Iowa Old Press
The Hawarden Independent, Thursday, May 3, 1945
“That is What We Saw, -- Yet They Want Us To Have Mercy”
“That is the kind of people they are and they want us to take mercy on them,” wrote Pvt. William Rush of Hawarden, after viewing Nazi atrocities in a concentration camp in Germany.
Pvt. Rush, son of Mr. and Mrs. Newt Rush of Hawarden, is serving with the headquarters company of the 89th division in Patton’s famous Third Army. In a letter to his folks, dated April 14, he gives a first hand account of the horrible things he saw, as follows:
“The story I am about to write you isn’t nice, but it shows the kind of people we are fighting. The other day we took a town of pretty good size. In the place were a few airplane factories. At the edge of the town was a concentration camp in which there had been Russians, Poles and Jews. The Germans pulled out about a day before we got there. They took about two truck loads of prisoners with them, but the others they killed.
“In the streets of the camp were the bodies of about 20 prisoners who had been killed. At the end of the street was a shed in which about 40 bodies were piled up like cord wood. Then, about a mile up the road, there was a ditch into which bodies had been thrown. There was an estimated 2,000 bodies there.
“That, Mom, was what we saw – yet they want us to have mercy on them.
“A woman yesterday had the nerve to tell us we were inhuman because we moved them out of their home so we could sleep in it. We really told her where to head in and also related to her what we had seen in the concentration camp. She wouldn’t believe it.
“We heard yesterday that President Roosevelt died. It surely was a shock to everyone and we are wondering how it will affect the war and us getting home.”
ROBERT FORSBERG DIED ON SAIPAN
Mrs. Albert Wilson just received word that her son, Robert Forsberg, Phm. M. 2/c, who was killed in the Pacific theater of war June 16, 144, met death on Saipan. Forsberg was in the Marines and had been overseas but a short time when he was killed. Since she received word from the War Department last August of her son’s death, this is the only information she has received.
SAYS HAWARDEN IS HOME TO HIM
“I didn’t know much about the navy when I enlisted in the marines in the Spring of 1942, as I was finishing my last year in high school, but it didn’t take me long to learn,” says Pfc. Miles Jones, who arrived Tuesday from New Albany, Ind., where he had spent a few days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Jones, former Hawarden residents. Hawarden is still home to Pfc. Jones, and as he reminisced while serving in the Pacific war theater, he made up his mind that he would come here on his first furlough after his return to the United States. He did so this week.
Pfc. Jones served 17 months on Bougainville and was on the front lines for 58 days. Later, he became ill with malaria and filarsis, the latter a tropical disease which medical me find hard to combat. He returned to the United States in June, 1944, and was hospitalized in the naval hospital at Oakland, Calif., until recently. While in Oakland, he saw his younger brother, Billy, who is now serving as a gunner on a transport in the South Pacific.
He will report for duty at Cleveland, Ohio, the latter part of this month for reassignment.
RECEIVES FRENCH WATCH FROM SON
Albert Carpenter recently received a French watch from his son, Sgt. Gordon Carpenter, who is serving in France. The watch is open faced with the dial in the upper part of the face of the watch and in the lower half part of the works are visible underneath the crystal. Sgt. Carpenter secured the watch in Sardinia. The watch is of silver.
MEMORIAL SERVICES SUDNAY AT TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Memorial services will be held at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawarden at 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon for Corp. Lloyd Witt, who was killed in action in Germany December 5, 1944, and for Pfc. Harris Hove, who was killed in action in Germany March 20. Rev. C. A. Burkart will be in charge of the services. Corp. Witt was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Witt and Pfc. Hove was a son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Hove of Hawarden.
Pvt. Rummel In States.
Pvt. Raymond Rummel called his mother, Mrs. Kay Rummel, Monday from Seattle, Wash., informing her that he has returned from the Philippines. Pvt. Rummel is with a hospital unit on a troop ship and they brought back men who were wounded in the Philippines. Pvt. Rummel will not be able to come home while in the States, as he is to return to the Pacific war theater soon.
