Mills County, Iowa
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WILMA WILLIAMS FUCHS SCRAPBOOK
World War II Era Articles
These beautiful articles were generously donated by Wilma Fuchs in 1999.
Page 51
PVT. MARION BRIGGS STATIONED IN TEXAS
Pvt. Marion Briggs who recently left for Fort Bliss, Texas, writes his
mother, Mrs. Viola Briggs that he would like to hear from someone back home, his
address is Pvt. Marion Briggs A.S.N. 37483524 Btry. "A" 149th AAA Gun Bn., Fort
Bliss, Texas.
D. BOWLEY HOME AFTER FOUR MONTHS IN BRAZIL
Delbert Bowley, gunner's mate 3/c, and son of Mr. and Mrs. William Bowley of
north of Glenwood, arrived home to spend a furlough with home folks Sunday.
He has been with the U.S. Navy for two years and was stationed in Brazil for a
period of four months. His promotion to gunner's mate 3/c was received
just recently.
STEWART WILCOX COMPLETE PRIMARY FLYING IN FLORIDA
This is to inform you that Aviation Cadet Stewart L. Wilcox has completed his
primary flying training, at Greenville Aviation School, Ocala, Fla., and has
been transferred to an Army Air Forces Basic Flying school for further advanced
training.
Before joining the armed forces A/C Wilcox made his home at 504 N. Walnut
St., Glenwood, Ia.
PVT. LYLE LEET HERE ON FURLOUGH
Pvt. Lyle Leet, arrived late Saturday evening from Camp Butner, North
Carolina, for a few days visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Leet.
Lyle, who is with the 77th Division, commonly known as the Lightning
Division, has been in the service five months, most of this time has been spent
in Camp Butner, and is his first furlough.
PVT. WERNER HOFFMAN HERE ON SHORT VISIT
Pvt. Werner Hoffman, arrived in Glenwood last week for a short visit with his
parents Mr. and Mrs. Alex Hoffmann.
Werner is stationed with the Amphibian Engineers at Fort Devens,
Massachusetts.
PFC. DALLAS LEO PLUMB FINISHES TRAINING COURSE
Pfc. Dallas Leo Plumb son of Mrs. Blanche E. Plumb of Glenwood, has graduated
from an intensive course in airplane mechanics and now is prepared to join the
ranks of "coverall commandos" who keep our American planes aloft. Sheppard
Field, near Wichita Falls, Texas is one of the largest schools of the Army Air
Forces Technical Training Command, training specialist technicians for the
ground crews which "Keep 'Em Flying."
Before entering the school, he was trained at one of the basic training
centers of the Army Air Forces Technical Training Command.
I have just finished the best airplane mechanics course any man could ever
take. I intend to do my very best to keep the planes flying.
ROBERT APLIN PROMOTED TO CORPORAL
Robert E. Aplin, 19, Co. H, 804th Signal Training Regiment, son of Mr. and
Mrs. J.L. Aplin, Glenwood, was recently promoted from the grade of private to
corporal.
Before induction last February he worked at the Union Pacific Railroad Co. at
Council Bluffs, and he is now taking a course in radio at the Central Signal
Corps School.
In high school he played trumpet in the band for two years.
STAFF SGT. LOVELADY HERE ON FURLOUGH
Staff Sgt. Lyle Lovelady of Camp Rucker, Ozark, Louisiana arrived Wednesday
of last week to spend his furlough here with his wife. He plans to leave
Tuesday of next week for Camp Rucker to continue his duties. Mrs. Lovelady
will remain in Glenwood.
PHILLIPS HILT JR. IN FRESNO CALIF. CAMP
Mr. and Mrs. Chet Reel, of Omaha, visited here over the weekend with Mrs.
Reels family. Chet reported that Phillip Hilt, Jr., was stationed at 804th
T. Gp. A.A.F.B.T.C. No. 8 Bks. 248 F11, 150 Air Corp, Fresno, Calif., and would
like to hear from the home town folks.
WRITES LETTER FROM AFRICAN HOSPITAL
LaVerne Radford writes parents that he is back in the hospital for treatment
for old wound which he received during Tunisian campaign
September 5th, 1943, Sunday Hospital, North Africa
Dear Dad and Estelle:
Well folks here I am back in the hospital again. Don't get excited
because I haven't received another wound, the one I got a while back is just
giving me trouble so they brought me back to see if they can fix me up.
I'm sorry I haven't written more often lately, but they have been moving me
around so much I haven't had time to do any writing. Maybe I will be able
to write a little more often from now on.
