Iowa Old Press
Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Friday, December 29, 1944
Prisoner Ranks Expand As War Grows Intense In France and Germany
Hopes for an eventual happy reunion at the conclusion of hostilities with father, brother, son or husband, initially reported as “missing in action” has been spurred in a number of homes in Muscatine and nearby communities in southeastern Iowa and western Illinois by later information, advising that the missing service man was listed as a prisoner of war.
Anxious hours of hopeful waiting after official information listing men as “missing in action” has been followed in repeated instances by such data during the past year, as it was in former years of World War No. 2, as the number of men who have become members of the “Barbed Wire Legion”—prisoners of war—has increased.
Then, for families and for the members of the Barbed Wire Legion, as well, has followed a second interval of waiting—until through the channels of the International Red Cross, letters and communications have been re-established.
This, in turn, is followed by further waiting—waiting for that day when peace will return and the guns of war are silenced—when long days of confinement in distant camps and restriction of privileges will come to an end and families and friends may be reunited.
As the period of America’s participation in the war has lengthened, so has the number of men listed from this community as prisoners of war.
For some, stationed in the Pacific theater of action, three years have passed in prison camps. For others, captured in other fields of action, one year in a prisoner of war camp is stretching to a second. Others, participating in more recent actions, have spent lesser periods in prison camps.
From some of these men, relatives have received fairly regular, although restricted letters, advising of their treatment, the receipt of certain items of clothing, food and for recreational purposes through the Red Cross. From others only scratches of information have been received.
From official sources and from members of their families, brief sketches of the following men reported as prisoners, have been obtained:
TECH. SGT. HOWARD ADAMS—Reported missing in action over Holland since July 28, 1943. Tech. Sgt. Howard Adams, serving in the United States Army air corps, was later listed as being a prisoner of war of Germany. He reached England on June 1, 1943, and was serving as crew chief and top turret gunner on a Flying Fortress when the ship was forced down in enemy territory.
LT. PHILLIP BAILEY—Husband of the former Katherine Bruntlett, of Minneapolis, and son of Mrs. Mable Bailey, of Letts, Lt. Phillip Bailey was reported as a prisoner of war in Italy in a communication dated April 10, 1943. Lt. Bailey was a pilot in the army air corps, stationed in Africa since late in November, 1942, and was reported missing in action on Dec. 31, 1942.
PVT. HAROLD BARTELT—Pvt. Harold Bartelt, son of Bartelt, 106 Grandview avenue, reported as missing in action on Feb. 17, 1943, in a letter dated May 4, 1943, advised his father he was a prisoner of war of the German government. He had been in service since May, 1941.
STAFF SGT. RALPH BUTLER—William D. Butler, route No. 4, received word in May, 1944, that his son, Staff Sgt. Ralph Butler, was a prisoner of war of the German government. Sgt. Butler had been listed as missing in action over Germany since March 29, 1944. Sgt. Butler was a tail gunner on a Flying Fortress and had been overseas for more than a year when captured.
PFC. LYLE CASTLE—Mrs. Charles Hogan, 1319 Grand avenue, an aunt, received a communication from her nephew, Pfc. Lyle Castle, saying he was a prisoner of war of the Japanese since the fall of the Philippines. He was first held prisoner on an island and was later taken to Tokyo.
STAFF SGT. LUTHER ELDON DAVIS—Previously reported as missing in action, Staff Sgt. Luther Eldon Davis was later reported as a prisoner of war in Germany, accord to word received by his wife, the former June Burrows, 106 East Second street, Oct. 27, 1944. He was an engineer and gunner on a bomber. (photo included)
PFC. ROBERT J. FLETCHER—Pfc. Robert J. Fletcher, of Columbus Junction, was listed as a prisoner of war of the German government in an Associated Press dispatch from the War Department. He had been listed as missing in action in Italy since Jan. 30, 1944, in word to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Fletcher. (photo included)
CAPT. CECIL L. FORINASH—Capt. Cecil L. Forinash, with the U. S. Army air corps in the Philippines as an observer, was reported held a prisoner of war of the Japanese on Dec. 22, 1942. Capt. Forinash is a brother of Villa Forinash, of Conesville, and was taken prisoner of the Japanese at the fall of Corregidor in May, 1942.
PFC. RAY FOSTER—Mr. and Mrs. Albert Foster, of Stockton, received a card from their son, Pfc. Ray Foster, saying he was in a Japanese prison camp in the Philippines. He had previously been reported as missing in action.
LT. DONALD G. HARRER—Husband of the former Betty Hakes, of Muscatine, Lt. Donald G. Harrer, of Mason City, was reported as missing in action over Germany since Feb. 11, 1944. He was a co-pilot of a Flying Fortress and arrived in England about Christmas time of 1943. He was later reported a prisoner of war in Germany.
