SEARLE, Gunner's Mate 3/C Erwin Leroy, Pearl Harbor

SEARLE, CARROLL, SMITH, HILL, LASKOWSKI, NYSTROM, ANDERSON, NELSON, ERICKSON, CARLSON, MAXSON, BRAYTON, OLSON, MCKINNON, PHILLIPS, DOERR, MOORE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/11/2013 at 13:18:51

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, December 17, 1941, Page 1

THREE NORTH IOWANS LOSE LIVES in RAID on HAWAII

Two Mason City Youths Among Victims of War
The name of Erwin Leroy SEARLE was added to the list of North Iowans losing their lives in the Pearl Harbor naval engagement Wednesday.

He was the second Mason Cityan reported killed on the opening day of the Japanese war Dec. 7. Death of Guy Wayne CARROLL of Mason City and Wilbur Theodore SMITH of Crystal Lake was reported Tuesday. All three men were sailors in the U. S. fleet stationed in Hawaii.

SMITH, Hancock county's first war casualty, was the son of Frank SMITH and Mrs. Pearl SMITH of Crystal Lake. He was a seaman second class.

CARROLL was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter G. CARROLL of Lehigh addition, Mason City. CARROLL, a quartermaster second class, lost his life aboard the ill-fated destroyer U. S. S. Shaw. He had been in the navy six years.

He had served four years in the navy, then spent one year out of the service. Two years ago this coming Feb. 9 he re-enlisted at his former grade and has not been home since.

SEARLE, gunner's mate third class, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ira J. SEARLE, 242 Eighth street southeast. Erwin is survived by his wife, the former Helen HILL of Waverly, and a nine-months-old son, Larry.

His brother, Harlan James SEARLE, was on the same ship. Since no word has been received from him it is assumed that Harlan is safe.

Cerro Gordo county and North Iowa's first World war II fatality was Melvin LASKOWSKI, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. LASKOWSII of Sheffield.

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Page 11

WIFE AND CHILD SURVIVE SEARLE

Mason City Sailor Born in Bancroft;
Killed in Hawaii

Erwin Leroy SEARLE, Mason Cityan killed in the naval action at Pearl Harbor, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. I. J. SEARLE, 242 Eighth street southeast. He served three years and three months in the service and had the rank of gunner's mate third class, a petty officer rating.

He was born in Bancroft Nov. 7, 1918, and came to Mason City in 1926. He attended Garfield school and was graduated from Mason City high school in 1938.

In June, 1940, he was home on furlough and in July was married to Helen HILL of Waverly. He had one son, Larry, 9 months.

Survivors include his own family; his parents; one sister, Mrs. Donald NYSTROM; two brothers in Mason City, Lloyd and Bobby; one brother on the same ship in the navy, Harlan; aunts, Mrs. John NELSON, Mrs. Oscar ANDERSON, Mrs. John CARLSON, Mrs. Hilma ERICKSON, Mrs. John GLASPEY, Mrs. Frank MAXSON and Mrs. Ruth BRAYTON; four uncles, Harry and Leigh McKINNON of California and August and Ole OLSON of Swea City; also one niece and two nephews.

His wife and mother visited Erwin and Harlan in Long Beach, Cal., in October.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Thursday, December 18, 1941, Page 20

HARLAN SEARLE SAFE IN HAWAII

Mason City Youth's Brother Killed in Pearl Harbor Battle

Mr. and Mrs. Ira J. SEARLE, 242 Eighth street southeast, received an airmail postcard Wednesday from their son, Harlan James SEARLE, stating that his is alive and well.

Harlan is stationed with the United States fleet in Pearl Harbor and took part in the naval engagement there Dec. 7 with the Japanese. His card was dated Dec. 9.

Previously it was reported that Harlan's older brother, Erwin Leroy SEARLE, gunner's mate third class above the same ship as Harlan, was killed in the initial battle of the war in the Pacific.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Monday, January 19, 1942, Page 11

CROWD PAYS TRIBUTE to VICTIM at PEARL HARBOR

MEMORIAL RITES FOR E. L. SEARLE HELD AT CHURCH

Responsibility for Pearl Harbor Placed
on Public by Legion Commander

Responsibility for the death of Ervin L. SEARLE and other United States sailors at Pearl Harbor was laid on the public Sunday by Max WELLS, American Legion post commander, who charged the public with the responsibility of guaranteeing for the future thee right to pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

Speaking to a capacity crowd at the memorial service for Erwin SEARLE at the First Baptist church, Mr. WELLS attributed the Pearl Harbor disaster to failure of the United States to provide for adequate national defense at all times.

"I would like to charge all of you from this day henceforth with the responsibility of seeing that the son of Erwin SEARLE and all other men, women and children and the generations yet unborn have a right to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness," he declared.

"We have broken faith with the dead of the first World war," he continued. "We should make our nation so big, so strong and powerful that no enemy will attack us."

H. A. PHILIPS, Sunday school teacher, described Erwin as loyal, kindly of attitude, and motivated by truth and worthwhile things.

"How can we help the boys in the service?" he asked. One way, he answered the question, is to write to them and to write cheery letters filled only with the good news. Leave the bad news at home, he told those attending the memorial service. PHILLIPS quoted chapter 15, verse 13 of St. John, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

In his talk, "Hardships Make Heroes," the Rev. J. Lee LEWIS told of Erwin's courage in the face of danger and how he faced the hardship and danger of sea life and became a hero. "Hardships make heroes," he said, "when difficulties are solved. Character is hammered out on the anvil of experience."

The colors were honored at the close of the memorial service. The colors and standards of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and auxiliary with color guard were first to leave the church. Other flags honored were those of the navy mothers club and the Order of the Moose.

Among the floral tributes was the anchor of flowers given by the North Iowa Navy Mothers club. Mrs. T. P. DOERR, president of the Britt navy mothers club and Mr. DOERR were among the many attending from out of town.

Mr. LEWIS also read the obituary. Mr. SEARLE was born in Bancroft Nov. 7, 1919. He attended public school at Brancroft and in 1936 moved to Mason City with his parents, attending grade school, Lincoln junior high school and being graduated from Mason City high school in 1938.

He enlisted in the navy in 1938 and after taking training at the Great Lakes naval training station was assigned to his ship with the rank of petty officer.

Confirmation of his death in action at Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, was received by his parents and widow from Erwin's brother [Harlan] who was stationed on the same ship [USS California (BB-44)].

An offering was taken to purchase a defense bond for 10-months-old Larry Dean SEARLE, son of the man honored.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Tuesday, January 20, 1942, Page 16

$62.75 Raised to Buy Defense Bond for Searle Baby

Larry Dean SEARLE, 10-months-old son of Erwin Leroy SEARLE, one of Mason city's two victims of the Pearl Harbor attack, is to receive a defense bond.

At the memorial service for SEARLE at the Baptist church Sunday night a collection was taken, which netted $62.75.

Since then others have manifested a desire to make donations for little Larry's bond.

C. R. MOORE of the naval recruiting station announces that he will be glad to receive contributions to swell the fund.

NOTE: USS California (BB-44) sustained two Japanese torpedoes, forward and aft, during the early moments of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Later, she was bombed which caused more flooding. She came under additional threat when a mass of burning oil swept through Battleship Row, consequently causing her remaining crew to abandon ship. Due to flooding which was impossible to control, she slowly sank, coming to rest at the bottom of Pearl Harbor along side of Ford Island on December 10th. She was raised during March of 1942, repaired and modernized, returning to the Pacific fleet. Over 100 of her crew and officers were killed in action during the Japanese attack December 7th, 1941.
SOURCE: history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/ph-ca.htm

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

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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