How is everyone back there by now? Outside of the two telegrams I got
from you and a couple of letters in May, I haven't heard from a soul since
April. Is Paul still in New York? I certainly hope so and I hope he
stays there. The same for Hodge and the rest. Tell them hello for me
the next time you write them. By the way if you haven't sent that watch
yet, don't send it. I have one now. I met a guy a while back and was
with him for about a month and we came to be pretty good friends and before we
parted he gave me a watch. It is really a good one too. I hope I run
into him some day because he is a swell guy. He is from California and has
a wife and two kids. One of them he has never seen as yet.
Well folks, I guess I'll sign off for now. So long, don't worry and I
hope to be seeing you soon.
Your loving son,
LaVerne
BOB HOPP PROMOTED TO RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT
Robert Hopp, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Hopp, who has been stationed with the
U.S. army at Miami Beach, Fla., has recently been promoted to the rank of staff
sergeant.
CORP. MAX STRANATHAN HERE ON 9 DAY FURLOUGH
Corp. Max Stranathan came Tuesday evening from Camp McCain, Miss., and will
spend nine days here visiting his mother Mrs. Mable Stranathan and other
relatives. Max has been in the hospital for five weeks and was just
released to come hone on leave.
LT. AND MRS. CLYFTON VEST VISITED WITH HOME FOLKS
Lt. and Mrs. Clyfton F. Vest of Omaha spent Sunday with his parents the
occasion being his mother's birthday. Other dinner guests were Mrs. Martha Withrow and son Hubert of Thurman, Mr. and Mrs.
Gilbert Withrow and daughter and
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Withrow and son of Farragut.
CPL. DONALD SPENDING 15 DAY FURLOUGH HERE
Cpl. Eldon E. Donald who is stationed at the Great Lakes, Ill., hospital,
came Friday, August 20 by Zepher to spend a 15-day furlough with his mother,
Mrs. Theo. Dorman, and other relatives and friends. He is recuperating
from a broken back, malaria, fever and shrapnel wounds which he sustained in
Guadalcanal and spinal meningitis with which he was stricken after arriving at
the Great Lakes. He will return to the hospital September 3.
CPL. WAYNE LINCOLN TELLS OF BROADCAST SEPT. 11
Cpl. Wayne E. Lincoln, with the 6th Troop Carrier squadron in New Guinea
writes his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Shirley Lincoln, Sr., in Pacific Junction.
"There is to be a chain broadcast on troop carrier activity in this area
September 11 at 11:45 to 12 Central time over N.B.C. system. This can be
heard from W.O.W.
ALBERT "ABIE" CROUCH HOME ON 16 DAY LEAVE
Mr. and Mrs. George Crouch were surprised Saturday morning when their son
Albert "Abie" came home on a 16 day leave.
Albert has been on sea duty six months and has been to England, Scotland and
several Ports in South America. The last trip through Cape Hatteras they
were in a two day storm. Albert has been in the Navy 10 months and was
promoted to Petty Officer 3/c Gun Mate.
LT. OTTO BUCH HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO TEXAS
Lt. Otto P. Buch, who has been in training with a Tank Division in the desert
for many months, has recently been moved to Texas. He will continue to
read the Glenwood Opinion Tribune and his new address is:
Lt. Otto P. Buch
Co. B, 704 T.D. Bn.
Camp Maxey, Texas
PVT. MERRILL R. MOORE WANTS BOYS TO WRITE
Pvt. Merrill R. Moore, son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Moore who is stationed at
Fort Bliss, Tex., and would like to have the boys write him, his address is Pvt.
Merrill R. Moore, Batry., C. 149th Gun Bn. (A.A.A.) Fort Bilss, Texas.
PVT. MURL BIRD HERE ON 12 DAY FURLOUGH
Pvt. Murl Bird Jr. of Camp Butner, N.C., came Tuesday on a 12-day furlough,
visiting his mother, Mrs. Grace Bird and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bird.
ENSIGN ROBERT WILLIAMS ARRIVES SAFE IN ENGLAND
Mr. and Mrs. A.G. Williams received word Tuesday of the safe arrival of their
son Ensign Robert Williams in England. His address is Unit No. 2, Navy
319, c/o fleet post office New York City, N.Y.
FIRST LIEUT. C. SEITZ
First Lieut. C. Raymond Seitz, prisoner of the Japanese, was heard from this
week when two cards came through the local post office. On these, he said
he was well and hoped to see his folks soon. His parents, Maj. and Mrs.
