Digman- BIRTHDAY SWIM FATAL TO YOUTH

DIGMAN, GRAAS, FLEEGE, KUCH, DAVIDSHOFER

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 3/15/2015 at 12:54:15

Dubuque Telegraph Herald Aug. 1943

BIRTHDAY SWIM
FATAL TO YOUTH
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Lloyd Digman, 18, Dies
After Dive Off Float
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Celebrating his eighteenth birthday by going for a swim, Lloyd Digman, 18, of Dyersville, Ia., an employee of the General Dry Battery, Inc., lost his life shortly after 1 o'clock Thursday afternoon in the Mississippi River near Eagle Point.

The youth dove from a float moored 30 feet north of a barge loaded with rock which was anchored in the river near the Dubuque Lumber Company plant. According to his companion, young Digman, who was not regarded as a good swimmer, swam around the head of the barge and then disappeared.

There was no outcry of any kind and it is assumed he was stricken by a cramp and went down quickly.

With the victim, Graas, were Bernard Fleege, 3056 Lemon Street, and Stanley Kuch, 2551 Elm Street.

There is approximately 12 feet of water in the river where young Digman disappeared.

Terrified young Graas notified the Dubuque police and Fire departments, who rushed to the scene of the tragedy and instituted dragging operations to recover the body.

Registered in Morning

During the morning young Digman had reported at the office of Dubuque County Selective Service Board No. 1and registered for military duty.

Digman's drowning occurred on the anniversary of the tragic drowning deaths of Anita Mary, 17, and Ruth Frances, 19, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. John Davidshofer, 305 East Twenty-Second Street, who lost their lives in O'Leary's Lake on August, 12, 1942.