SGT. HOWARD HOBBS—A resident of Morning Sun, Sgt. Howard Hobbs was reported as a prisoner of war in a German camp following action in the European theater of operations.
PFC. GEORGE LESNET—Listed as missing in action Feb. 17, 1943, PFC. George Lesnet was announced as a prisoner of war in Germany on May 9, 1943. He is a son of Mrs. Ira Lesnet of Wapello and was serving with a medical detachment in the infantry when captured.
LT. ARTHUR MITTMAN—A pilot of a U. S. Flying Fortress, Lt. Arthur Mittman, who was reported missing in a daylight air raid on Berlin in March, 1944, was listed as a German prisoner, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Mittman, 708 Newell avenue. (photo included)
LEROY VERNON MURPHY—A former student of Muscatine high school, Leroy Vernon Murphy, has been held as a prisoner of the Japanese since the fall of Wake Island, according to word received by his mother, Mrs. Edith Huls, of North English. His grandfather, Perry Axtell, lives in Muscatine.
PVT. WILLIAM O’BRIEN—Under the date of April 10, 1943, Pvt. William O’Brien was listed as a prisoner of war in Italy, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John M. O’Brien, route No. 5, were informed. He was listed as missing in action in North Africa on Feb. 17, 1943.
RUSSELL PRIESTER—Mr. and Mrs. Fred Priester, of Des Plaines, Ill., formerly of Muscatine, received word in June of this year that their son, Russell Priester, was a prisoner of Germany. He had been reported as missing in action since March 18, 1944.
PVT. LAWRENCE C. PROFFITT—Pvt. Lawrence C. Proffitt was listed as a prisoner of war of Germany, according to word received in July, 1944, by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Proffitt, 403 East Fifth street. He had been previously listed as missing in action in Italy since May 15, 1944. (photo included)
STAFF SGT. JOHN RABENOLD—Reported missing in action on May 29, 1944, Staff Sgt. John Rabenold of Columbus Junction was listed as a prisoner of Germany later according to word received by his wife at Ottumwa. Sgt. Rabenold was born at Letts in 1920.
SGT. DON REGAN—Serving with the U. S. Army Air Corps, Sgt. Don Regan was reported missing in action in the Battle of Corregidor and was listed as a prisoner of the Japanese in a message May 18, 1943. He is the grandson of Mrs. Mary Regan, 1013 Lucas street. His mother lives in Iowa City.
PVT. CARL J. ROBERTSON—George D. Robertson, 313 Jackson street, received word in August that his son, Pvt. Carl J. Robertson, was being held as a prisoner of war by the German government. Pvt. Robertson previously was listed as missing in action July 4, in France. (photo included)
PVT. LAYMAN SALTSMAN—Listed as missing in action on Feb. 17, 1943, Pvt. Layman Saltsman was reported as a prisoner of Germany on April 27, 1943, his father, Cal Saltsman, 710 West Second street, was advised. He had been overseas since March of 1942 when captured.
PVT. CHARLES E. STERNER—In action in North Africa, Pvt. Charles E. Sterner was reported as missing in action on Feb. 17, 1943, and on April 28, 1943, he was reported as prisoner of Germany, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sterner, of Wilton.
CPL. ROBERT TADEWALD—Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Tadewald, 704 Walnut street, were advised that their son, Cpl. Robert Tadewald, was being held as a prisoner of Germany since May 1, 1943. He was listed as missing in action on Feb. 17, 1943. He was in Ireland and then North Africa before being taken prisoner.
PFC. GLEN TEEL—Pfc. Glen Teel of Columbus Junction advised his mother, Mrs. W. S. Teel, at Columbus Junction in August 1944, that he was being held as a prisoner of the Japanese in the Philippine Islands. He was in service in the islands when they were captured by the Japanese.
LT. ROBERT T. WALTER—With the U. S. army air corps, Lt. Robert T. Walter was listed as a prisoner of war in Germany in June, 1944, his wife, Mrs. Dorothy Walter, 817 Sycamore street, was informed. He had been reported missing in action earlier. He was serving as a bombardier. (photo included)
BRUCE E. WATSON—The son of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce S. Watson, 114 Park avenue, Seaman Bruce E. Watson, was reported first as being missing in action and then as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in the Philippines on March 11, 1943.
LT. HARTLEY WESTBROOK—The son of Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Westbrook, who live on a farm near Grandview, was reported as a prisoner of Germany on June 12, 1943. He had been reported as missing in action on May 22, 1943. He was a pilot of an army bomber when his ship was forced down.
PVT. HENRY S. WINSLOW—A communication through the International Red Cross disclosed that Pvt. Henry S. Winslow was a prisoner of war of the Japanese government in the Philippine Islands. He was reported as missing in action following the fall of Corregidor. He is the son of Mrs. Guy Winslow, formerly of Muscatine and now of Los Angeles, Calif.
[transcribed by L.Z., November 2014]