Iowa
Old Press
Sioux City Journal
Sioux City, Woodbury co., Iowa
March 1, 1945
IN UNIFORM
Ensign Al Van Hazel is spending an eight-day leave in the home of
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Van Hazel, 1817 W. Fourth
street. A line officer on an amphibious landing craft, he is
enroute from Rye, N.C., to San Francisco for overseas assignment.
His brother, George Van Hazel, who is stationed at North Camp
Hood, Tex., recently was promoted from second to first
lieutenant.
Pvt. Glen Montange, whose wife and daughter reside at 1701
Isabella street, is at Madigan General Hospital in Tacoma, Wash.
He was wounded in the ankle in the battles of the Belgian bulge.
Glenn C. Musselman, seaman second class, is spending an 11-day
leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Musselman, 3946 Monroe
street. On completion of his leave, he will return to the Great
Lakes naval training center.
Pvt. Joseph Grace, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Grace, 2415 W. First
street, who is recovering from diphtheria in a hospital in
France, recently met his cousin, Pvt. Harry Rasdal of St.
Charles, Mo., who is suffering from sinus trouble, and is
confined to the same hospital room.
Pfc. James DeHaan, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. DeHaan, 2361 Dacotah
street, is serving in the 12th armored division of the Seventh
Army on the southern end of the battle line in France.
Pvt. James Fenlon, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Fenlon, 511 22d
street, has arrived in this country from France. At present, he
is in Stark General Hospital, Charleston, S. C.
Cpl. Lloyd A. Hess, whose wife lives at 1309 26th street, has
returned to Fort Worth, Tex., after spending a 17-day furlough at
home.
Norman C. Peterson, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Peterson, 2612
Douglas street, has been promoted to the rating of sergeant. He
is with the Seventh Army in France and has been overseas for four
months. He has been in service for three years.
Richard W. Stansberry, electrician’s mate third class, and
his brother, Roy M. Stansberry, yeoman first class, who had not
seen each other for many months, recently met in the South
Pacific war area, according to information received by their
mother, Mrs. John Stansberry, 3116 Garretson avenue.
Russell Boe, petty officer third class, has returned to duty at
Farragut, Idaho, after a 16-day leave spent with his wife and
daughter in his home at 3429 Fourth avenue.
Pfc. George Sembach is spending a 28-day convalescent furlough
with his wife and parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Misher, 524 Barry
street. An infantryman, who was shellshocked during the battle of
St. Lo in August, Pfc. Sembach was in a hospital in England. He
arrived in the United States February 10. He will report to the
hospital at Camp Carson, Colo.
Two Sioux City men recently were graduated from specialized
training courses at the naval training center at Great Lakes,
Ill. The graduates and the schools in which they trained are:
Homer D. Strampe, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Strampe, 4900
Morningside avenue, quartermaster school;
Raymond E. Velin, husband of Mrs. Ray Velin, 1824 S. Maple
street, electrician’s mate school.
Vincent E. Courey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Courey, 710 Virginia
street, has been promoted to technician fourth grade. He is a
surgical technician in the operating room at Ashburn General
hospital, McKinney, Tex.
Chief Warrant Officer Wesley Thomas has departed for Florida
after spending a week with his wife, who resides at 313 E. 20th
street, South Sioux City, in the home of her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Knutsen. He was previously stationed at Labrador.
[transcribed by L.Z., January 2015]
Sioux City Journal
Sioux City, Woodbury co. Iowa
March 10, 1945
IN UNIFORM
Cpl. William V. Edgcumbe, 1609 Pierce Street, has landed in the
Philippines with the 14th army Corps. Cpl. Edgcumbe has been
overseas more than 22 months.
John A. Larsen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Julius A. Larsen, 3026
Chambers Street, has been promoted to sergeant, according to an
announcement from the 96th division in the Philippines, as a
communication in the infantry. Sgt. Larsen participated in the
liberation of the island of Leyte. He attended Sioux City schools
and worked for the Wincharger Corporation before entering the
army. He wears the combat infantryman’s badge.
Gerald Davis has received a promotion to captaincy at a base
somewhere in France. Capt. Davis’ wife, the former Ruth
Stilwill, resides at 2219 Jackson Street.
Ray Winslow, petty officer first class is spending an eight-day
leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Newell Shaw, 908 Iowa
Street, and his sister, Mrs. Clyde Van Deusen, 2221 Dupont
Street. Two other sisters, Mrs. Oral Streeter and Mrs. Pearl
Underwood, and her daughter Beverly, from Portland, Ore., are
visiting him while he is on leave. He is stationed at Samson,
N.Y.
