DuSHANE, Elon George 1907-1943

DUSHANE, HYLDEN

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 5/29/2011 at 14:55:47

Elon George DuShane 1907-1943

#1:

REPORTS OSAGE SEAMAN KILLED
WAR DEPARTMENT LISTS ELON DuSHANE VICTIM

Osage – Elon DuShane, 36, son of Julia DuShane, was killed in action, according to information received in a telegram from the war department. He was a fire control man, 3rd class, and had been somewhere in the Pacific with the navy. He had been in service since February, 1941.

DuShane was born August 9, 1907, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George DuShane on a farm in Rock township. As a small child, he moved to Osage with his parents and received his education in the Osage schools.

He formerly was employed at Pohle’s Drug Store and for the past 15 years had been an employee at the Osage postoffice.

Mason City Globe Gazette, Wednesday October 13, 1943
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#2:

Elon George DuShane was the son of George Lancaster DuShane and Julia Elmira Hylden.

Osage City Cemetery, Osage, Mitchell, Iowa
Elon DuShane . . . death/burial May 26, 1948. They must have brought his body back to Iowa at some point because this record is 5 years after his death. His tombstone has Elon George DuShane…August 9, 1907—October 7, 1943 on it.
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#3:

ELON DU SHANE
KILLED IN ACTION
SOUTH PACIFIC

Had Served Almost two
Years on U. S. Navy Destroyer

Elon Du Shane, fire control man 3-c, 36, was killed in action in the defense of his country, some time during the last three weeks, and all of Osage is saddened by the news. The message reached here Monday evening.

No particulars of any kind were sent.

Elon enlisted in the navy in February, 1941. He received his basic training at Great Lakes and took specialized training at Washington, D. C. and Boston, Massachusetts.

He was transferred to a destroyer, where his first duty was that of a range finder. He operated a telescope through which the enemy is sighted. Then he was advanced to fire control man third class.

He served off the Atlantic coast until last December when he was transferred to a San Francisco, California base, and it is assumed he had sailed from there to the South Pacific.

Elon was born in Rock Township, August 9, 1907, and spent his entire life in this community. When a young boy the family moved to Osage, living in the residence just south of the Conoco filling station.

He was graduated from the Osage High School and soon after entered the post office as a substitute and later was a regular mail carrier and clerk.

He had been in the post office about 15 years. He served the public courteously and efficiently. He had an excellent singing voice and appeared many times over the years as a member of a trio. He was a likeable, pleasant young man, and his loss will not be lightly be felt by the friends here.

Surviving is his mother, Mrs. Julia Du Shane, and his brother, Alan, Du Shane, both of Osage.

[Mitchell County Press, October 14, 1943]
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#4:

ELON DUSHANE
BURIED IN LITTLE
CEMETERY BY SEA

Mrs. Julia Du Shane received the following letter from Chaplain Andrew W. Blackwood, advance naval base, whose address is given as "care of fleet postmaster, San Francisco, Cal."

"It was my sad duty recently to perform the burial office for your son Elon G. Du Shane. I know how inadequate words are to express the sympathy which I wish to extend to you. I can but pray that our Lord, from whom all strength and comfort comes, will give you comfort and strength in your bereavement.

"Your son was buried with full military honors in a little cemetery by the sea. His grave has been marked with a cross in memory of the one who is the resurrection and the life.

"The funeral service consisted of the reading of the 23rd and 121st Psalms, the 14th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John; prayer for those who loved your son, that you may be helped through this time of loss; the solemn words of committal, and the benediction. The firing squad fired the last volley; the bugler sounded taps.

"I am sorry that at this time I cannot tell you exactly where your son lies. Such secrecy must be maintained for the protection of the lives of his shipmates. When the conflict is over the navy department will be glad to tell you exactly where he is."

Elon, a fire controlman 3-C, lost his life in action about the first of October, some place in the South Pacific, it is believed. He was transferred to the west coast from the east some months ago and was aboard a destroyer. As the chaplain implies -- the end of the war must come and then the full story of his death will be told.

Source: Mitchell County Press-News, November 4, 1943. (Transcribed Sept. 2015, K. Kittleson)
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#5:
Photo of Elon DuShane, from the Mitchell County Press, Oct. 14, 1943.

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