FENSKE, Elmer F. 1916-1944

FENSKE, GRIMM, GAGER, SNOW

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 1/28/2013 at 19:35:41

1 of 3 items

[Waterloo Daily Courier, Sunday, January 23, 1944, Waterloo, Iowa]

Cresco Soldier
Killed in Action

Cresco, la.—A message from the war department to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fenske of Cresco stated that their, son, Pfc. Elmer F. Fenske, has been missing in action since Jan. 3, somewhere in Italy.

On Wednesday, the day following, a letter was received from his brother, William, dated Jan. 4, saying that Elmer was killed the night before.

Elmer had enlisted in the army March 28, 1941.

He is survived by his parents, four brothers and two sisters: Verne, William, Calvin and Lloyd, all in the service; two sisters, Vera Fenske Grimm, who is taking training in the Air-Wacs, and Mrs. Geneva Fenske Gager, whose husband Cpl. Floyd Gager, of the U. S. marine corps, is in the southwest Pacific.

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#2

[Mason City Globe-Gazette, Saturday, February 05, 1944, Mason City, Iowa]

WAC Has 7 Members of Family in U. S. Service

Cresco—Mrs. Vera Fenske Grimm of Cresco, who recently enlisted as a WAC in the air service, has 7 members of her family in the service of their country.

Her husband, T. Sgt. Sylvester Grimm, is in the medical detachment at Jefferson Barracks, Mo.; her brother-in-law, Cpl. Floyd O. Gager is with the marine corps in the South Pacific. She has 4 brothers, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Fenske, already in the service in various localities, and another brother, Elmer T. Fenske, who was recently killed in action in Italy.

Special memorial services for Pfc. Elmer F. Fenske were held at the Cresco Baptist Church Sunday.

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#3

[Mason City Globe-Gazette, Saturday, October 9, 1948, Mason City, Iowa]

Military Rites
for Cresco GI
Pfc. Elmer Fenske to
Be Reburied Saturday

Cresco—The remains of Pfc. Elmer F. Fenske, 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fenske of Cresco, arrived in Cresco Friday with military escort from the West Pershng Road distributing center in Chicago. Fenske was killed in action at Cassino, Italy, Jan. 3, 1944. Burial was in the United States Cemetery, Marzanello, Italy.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Saturday in the Cresco Baptist church. The Rev. James Fleck of Indianola, former pastor of the Cresco church, and the Rev. L. W. Verts of Cresco will officate. Burial will be in New Oregon Cemetery south of Cresco.

Pfc. Fenske was born at Princeton, Minn., Jan. 25, 1916. At the age of one year, he moved with his parents to Osceola, Mo. The family lived there until February, 1932, when they moved to Cresco. He volunteered for army service and was inducted at Ft. Des Moines, March 28, 1941. He received training at Camp Claiborne, La., and went overseas in April, 1942, receiving further training in England, Scotland and Ireland. He was sent to Africa, arriving there Nov. 8, 1942. He served there 14 months and from Africa went to Italy.

He is survived by his parents, five brothers and two sisters: Lloyd, William, Vern, Calvin and Eugene Fenske, Mrs. Werner N. Snow, all of Cresco and Mrs. Floyd Gager, Charles City.

Pfc. Fenske was one of 6 members of the Fenske family who were in the armed forces and saw service overseas.