and had photos of the celebration when he came home to Waukon. Under one of the photos was this caption mentioning that Cpl Reeder was Waukon's only POW during the Korean War:
KEY TO THE CITY — During the welcome home ceremony for its only Korean war PW, Waukon's Mayor Albert Oelberg presented the key to the city to Cpl. Dale Reeder. Nearly 2,500 persons turned out for the gala occasion as Waukon business firms closed for the afternoon.
~Cedar Rapids Gazette, Sept 1, 1953]
I found a couple articles mentioning Sgt Wm Barthell, but none stating that he was a POW. Nor did he appear in any of the newspaper articles that listed all of the Iowa POW's. The local Waukon newspapers might have more info. about your dad while he was in the service, but I currently don't have access to the microfilm. Here are a couple of the articles I found:
NEVER CAN TELL.
WAUKON _ Sgt. William Barthell has his troubles.
Sgt. Barthell expected to be sent to the United States after having completed 11 months' service in Korea earlier this month. Instead, the army gave him a five-day furlough in Japan raised his rank to staff sergeant —and sent him back to Korea. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Merle Barthell, Sgt. Barthell is serving with the First battalion, 19th regiment, 24th division.~Cedar Rapids Gazette, July 29, 1951
Four Eastern Iowans Returning from Korea
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—Four Eastern lowans are -aboard the transport U.S.N.S. Gen. John Pope due to dock here Friday with 4,290 army and air force men returning from Korea. They are Sgt William N. Barthell, Waukon; CpL Donah G. Janney, Iowa City; Sgt. Donali J. Welch, Lansing, and E. Miller, Iowa City.~Cedar Rapids Gazette, August 24, 1951
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