Gale Edwards 1919-1943

EDWARDS, GRASSFIELD, ELLISON

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 10/6/2020 at 13:56:36

24 June 1943 - The Anamosa Journal

PFC. Gale Edwards, 24, was killed in action in the North American area on May 29, according to information in a telegram from the War department received last Monday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Edwards, who farm two miles north of Anamosa in Cass township.

No further particulars have been received by the family. Further plans are awaiting more complete information from the War department.

Family believes Gale was killed in the action in capturing Attu island in the Aleutians from the Japanese. He was in the Army engineer corps.

Last letter received from Edwards was written May 8 saying he was leaving and could say no more. Told his folks not to worry if they didn't hear for some time as mail service was slow and irregular. Gale had been a faithful correspondent as his folks had received one to three letters a week from him every week since he was inducted into the service Oct. 5, 1942.

Edwards never received a furlough since his induction. He was sent to Camp White, Ore., for his basic training. From there he was transferred to Fort Ord, Calif. Folks received word that his APO address was Seattle.

Gale was born May 17, 1919. He graduated from Monmouth high school in 1937. Family moved to their present 15-acre farm two years ago this spring. Gale helped his father farm, but was employed at the American Petroleum Co. at the time he was called for induction.

Survivors in addition to his parents are two brothers, Junior, 20, and Wayne, 11; and two sisters, Mrs. Sanford Grassfield and Mrs. Earldean Ellison, both of Anamosa.