ANDERSON, Cpl. Clarence: Died 1944

ANDERSON, SIEMAN, FELLOWS, STEELE, STEWART, JAYNE

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 11/7/2013 at 19:32:31

Second Douds Boy Dies For Freedom
**Handwritten: 1944

Cpl. Clarence Anderson Killed In Action August 24; Wrote Parents Day Before Death.

Cpl. Clarence Anderson, 27, died August 24 in France from wounds received in action, according to a telegram from the war department received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lew Anderson of Douds Monday. He had written a letter to his parents August 23 in which he said he was well and had not received a scratch. In a letter August 8 to his brother, Robert Anderson of Keosauqua, he said he had been in the front line fighting six weeks. He was serving with the 113th Cavalry in the first army under General Bridges.

Clarence was born in Lick Creek township in Van Buren county and grew to manhood in the Douds vicinity where he attended Douds high school before starting to farm. He helped his father on the farm for several years and was employed by E.J. Mueller of Birmingham several years prior to his enlistment in the army on March 25, 1941, just nine months before the U.S. declared war. A member of a reconnaissance squadron, it is believed that his death may have been instantly.

Upon enlisting in the service he was sent to Camp Bowie, Texas for training and later to Camp Hood, Texas. He was sent to England in January, 1944 and later arrived in France. In his last letter he said he wouldn't write much as it was dark and he couldn't see to write very well.

One of ten children, he is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lew Anderson of Douds, four brothers, L.J. Anderson and Robert Anderson of Keosauqua, Carl Anderson of Redding, Calif., and J.W. Anderson of Birmingham, three sisters, Mrs. Frank Sieman of Keosauqua, Mrs. Aaron Fellows of Douds and Mrs. Rex Steele of Verdi, Nevada. Two sisters, Mrs. Reid Stewart and Mrs. Van Jayne, preceded him in death.

The family will hold a memorial service for him in a short time.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 314, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA