Iowa
Old Press
Sioux City Journal
Sioux City, Woodbury co. Iowa
April 19, 1945
German Pillboxes Elaborate Setups, Yet Captured with
Surprising Ease - Sgt. Pocock, Sioux City, Describes Hidden
Fortresses
A detailed description of a German pillbox which Sgt.
Lloyd S. Pocock gives in a letter to his parents Mr. and Mrs.
L.G. Pocock, 2526 Center Street, contains surprising information
as to the elaborateness and completeness of these forms of
fortification about which Americans read so much and about which
they know so little.
“This underground fortress is like hundreds all over
Germany,” writes Sgt. Pocock, describing a captured pillbox.
“It is made of thick concrete and 98.9 per cent of it is
underground. There are a couple of round enclosures protruding
from the ground and slips therein through which is scan a
360-degree area. Machine guns may be fired in any direction.
Mortars also have command of a large space.
“But here are the more surprising discoveries. This pillbox
has three floors, and each story is eight feet high. It will
house 32 men. There are a kitchen, a mess hall, sleeping
quarters, showers, storage space for food and ammunition to last
for months. It is electrically lighted and heated. The equipment
includes an intricate telephone system, two large diesel engines
to manufacture the pillbox’s own power and electricity, a
ventilating system, a refrigerating system, and a multiplicity of
scientific gadgets too technical to describe.
“This pillbox contains 35 or 40 rooms, connected by
hallways, which can be sealed off at various intervals by thick
steel doors. Entrance from the outside also can be prevented by a
watertight steel door, and there is a contrivance for
neutralizing the effects of poison gas.”
Sgt. Pocock proceeds to comment on the “astounding
fact” that, despite such elaborate preparedness, many
pillboxes were taken by the allies with ease after light
opposition. The sergeant is with the office of the inspector
general of the 14th armored division.
[transcribed by C.S., April 2015]
Sioux City Journal
Sioux City, Woodbury co. Iowa
April 24, 1945
Report Two Sioux Cityans Wounded Now Recovering
Pfc. Francis Marion Pipkin was wounded April 8 by a
German sniper and is recovering at a hospital base, his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Pipkin, 1215 26th Street, have been informed
by the war department. Pfc. Pipkin has been with an infantry
group overseas since November 1943. He is a graduate of Central
High school.
Pfc. Don L Mettet, who was seriously wounded in Germany March 24,
is making normal improvements, according to word received by his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mettet, 118 27th Street, from a
hospital in France. He suffered a head would and skull fracture
when he was wounded.
[transcribed by C.S., April 2015]
Sioux City Journal
Sioux City, Woodbury co. Iowa
April 28, 1945
S. Sgt. William G. Grebl, accompanied by his wife of Chicago is
spending a one-week furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Grebl, 1910 Jones Street. Sgt. Grebl is with the sixty ferry
group at the Long Beach army airfield, Long Beach, California.
Pvt. Lester R Vander Haar, whose wife lives at 1517 W. First
street, has been graduated from the army air forces training
command at Chanute Field, Illinois, where he has just completed a
course in Electronics.
Matthew W. Lake, Jr., machinist’s mate first class, son of
M.W. Lake Sr., 1408 Rebecca Street, is stationed at the ship
repair unit at the naval repair unit at the naval repair base at
New Orleans. He has been in the navy since January, 1944, and
prior to that time was a machinist at the United States
government arsenal, Rock Island, Illinois. His mother, Mrs. Rhoda
L. Lake, lives in Evanston, Illinois.
First Lt. Robert S. Huie, son of Mrs. Amelia C. Huie, 903 12th
street, has been awarded an oak leaf cluster to his air medal for
meritorious achievement in action against the enemy on Luzon. He
is an artillery liaison pilot and on one occasion flew low over
Japanese lines and adjusted mortar fire for the infantry enabling
them to knock out concealed Japanese machine gun nests and take
their objective.
Pfc. Sanford K. Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. G.E. Brown, Lakeport
road, and Sgt. Richard Fisher, whose parents and wife live in
Sioux City, recently met in the Philippines after not having seen
each other for three years. They are cousins and had worked in
competing business establishments prior to entering service. Pfc.
Brown is a cook and baker with antiaircraft artillery searching
battalion and Sgt. Fisher is a mechanic assigned to servicing
navy Corsairs which the marine fliers use. Both men have been
overseas for approximately a year and a half.
Cpl. Elrod R. Owings, son of Cecil M. Owings, 4501 Polk Street,
has been awarded the bronze star for “meritorious
achievement in connection with military operations against the
Japanese at Baler Bay, Philippine Island, on February 12.”
He is a member of the reconnaissance troop which has been in
continuous combat along with other Sixth division units longer
than any other division on Luzon. Before going to the
Philippines, Cpl. Owings was stationed in New Guinea where he
participated in the Sansapor and Maffin bay campaigns.
Dennis A. Cain, machinist’s mate third class, son of Mr. and
Mrs. M.L. Cain, 3920 Stone avenue, has completed a course in
intensive operational training at the naval air station;
Jacksonville, Fla. Mr. Cain enlisted in the navy on January 26,
1944, and after finishing boot training at Farragut, Idaho, was
sent to the aviation machinist school at Norman Okla. He was
graduated there on October 14 with a rating of seaman first
class. He volunteered for air crewman service and was trained for
aerial gunnery at Purcell, Okla., where he was graduated on
December 7 with his present Petty officer rating.
Robert E. Jerus, son of Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Jerus, 718 Morgan
Street, is taking his naval indoctrination training at the naval
training center at Great Lakes, Illinois. Following the
completion of this training he will receive a period of leave.
[transcribed by C.S., April 2015]