WOLDMOE, Sgt. Cecil T., WWII

WOLDMOE, WATTS, ANDERSON, LEWIS, PEDERSEN, LAUER, QUINONES, ODELL

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/12/2013 at 01:12:36

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, November 23, 1943, Page 14

Your Neighbors in the
KHAKI AND BLUE
What They Are Doing

Mr. and Mrs. T. M. WOLDMOE, 816 Monroe N. E., have received word from their son somewhere in the Pacific that he has been promoted from private 1st class to the rank of corporal. With him is John CARROLL, son of Mrs. Mary CARROLL, 221 West State. Corporal WOLDMOE had asked his mother to call Mrs. CARROLL to tell her that both were well but very busy. He said that the weather was hot and expressed the wish that they might have some of the cool weather here.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
May 15, 1944, Page 8

PURPLE HEART IS AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY to WOLDMOE

Parents Get Letter From Stimson Saying Medal Will Follow

The Purple Heart has been awarded to Sgt. Cecil T. WOLDMOE, killed in action in Bougainville on March 26, according to word received from his parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. WOLDMOE, 816 Monroe N. E.

A letter from the secretary of war, Henry L. Stimson, announced that the medal would reach Sgt. WOLDMOE'S parents shortly. It read as follows:

"You will shortly receive the Purple Heart medal which has been posthumously awarded by direction of the president to your son, Sgt. Cecil T. WOLDMOE. It is sent as a tangible expression of the country's gratitude for his gallantry and devotion.

"It is sent to you as well with my deepest personal sympathy for your bereavement. The loss of loved ones is beyond man's repairing and [illegible].

"We are all comrades in arms in this battle for our country and those who have gone are not and never will be forgotten by those of us who remain. I hope you will accept the medal in evidence of such remembrance."

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The Globe Gazette

Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Friday, July 07, 1944, Page 11

DEATH of SON TOLD in LETTER
By REGIMENTAL COMMANDER

Sgt. Woldmoe's Grave Shown in Picture Sent by Chaplain

Mr. and Mrs. T. M. WOLDMOE, 816 Monroe N. W., have had letters from the regimental commander and the chaplain of their son, Sgt. Cecil WOLDMOE, telling how he died and describing the military funeral held for him as well as sending a picture of the cross marking his grave. Sgt. WOLDMOE was killed in action in Bougainville on March 26.

"Words cannot express my sympathy for you in the death of your son," wrote J. D. Frederick, the regimental commander. "I would like, if I could adequately express myself, to convey to you the loss the regiment suffered by his death.

"I know there is nothing I can say which will assuage (sic) your grief, but perhaps to somewhat alleviate your mental anguish regarding the uncertainty as to what happened. I would like to impart that his life was lost when a patrol of which he was a member made contact with a cleverly devised enemy ambush in dense jungle terrain. Sgt. WOLDMOE'S gallant actions saved the lives of others and certainly played an immense part in helping to make his patrol's mission successful.

"I can assure you that Cecil did not die in vain as the campaign in which this regiment was engaged at the time resulted in a decisive victory for American arms. He was held in esteem by his officer and comrades and his bravery will always be an inspiration to this regiment.

"Your son was buried in a beautiful army cemetery on this island with appropriate military and religious ceremonies."

Chaplain Clyde E. THOMAS, in an earlier letter to the WOLDMOES enclosed a picture of Sgt. WOLDMOE'S grave in the Bougainville cemetery. The date of his death, March 26, 1944, is shown plainly marked on the cross that marks his burial place. The chaplain wrote, in part:

"Special friends attended the burial, at which full military rites were observed. It was a joy and honor to have known your son and to have been his chaplain. He was always kind and courteous. His pleasing personality won for him the admiration of all his friends. In the center of the cemetery is a chapel that is a marvel to the eye. You can be assured Cecil's resting place is well taken care of."

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Monday, January 29, 1945, Page 11

PARENTS RECEIVE HEROES' MEDALS

In Presentation Of Awards At Joint Memorial Service

Shown [below] are those participating in the presentation of awards at the joint memorial service at Music hall Sunday afternoon.

Left to right are Mrs. C. O. ANDERSON; Capt. S. W. RAMSAY, Minneapolis, who presented the air medals; Mrs. Ralph E. WATTS, Mr. WATTS; Col. H. H. ODELL, Ames, who made the bronze star medal presentation; T. M. WOLDMOE and Mrs. WOLDMOE.

The bronze star medal was presented to Mr. and Mrs. WOLDMOE for their son, Sgt. Cecil WOLDMOE, killed in action in Bougainville.