SPENT MONTHS AS A PRISONER IN NAZI CAMP
Densel Roberts Praises Red Cross For Supplies
Main Diet Furnished By Germans Was Black Bread and Thin Soup; Rescued By Russians.
“If it hadn’t been for the food and clothing furnished us by the Red Cross, I don’t know what we would have done,” said Sgt. Densel Roberts, who spent four months and 17 days in a German prison camp before he was released by the Russians on January 31.
Sgt. Roberts, who was serving in a medical battalion in the Third army when he was captured by the Germans on September 13, 1944, is now enjoying a 60-day furlough with his wife and 16 months old daughter at the home of his wife’s mother, Mrs. John Heuer, of Hawarden.
After he and his companions were captured, they were placed in boxcars and shipped across Germany to a prison camp at Kustrin, east of Berlin.
“We nearly starved on that trip,” said Sgt. Roberts. “The Germans didn’t feed us anything during the nine days except some black bread once in awhile.”
“At the prison camp, we were placed in barracks, 100 men to each. We had to sleep on the floor all the time, and it was cold. The Germans gave us two blankets each and we got two blankets each from the Red Cross.”
“All that the Germans fed us was black bread and thin soup made out of rutabagas or sauer kraut. We got a few potatoes, but very few. I lost between 30 and 40 pounds while at the camp.”
“If it hadn’t been for the Red Cross, it really would have been tough. We were supposed to get a Red Cross parcel once a week, but sometimes the Germans held them out on us and we just didn’t get any.”
“There were 2,000 Americans in the camp; also a lot of Russians, Italians and French. We were not mistreated in any other way except underfeeding. We didn’t have anything to do and nothing to read, except during the last month, when we got some books from the Red Cross. But we were fortunate at that, because some of the other camps were lots rougher, I have been told by men who were in them.”
“When the Russians released us, they put us Americans on our own. We walked a long way into Poland before we got transportation. Then we were sent to Odessa on the Black Sea and from there by ship to Italy.”
“I consider myself lucky to be here. I was overseas about a year and didn’t get a scratch, although I was in the front lines about 60 days.”
Sgt. Roberts will report back for duty on June 26.
IS FREED AFTER TWO LONG YEARS IN NAZI PRISON
Mr. and Mrs. Ring Wallenburg of Ireton were overjoyed Wednesday when they received a V-mail letter from their son, Pfc. Gilbert Wallenburg, who had been held a prisoner in Germany for over two years, informing them that he had been freed and is now in France. He wrote that he was in the best of health, but gave no further information.
Pfc. Wallenburg, who is 26 years of age, has been in the Army four years and went overseas in May, 1942. Just before he went overseas, he was home on a furlough, so it is more than three years since he has seen his family. He was captured by the Germans in Africa in February, 1943, and ever since has been held a prisoner. Mr. and Mrs. Wallenburg had not heard from their son since last December 10, until they received the good news Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallenburg lived on the edge of Hawarden one year, but moved to Ireton two years ago.
HEART ATTACK IS FATAL TO YOUNIE
Arthur Younie of Ames, who formerly lived in Hawarden, passed away suddenly at 4 o'clock Monday morning following a heart attack. Mr. Younie had been in poor health for about six months, but his death was unexpected. Funeral services will be held at Ames at 2 o'clock this afternoon and burial will be there. Mrs. Alex Younie and daughter, Hazel, and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Younie, Bernard Goodmanson of Ireton and Mrs. Madge Ruether of Sioux City went to Ames Wednesday to attend the funeral.
Arthur Younie, son of Mrs. Alex Younie, was born at Hawarden on December 20, 1890, and grew to manhood here. He was united in marriage with Hazel Beck in Hawarden on October 2, 1909, and continued to live in this city until 17 years ago, when he moved to Annes. He had been employed by the Munn lumber company in Ames during his residence there as long as his health permitted.
He is survived by his wife and three children, Sgt. Paul Younie, who is stationed at Fort Lewis,, Wash.; Sgt. Lloyd Younie, who is with the United States Fifth army in Italy, and Mrs. Irene Sterling of Ames, who at the present is in Florida with her husband, who is in service. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Alex Younie of Hawarden; one brother and two sisters, William and Hazel Younie of Hawarden and Mrs. Lillie Jackson of San Diego, .Calif. His father and one brother, Clarence, preceded him in death.
