JASPERS, Franklin A. 1914-1942

JASPERS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/14/2016 at 08:44:49

Franklin Jaspers Killed In Action

A telegram was received by Gust Fritzel Monday evening conveying the sad news that Franklin Jaspers aged 28 had been killed in New Guinea, November 26. It also stated that a letter containing particulars would follow.

Mr. and Mrs. Fritzel and Wessel Haack went out to the farm at once to notify Mrs. Harm Jaspers, Franklin's mother, and other relatives. Mr. Jaspers, the father, died last July.

The last news received by any of the family was a letter in October and this lack of news had caused much uneasiness among his relatives and friends.

Jaspers was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Harm Jaspers and engaged in operating a filling station before being called into service on January 1, 1942. He was born on the Jaspers farm four miles southeast of Wellsburg and grew up here, being graduated from the Wellsburg high school.

Franklin is survived by his mother, a brother, Jake, who is serving with the army in Hawaiian islands, one brother, LeRoy, who is at home helping his mother run the farm, and a sister, Lillian, who is teaching school at Conrad.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 27 January 1943, pg 1

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Franklin Jaspers Memorial Service Held Sunday

500 relatives and friends of the family attended the memorial services at the Reformed church in Wellsburg Sunday afternoon for Franklin Jaspers, son of Mrs. Harm Jaspers, who was killed while fighting the Japs in New Guinea on the 26th of last November.

Every seat in the church auditorium and balcony was occupied and overflow crowds were in the entry and in the basement where a loudspeaker had been placed to permit all to hear the service.

It was an impressive service, the first of the kind held in this church during this war. The services were conducted by the resident pastor, Rev. William Landsiedel, who had known Franklin Jaspers since childhood and who spoke of him with deep emotion. The pastor read a letter from Franklin's commanding officer which was sent to the family. The officer stated that Franklin was a good soldier, well liked by his comrades, and he died in the service of his country. The letter stated further that his grave in New Guinea was properly marked and will be cared for.

The service flag displayed from the church rostrum shows 27 stars, which gives the number of men from this church in the armed forces since the beginning of World War II. The one gold star is for Franklin Jaspers.

Franklin was in the army a little less than a year. He was inducted on January 3, 1942. He was sent to Australia from Camp Roberts three months after he was called to the army. The last letter his folks received from him was written on Nov. 2nd. Jake Jaspers, Franklin's brother, is also in the army. He is stationed in Hawaii.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 March 1943, pg 9

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Received Word That Body Of Franklin Jaspers On Way Home

Word has been received that the body of Franklin Jaspers is expected to arrive in the states soon but up to this time there has been no definite word received. He was the son of Mrs. Kate Jaspers of Wellsburg. He was killed in action during World War II in New Guinea in the Pacific on November 26, 1942.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 10 June 1948, pg 1

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Services For Pfc. Franklin Jaspers Held Tuesday Afternoon

The body of Pfc. Franklin A. Jaspers arrived in Wellsburg Monday night on the eastbound Rock Island train. The casketed remains were taken to the home of his mother, Mrs. Kate Jaspers, east of town. The body was accompanied by a military escort.

Tuesday afternoon a short service was held at the home, conducted by Rev. Jurgens of the Wellsburg Reformed Church. The services at the cemetery were in charge of the Wellsburg American Legion Post who carried out the ritual of a military burial. Rev. Jurgens read the committal services and offered the prayer. There was a large attendance at the services.

Franklin A. Jaspers was born October 25, 1914 and was killed in action Nov. 26, 1942 in New Guinea in the South Pacific during the late war. He entered the services of his country, Jan. 3, 1942. He was awarded the Purple Heart after his death. Memorial services were held March 21, 1943 in the Wellsburg Reformed church which were conducted by the late Rev. Landsiedel.

The immediate survivors are his mother, Mrs. Kate Jaspers, sister, Lillian Jaspers and brothers, Jake and LeRoy Jaspers, all of Wellsburg.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 15 July 1948, pg 1

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Last Rites For Franklin Jaspers

Last rites were held Tuesday for Franklin Jaspers, who was killed while in the service of his country in New Guinea on Nov. 26, 1942. His body was sent on an army transport from New Guinea and sent to the distribution center at Kansas City. From there it was sent by train to Wellsburg and it arrived here Monday. The body was accompanied by a military escort from the Kansas City distribution center.

Last rites were held at the home of his mother, Mrs. Kate Jaspers, in Colfax township. Later there were services at the grave. Burial was in the Reformed church cemetery at Wellsburg. Rev. Edw. Jurgens conducted funeral services at the home and assisted the local Post of the American Legion in the service at the grave.

Casket bearers were Eugene Galpin, John Ruter, Elmer Fritzel, Ben Kneppe, Jakie Lindaman and Eugene Huisman.

Born in Colfax Township
Franklin Jaspers was born in Colfax township. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Harm Jaspers. He attended high school at Wellsburg and graduated. Later he went to State Teachers college and taught school a number of terms. For a time he was in the employ of Beving & Flessner and at the Wessel Haack Service Station. He was inducted into the armed service January 3, 1942. He received his training at Camp Roberts, Calif., and was sent to join the American forces in New Guinea, Sept. 30, 1942. He was one of the first Grundy county boys to lose his life in action in the last World War.

Surviving are his mother, one brother, Jake, one sister, Lillian, and LeRoy.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 15 July 1948, pg 8