Herbert WIRTZ

WIRTZ, MCCLUGHEN, WOOLEY, WILKINSON, CHRYSLER, ALEXANDER, BROERS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/24/2010 at 13:16:08

Herbert Wirtz, 89, passed away Monday (Feb. 22, 2010) in St. George, Utah. He was born on June 26, 1920, in Belmond, Iowa, to Fred and Emma (McClughen) Wirtz. Herbert lived on a farm until 1942. He went to welding school sponsored by the government to train for the war industry and later went to mechanic school. In 1942 Herbert enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was classified as a mechanic and was shipped to Alaska. In a few weeks a group of them were flown down to Yakutat Air Base, there they serviced bombers, fighters and transports going to Anchorage and the Aleutian Islands. When the Japanese were driven out of Alaska, Staff Sergeant Herbert Wirtz's unit went back to the states for reorganizing and was shipped to I.E. Shima just three miles off Okinawa in April 1945. There he repaired trucks and heavy road machinery. While his buddies were working on P-47 fighter planes, the Japanese bombed the runways every night and the runways had to be fixed as B-24 bombers hit Japan every day. Kamikaze planes dived at ships in the harbor and shore installations every day. When the war was over Herbert married Erma Broers in 1948. Herbert worked for the Iowa Highway Commission as head mechanic. He later moved to St. George, Utah, and retired. He joined the American Legion and was a sergeant of arms and gave orders at more than two hundred military funerals and always took great pride in his work. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, trap shooting and playing guitar.

Herbert is survived by his children, Gary (Mary) Wirtz, and Nancy (Dave) Wooley; grandchildren, Steven Chrysler, Nathan Chrysler, Janelle (Al) Alexander, and Daniel (Lubna) Wilkinson; and great-grandchildren, Ellis and Karsen. He is preceded in death by his wife, Erma (Broers )Wirtz; parents, Fred and Emma (McClughen) Wirtz; brother, Homer; sister, Nellie; and grandson, Stan Wirtz. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 at the St. George Community Church, 95 S. 800 E., St. George, Utah. A viewing will be held 1 to 1:45 p.m. on Friday, prior to services at the church. Interment will take place at the St. George City Cemetery. Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, St. George, Utah.

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Iowa
February 24, 2010