EHRIG, Peter W. 1917-1944

EHRIG

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 6/6/2017 at 07:38:57

Gladbrook Man Is Missing From S.S. John Straub

Peter W. Ehrig Had Made Two Trips to Aleutians on Liberty Ship

Gladbrook, Ia.--The names of 40 officers and men listed by the U.S. shipping commission as missing in the wreck of the Liberty ship, "John Straub," included Peter W. Ehrig, 37, merchant seaman of Gladbrook.

The ship left Seattle Apr. 1 and sank 21 miles southwest of Sanak Island, Alaska. This was Mr. Ehrig's second trip on this ship to the Aleutians area.

Peter W. Ehrig was the youngest son of Mrs. Ernest Ehrig of Gladbrook. He grew to manhood in this community and attended Gladbrook high school. He farmed with his brother, Herman, for a number of years before he left to seek work in California. From there he went to Seattle, Wash., where he worked in the Washington foundry as a filer.

In June, 1943, Ehrig volunteered in the merchant marine. His first trip on the S.S. Samuel Colt took him from Seattle to Hawaii and all through the south Pacific war zone.

En route to Seattle in January this year Ehrig stopped off at Gladbrook and spent a week with his mother and other relatives.

Survivors are his mother, his brother, Herman, and one sister, Mrs. Walter Herrmann, all of Gladbrook.

--Waterloo Daily Courier (Waterloo, Iowa), 27 April 1944, pg 7