Howard F. Andrews 1924-1947

ANDREWS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 8/17/2011 at 20:45:20

Bullet Wound Fatal To Howard Andrews
Youth Takes Own Life at Gruver Home
Third Brother to Meet Death
Death struck fro the third time in the A.C. Andrews home at Gruver this morning when Howard Andrews, 23-year-old marine veteran of action on Okinawa, Saipan, Tinian, and the Marshalls, took his own life with a bullet from a .22 rifle. Two brothers, Harold and Richard, were killed in service.

“Howard hadn’t been himself since he came back from Okinawa,” Mrs. Andrews explained. “No doubt it was worse then we thought.”

The tragedy occurred at about 7:30 this morning. Mrs. Andrews was eating breakfast in the kitchen when she heard him fall. He was still alive when she reached him and a doctor was called immediately.

Andrews was unconscious when the doctor reached the residence and died shortly after reaching Holy Family hospital by ambulance. He never regained consciousness, according to the physician, who said that death was caused by a bullet which entered the back of the head and lodged there.

Coroner E. K. Vaubel said he did not know how Andrews had managed to inflict the wound in the back of his head with the rifle, but added that he regarded it as highly possible. Mrs. Andrews, according to Vaubel, did not hear the shot, but rushed upstairs after hearing the body fall.

Andrews had been moody ever since his return from service but apparently had been improving recently, his mother said. While in the South Pacific he had contracted a skin disease and was hospitalized for sometime at Pearl Harbor.

Always a quiet boy, Andrews was described by one Gruver resident as a “rugged, hardworking fellow who just couldn’t stand not doing his share and a little more.”

He had been able to work every day lately with a Rock Island section crew but complained that his “head bothered him,” his mother said.

Yesterday he took a chiropractic treatment and was advised to rest. He slept much of the afternoon on the living room davenport and seemed to be feeling better. Then during last night he came downstairs and told his mother he didn’t feel well but questioned by her, said “Maybe I had a bad dream.”

Andrews was born Feb. 25, 1924, in Gruver where he attended school and was a prominent member of the high school basketball team.

He enlisted in the marines in March of 1944 and was discharged May 13, 1946, with a rank of corporal.

Before going into the service he had worked in a Rock Island section crew and had recently returned to work there. During the past winter he had worked at the local horse killing plant.

He was a member of the Gruver Presbyterian church.

The death of Howard Andrews leaves only two of the five Andrews brothers, all of whom were servicemen, living. Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Andrews and son, Paul and Robert. First Lieut. Richard C. Andrews was killed over Belgium May 11, 1944, and Pfc. Harold Andrews met death on March 16, 1945, in France, Mrs. Andrews said.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 3, 1947)

Join Military Rites Tuesday for Brothers
Andrews Funeral, Memorial Planned
Joint military rites fro Howard and Harold Andrews will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Gruver Presbyterian church, Rev. Albert Husted officiating. Howard Andrews, a veteran of Marine service in the South Pacific, died Saturday from a self-inflicted bullet wound.

Memorial services will be held tomorrow for a brother, Pfc. Harold Andrews, who was killed in action on March 1, 1945, while serving with the army in Germany.

Another brother, First Lieut. Richard Andrews, was killed on an air mission over Europe on May 11, 1944. Memorial services were held earlier for him.

Howard Andrews was born Feb. 25, 1924, at Gruver and attended school there. In March of 1944 he enlisted in the Marine corps. He was discharged as a corporal May 11, 1946, after serving on Okinawa, Tinian, Saipan and the Marshalls.

Harold Andrews was born at Gruver June 3, 1926, and attended the Gruver schools, graduating from high school in June, 1944. On Aug. 1944 he went into the service and received his first training at Fort McClellan, Ala.

After a short furlough he was sent to Camp Meade, Md., and in January left for duty overseas.

Pfc. Andrews was first stationed in France with the 180th infantry battalion, 45th infantry division of the 7th army.

Howard Andrews will buried in East side cemetery. Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Andrews; and two brothers, Robert and Paul of Gruver. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 5, 1947)

Gruver Veteran Ends Life at Home Saturday Morning
Howard Andrews, a veteran of World War II, died Saturday morning from a self-inflicted bullet wound from his 32 caliber rifle. Howard is the third of the Andrews’ sons who has met death either in the war or as a result of the same. He has not been himself to his friends or the family since his return from the Pacific where he saw service in Okinawa, Saipan, and other points where the fighting was the heaviest.

He was in his room at the Andrews home. It was about half past seven. Mrs. Andrews heard him fall while eating her breakfast. She did not hear the shot but she rushed to his room on hearing him fall.

Medical aid was called at once. Andrews was unconscious. It was decided to rush him to the Holy Family Hospital in this city. He passed away soon after reaching the hospital.

Andrews was a very quiet young man attended to his own affairs, but was well liked by those who knew him. He was a hard working youth, and always did his share of anything he undertook. He was now employed on the Rock Island railway. He was born in Gruver on February 5, 1924. He played basketball with the Gruver team while attending school there. He enlisted in the Marines in March, 1944, and was discharged as a corporal in May, 1946.

He is survived by his parents and two brothers. Both has been in service. Two brothers were killed in service in Belgium and France.

Joint military services were held for Howard and Harold Andrews at Gruver on Tuesday afternoon the Rev. Albert Hustad officiating. Interment of Howard Andrews was in the East Side cemetery. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, May 8, 1947)

Joint Military Rites Tuesday for Brothers
Andrews Funeral, Memorial Planned
Joint military rites for Howard and Harold Andrews will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Gruver Presbyterian church, Rev. Albert Husted officiating. Howard Andrews, a veteran of Marine service in the South Pacific, died Saturday from a self-inflicted bullet wound.

Memorial services will be held tomorrow for a brother, Pfc. Harold Andrews, who was killed in action on March 16, 1945, while serving with the army in Germany.

Another brother, First Lieut. Richard Andrews, was killed on an air mission over Europe on May 11, 1944. Memorial services were held earlier for him.

Howard Andrews was born Feb. 25, 1924, at Gruver and attended school there. In March of 1944 he enlisted in the Marine corps. He was discharged as a corporal May 11, 1946, after serving on Okinawa, Tinian, Saipan and the Marshalls.

Harold Andrews was born at Gruver June 3, 1926 and attended the Gruver schools, graduating from high school in June, 1944. On Aug. 1944, he went into service and received his first training at Fort McClellan, Ala.

After a short furlough he was sent to Camp Meade, Md., and in January left for duty overseas.

Pfc. Andrews was first stationed in France with the 180th infantry battalion, 45th infantry division of the 7th army.

Howard Andrews will be buried at East Side cemetery. Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Andrews; and two brothers, Robert and Paul, all of Gruver. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 5, 1947)