WILHELM, Eldon R. 1913-1944

WILHELM

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/28/2016 at 15:07:54

Final Rites For Eldon R. Wilhelm Saturday, June 5

The body of Grundy county's first overseas casualty in World War II, Eldon R. Wilhelm, Technician Fourth Grade, only son of Harry N. Wilhelm and the late Ada White Wilhelm, will complete its journey from North Africa this week and will be laid to rest in the Grundy Center cemetery Saturday afternoon, June 5.

Rev. Gerben Van Putten, pastor of First Presbyterian church, will conduct a prayer service at the Coffman funeral home at 2 p.m. Military rites at the cemetery will be in charge of the local post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which has been named the Eldon R. Wilhelm Post as a tribute to the first Grundy county serviceman to sacrifice his life in overseas combat in World War II.

A member of the Tenth Field Artillery Battalion, Eldon took part in the invasion of North Africa on November 7, 1942. He was killed three days later--on the eve of Armistice day--in the battle for Casablanca.

He entered the army February 18, 1941, and was in training at Ft. Lewis, Wash., and Ft. Ord, Calif., before going overseas.

Born on a farm near Grundy Center, April 14, 1913, Eldon lived in Grundy county all his life. He graduated from Grundy Center high school with the class of 1931. Later he made his home at Reinbeck with his sister, Mrs. George Terrall, and family. He was a member of the Congregational church in Reinbeck.

Surviving are his father, Harry N. Wilhelm, and two sisters, Mrs. Ray Weiss of Morrison and Mrs. George Terrall.

The family requests no flowers.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 3 June 1948, pg 1