Richard Walter Kiewiet
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Military Service
War: United States occupation of Veracruz
Branch: U.S. Navy
Enlisted: 26 June 1911
Discharged: 22 June 1915
Personal Details
Born: 24 October 1888
Died: 20 December 1956
Parents: Jacob and Anna nee Oltman Kiewiet
Spouse: Dena Sealman
Buried: Colfax Center Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Colfax Township, Grundy County, Iowa
Richard Kiewiet has enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He enlisted at Cedar Rapids and from there went to Norfolk, Va. After three months shore duty there he will go on a battle ship. He has enlisted for a period of four years.
--Grundy County Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 29 June 1911, pg 6
A letter from Richard Kiewiet who is now stationed at Norfolk, Va., gives the news that he expects to start on a tour around the world in October.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 20 July 1911, pg 6
Richard Kiewiet who is now with the U.S. Navy upon a recent visit to the National capital has written a letter to H. Dirks in which he voices sentiments to which all young men in the country should say Amen. The letter in part reads as follows:
We sure have a powerful country. We ought to be thankful for what danger our forefathers under went for the prospect and the upbuild of our great Republic.
Can you blame me for being proud that I am one of the many thousand of sailors and soldiers that are now in defense of the stars and stripes and hope that time will not come that I can look back over the pages of mine and my comrades careers and see a mark that would denote any lack of bravery that the Americans have so far upheld. I realize that if I should fall in defense of the Old Flag, that you would look back at me as a friend not to be ashamed to own.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 January 1912, pg 6
Richard Kiewiet has sent a card to friends here showing that he is in Galveston, Texas on the warship New Hampshire. He writes that last Sunday there were 10,000 visitors on the warship which was lying in the dock and 5,000 more were turned away who were unable to get on.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 9 May 1912, pg 6
One Grundy county boy will see service in the Mexican war. Richard Kiewiet on the battleship New Hampshire is at the scene of hostilities and his ship will probably get mixed in the fracas.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 23 April 1914, pg 6
A Grundy Boy At Veracruz
Richard Kiewiet Writes of His Experiences at Seat of WarRichard Kiewiet, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Kiewiet of Colfax township is a member of the crew on the battleship New Hampshire now stationed at Veracruz. The crew from the New Hampshire took an active part in the capture of the custom house at Veracruz and Mr. Kiewiet was one of those who was on the firing line. The two letters printed below were given to this paper by H. Dirks of Holland to whom they were written:
Veracruz, Mexico
April 29, 1914
Dear Friend:
Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alive.
We arrived in Veracruz on April 22nd at 3:00 o'clock a.m. And at 3:30 a.m., we landed with our battalion on the dock's of Veracruz.
At eight o'clock the second regiment, consisting of the four ships companys the New Hampshire, S. Carolina, Vermont and the Minnesota with the New Hampshire's four companies in the lead, the Capt. Anderson at the lead, we marched into the streets of the Navy school and infantry barracks, and just when we turned up the street where the Academy was, they opened fire on us from all directions, out of doors and windows. Through the poor markmanship of the Mexicans, they only killed five of our ship, one of the S. Caroline and one of the Vermont, and they wounded thirty in all during the capture of Veracruz. There were 350 Mexicans killed and more than that number were wounded, and 1500 were taken prisoners.
We are posted all around Veracruz in the Mountains now.
The city of Veracruz is under martial law now.
May 1st, 1914
Just a few lines to let you know I am well and hope you are the same.
I am back on board ship again.
The U.S. Soldiers arrived on the 30th of April, to relieve us.
Three transports brought them from Galveston, in all there are about 8000 men.
The City of Veracruz, is now under martial law and Admiral Fletcher, commander of the Atlantic fleet appointed Kerr from Chicago Civil Governor of Veracruz, and vicinity.
The 28th day of April 1914, the American flag was above Veracruz, for the first time in 60 years. The ships fired a National salute of 21 guns.
I will send you a copy of the Herald, a paper published in Mexico and by that on page three, you will see that the second Regiment, with the New Hampshire men in the lead with our Captain, Anderson of the New Hampshire Regimental Commander.
We had a street parade yesterday when the soldiers landed. There were 6000 Sailors and 2000 marines in the parade.
News is scarce, so will have to close. I am as ever,
R. W. Kiewiet
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 May 1914, pg 1
Colfax Township Boy Lands At Veracruz
Richard Kiewiet, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Kiewiet, of Colfax Township on U.S.S. New HampshireFive Marines Are Killed From His Ship
Republican is Permitted to Publish Below Letter Written from Veracruz after the Landing
The Republican is privileged to publish below a letter from Richard Kiewiet, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Kiewiet living northwest of Holland, which was written from Veracruz on the Saturday following the landing of the American marines on Mexican soil. Mr. Kiewiet is a marine on the U.S.S. New Hampshire and was fortunate to escape death or serious injury in the landing. Mr. Kiewiet has been in the marine service several years and has one more year to serve, his time being up in June 1915. The letter was written April 25 but it was until May 3rd reaching Galveston, where it was first postmarked. The letter follows:
Veracruz, Mexico
April 25, 1914
Dear Folks at Home:
Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alive.
On Wednesday we arrived here and sent a landing party to shore at 3:30 a.m. We landed at the water front at 8:00 o'clock, marched up in the streets, and we got a warm reception. We were cornered, the Mexicans started firing at us from all directions and from all windows, and there were five killed from our ship and twenty wounded, and about thirty American sailors were killed and seventy-five wounded in all. Four hundred Mexicans were killed. We took full possession of the city at 4:00 o'clock p.m. but there was a skirmish every once in a while during the night.