Charles Seitz, are now in Mobile, Ala. Former associates of Maj. Seitz at
the Glenwood post office decided to wire him the good news and advise him that
the cards are on their way. Lieut. Seitz went to the Philippines with a
battalion of engineers. He had transferred and was operating with native
warriors, called Philippine Scouts, at the fall of the islands.
ROBT. LEE ROLAND HERE ON 9 DAY FURLOUGH
Pvt. Robt. Lee Roland who is stationed at Camp Blanding Fla., but more
recently of Washington, D.C., where he has been attending the Georgetown
University, came Friday to Glenwood, he was met here by his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Lee Roland of Alliance, Nebr. They were entertained while here by Mr.
and Mrs. Ira Nuss of near Pacific Junction. Robert had just nine days
furlough and didn't feel he had time to go on to Alliance.
PVT. GEORGE STORK HOME FROM CANADA ON FURLOUGH
Pvt. George Stork came Monday from Canada to spend a 10-day furlough
with his mother Mrs. Walter Hubbell and family. Pvt. Stork has been in the
army for a year and this is the first furlough he has received.
WALTER FADER WRITES PHILIPPINE PRISON CAMP
Mrs. Neil Fader of Glenwood Rt. 1 received a card from her son, Walter Fader,
who is in a Philippine Military Prison Camp No. 2. He says his
health is good, I am uninjured, I am well. Greet the entire family.
I think of you always. Hope you are well. Hope to be home soon.
Please give my best regards to Gail and his family, Signed Walter D.
Fader. Private USA, Philippine Military Prison Camp, No. 2.
CPL. MARLIN RICHARDSON ON 15 DAYS FURLOUGH
Cpl. Marlin Richardson whose company has completed maneuvers near Nashville,
Tenn., where they have been stationed for several weeks, has been granted a
15-day furlough which he will spend here with his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Herb Edmonds and with his folks, Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Richardson
near Malvern.
Cpl. Richardson, whose ability as a vocalist is well known in this his home
community was a soloist at the Congregational church in Glenwood, at the Sunday
morning service.
DEWAYNE ANDREWS HERE ON 15 DAY FURLOUGH
Seaman Second Class DeWayne Andrews of Farragut, Idaho, has spent a fifteen
day furlough at the home of his parents Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Andrews. He
leaves Saturday night for Farragut.
LT. CLYFTON VEST VISITED PARENTS HERE FRIDAY
Lt. Clyfton F. Vest and wife spent a short time Friday with his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Vest, upon leaving for Rock Island, Ill., where he is being
assigned to begin another three months course of study. Lt. Vest has been
stationed at Fort Crook the past month. They are comfortably located in
Davenport where they will reside.
CORP. JOHN WRAY WAS HERE ON FURLOUGH
Corp. John Wray was visiting friends here, he just returned to the States
from North Africa the last of August. Mr. Wray visited here and Grand
Island, Nebr., he worked on a farm near here before entering service.
PVT. PHILLIP HILT PROMOTED TO PFC.
Pvt. Phillip F. Hilt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Hilt Sr. of Tacoma, Wash.,
has been promoted to the grade Private First Class upon assignment to the
Technical School, Army Air Forces Training Command, Sioux Falls, S.D., for
training as a radio operator mechanic.
LT. KEITH HOPP HEARS BROADCAST ABOUT GLENWOOD
In a letter which Lt. Keith Hopp, now in England, wrote to his wife on Sunday
evening, August 15, and which she received September 1, he told of having picked
up a broadcast that evening called "Your Home Town." Imagine his surprise
to find that three Iowa cities, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Glenwood were
featured. The items of news mentioned were the departure of C.F.
Kilpatrick for the Navy and the family dinner given in his honor, word from
various prisoners of war, with Walter Marshall, the first mentioned, the
attempted trip of H.M. Logan to western Nebraska when he found all busses and
trains filled, and the death of the late Wayne D. Choate. Lt. Hopp
commented that he was certainly thrilled to get the broadcast and to hear the
names of many of his friends when he is so many miles away.
Page 52
WINN ZELLER HAS SAME RANK AS HIS WIFE
From a North Africa Air Base comes the story that Winn F. Zeller has been
made a First Lieutenant after being outranked 3 months by his wife, First Lt.
Wilma Wyant Zeller, a WAC recruiting officer stationed at Enid, Okla. Lt.
Zeller in Africa has set up a highly efficient radio system which worked like
clockwork during the Italian invasion. The second day of that combat, the
general sent word to Zeller that he would be a first lieutenant the following
day. His wife no longer outranks him.
