Lanners, Frank 1918-1943

LANNERS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 6/30/2009 at 12:43:08

REMSEN SOLDIER
REPORTED KILLED
IN SICILY, JULY 12

Had Been In Service
For More Than Two Years

Mr. and Mrs. Peter P. Lanners, of Remsen, were notified Tuesday of the death of their son and only child, Frank Lanners, with the army in the Mediterranean area.

Young Lanners, who was 22 years old when he was inducted April 24, 1941, had been overseas fro some time and his parents had letters from him in Tunisia. The date of his death, July 12, indicates he may have been taking part in the invasion of Sicily which started July 9. No further particulars have been received by the family and his name has not yet appeared in the casualty lists in the papers.

Frank Lanners, 25 years old, was born on the farm southwest of Remsen January 6, 1918. He attended St. Mary’s school and later assisted on the farm until he was called to the defense of his country. Entering the army April 24, 1941, he soon was sent to join the 133rd at Camp Claiborne, training there until the fateful December 7 of that year, when the division was immediately moved to Camp Dix, N.J., the preliminary to the overseas voyage.

At Camp Dix, Pvt. Lanners was taken down with a finger infection, result of a cut received while assisting as a cook and which took him to the hospital on April 10. Six days later his ship departed but Frank was a hospital patient for three months.

Back to Camp Dix after his visit home on a furlough, he was ordered to work in the shipyards for a short time, and December 1, 1942, found him on the African front. His frequent letters home withheld news of his military activities, presumably for the sake of shielding his parents from worry. Not until they received word of his death were the parents aware of his activities on the fighting front.

Memorial services with a requiem high mass for Remsen’s first victim to actual combat overseas will take place Monday morning at 9 o’clock in St. Mary’s Catholic church, of which the young soldier was a devout member. The mass will be sung by the pastor, Rt. Rev. Msgr. M.A. Schemel, who will preach a brief sermon.

Military honors will be accorded by Pieper Post, American Legion; Dickman Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars and their auxiliary bodies, and by men and women of the present military force who may be home at the time.

~Source: LeMars Sentinel, August 20, 1943