We made trenches and got all the railroads dynamited all around the city and in the mountains. We have 5,000 blue coats here now and 8,000 marines in and around the city, and the U.S.S. Mississippi came in with aeroplanes this morning.
Gen. Huerta is coming with 15,000 Mexican soldiers from Mexico City so I suppose we will have another time. We will make an attack on Tampico next week.
We shoot every Mexican that has a gun on him.
The U.S.S. Chester bombarded the city the same time we were fighting in the streets.
This is all the paper and envelope I found. Love to all.
Your son,
R. W. Kiewiet
--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 May 1914, pg 1
Letter From Richard Kiewiet
Veracruz, MexicoMay 13, 1914
In reply to your letter of the 6th inst., was very glad to hear from you.
I am still in Veracruz.
I suppose you got my letter when I landed.
Yes, as soon as we landed, the 2nd at 3:30 a.m. the bullets was singing over our head they used machine guns, which fire 460 shots per minute. They kept this up until 8 o'clock a.m.
When we fell in ranks and marched into the streets, with the New Hampshire in the lead, there is where the tough place come in.
The bullets were striking all around us. You could hear them and see where they hit on the paved street. It sounded like it was hailing.
But we stood still and fired back at them until we had to retreat on account of too many of our men falling.
A fellow along aside of me, got shot in the eye, and was instantly killed. I felt sorry for him, because he was in my section, and I had called him down shortly before for not doing his work. But he sure did his duty on the field, and died a hero, for his country.
After he fell, I didn't give a dam for anything, all I wanted was the Greezer who fired that shot, and no doubt I got him.
After we retreated to an open field, our section went in from the south end of the city, and we shot at them through the doors and windows.
My Commander told me to stay on one corner, and take charge of my squad, and I got behind a telegraph pole, and looking up the street, I saw a Mexican taking aim at me, but I was too quick for him he shot and missed me, and started on a run across the street about two blocks away, but he never got across.
The City is quiet now, I would like to have a little more excitement, for I have not heard a shot for 10 days.
Well old boy I wish I could be there this summer, but the circumstances will not permit.
Hoping to hear from you soon, I am as ever
Your loving brother,
R. W. Kiewiet
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 4 June 1914, pg 6
Letter From R. Kiewiet
Veracruz, MexicoMr. Henry Dirks,
Holland, Iowa
Dear Friend,
In reply to your letter of the 19th, inst., was very glad to hear from you.
I just came back from a visit to the San Juan De Ulua prison. It is a very interesting place.
They have cells in there below the sea level, and are 10 feet thick concrete walls. It is an awful place for a prisoner.
The prison is on a small island about 400 yards square.
When the Americans occupied Veracruz, we hoisted our flag over the prison. We cleaned out the prison and made every prisoner take a swim. There were no records for the prisoners, so we let every one go free. I suppose they all joined the Rebel army to get even with Huerta.
In your letter, you asked me to explain the difference between a Blue Jacket and Marine. "A Marine is a guard on board ship. All a Marine does is parole, wherever he is stationed, on land or on ship.
There are about 75 Marines on every battle ship for guard duty. They are trained with rifles, more than any thing else. And a Blue Jacket have to be acquainted with everything connected with a battle ship, besides knowing how to handle a rifle on land.
In most of the papers you read that Marines took Veracruz but they did not. On the 21st of April, we were enroute to Veracruz. That day we received a wireless from the U.S. Florida, telling us to make all the speed we could make. The Florida and Utah were at that time in Veracruz and had their battalion already landed and the Mexicans were closing in on them. So on the 22nd of April, at 3:00 a.m. we arrived, and as I said before, we landed at 3:30 a.m. We rested until about 8 a.m., in an open field, then we fell in ranks and formed our regiment and marched past the Florida and Utah battalion, where they were lying on the firing line.
We walked over their line into the Mexicans bullets, and took the city. The New Hampshire led this attack. The New Hampshire lost more men than any ship in the fleet. There were only two Marines killed.
H. C. Wright is on this ship, he was my Div. officer for over a year. It said in the papers that he led the Marines, but he led the blue jackets.
Hoping to hear from you soon, I am as ever,
R. W. Kiewiet.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 18 June 1914, pg 6
The Kiewiet family and their friends were given the surprise of their lives Monday. Richard Kiewiet who has been in the navy for over three years dropped off the forenoon train on a thirty days furlough. He sent no announcement ahead of him that he was coming and the folks here wouldn't have been any more surprised if a Germany army had got off the train than they were when they saw Richard. Richard enlisted in the navy for a four year term. He has served three years and three months of his time and his service has been largely on the battle ship New Hampshire which is now at Norfolk, Virginia where it is being overhauled. The New Hampshire was at Veracruz during our late trouble there and its crew got a taste of real war. Richard's chum W. Thee who was with him at Veracruz came here with Richard for a rest and to get acquainted with his family.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 3 September 1914, pg 6
There was a party Monday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Tacks in honor of Richard Kiewiet. Mr. and Mrs. Will Kiewiet gave a farewell party Tuesday evening in Richard's honor. Both parties were largely attended and fully enjoyed by those present.
Richard Kiewiet left yesterday for Norfolk, Va., where he goes back into the service of Uncle Sam on board the U.S. battleship New Hampshire. Richard has about nine months more to serve in the navy before his period of enlistment expires.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 September 1914, pg 6
Richard Kiewiet who came here from Norfolk, Virginia, to attend the funeral of his sister returned to his duties in the navy Monday evening. Richard's four year enlistment is up the 26th of this month and after that time he will received his honorable discharge and he will return home.
--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 10 June 1915, pg 2
Richard Kiewiet who has been in the navy and for a number of weeks in New York came here Saturday to stay with his parents for some time.
--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 July 1915, pg 5