CORP. H. STONE WRITES FROM PRISON CAMP
Mrs. J.F. Stone wishes to share with other mothers some of the information in
a letter from her son, Corp. Hubert Stone, now a prisoner at Stalag 111B in
Germany. The letter was dated June 13 and in it he told of the camp band
being organized after instruments reached them from the Y.M.C.A. and the Red
Cross. The night before writing, he had attended a show put on by talent
in the camp. Baseball clubs had been organized in the barracks, and they
were witnessing some good games. The chaplain was expected to reach the
camp soon, and in the meantime they were having their own divine services.
He mentioned that American doctors had arrived at the camp just a week earlier.
Corp. Stone stated that Ross Garrett had just received a letter from Mrs.
W.C.
Marshall. Evidently this was one of the first communications to reach the
boys. Mrs. Marshall has been very interested in this information, as the
letter she mailed to Ross, she sent in care of the International Red Cross,
Geneva, Switzerland, and apparently it has reached its destination sooner than
those sent in the usual channels.
VERNER LEWIS WRITES FROM NORTH AFRICA
Mrs. John E. Lewis has recently received a V-Mail letter from her son, Pvt.
Verner J. Lewis, who is with the 133 Infantry and stationed in North Africa.
The letter written on October 6th is as follows:
Dear Folks:
Just a line to let you know I am OK and hope this finds you both the same.
No, I haven't seen Jack Messinger for quite some time, maybe 6 months.
I haven't seen anyone from Glenwood for about 9 or 10 months. I did see
Bobby Osterholm once. Also Winston Holmes, the one who used to work in the
Bradley store. I never hear from Roy's and Earl's. I hear from Clark
and Fran, Clara, Cora and Arline. Once in a while I hear from Aunt Viola,
not very often.
I don't see why you don't hear from me, because I know I have written every
once in a while in the past 5 months.
Will close for now,
Yours,
Verne
GEORGE LACEY GOES TO ELLINGTON FIELD
George M. Lacey, who in the seven months in which he has been in the Air
Corps has been stationed at Morehea, Minn., and Santa Ana, Calif., has now been
sent to Texas. He will be pleased to hear from any of his Glenwood friends
and is at the following address:
A/C George M. Lacey, 17130983
Gp. 25 N, Sqdn, E. Flt. 1
Navigator Wing A.A.F.P.S.
Ellington Field, Texas
CAPT. DEYOUNG NOW IN NORTH IRELAND
Capt. Ward A. DeYoung has been transferred to North Ireland. His
address is Capt. Ward A. DeYoung, 28th Station Hospital, APO 813 c/o Postmaster,
New York, N.Y.
JACK ROLL TAKING BASIC TRAINING AT AIR SCHOOL
Aviation Cadet Jack P. Roll, 25, husband of Mrs. Vernelle H. Roll
of Glenwood
and son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Roll of 208 N. Linn, Glenwood, has arrived to
begin his basic pilot training at this Army Air Force school at Perrin Field,
Texas. For nine weeks Cadet Roll will divide his training day equally
between ground school and the cockpit of his 450-horsepower plane.
His address is A.S. Jack P. Roll, 17131099, Aviation Cadet Detachment, Class
44-C, Section M, Perrin Field, Sherman, Texas.
JOHN BARBER PROMOTED TO 3/C PETTY OFFICER
Relatives received word here from John Barber that he has been promoted to
3/c Petty officer. John has been attending Advance Sound school in San
Diego, Calif., for the past six weeks.
ENSIGN AND MRS. DUVAL VISITING HIS PARENTS
Alan DuVal, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank DuVal of near Malvern has just
completed his four months course of intensive training at the Coast Guard
Officers Training School at New London, Connecticut, where he graduated last
Thursday morning, November 10, and received his commission as Ensign.
He was also granted a 10 day leave of absence with instructions to report at
Boston, Mass., November 24, for further instruction. He and Mrs. DuVal
left immediately for Iowa to spend this brief vacation visiting her people at
Amana and his parents here.
It will be remembered that Mr. DuVal who was instructor of Foreign languages
at Cornell College at Mt. Vernon, Ia., was granted a leave of absence from his
duties at the close of the College year 1942 to enlist in the Coast Guard.
Service upon his enlistment he was sent immediately to Alameda, Calif., for his
basic training after which he was given work in the Coast Guard Identification
Office in San Francisco, until the first of last July when he was transferred to
New London.
JUST A SOLDIER
When you see a man in khaki,
Or a sailor boy in blue
Had you ever stopped to think
That man is human too?
Just because he had the courage
He is sent away from home,
It is now become his duty,
In a foreign land to roam.
