Robert Seeley 1916-1942

SEELEY, REEVES, MOOREHOUSE, ZUMBRUNNEN, WRIGLEY

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/31/2020 at 07:25:26

3 December 1942 - The Anamosa Journal

Death terminated more than six years of soldiering by Robert Dale Seeley, Anamosa, at Trenton, N.J., last Tuesday.

Private Seeley died in a Trenton hospital 25 minutes after his throat was cut in an argument with a Negro soldier at a downtown bus terminal about 4:15 a.m.

Seeley's body was held temporarily while his assailant was being sought after he escaped despite several shots fired at him by Trenton police. Commanding officer at Fort Dix told his brother, Charles Seeley, that they thought the "case is almost closed" in a long distance telephone conversation Tuesday afternoon. No particulars are known by the family.

Tuesday at midnight Charles received a telegram asking for instructions about shipping the body so the family believes perhaps the guilty man has been apprehended.

Smykil Home for Funerals will be in charge of funeral arrangements as soon as military authorities release the body. Service and burial will be at Anamosa.

An emergency operation and blood transfusion at McKinley hospital failed to save Seeley's life. He was transferred last week from Fort Benning, Ga., to Fort Dix.

Mrs. Seeley had talked by long distance telephone with his wife Monday night advising her to postpone a trip she had planned to New Jersey. Mrs. Seeley and their 5-months-old daughter, Saundra Sue, have been visiting since before Thanksgiving with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Seeley. Mrs. Seeley is the former Helen Reeves, Mound City, Mo.

Seeley was born in Anamosa Dec. 20, 1916. He attended Anamosa schools. He enlisted in the Army in June, 1936, with the 14th machine gun company at Fort Des Moines. He served in Hawaii and during his three enlistment periods had achieved a sergeant's rating at one time, although he was private at the time of his death.

Robert has two other brothers serving in the Army, Pvt. Max Seeley, a jeep driver at Camp Hood, Texas, and Tech. Sergt. Harlan Seeley, a radioman at Camp Chaffee, Ark. Older brothers Charles and Ray both served with Army in World war I.

Other members of the family surviving are brothers, Donald, Anamosa, and Norman, Stone City; and six sisters, Mrs. Florence Moorehouse and Mildred Seeley, Milwaukee; Mrs. Walter Zumbrunnen, Pontiac, Mich.; Mrs. Jack Wrigley, Marion; Bessie and Ruth Seeley, Anamosa.

17 December 1942 - The Anamosa Journal

Relatives of Pvt. Robert Dale Seeley, who died Dec. 1 in a Trenton, J. J., hospital as a result of wounds inflicted by a Negro in an argument, received word this week that he was given a military funeral and that a trial would be held.

Chaplain of the 78th battalion, Kenneth L. Hamilton, conducted the service. Private Seeley's commanding officer and a military escort attended the ceremony.

His mother, Mrs. W. B. Seeley, said Wednesday that the latest report she had was that her son's assailant had slipped up behind and cut his jugular vein, disgruntled because Private Seeley would not let him shove into a line of soldiers getting on a bus. Private Seeley's outfit has since left for overseas.

Funeral service was held Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Smykil Funeral Home. Rev. J. K. Delahooke of the Methodist church was in charge. American Legion members conducted military services at the grave.

Casket bearers were S. E. Bradley, Howard Chipman, Lloyd Gray, Charles Highley, LaVerne Miner and Richard Nichels. Members of the firing squad were Lloyd Soper, Lloyd Robertson, Nick Joura, Otto Plond, James White, Alfred Snyder, Charles Rahn, Leigh Pearson and Lee Sanner.

Private Seeley, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Seeley, was born at Anamosa, Dec. 17, 1916, and was 25 years of age at the time of his death. He attended the Anamosa public school.