The air medal with oak leaf cluster was presented to Mr. and Mrs. WATTS for their son, T/Sgt. Donald E. WATTS, war prisoner of the Germany, and the air medal to Mrs. ANDERSON for her son, Lt. Robert W. LEWIS, missing in action in Germany since last May.

(Lock photo, Kayenay engraving)

6th MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD TO HONOR FIGHTERS

We Must Rededicate Ourselves to Ideals
Says Father Churchill

"Only if each one of us makes this memorial service the occasion to rededicate himself to the ideals which inspired those whose memory we eulogize today, shall we make certain that they have not died in vain - anything less will be unworthy of their sacrifice."

This spoke Father CHURCHILL, Mercy hospital chaplain, at the 6th join public memorial service at Music hall Sunday afternoon honoring the memory of 3 men who have in the past month been recorded as having given their lives for their country. They were S/Sgt. Willie LAUER, First Lt. James M. K. PEDERSEN and Cpl. William QUINONES. Burial flags from the U. S. government were presented to their next of kin.

A special feature of the program was the presentation by out-of-town officers of awards to the parents of the 3 servicemen.

The bronze star was presented to Mr. and Mrs. T. M. WOLDMOE, awarded posthumously to their son, Sgt. Cecil T. WOLDMOE and presented by Col. H. H. ODELL, Ames, in behalf of the war department.

The air medal with oak leaf cluster was presented by Capt. S. W. RAMSAY, Minneapolis, in behalf of the air corps to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph E. WATTS, awarded to their son, Tech. Sgt. Donald E. WATTS, now prisoner of war of the German government.

Capt. RAMSAY also made the air medal presentation to Mrs. O. C. ANDERSON, awarded to her son, Lt. Robert W. LEWIS, missing in action in Germany since last May.

Col. ODELL in presenting the bronze star decoration expressed his sympathy in behalf of the war department to Mr. and Mrs. WOLDMOE and said he shared in their pride of "this American soldier." He read the following citation which accompanied the medal:

"For heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy on the Solomon islands on March 26, 1944, Sgt. WOLDMOE gallantly sacrificed his life in the line of duty while serving as a member of a patrol order to reconnoiter a sector of the perimeter to determine possible enemy strength and dispositions.

"This man in returning in his own lines was ambushed by a superior force of the enemy and elected to fight gallantly in the face of enemy machine gun fire until succumbing to inevitable death."

Capt. RAMSAY likewise expressed his sympathy in behalf of the air corps in making his presentations. He stated that he was giving the medals to Mr. and Mrs. WATTS and to Mrs. ANDERSON "for sake keeping until the return of their sons."

"For exceptionally meritorious service over enemy-occupied territory in continental Europe and for the coolness and courage displayed," was the citation read by Capt. RAMSAY, accompanying the air medals awarded to Lt. LEWIS and T/Sgt. WATTS.

"Those of us who have had even the most cursory contact with this global ward have been forever impressed by the tremendous sacrifice that it entails," said Father CHURCHILL. "Its scope is so great that any one individual is almost overwhelmed by the magnitude of the struggle. In a spirit of faith we must accept these sacrifices and never allow ourselves to think that these dead have died in vain.

"In the words of the immortal Lincoln, 'We take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.'

"Because of the sacrifice of these young men, our cause will not fail . . . and we the living shall have profited by this memorial service also if we go away from it with our faith strengthened and our determination renewed," concluded Father CHURCHILL.

Miss June DUDGEON sang "The Lord Is My Shepherd" and "Come Unto Me," accompanied by Mrs. Roy SERVISON. Miss LuAnn MOEN sang "My Aching Heart," written by Mrs. WOLDMOE, with Miss Beatrice LYSNE accompanying. Mrs. SERVISON played a 5 minute prologue at the beginning of the service. Prayer was by the Rev. A. N. ROGNESS.

Company E of the Iowa state guard under the command of Capt. Leslie WHIPPLE furnished the honor guard and firing squad with Lt. Glen BERG in charge. Pfc. Reeser ADAMS and Pfc. JOHNSON made up the guard of honor at the shrine symbolizing the dead soldier's resting place. In the firing squad were Cpl. Carel SCHULTZ, Cpl. William COOPER, Cpl. Conrad OLSON, T/5 Almar ANDERSON, Pfc. Reeser ADAMS and Pvt. William PICKART. Constantine KREGOTIS of the company was bugler.

The services were under the direction of the American Legion and the Veteran of Foreign Wars with all patriotic organizations participating. Fred WILTS, Legion post commander, presided.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2013

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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