When he left his friends and loved ones,
He put on a face so glad,
But a soldier, too, has feelings,
And his throbbing heart was sad.
Just portray yourself departing
From the ones you hold most dear,
Knowing that you may not see them
Any more for months or years.
Just because a man wears Khaki
Doesn't mean that he's a brute,
He's a master of emotion,
For apparently he's mute.
But down in his brawny bosom
There's a heart that beats right on
For the ones back in his home land,
For the scenes that now are gone.
There are times that every soldier
Has a heart that's full of pain,
Just to be back with his sweetheart
And the scenes he loves again.
But when pensive moods o'ertake him
And he's nearly dead with blues
Comes a letter from his sweetheart,
With encouragement and news.
And his countenance grows brighter
As he sees between the lines
The face of his dear old mother
Or that sweetheart left behind.
He is awaiting for that letter:
Take a minute, write a line,
You'll feel better if you do it.
And you'll never miss the time.
A Soldier
PFC. LEO PLUMP SURPRISED AT I.O. LINVILLE HOME
A group of friends and neighbors went in Monday night at the I.O. Linville
home and surprised their grandson Pfc. Leo Plumb, who is stationed at the Air
Field at Dodge City, Kansas, and who is home on a 15 day furlough. They
brought along refreshments of ice cream, cake, sandwiches, pickles and coffee.
They also had the pleasure of greeting Sgt. Guy H. Alley of Camp White,
Oregon, who was also home on furlough.
Those who enjoyed the evening were Mrs. Myrtle Delevan, Orville Tackett, Mr.
and Mrs. Charlie Linville, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Linville and son Roger, Mrs.
Virginia Ragland and daughter Linda; Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Garrett and son George;
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Delevan and son Samual Wade; Mr. and Mrs. Darwin Delevan son
Phillip and daughter Mary; Sgt. Guy Alley, Miss Lelia Fierstein, Dale Linville,
Blanch Plumb, Mr. and Mrs. I.O. Linville, Cuba, and the honor guest Pfc. Leo
Plumb.
LT. KEITH HOPP REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION
According to a message received last Friday morning by Mr. and Mrs. Leo Hopp
from the War Department, their son, First Lt. Keith Hopp of the Army Air Force,
has been missing in action over Germany since Nov. 5. Lt. Hopp, who
piloted a Flying Fortress at the time of his loss, was the leader in a squadron
of six bombers. He is known to have completed at least eleven missions
over the continent prior to November 5.
The Associated Press reported that on Friday, Nov. 5, a huge fleet of
American heavy bombers, the heaviest air blows of the war estimated at 700,
loosed one of over western Germany. Gelsenkirchen and Muenster were the
recipients of this staggering assault. Gelsenkirchen is a seat of great
synthetic oil works, making it nearly as important as the Rumanian oil fields.
Muenster is a railway center. The sky armada bored through a wall of anti-air
craft fire which one pilot said was "as intense as hell and as thick as
raindrops." No interceptor planes were used by the Germans in the combat,
which was carried on in daylight.
Lt. Hopps parents, his wife and other relatives await further word, hopeful
that he will be found a prisoner of the enemy.
SILVER CITY BOY WRITES FRIENDS HERE
Friends here are in receipt of a letter from Albert Sanders, Silver City boy
who is serving in the Evacuation Hospital Corp. He says, "I am now
somewhere in Italy and like it much better than I have at any place since I left
the United States. The people here raise a lot of garden, fruit and all
kinds of nuts. We see very little general farming here and what is, is
done with oxen.
It will soon be a year since I landed at Casablanca, North Africa, from there
I went to Algiers, where my brother was and then over here.
I was very glad to hear that the crops were good in Iowa this year and that
the folks at home are all well."
JACK MESSINGER MEETS MORE GLENWOOD BOYS
In a letter received this week, by Mrs. Faye Messinger, dated November 9,
from her son Cpl. Jack Messinger, he says, "I have some more good news, another
Glenwood boy has been located and still another is here. Everett (Fasnacht)
and I saw Earl Trimmer yesterday and had quite a talk and last night we heard
that Ernie Phillips (Lanky Phil) is in town and I have found out where he is
working so will see him soon as possible. That makes Winston Holmes,
Everett Fashacht, Verner Lewis, Bob Osterholm, Jim Evans, Earl Trimmer, Lanky
Phil and I together. Quite a collection of Glenwood boys around here.
Maybe we can throw a party or something soon.
Yesterday Everett gave me an apple, it is first I've had in over a year."
