Iowa Old Press
LeMars Globe-Post
October 12, 1942
Brother of Deceased Woman Awarded Custody of LeRoy Hauser
LeRoy Hauser, now 14, who has been a ward of the Plymouth Co. district court since November 7, 1936, has been given a legal home at last. In the matter of adoption tried before Judge R. G. Rodman Friday, the court took the case under advisement and today granted the adoption to Mr. and Mrs. Leo Ferdig, of St. Paul. Mr. Ferdig is a brother of the Hauser boy’s mother, who died some time ago.
An objection was filed by Alfred H. Hauser, natural father of the youth, but the court ruled that the father is not a fit person to be entrusted with the care of his son.
The adoption action dates back over 6 years, when officers and the county welfare director were called to Merrill to visit the Hauser home. They reported that LeRoy and Reuben Hauser, brothers, had allegedly been mistreated and abused by a housekeeper in the Hauser home, and after a hearing at that time the children were taken away from the father. Reuben Hauser was adopted by another relative. The records show that Alfred H. Hauser married the housekeeper after the death of his first wife.
[transcribed by L.Z., Jan 2020]
LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, October 20, 1942
Kingsley Youth Rescued At Sea From Life Raft
Harold Mulford Tells of Sinking Ship In the Pacific
“We accomplished our mission,” said Harold A. Mulford Jr., of near Kingsley, telling of the sinking of his ship, the heavy cruiser Astoria, August 9, in the Solomon island area, says the Sioux City Journal.
A petty officer, third class, Mulford was left adrift on a life raft with 15 other men, including Sioux Cityan, Melvin Foster, 3214 Fourth Avenue place.
Mulford said the Astoria was one of the warships sent to protect transport ships carrying Marines to an advanced base in the islands.
HELD JAPS OFF.
“That was our job and we did it,” he said. “The Japs didn’t ever get close to the transports and the Marines probably have the situation well in hand by now.”
Officer Mulford told of going over the Astoria side shortly before 3 a.m., when the commander gave the order to abandon ship. He was in the shark infested waters a short time and then was able to get aboard one of the ship’s life rafts. About 16 men on the raft floated until 9 a.m. the next day, when they were picked up by a destroyer.
Officer Mulford said the Astoria floated until about noon and then sank. He said the side of the cruiser looked like a sieve from the Japanese gunfire.
Officer Mulford’s parents reside northwest of Kingsley. He enlisted in the Navy here two years ago and underwent basic training at the Great Lakes Navy training station.
FOUND HIS SHIP GONE.
Last winter, Officer Mulford was home on leave and left to return to his vessel, December 6. When he arrived at Pearl Harbor, he found that his ship, a battleship, had left and he was assigned to the Astoria.
Officer Mulford has a ribbon with a star attached to his blouse. When questioned as to what the star signified, he said, “One star is given for participation in from one to 150 engagements.”
His mother proudly added, “And Harold has 20 marks toward the second star,” meaning he has been in 20 engagements at sea.
Home on leave, Officer Mulford, has high praise for the Navy as a place to serve one’s country.
LE MARS SOLDIERS BACK FROM IRELAND
Ken Hoffman Trains For Commission
Kenneth Hoffman, looking fit and fine, arrived in LeMars from Ireland, Sunday, to visit his parents. Hoffman, a member of Company K, LeMars, enlisted for service early in the war. He has been in Ireland the past year and returned to this country to enter an Army officers training camp. Queried as to his destination he said he did not know where he would be stationed. He said he was glad to get back to the United States, and he is not worrying about the future. With military caution, he did not say much about his Army experience. He said he liked Ireland, which had only one drawback, and that was it rained too much and too often. He liked the Irish and English he met and said American soldiers were royally treated.
Jos. Kenney, another LeMars boy, accompanied him on the trip and will be here in a day or two to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Kenney.
[transcribed by L.Z., Jan 2020]