James Erickson, apprentice seaman, returned to Central College,
Fayette, Mo., where he is taking his third term of the V-12
program, after spending a short leave recently with his mother,
Mrs. Orville Erickson, 2318 Court Street.
Berton E. Tagg has returned to Dubuque, Ia., where he is
beginning his third term in V-12 naval training, after spending a
furlough period in the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elwin
Tagg, 1008 W. Palmer Avenue.
Pvt. Frederick Yates, whose wife and sons reside at 419 Fawcett
Street, is with a heavy weapons company in the Third Army in
Germany. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Yates of
Westfield, Ia.
S. Sgt. Leonard A. Martin, whose wife resides at 1013 Nebraska
Street, was recently promoted to the rank. He is a mess sergeant
in the infantry.
Joan Rumsey Longren, 3837 Jackson Street, has been appointed a
second lieutenant in the army nurse corps and will report for
duty at Camp Carson, Colo., about March 15.
[transcribed by C.S., April 2015]
Sioux City Journal-Tribune
Sioux City, Woodbury co. Iowa
March 27, 1945
IN UNIFORM
Cpl. Robert E. Speckhart has returned to Brooke general hospital,
Fort Sam Houston, Texas, after spending a 30-day convalescent
furlough at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Speckhart,
2314 Riverside Boulevard.
Edward J. Sattler, clerk and interpreter for a railroad battalion
in France, has been promoted to private first class. He
frequently has made trips into Germany. Before entering the
service, he was employed at the Woodbury County Savings Bank. His
wife resides at 1319 Court Street.
Lt. Aaron Corenman, formerly of Sioux City, is visiting his
brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. James Corenman, 3208
Virginia Street. He is on leave from Merced Army Airfield,
California. He has recently returned to the United States after
spending almost a year in the Mediterranean area as the pilot of
a bomber.
Delmar J. Rasmussen, whose wife lives at 214 S. Collins Street
has been promoted to the grade of technical sergeant. He has been
overseas for 25 months stationed on New Caledonia and Emirau
island in the Pacific. He is assigned to a medical headquarters
group.
Joseph F. Kofka, electrician’s mate third class, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Joe Kofka, 1110 S. Fairmount Street, has received a
citation for bravery during battle in the western Pacific.
Pfc. Joseph J. Rys, son of Mrs. Anna Rys, 110 S. Isabella Street,
recently was awarded a Battle Star for participation in the
campaign in northern France. He serves as an aerial engineer with
the 27th air transport group of the air service command’s
302d transport wing, and is the pilot’s righthand man. He is
keyman on the aircraft during flight and when the ship lands he
services and repairs the giant transport. Before entering the
army in September, 1942, he attended West Junior High School.
T. Sgt. Frank Mandicino, Jr, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Mandicino,
333 Morgan Street, a radio operator-gunner on the crew of a B-17
Flying Fortress stationed in England, has been awarded an oak
leaf cluster to the air medal for “courage, coolness and
skill” and his outstanding performance of duty during a
number of Eighth air force attacks on German war targets.
Cpl. Richard B. Maxfield, 4305 Garretson Avenue, has been
promoted to corporal at Westoverfield, Mass., where he is
stationed.
S. Sgt. Norman Wasserman, whose wife and son reside at 3415
Jennings Street, recently received the combat infantryman badge.
He is with the Third Army.
Sgt. Vincent E. Courey is spending a 10-day furlough with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Anton Courey, 710 Virginia Street. He is
surgical technician at the Ashburn General Hospital, McKinney,
Texas. His brother, Cpl. Mike A. Courey, is stationed at a
general hospital near Paris, France.
Pvt. Elvin Flaa, son of Mrs. Rogna Flaa, has been awarded the
Purple Heart for injures received as a result of enemy action in
Belgium. Pvt. Flaa is a member of the 59th military police escort
guard which escorts prisoners of war from the front to rear area
stockades.
Gladys E. Lillie, seaman third class, has returned to Washington,
D.C. after spending a few days in the home of her mother, Mrs.
C.M. Lillie, 2709 First Street.
T. Sgt., Kirk M. Estes, whose wife lives at 1324 Morningside
Avenue, has been awarded the fifth oak leaf cluster to the air
medal for “meritorious achievement” during bombing
attacks on nazi military and industrial installations. Sgt. Estes
has a combat career of more than 25 missions to his credit and is
a radio operator and gunner of an Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying
Fortress.