S 2/C KARLE MEYER WAS HERE ON FIVE DAY LEAVE
S 2/c Karle Meyer, son of Dr. and Mrs. V.J. Meyer now stationed at Corpus
Christi, Texas, came last Thursday morning and remained for five days visiting
his parents at the State School.
LAVERNE RADFORD BACK IN STATES IN HOSPITAL
Laverne Radford, son of Chas. Radford, who was wounded in North Africa last
April and has been in the hospital there, has been returned to the States and is
in the hospital in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
LT. KEITH HOPP IS GERMAN PRISONER
Telegram Bears News That Well Known Glenwood Boy Escaped Death When His
Flying Fortress Went Down in Raid Over Germany.
Tuesday was indeed an eventful day at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Hopp.
At 6:30 a.m. they received a telephone call from their son, S/Sgt. Robert Hopp
of Miami Beach, Fla., saying that he has been given an agricultural discharge
from the Army in order to return to assist his father in extensive farming and
would leave Florida Tuesday night for home.
About an hour later, Mr. and Mrs. Hopp were notified by telegram from the
Provost Marshall General that their son, First Lieutenant Keith Hopp, is a
prisoner of the German government. Lieutenant Hopp, pilot of a Flying
Fortress, was reported missing after a bombing raid over Germany early in
November and his fate had not been known until this telegram arrived.
Needless to say, this was cause for great rejoicing at the Hopp home as well as
in the schoolroom taught by Mrs. Keith Hopp.
PACIFIC JUNCTION BOY AWARDED FLYING CROSS
The war department announced Friday awards to more than 150 officers and
enlisted men, including four Iowans of the United States army's 14th air force
for heroism and outstanding achievement in China, Burma and India.
The distinguished flying cross was awarded to Lt. Richard A. Combs of Pacific
Junction, Ia., and the air medal to Lt. Roy E. Tooman of Muscatine and Lts.
Junior G. Hull and Richard W. Meridith of Des Moines.
Lt. Combs is the son of Mrs. Anna B. Combs and left Glenwood with Co. I.
Later he transferred to the Air Corp. The Combs have one other son James
in the U.S. Navy. Dick has been overseas 2 months December 2nd and is
stationed in China. He has been in the hospital since the 14th, stating
that he would be released from the hospital Dec. 4.
Page 53
SERGEANT LUGSCH WRITES FROM ITALY
COMPANY I IN TOUGH SPOT
Leonard Bateman Sends Letter Written by Bill Lugsch Who Was With Company on
Way to Front Lines. Have Been Overseas eighteen Months
The Opinion-Tribune staff is in receipt of two very interesting letters from
well known Glenwood boys, Bill Lugsch and Leonard Bateman, members of Company I,
who left here almost three years ago. The letter by Bill Lugsch was
written before orders came for the Company to move up to the front lines and
handed to Bateman with the request that he send it on to the home town paper.
Both letters will be of interest to all Mills County residents:
Italy
Oct. 29, 1943
Dear Mrs. Choate,
Sgt. Bill asked me to mail his letter to you, and said I should write a few
lines if I wanted to. The Company is moving up so you see he would not
have a chance to mail it.
The kitchens stay back of the lines, and deliver the chow after dark each
night. They never know what they are eating, kind of a surprise package
for them. The Jerries might shoot a few holes in our nice shiny pots if
we were to show ourselves off in the daytime.
There are not so many of the original Company left. Was kind of hard to
get used to the new faces, I still don't know all of them by name and they are a
darned good gang too.
We always say that I Company is the best in the Army. It's proved
itself to be in Africa and here in Italy. We don't care much for war but
know that someone had to do the fighting so why complain. Here's hoping it
will be over soon. If you could see how destitute war leave's people you
would buy every War Bond possible.
You folks back home are doing a fine job of equipping and feeding us.
Our equipment and feeding us. Our equipment is the best there is.
The people are glad to see us. Some of them have had American flag's
stowed away, and they bring them out on display. America is a well known
and respected nation.
I hope we can continue to lead the world into a peaceful future. I
don't suppose you remember me. I worked at Ragers for a few year's and
just before the Company left Glenwood I worked at the O.K. lunch. I can
remember you and Mr. Choate coming in for coffee late on the evening after work.
We all miss Good Old Glenwood, it's a good town. I've spent many happy
days in it. We will be back some day and soon I hope.
Everyone from Glenwood looks forward to getting the Opinion Tribune through
the mail. Good luck.
