VOLCKMANN, General Russell William 1911 - 1982

VOLCKMANN, LUECK, RICH, SORLEY, STANSBERRY

Posted By: Richard Carstensen (email)
Date: 2/2/2002 at 10:33:33

Clinton Herald, Thursday, July 1, 1982

NATIONAL WAR HERO, GEN. VOLCKMANN, DIES

Brig. Gen. Russell William Volckmann, 70, of 306 Prospect St., Morrison, nationally-known World War II hero and Clinton native, died Wednesday in University Hospitals, Iowa City.

The funeral will be 2 p.m. Saturday in the Snell-Zornig Funeral Home, Clinton, with the Rev. Theodore L. Anderson of Immanuel Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will be in Springdale Cemetery. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.

Honorary pallbears will be John B. Van Allen and Brig. Gen. Donald D. Blackburn.

Gen. Volckmann was born Oct. 23, 1922, in Clinton to Hattie May and William J. C. Dodds Volckmann. He attended Shattuck Military Academy, Fairbault, MN, and graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY in 1934. He became an infantry-commissioned second lieutenant in June 1934. He married Nancy Sorley in 1934. She died later. He married Helen Rich Aug. 28, 1948, in Clinton.

Stationed in the Philippines Islands since Dec. 1941, Col. Volckmann commanding officer of the 11th Division Infantry, escaped Japanese troops after the American defeat at Bataan and the surrender of Corregidor April 8, 1942. He led approximately 20,000 Filipino and American guerrillas to ultimate victory on North Luzon, the Philipines, servicing under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

He established a communications network on the islands, and as commanding officer of the USAFIP, NL 66th Division Infantry guerrillas, led routing of more than 50,000 Japanese troops. He and his division, whose moto was "nowhere yet everywhere," received surrender overtures from Lt. Gen. Masatsogu Araki, leader of Japanese forces on the island, Aug. 20, 1945.

Believed to be a prisoner-of-war since the April 1942 Japanese victory and unable to contact his relatives due to military department orders, he was reunited with his wife, son Russell, Jr. and parents in Clinton, Dec. 7, 1945, after nearly four and one-half years of separation. The reunion was marked by news services across the nation.

He returned to the Philippines where he received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest military honor, Feb. 27, 1946.

He authored the book, "We Remained," and two field manuals on guerilla warfare. Other awards he received include the Silver Star and the Bronze Star with Oak Lear Cluster. He and his wife attended a White House state dinner honoring President and Mrs. Ferdinand Marcos of the Republic of the Philippines, attended by President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson.

He conducted behind-the-lines operations in North Korea in 1950-1951, and organized and developed the Special Forces concept.

He was vice president of Volckmann Furniture and Carpet Co., Clinton.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Russell W. Jr of El Granda, CA, William E. of Morrison and Edward H. of College Station, TX; three grandsons, two sisters, Mrs. John C. (Ruth) Stansberry of Clinton and Mrs. Irving (Esther) Lueck of East Rochester, NY.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

DIGNITARIES ATTEND VOLCKMANN FUNERAL

Serveral dignitaries attended the furneral of Brig. Gen. Russell William Volckmann, who died June 30 in University Hospitals, Iowa City.

Mr. Volckmann was President of Volckmann Furniture Manufacturing Co. in Morrison since 1950. He was also President of Zeffyr Industries and President of Volckmann Division of Ethan Allen Inc. from 1970 until his retirement in 1977.

Attending the funeral were Brig. Gen. Angel G. Kanapi, defense attache of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.; Mr. and Mrs. Nick Nor Paynor Jr., aide to Gen. Kanapi; Philippine Consul Gen. of Chicago represented by Mr. Esperanto Curaming, a Philippine new agent; and Brig. Gen. Donald D. Blackburn of McLean, VA.