HELFENSTEIN, Pfc. Dwight Mimshall

HELFENSTEIN, KINGSBORO, WARNER

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/24/2013 at 19:08:07

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Tuesday, April 17, 1945, Page

Dwight Helfenstein Killed
in Action in Germany, April 7

Entered Service Last August and
Went Overseas in January

Pfc. Dwight M. Helfenstein, 18, only son of Doctor and Mrs. Roy C. Helfenstein, 221 3rd N. E., was killed in action in Germany on April 7, according to a message received here from the war department Tuesday.

Pfc. Helfenstein was serving in the 8th armed infantry division of the 9th army. He left for overseas on Jan. 7, and upon arriving in the European theater first served with the 3rd army but was later transferred to the 9th. The last letter received from him was dated March 25.

Dwight was born on June 20, 1926, in Dover, Del., and came with his parents to Mason City in the fall of 1938 when his father came to be the pastor of the First Congregational church here. He was graduated from the local high school last spring and entered the service on the 17th of August. He had trained 3 ½ months in Camp Hood, Tex., before being sent overseas.

Besides his parents, he is survived by 3 sisters, Mrs. Wilson Kingsboro, teaching at Rock Rapids while her husband, a captain, is serving as a surgeon overseas; Mrs. William H. G. Warner, Hermosa Beach, Cal.; and Janice, high school student, at home.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Monday, April 30, 1945, Page 13

Memorial Service at Local Church

Sunday morning at the First Congregational church, an impressive memorial service was held in connection with the regular service in honor of Dwight M. Helfenstein, who was killed in action in Germany on April 7. W. A. Westfall, chairman of the board of trustees, read the memorial rites used by the local congregation in its Gold Star Memorial services held in connection with regular services. Mrs. William Peterson, chairman of the service committee of the women’s guild, placed the gold star on the service flag.

President Samuel N. Stevens of Grinnell college was guest speaker giving a forceful discourse on “The Church-College,” the day being observed as “Church-College Sunday” by the Congregation Christian Churches of Iowa.

NOTE: Pvt. Helfenstein was interred at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

Transcriptions and note by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2013

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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