From your friend,
Leonard Bateman
Somewhere in Italy
October 23, 1943
DEAR HAZEL
Dear Hazel:
It has been a long time since any of us have had time to really sit down and
write any kind of a letter for the paper. Several of us who are left were
sitting around talking last night and decided that it was about time that one
was written. We have come a long way since we left that little town and
done many things and will probably go a lot further and do quite a few more
things before we can an of us get back to our little town. Right now we
are all hoping that we will be lucky enough to fight our way right on up into
Germany and shoot the locks off those prison camps, where they have the boys
penned up. At the rate we are going now we should make it by next spring
or summer. It is all plenty tough going, but we are getting there slow but
sure. Another 6 days and we have been overseas 18 months, believe me that
seems like a long time to me. The States is just a happy remembrance that
seems like a dream that keeps coming back. Then when we see how these
people in these foreign countries live we realize the things that we are
fighting for. These Italian people are really swell to us, every time we
take a little town or village they are standing out in the streets with apples,
wine and anything else that they have to offer. The old women, kids, men
and young women are all clapping their hands, cheering and some of them even
crying they are so happy to see us come marching into their midst. We have
seen the marks of German ruthlessness, their homes have been burned and anything
of any value that they have is destroyed and in many cases they have slaughtered
the civilians. It is certainly not a pleasant sight and every time we run
into anything like that it makes us more determined and we fight that much
harder. About the only thing we wonder about sometimes, is, why so few of
us have to do all the fighting when there appear to be so many troops sitting
around back there in the states not doing a darned thing. We have been at
this nasty business of war for a long time, and believe me the ones of us who
are left are becoming just a shade war weary. True enough we had a nice
rest after the Tunisian campaign but even at that our nerves are on edge.
If it was a case of us being the only troops that we have, it would be an
entirely different story, but that is not the case. It is not that we
can't go ahead and do these things, but it sure would be a big help if they
could and would send some of those U.S.O. guards over and give us a little
relief once in awhile. We don't want to be taken out all together, we just
don't like to start out in a long campaign and know that once we come in contact
with the enemy that we are going to be battling until the whole thing is over
and sometimes that is a long drawn out affair and plenty hard on the nerves.
Thanksgiving and Christmas is creeping up on us again, most of us plan on
spending at least Christmas in Rome. We never know from one day to the
next where we are going to be so it is pretty hard to tell just where we will
actually be spending the holidays, it will probably turn out to be a fox hole.
Where ever it is we will everyone of us be thinking about all of you back there
and wondering if you are having a nice time, and hoping that you are with plenty
to eat and all the comforts that can possibly be had. Some day this mess
is going to be all cleared up and we can all go back to our old way of living,
hoping and praying that war will never again darken the earth.
I want to tell you about an incident that happened to me when we were
cleaning out a small town, we had captured several Germans and had the town well
under control, the civilians were going wild and practically mobbing us.
They were kissing the boys and giving them everything they had, another fellow
and myself were walking up the street when we found ourselves surrounded by
civilians all jabbering something that we couldn't understand, anyhow they
started taking us into one of the houses and when we got on the inside there was
a civilian who could talk perfect English and a Roman Catholic Bishop, the man
who could talk English told us that the Bishop wanted us to go into his private
chambers and bless us. I can't even begin to explain how I felt, I had
never in my life ever seen a Bishop before except in Newsreels, but he had
complete control over those people. I don't know how to explain it but to me he
was the most lordly looking person I have ever seen, his quarters were
immaculate and very beautiful, he kissed us, blessed us and gave us wine and
expressed his gratitude to us for releasing he and his people from German
oppression. I don't believe that I will ever forget that visit as long as
I live.
I must close for this time and get some more of my correspondence caught up
and then get a little work done. The fellows all send their regards.
So Long,
1st Sgt. Bill Lugsch
ELLISON VAN PELT COMPLETES RADIO MECHANIC COURSE
Pfc. Donald Ellison Van Pelt, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.E. Van Pelt, Glenwood,
Iowa, recently completed an intensive course in radio operator mechanics at the
Technical School Army Air Forces Training Command, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
In addition to attending school, he went through a rigid drilling and physical
training program in order to be fully prepared to take over an assignment in the
combat area, if necessary.
He is now prepared to join the crew of a bomber, or to take up any other
radio duties to which the AAF Training Command may assign him.
SGT. CLIFFORD WHITE VISITS PARENTS HERE
Sgt. Clifford D. White spent the week end at the home of his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. G.I. White north of Glenwood. Sgt. White is Engineer of his crew and
Pfc. Thompson is his assistant. The boys are now stationed at the Sioux
City Air Base, where they are taking final flight training.