Sgt. William J. Flaherty, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Flaherty, 1712
W. Fourth Street, has been awarded his fifth bronze star
representing the fifth major campaign of the war in which he
participated. His unit, the 440th troop carrier group, has been
awarded the presidential until citation for its work in the
initial invasion of Normandy, the paratroop and glider operation
in southern France, the airborne invasion of Holland and the
aerial resupply of the troops surrounded at Bastogue. He is a
supply clerk for the groups. Sgt. Flaherty was graduated from
Central High School and worked as a transit clerk for the Toy
National Bank before entering the army in October, 1942. After
his preliminary training he attended the army air forces clerical
school at Fort Logan, Colorado, from which he was graduated in
April 1943.
First Lt. Mearl H. Bergeson, son of Mr. and Mrs. M.V. Bergeson,
3732 Sixth Avenue, has completed his 50 missions and soon will
return to the United States for a furlough and reassignment. He
has been stationed in southern Italy as the navigator on a B-24.
Herman J. Rowe, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond F. Rowe, 630
Pacquette Street, has been promoted to technical sergeant. He has
been in the army since April, 1942, and now is stationed with the
75th infantry division as a truck mechanic in the field artillery
battalion. Prior to going into the armed forces he was employed
by the Western States Manufacturing company.
Cpl. Joe L. Beedle, whose wife and daughter live at 310 Martha
Street, has been awarded the Bronze Star for his service as a
part of a troop carrier force which helped to salvage and reclaim
the gliders used in the First allied airborne army’s
invasion of The Netherlands. He also has battle participation
credit for the campaign in Germany. He has returned from Holland
to his home base in England. His mother, Mrs. Hulda J. Beedle,
lives at 2029 S. Patterson Street. He was employed by the
Fairmont Creamery before entering service. He has been overseas
for 14 months.
Pfc. Medford J. Dougherty of Sioux City is stationed with the
First Army in Belgium. He entered service from California on May
23, 1942. He is with the H. & S. Company of the 181st
engineer heavy pontoon battalion.
Cpl. Benedict N. Simmons, radio operator with the 38th cavalry
reconnaissance troop, was engaged in the offensive which the 38th
division launched in a drive to avenge Bataan. After liberation
of the peninsula he participated in the 38th division’s
sweep to the western sector of northern Zambales province to
occupy the Jap held chromite and copper mine region. He has
served overseas for more than a year in the central and south
Pacific and is entitled to wear the Asiatic-Pacific good conduct
medal and the Philippine liberation ribbon. He is the son of
Francis Simmons, 2008 Ingleside Avenue. Two of his brothers are
in service, one in the navy and the other in the armed forces in
France.
Art Peck, seaman second class, is spending his 10-day leave with
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Peck, 1551 Lacy Boulevard. Upon
his return to the Great Lakes, Illinois Naval Training Station he
will be assigned to an aviation electrician mates school.
Pfc. Loyal L. Tucker, whose wife and mother reside at 513 W.
Ninth Street, has been promoted to technician fifth grade, at the
ordnance unit training center, Red River ordnance depot,
Texarkana, Texas.
Cpl. Norman L. Hoopingarner, whose mother, Mrs. Ruth Graham,
resides at 1206 Sixth Street, recently, was awarded the bronze
Star for heroic achievement in action with the Fifth Army in
northern Italy. The citation accompanying the bronze star states,
“Cpl. Hoopingarner’s display of courage and devotion to
duty in the face of grave danger was outstanding and merits high
commendation."
Sgt. Charles Shindler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeo Shindler, 1724
Hamilton Street, who is serving with the army in the European
theater of operations, is a member of a crew of traffic experts
who determine the route of heavily laden trailers and trucks and
prepare documents to expedite movement to embarkation points and
airfields. He has two brothers serving in the army. They are Sgt.
Leonard Shindler, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and S. Sgt George
Shindler, with the amphibian engineers in Holland.
[transcribed by C.S., October 2017]
The Sioux City Journal
Sioux City, Woodbury co. Iowa
March 31, 1945
IN UNIFORM.
