Iowa Old Press
Algona Upper Des Moines
Algona, Kossuth co. Iowa
April 22, 1943
Activities of Union Soldiers
Second Lieut. John Wilson, husband of Eleanor Cruickshank,
stationed with the armed forces at San Jose, Calif., has been
promoted to First Lieutenant. Lieut. Wilson has not had a
furlough since the birth of his son and would appreciate a chance
to see his baby, which we hope will be his privilege before long.
Stuart Thompson, who has been stationed at Camp Wolters, Texas,
did not move overseas as was expected, but is now at Camp Van
Dorn in Mississippi.
George Rich, son of Mr. and Mrs. Will Rich, who has been in
service in the South Pacific, has been undergoing some sort of
sickness which his parents believe may be malaria fever. He was
serving in the New Guinea area but has been transferred back to
the Australian mainland. His correspondence reveals he has not
been feeling the best, is thin and pale, which is not one of his
characteristics. George was of a husky stature and dark
complexioned.
Pvt. Henry Dearchs, another Union boy, is able to reveal that he
has been in a hospital for the second time. He is also back in
Australia. His trouble could not be made known, but when he wrote
he was expecting to be released from the hospital soon.
Corp. Elmer Alt writes his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Alt, from
the Island of Oahu, Hawaii, that he has now entered a school on
that island for training. He will be trained in gun mechanics. He
had been doing guard duty up to that time.
Pfc. Larry Gisch of the armed forces returned to his camp at
Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans, California, after a 10-day leave with
his parents and sisters and brothers, here. His folks took him to
Livermore, where he caught a fast train for the coast. He has
been in service since 1941 and his duties have been in connection
with guarding the coast. On his return he would not be surprised
if he might be changed to a different location.
[transcribed by L.Z., May 2015]