Iowa
Old Press
The Daily Times - Davenport, Iowa - Wed. January 20, 1943
Corpl. P. Gernandt Of Davenport Is Prisoner of Japs First Reported Missing in Action; Was Stationed in Philippines.
Corpl. Paul Gernandt, reported missing in action in May, 1942, is a prisoner of the Japanese, according to a telegram received by his aunt, Mrs. Mary Andersen, 1535 West Third street, from the war department. The last word Mrs. Andersen received from her nephew was on Nov. 17, 1941, three weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
At that time Corpl. Gernandt was stationed on the Philippine islands, having enlisted a year before. In May of last year, Mrs. Andersen was notified by the war department that Gernandt was missing in action, and the telegram received was the first word concerning her nephew that she had received since that time. No further information concerning him was available although the wire stated that a letter would follow shortly giving more details.
Corpl. Gernandt is the fifth Davenport man reported to be a prisoner of the Japs. The other four are Maj. Howard Pahl, Capt. Harold F. Bishop, Harold R. Williams and Harry G. Puck.
[transcribed by L.Z., Jan 2023]
The Daily Times
Davenport, Scott co., Iowa
Saturday, January 30, 1943
Robert H. Peterson, son of Mrs. Lulu Peterson, 1454 ½ West Ninth
street, graduated this week from the United States naval school
at Dearborn, Mich., and received a commission as petty officer
second class. He is a radio man first class in the naval air
corps. Petty Officer Peterson also received the award of a gold
bar that Henry Ford presents to outstanding students. He is now
awaiting assignment to active duty. He recently spent a 36-hour
leave in Davenport.
Lyle E. Swanson, son of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Swanson, 3170 Marion
avenue, will report Tuesday to the army air force in Des Moines.
He will report next to San Antonio, Tex., where he will receive
preflight training. He was graduated from the Davenport high
school and attended the University of Iowa for two years, where
he was a member of Phi Delta Delta. Last summer he worked at the
Rock Island arsenal, and enlisted on July 9, 1942.
Sergt. Lee Murray, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Murray, sr., 1016
Tremont avenue, has been sent to officers’ candidate school
at Fort Sill, Okla. He was transferred from desert maneuvers near
Los Angeles, Calif. Sergt. Murray, who has been in service over
two years and a member of the original Battery B, is in the field
artillery.
Corpl. Clint Smith has returned to his base in Alaska after
spending a short furlough with his sister, Mrs. Lee Nelson, 1103
West Second street, and relatives and friends in Davenport.
Corpl. Smith, who was inducted in September 1940, stated that
this is the first furlough he has received since entering
service.
Francis J. Whipka, son of Mrs. Henry Becker, 120 West Pleasant
street, has returned to Davenport, after receiving a medical
discharge from the navy. Whipka, who was on active duty had been
confined to the Norfolks, Va., naval hospital for five weeks
because of injuries received. He had received his training at the
Great Lakes naval training station following his enlistment on
July 15, 1942.
[transcribed by L.Z., December 2017]