Francis J. Cosgrove, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Cosgrove, 3644
Jackson street, recently was graduated from radio school at the
University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Cpl. Frank J. Garretson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joost Garretson,
1619 George street, is a flight radio operator assigned to Cazes
air base, Casablanca, in the north African division of the air
transport command. In preparation for his current assignment, the
corporal completed training at Sheppard field, Tex., Sioux Falls
army air base, S. D., and Reno army air base, Nev. A graduate of
Central high school, Cpl. Garretson was employed by the Albertson
Co. prior to his entrance into the armed forces in April, 1943.
His wife, Mrs. Lois Truesdell Garretson, and their 3-year-old
son, Robert Allen, live at 1518 WS. 19th street.
Sgt. Cliff Harris, son of Mr. and Mrs. George O. Harris of
Vermillion, has been visiting relatives here and at Vermillion. A
former Journal sports writer, he now is stationed at
Fourth air force headquarters, San Francisco.
Jesse J. Helahan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Helahan, 3311 Indiana
avenue, has been promoted to the rank of staff sergeant,
according to information received here. He is an armorer gunner
on a Flying Fortress and is a member of the Fortress group which
led the first American bombing attack on targets in Berlin, and
which was cited by the President for its outstanding bombing
assaults on railroad yards at Muenster, Germany, in October,
1943.
Fred T. Hollmer, jr., stationed in the South Pacific for the last
12 months, has been promoted to the rank of motor
machinist’s mate third class, petty officer. He is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. F. T. Hollmer, 203 Vincent apartments.
Roy E. Hook, chief gunner’s mate, is spending a 21-day leave
with his wife at 2515 Warner avenue, before going to Washington,
D.C., to take a six-week course in electric hydraulics. He
recently returned to the States after serving six months
overseas. Prior to that he spent 30 months in the Panama Canal
Zone aboard a subchaser.
First Lt. Kermit B. Landrith, husband of Mrs. Barbara Landrith,
1607 Nebraska street, recently won an oak leaf cluster to his
bronze star for exceptionally meritorious service in action from
July 30 to February 20. He is a company commander in the 29th
infantry division. The citation read in part: “Lt.
Landrith’s courageous and aggressive actions under fire in
making a personal reconnaissance for the emplacement of his heavy
weapons and the coordination of the fire of his battalion have
been directly responsible for the taking of the battalion’s
objectives. During the Brest campaign, his recommendation for the
combined fires of the battalion’s mortars and the attached
4.2 chemical mortars were the deciding factors in the taking of
Fort Keranroux in Brittany.”
Monty Earl Montagne, petty officer first class, and his wife are
spending a 10-day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William
Montagne, 1418 W. 14th street. He has just returned from two and
one-half years in the Pacific area and has been transferred to
New York.
T. Sgt. Donald V. Nelson, after completing 30 missions as an
engineer-gunner on a B-24, was returned to the United States and
recently spent a week in the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Vern Nelson, 4231 Harrison street. Before returning to the
States, he was awarded the air medal with four oak leaf clusters,
the distinguished flying cross, two campaign stars on his
European theater ribbon and two presidential citations. After
completing his 21-day leave with his wife and son, who reside at
La Cygne, Kan., he will report to Miami Beach, Fla.
Pvt. Mervel C. Roger is spending a 10-day furlough with his
sister, Mrs. Glen Harbeck, 2105 Hanford street. He has been
stationed at Camp Hood, Tex.
Peder l. Rostad, aviation cadet, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris
Rostad, 1517 24th street, is attending twin-engine school at
Enid, Okla. His wife, Wilda Collier Rostad, resides at 2924 14th
street.
First Lt. William H. Sanford, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. R. Sanford,
917 S. Alice street, pilot on a P-51 Mustang, and two other
Mustang pilots shot up 20 freight cars and a railway station
during a recent low level strafing attack in the vicinity of Bal
Mergentheim, Germany, according to information received from an
Eighth air force fighter station overseas. Lt. Sanford was
decorated with the air medal with two oak leaf clusters for
meritorious achievement during sustained combat operations over
enemy held territory and Germany.
Don C. Shelton, formerly of Sioux City, aviation student, spent
his furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Shelton,
Cheyenne, Wyo., and with his sister, Mrs. Leonard Garbe, 1721
Clinton street. His brother, Harold R. Shelton, aviation
machinist’s mate, is in the Pacific area.
Donald Taute, son of Carl F. Taute, 3409 Parkview boulevard, has
been graduated as a radio man third class from the maritime
service training station at Ballups island, Boston harbor, Mass.
[transcribed by L.Z., May 2015]