FRIESNER, 1st Lt. Curtis David

FRIESNER, ARBUCKLE, HOLMAN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/19/2013 at 17:16:13

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, January 06, 1943, Page 6

BITS ABOUT ‘EM

Mrs. Myron Arbuckle and son of Waterloo have been visiting Mrs. Arbuckle’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Friesner, 248 Crescent drive. Mr. Arbuckle now holds the rank of lieutenant senior grade in the navy and is stationed at Providence, R. I. He is a veteran of the first World war. Curtis Friesner has returned to officer’s candidate school at Fort Benning, Ga., after spending a furlough with his parents, Mrs. and Mrs. Friesner and his wife.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, August 26, 1943, Page 10

BITS ABOUT ‘EM

Mrs. Curtis Friesner, 659 2nd street northeast, has returned from Petal, Miss., where she spent the summer with her husband, Lieutenant Friesner, who is stationed at Camp Shelby.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Friday, October 27, 1944, Page 13

Friesner Killed in Action
in Germany on October 9

Overseas Since July,
Had Served in France, Belgium and Holland

First Lt. Curtis D. Friesner, husband of Mrs. Irene Friesner, who lives with her parents, Dr. and Mrs. H. D. Holman, 659 2nd N. E., was killed in action in Germany on Oct. 9, according to a telegram received from the war department Thursday.

Lt. Friesner was with Lt. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges’ first army in Germany and since going overseas in July had seen action in France, Belgium, Holland and lately, Germany. He was made a first lieutenant a year ago.

Besides his wife, who is [an] instructor in retail selling in the Mason City high school, Lt. Friesner is survived by his mother, Mrs. H. C. Friesner, 246 Crescent drive, and a sister, Mrs. Myron Arbuckle, Waterloo. A sister, Elizabeth, was killed in an automobile accident several years ago. His father died last spring.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Friday, December 01, 1944, Page 13

Elks to Honor War Dead at
Ceremony Sunday Afternoon

Dr. Logan, Past District Deputy to Give Main Address

Henry W. Koeneke, exalted ruler of Elks lodge, has announced that the annual memorial services will be held at the lodge on Sunday at 3 p. m., the Elks medal of valor will be presented to the next-of-kin of members who made the supreme sacrifice in the present World war.

Mrs. Curtis Friesner will be present to receive the medal for her husband, 1st Lt. Friesner, who was killed in action in Germany.

An appropriate musical program has been arranged for the occasion, to which the public has been invited.

In a report from the Elks war commission, it was stated that over 300 lodges would present Medals of Valor to the next-of-kin of the Elks who died in service during the present war.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, March 14, 1945, Page 6

Silver Star to Friesner Posthumously

The silver star for gallantry in action awarded posthumously to First Lt. Curtis D. Friesner and the citation explaining how it was won has been received here by his wife, Mrs. Irene Friesner, 659 2nd N. E.

“For gallantry in action on Sept. 11, 1944, in ….” Read the citation accompanying the decoration. “Lt. Friesner was serving as a platoon leader with an infantry organization which was occupying a defensive position.

“A vehicle of a friendly organization sped through the positions defended by Lt. Friesner’s platoon too rapidly to be warned of the proximity of the enemy. As a result enemy machine gun fire fell on the vehicle wounding 2 of the occupants. The 3rd member of the vehicle escaped and made his way back to friendly lines.

“Lt. Friesner, as soon as he was apprised of the situation, immediately went forward and deliberately exposed himself to the hostile fire to divert attention from the wounded men so that they could make their way back to safety. Although one of the wounded men died before he could be evacuated, Lt. Friesner’s heroic actions resulted in one of the wounded men reaching friendly territory.”

Lt. Friesner was killed a month later in Germany.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Thursday, September 27, 1945, Page 11

Presented Medals Here to Three

Posthumous awards were made to 2 Mason City residents and a Clear Lake mother Sunday by Capt. Everett M. Robie, chaplain of the prisoner of war camp at Algona. Receiving the bronze star medal was Mrs. Irene H. Friesner, 659 2nd N. E. The medal was won by her husband, First Lt. Curtis D. Friesner of the 30th infantry division, “for heroic achievement in action Oct. 9, 1944, in Germany.” Mrs. Friesner previously had been awarded the silver star medal. The daughter of Dr. H. D. Holman of Park hospital, she is vocational counselor at the Mason City high school. [NOTE: The other medals were for Sgt. Willie Lauer and 1st Lt. John P. Urbatch.]

NOTE: Lt. Friesner was interred at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapell, Belgium. He has been memorialized at Memorial Park Cemetery and 1st Congregational UCC Columbarium, both in Mason City, Iowa.

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

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen