Thorman, John C., 1917-1941

THORMAN, BUSSANMUS

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/2/2022 at 21:41:36

From the Alton Democrat, December 26, 1941:

JOHN THORMAN OF GRANVILLE REPORTED LOST
Parents of Seaman Notified by Navy Sunday

John Christopher Thorman, U.S. sailor with the Pacific fleet, is reported missing, according to a message from the Navy department received Sunday by John’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Thorman of Granville. Relatives and friends are still hopeful that the young man is alive and well, despite the telegram, which came while the family were attending church Sunday moriing.

Young Thorman enlisted four years ago at the age of 21. His parents are requested by the Navy not to give out the name of his ship or station, in order to avoid giving information to the enemy. Japanese and Nazi agents and “listening posts” are on the alert to gain every scrap of information available. It will be the position of this paper and should be that of every citizen, to see that no stray word or line of information that might aid the enemy is let fall.

John Christopher Thorman is the first man enlisted from Sioux county reported missing in action. Peter Elmer Duistermars, reported lost last week, had left Sioux county before he enlisted in the Navy. Young Weidenfeller of Hawarden was killed while serving in England with the Canadian Air Force.

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From the Rock Valley Bee, February 13, 1942:

Death of John C. Thorman Dec. 7th Confirmed by Navy

Official confirmation by the U.S. Navy of the death on Dec. 7 of John Christopher Thorman, electrician’s mate second class, has come to the young man’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Thorman of Granville. In December Mr. and Mrs. Thorman received a telegram informing them that their son was lost in action in the performance of his duty, and the parents have now received a letter confirming his death.

The young man was serving on the Arkansas, which was sunk in Pearl Harbor on December 7th. He is therefore the first Sioux County boy to give his life for his country in the present war. Leo Mack of Alton was the second, having fallen in action with the Air Corps in the Philippines on Dec. 12th….

In the absence of any details it is assumed that John C. Thorman went down with his ship. He had served four years in the Navy and was 25 years of age. His parents, the first in the county to suffer the loss and sacrifice of war, have the deepest sympathy of all in their sorrow.

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From the Alton Democrat, June 5, 1942:

Memorial Service For Pearl Harbor Hero at Granville

The memory of John Christopher Thorman, who was killed in action at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, was honored on Memorial Day afternoon at a special memorial service in charge of the Granville Post of the American Legion. The young man was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Thorman. He was a member of the crew of the battleship Arkansas.

Rev. Robert Chapler of Hawarden gave the impressive memorial tribute and Rev. J. J. Dalhoff also gave an eloquent tribute. The Paullina band played several appropriate selections and the firing squad of Henry J. Marx Post No. 564, A.L., fired a salute. Large groups from neighboring towns were present for the event.

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From the Alton Democrat, July 31, 1942:

First Sioux County Casualty

Photo, captioned “John Christopher Thorman, Electrician’s Mate, Pearl Harbor—Dec. 7, 1941”

This smiling young sailor, pictured against the tropical background of Honolulu, was Sioux County’s first casualty in World War II—John C. Thorman of Granville. He was a petty officer 2nd class, electrician’s mate on the battleship U.S.S. Arizona[sic], and went down with his ship in the Jap attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7th.

Mr. and Mrs. John Thorman Sr. of Granville received a cablegram in December notifying them that their son was missing in action, and in February the War Department notified them officially that he had given his life in the line of duty.

John Christopher Thorman was born Jan. 15th, 1917. He received his education at St. Joseph’s parochial school at Granville, completing the 9th grade. After his school days he helped his father on the farm until 1938, when he enlisted in the Navy at the age of 21. He had completed three years and nine months of service when he died, a hero. Memorial services in his honor were held in Granville on Memorial Day.

He was a young man of the best character and a favorite with all who knew him, of happy and friendly disposition. [Followed by a few lines of James Whitcomb Riley’s poem, “Away.”]

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FindaGrave.com—Memorials has a photo of the segment of the Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii, that includes his name and rank, along with a brief biographical sketch. It also has a photo of the segment of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor that includes his name and rank (EM2c), along with family information: parents John Jacob Thorman (1875-1947) and Dorothea Marie Bussanmus Thorman (1882-1978); siblings Max J. Thorman (1908-1980), Dorothy Marie Thorman Johnson (1912-1969), Cecelia Catherine Thorman Schuckman (1923-2007).