BAJULA REPORTED KILLED IN ACTION IN GERMANY
Mrs. John R. Bajula of Hawarden received a telegram Saturday from the War Department, advising her that her husband was killed in action in Germany on April 12th. Pfc. Bajula was serving in an armored division of the First Army. Upon receipt of the message, Mrs. Bajula, the former Vesta Southwick, went to Brainerd, Minn., to be with her husband’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bajula.
Sioux Center News
Thursday, May 17, 1945
32 Seniors to Graduate From Sioux Center High School, May 23rd
Eighteen 8th Grade Graduates
Schools all over Sioux County, both rural and town, are engaged in the final wind-up of activities preparatory to closing for the summer vacation. Some schools have already closed, some will close this week Friday, but the majority will close next week Friday, May 25th.
Sioux Center High School and Junior High Graduation exercises highlight the activities of Senior Class and Junior High graduates.
42 Senior Classes . . . From Sioux Center High
These are the names of the Senior Class members who have completed their twelve years of education and will receive their diplomas next Wednesday night. They are the forty-second class of Seniors to graduate from Sioux Center High School since it’s establishment here in 1903.
Tony Van Oosbree
Angeline D. Sandbulte
Leona Irene Punt
Betty Vos
Eileen R. Vander Ploeg
Kathleen GTerpstra
Marvin G. Schuit
Merry J. Vander Berg
Chris Schiebout
Cornie Schiebout
Harold J. Kaemingk
Gerald De Weerd
William E. Plantage
Henrietta Miedema
Margaret Vande Kamp
Faye B. Mouw
Bernetta D. Kamerman
Harriet Hulstein
Joan A. Booce
Louise G. Frankco
Charlotte C. Mieras
Esther Hooyer
Gerrit Calkhoven
Wilbur Vermeer
Pearl Klein
Johanna Punt
Robert H. Bruins
Jane Eva Wierda
Arthur Ronald Hulstein
Donald Sjaarda
Jacob J. De Ryke
Joe E. Mulder.
Junior High members who have completed 8 grades and are now eligible for high school are these:
Lee Aardema
Donna Mae Boeyink
Dolores Dykstra
Melvin Kruizenga
Roger Lubbers
Lorraine McCann
Marion Mouw
Arthur Navis
Shirley Oliver
Nellie Van Beck
Lowell Vand Berg
Marilyn Vande Berg
Willard Veencamp
Mary Ver Hoef
Donald Vermeer
Verlyn Vermeer
Wayne Vermeer
Bernard Wierda.
8 Students Will Graduate From Local Christian School
The Graduation Exercises of the Sioux Center Christian School will be held on Tuesday evening, May 22, at 8 P. M. in the First Christian Reformed Church. The Rev. J. Van Weelden of the Protestant Reformed Church will give the address. The graduates are:
Christine Broek
Hermina Buyert
Christina Eeakhoorn
Leona Faber
Leonard Haverhals,
Joyce Ann Kosters
Paul Moerman
Leiter Te Grotenhuis.
The class motto is: “Early Will I Seek Thee.”
Class Colors: Fuchsia and White.
Class Flower: White Rose.
Maurice Seniors Will Graduate Next Thursday.
BACCALAUREATE SUN.—8 P. M.
The Senior Class of Maurice High School will hold their Commencement ceremony of Thursday evening, May 24th at 8 P. M. at the high school auditorium. Graduates are:
Joan Aelders
George Den Herder
Lucille Jahn
Ladene Muilenburg
Lois Muilenburg
Joyce Vande Brake
John Vileger
Marlin Wichers
and
Arnold Kamminga, who is serving his country as a Coast Guardsman and is finishing his school work while in training.
Ladene Muilenburg will be Valedictorian for the class having the highest scholastic record, and her sister Lois will be Salutatorian with second highest place. Six of the seniors in this class have averaged 91 or more during the entire years, and thereby made an unusual record for the Class of ’45 in the history of the school.
[transcribed by LZ, Aug 2021]