Merl Morris Wellty (1943)

HAUPT, WELTY

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 12/16/2005 at 16:08:03

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, December 01, 1943

Merl M. Welty, Winterset Soldier Battle Casualty

First Death in Action for Madison County Since Pearl Harbor

Merl M. Welty, 26-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Welty of Winterset, was killed in action Nov. 4, 1943, on the Italian fighting front,
according to an official telegram received here on Wednesday of last week by his parents.

Thus Madison County suffers its first battle death of the war since the battle at Pearl Harbor when two Madison County sailors, Vernard Wetrich of Earlham and George Friesner of Patterson, went down with their ships.

Welty was serving with the 34th Infantry division, a unit that includes many Madison county soldiers, and had fought through the Tunisian campaign without injury.

Although he was born in Grand River Township and spent most of his life near Macksburg where he attended high school, he was inducted into the army April 18, 1941, from Cedar County, where he had been working on a farm. He was sent overseas in January, 1942, and since that time had been in northern Ireland, England and North Africa.

He is survived by his parents; a sister, Pauline Welty of Winterset; and two brothers, Lawrence Welty of West Branch, and Robert Welty,Winterset.

Memorial services for the soldier were held Sunday from the Winterset Methodist Church in charge of the pastor, the Rev. W. A. Samp.

Graveside burial services were held at a later date in the Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa.
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Coordinator's note: Middle name taken from his WWII Draft Registration.

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