Dudding, Gerald William (1923-1946)

DUDDING, BANTA, PEASE

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 4/24/2018 at 11:12:44

Newspaper clipping found in my aunt's scrapbook

BANCROFT VETERAN KILLED IN TRUCK ACCIDENT, BURIED SUNDAY

Funeral services for Gerald William Dudding, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Dudding of Bancroft, were held from the First Methodist church in Buffalo Center Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Burial was made in the Buffalo Center cemetery.

The Buffalo Center American Legion Post was in charge of military rites at the funeral. Many members of McKinnon Post, Bancroft, attended the services. While Gerald spent most of service time in the merchant marine he was a member of the U.S. Army Transportation Corps during the time his ship was under repair from November 12, 1943, until December 6, 1944. At another time his ship's crew was called into emergency service with the U.S. Navy Coast Guard.

Pallbearers at the services were: John Simmons, Joe Cogley, Dennis Gibson, Leo Frankl, Floyd Elwood and Verle Elwood.

Gerald was killed instantly early last Wednesday morning when he was struck by a Des Moines film transportation truck on U.S. highway 169 at the south edge of Algona.

He and his wife had been visiting a friend and were walking home when the truck, driven by Arlie M. Stone of Des Moines, came from the south. Dudding was hit near the left headlight of the vehicle. An inquest was held Wednesday and the driver was held to the September term of district court on a charge of manslaughter. Bond of $1000 was furnished.

The body was brought to the home of Mr. and Mrs. L.C. Dudding in Bancroft Friday morning and on Saturday afternoon was taken to the home of Mrs. Dudding's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Banta, near Buffalo Center.

Gerald William Dudding was born on a farm near Bancroft, April 23, 1923. He had always been a resident of this community until he went to San Diego, California, to work in a defense plant in 1941. He attended the Bancroft public school and was in his junior year when he entered defense work.

After spending a year in the California plant he transferred to the Martin bomber plant at Omaha and worked there until he enlisted in the merchant marine July 18, 1943. He received his discharge from the maritime service in April, this year. During the nearly three years of service to his country he was at one time a member of the United States Army Transportation Corps and at another time a member of the U.S. Navy Coast Guard. He received honorable discharges from both services and continued to serve in the merchant marine for eight months following the end of the war.

During his long war time service he sailed nearly every section of the globe being in both the Pacific and Atlantic fighting areas. He was at Leyte and Okinawa and was in the second wave of ships that first went into the Philippines. His ship, carrying 9000 tons of bombs made port soon after D-day on the coast of France.

Returning to the Pacific area, his ship developed engine trouble and the ship and crew were at the mercy of the elements for thirty-one days before making contact with island natives. They spent another thirty-one days living with the natives, being out of all contact with the outside world for sixty-two days.

After coming back to the states following their rescue he was severely burned in a liberty boat explosion at New York harbor, just a year to the day before his accidental death. At that time he was in the maritime service hospital for eighteen days, then spent some time in a similar hospital in Chicago before returning home for a 30-day recuperation period.

In September last year he was sent to Tokyo and returning from there he had a coastal run from Wilmington, California to Portland and Seattle until he received his discharge.

On March 4, 1944 Gerald was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Banta, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Banta of Buffalo Center, in the ceremony performed at Las Vegas, Nevada. Mrs. Dudding spent as much time with her husband as she could when he was stationed on land. While he was at sea she worked in various places and recently had been employed at George's Café in Algona. Gerald had taken a position with Swift & Co. in Algona and the young couple were just establishing a home in the Sigsbee apartments there when death separated them.

Gerald is survived by his wife; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Dudding of Bancroft; one sister, Mrs. Marvin Pease of Fort Dodge and many other relatives and a host of friends.

Out of town relatives here for the funeral included: Mrs. Ada Ellis of Santa Monica, Calif, Mrs. John Sims of Whiting, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Guest and Dorothy of Austin, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Dale Earing of Santa Monica, Calif., Mr. and Mrs. John Conroy and daughter, Mrs. Wm. Masching and Mrs. Wm. Conroy all of Emington, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Dan Conroy of Dumont, Minn., W.R. Dudding of Greenfield, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. Homer Downs of Titonka, Mrs. Catherine Seiler of St. Benedict, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Downs, Mr. and Mrs. Orville Downs and daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Tony Hildman all of Wesley, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Pease, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Mousel and Clinton Guest all of Fort Dodge, Mrs. Bertha Beaver of Belmond, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Cox and Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Daily of Anoka, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Chris Russ of Minneapolis, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Anderson of Worthington, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Heyo Berschmann, Mrs. Donald Clapper and Mrs. Verle Elwood, all of Lakota, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Elwood and Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Elwood of Leland, Mr. and Mrs. Emil Kallested of Rake, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Elwood of Joice, Mr. and Mrs. (sorry, the clipping ends here)