Iowa
Old Press
West Bend Journal
West Bend, Palo Alto co. Iowa
July 26, 1945
HOW ELMER W. ALT MET HIS DEATH
The Chris Alt’s, former Union township farmers, now
living in Lotts Creek township, have received a letter giving
some details of the recently reported death in action of their
son, S/Sgt. Elmer W. Alt, while fighting Japs on the island of
Mindanao in the Philippines.
Deceased is a brother to Mrs. Eli Gerber of West Bend.
The letter, which was written by Capt. Donald R. Pruett, of the
19th Infantry, and addressed to Mrs. Kate Alt, Elmer’s
mother, follows:
“You have my deepest heartfelt sympathy in the loss of your
son, and I hope that I can relieve your burden of sorrow by
giving you as much information as possible, and to tell you just
what his loss has meant to me and all the men of this
organization, who have known him so long.
“We had just taken a strategic hill overlooking the small
town of Mandog, eight miles north of the city of Davac. We fought
all day in driving the Japs off the hill, and we finally
successfully repulsed all attempts by the Japs to retake it.
“We held the hill through the night of the ninth of June and
on the morning of the tenth, the Japs attacked our positions.
During the ensuing action your son was wounded by a Jap machine
gun bullet. He was wounded at 11:35 and died at 12:35 of wounds.
All medical aid was given, but it was impossible to save the life
of your son.
“Elmer was buried at U.S.A.F.F.E. Cemetery No. 1, at Taloma,
Mindanao, P. I. and last rites were held by an army chaplain.”
[transcribed by L.Z., May 2015]