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 11 SONS SERVE IN U. S. FORCES Mrs. Humphrey E. Means, Marcus, Iowa, has done more to fill the enlistment quotas in Cherokee County than any woman around - she has sent 11 sons into all branches of the military service. Above Mrs. Means looks at pictures of her sons, who, until a year ago, had served continually in the military since the height of World War II. Marcus, Iowa - When an Associated Press story about a woman in Moses Lake, Wash., who was seeing her tenth son enter the military service, appeared in the press recently, a dark-haired Marcus widow was prompted to take pen in hand. Explaining in a letter she wrote to The Journal, Mrs Humphrey quipped: "I just couldn't take that lying down. That woman only had ten sons in the service, when I had 11." The youngest of Mrs. Means' military veteran sons, Herbert, 21, received his Army discharge in May, 1965. For Mrs. Means, it marked the first time since World War II that one or more of her sons were neither in the service or about to go. Young Herbert wasn't even born yet when his three eldest siblings were fighting the "Big War" in the 1940's and was but a small lad when four more of his brothers trooped off for Korean War duty. Father of the clan, the late Mr. Means, was a World War I dough boy himself. Might Have Been More - While contributing a platoon of sons to the defense of the country is quite a record in itself, Mrs. Means points out the total could have run as high as 14. Two baby boys died in infancy, and another son, Vernon, who lives in Marcus, was turned away from the military despite his efforts because of a boyhood farm accident that cost him several fingers. A married daughter now living in Keokuk, Iowa, was the lone distaff offspring in the Means household. During her high school days she toyed with the idea of joining a woman's branch of the military. "But the boys wouldn't hear of it," smiles Mrs. Means. "All my boys enlisted, and got along real well in the service" notes their mother, "but none of them like it well enough to make a career of it." In All Services - Though many families are legatees to one branch of the service or another, the Means boys showed no partisanship, and all five branches hosted at least one of them. Beginning with the eldest, Michael, now 44, and working down to Herbert, here are the 11 sons and their service branch: Michael, Air Force; Richard, Coast Guard; Percy, Marines; Paul, Army; Bobbie, Navy; Walter, Marines; Billy, Navy; James, Army; Joe, Air Force; Jake, Marines, and Herbert, Army. Five of the boys now live in California, one lives in Texas and five are still Iowans. One son, Paul, died not long after leaving the Army. Duly proud of all her boys, "I sure as the world" think patriotism runs high among her family, she says. If Mrs. Means had her way, there would be no need for General Hershey and his Selective Service. Every able-bodied American boy ought to enlist, she feels. (Source: Sioux City Sunday Journal dated 6/5/1966) |  BRONZE STAR TO OLSON Lt. David Olson has been awarded bronze star for meritorious service in military operations against a hostile force in Vietnam. His parents, Mr & Mrs Ray Olson who live on West Cedar here have been advised by Headquarters of 44th Medical Brigade,. Olson entered U.S. Army Nursing Corps in October, 1966. His present address is 1st Lt. David Olson, MN 2327123, Headquarters 44th Medical Brigade, 93rd Evacuation Hospital, APO San Francisco, Calif., 96491 (Source: Former Cherokee County Historical Society Scrapbook news article dated 9/19/1967) |  5 Sons Serve Their Country CHEROKEE, IA - All five sons of Mr. and Mrs. Roy C. Scott have enlisted in the armed forces, leaving their home here strangely quiet for the first time in 28 years. Their letters from widely scattered areas of the world, come to parents who are quite proud. Their youngest son, John D., 18, left for the U. S. Navy Apr 1. All the boys were once carrier salesmen for The Des Moines Register. The family has lived here for more than 30 years. "It's really hard to believe they're all gone," said their mother, adding: "When the telephone rings now, we never know which one will be calling. I've had to write down the addresses and serial numbers to keep them straight." "There's no one here to argue with now but ma," laughed her husband. "Some people would think it was flag-waving but when you hear about all the protests and such, I want people to know about our sons. It makes me feel real good." he added. Scott is a welder and machinist for the Caswell Manufacturing Co., which makes farm machinery and hydraulic equipment. Their sons and their assignments: John, the youngest, is presently a basic trainee in San Diego, Calif. Douglas D., 20, enlisted in the Navy in 1964 and is now serving aboard the U.S.S. Valley Forge which has recently returned from duty in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Viet Nam. He has also served in the Western Pacific. Delbert, 23, entered the Navy in 1960 and is serving aboard the U.S.S. Buchnell stationed on the West Coast. He has also served in Europe, the Western Pacific and Viet Nam. James D., 26, enlisted in the Army in 1956 and is in his second tour of duty in Germany after returning from Viet Nam. He and his wife live near Karlsruhe in the Western zone. Larry R., 27, the eldest, is in the Air Force. He and his wife live in Corvallis, Ore. He has served in French Morocco and in Greenland since entering the service in 1956. The boys have a sister, Mrs. Sue Dawson of Scottsdale, Ariz. (Source: Copy of article is courtesy of Larry R. Scott; Originally printed in The Des Moines Register, 1 May 1966, pg. 24) |
 June 3, 1954 Four
Sheldon boys were in this group of northwest Iowans who left Thursday
for the service. All volunteers, the group was photographed at the bus
station at Smitty's service station in Sheldon just before boarding the
bus for Sioux Falls where they were scheduled to take their physical
and mental tests. Left to right, back row, they are: L. A. Ranney,
Cherokee; Harold Sterman, Cherokee; Dick Swisher, Cherokee; Doug
Johnson, Cheroee; Leon German, Battle Creek; Herm Jnatzen, Sheldon; Bob
Vanderberg, Sheldon. Front row: Dean Smith, Cherokee; Don Pettingill,
Cherokee; Jim Langenhorst, Sheldon; Wayne Langenhorst, Sheldon, and Don
Burkhart, Cherokee. All are going into the Air Force with the exception
of Wayne Langenhorst, who is going into an Airi BOrne unit. The Air
Force men will go to San Antonio, Texas, to take initial training at
Lackland Air Force B ase. Wayne will go to Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., for
his basic training. The men were signed up for the service by M/Sgt
Donald Bortle and M/Sgt. Andrew J. Garvey of the recruiting station,
Cherokee. (Source: Former Cherokee County Historical Society Scrapbook |
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