SGT. RICHARD HUNT WRITES OF JERUSALEM
Richard Tells of Places of Interest Where Christ Lived and Died and Where He
Carried His Cross, and Was Crucified.
Sgt. Richard E. Hunt, in a letter to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Hunt in
this city, writes an interesting letter of his visit to Jerusalem.
Middle East
December 6, 1943
Dear Folks,
I guess it must be about time for me to write again don't you think? I
really have some excuse now, and perhaps a little more to talk about than usual
because I had some negatives finished finally, of snaps that Cpl. Melvin and I
took one time in our travels, when we visited Jerusalem. So now as the
prints are finished, I will send them to you and tell you some about the trip.
We didn't get to stay long there, but we made the most of it while we were
there.
One of the first things that impressed us was the Simmons inner-spring
mattress, that we slept on at the Y.M.C.A. Boy, that was nice. I
felt that I would liked to have spent most of my pass on that, but Melvin
wouldn't let me. He insisted that we must get out and see some of the
places of interest, so the first day we spent looking over the places where
Christ lived and died and where he carried his cross. The people over here
don't quite agree upon where he was crucified, or where he was placed after his
crucifixion, but they do seem to agree upon the place of his birth.
We walked from the Y. to the gate of the old city of Jerusalem and there we
hired a guide to take us through. (I'd like to see any one do otherwise.)
Excuse the comment, but these people are the most persistent people I ever
expect to meet, but it helps to have a guide anyway, to point out the places of
interest, which you no doubt would miss most of, otherwise. The streets in
the old city are narrow and winding and I might add, a bit dirty, but what could
one expect. I guess the city dates back a way, Huh, Dad?
Well, to get along with our trip, we followed the way of the cross and saw
all fourteen of the places where he was supposed to have fallen with his cross,
and then finally to the place where he was crucified and then on to where he was
put to rest. All along the way they have shops and street venders who try
to sell you their wares, but they are all too high, and I'm not Scotch either,
but these people all, must have been misinformed, because they think all Yankees
are very rich, and they must think rich like John D. or Henry Ford or some of
those boys, because they sure stick the prices on, where we are concerned.
Well, we got out of there as soon as we had seen everything of importance and
went on to Bethlehem by Taxi, and with another guide. It's only about
twenty minute ride and there we went into the Church of Nativity, which contains
the manger where Jesus was born. Then on the way back, we stopped,
and the guide showed us the well, into which the Wise Men looked, and caught the
reflection of the star that was guiding them. So we looked into it, and
had our guide take our pictures, shaking hands over the well.
From there, we went on to the Church of all Nations, but we were a little
unfortunate there, we didn't get to go inside that church, but took some
pictures of the church and of us in the garden, beside the church. From
this church you can get a good view of the wall around the old city and the gate
that was sealed upon the crucifixion of Christ and which is to be kept closed
until His reappearance upon this earth. I also am sending you this
picture.
We went from there, to the garden Tomb, believed by many to be the Tomb
wherein the body of our Lord was laid, and to me, it looks like the logical
place.
Well, that just about completes the account of our visit to the Holy land,
and needless to say that from there we went first, looking for a place to eat,
and then, back to that good old Simman's mattress. How I did enjoy that
night's sleep.
I want to thank you again for the nice Christmas box I received.
Everything that you sent I can use to the best advantage.
You asked me once, if I had all the nice warm clothes that I need, I sure
have Mom, and then some, and when we have to pack up our barracks bags and move,
I have about three times as much as I care about having. Don't worry about
me, I'm probably by far, better off than you are, and if I don't worry, I don't
like to think about you worrying.
Say, that package came all intact and without the wrapper even being
wrinkled, so I got a chance to read the Glenwood Opinion Tribune, and I don't
mind telling you, that I enjoyed it, every bit of it, even though the date was a
little old on it. I would like to get that more often. I get a lot
of enjoyment out of reading the letters written home to mothers of soldiers
overseas. Send me a copy now and then will you?
This leaves me in the best of health and hope that it reaches you all,
feeling the same as I do.
Lots of love to all,
Dick
Sgt. Richard E. Hunt
14th Special Service Co.
APO 682 c/o Postmaster
New York City, N.Y.
LIEUT. DEAN COMMANDING OFFICER OF NEW AIR FIELD
Lieut. Allen E. Dean, son of Rev. Fred E. Dean of Rochester, N.Y., and
grandson of the late A.E. Dean of this city is now commanding officer of a new
air field in Conroe, Texas.
Allen was in the Naval air force at the time of Pearl Harbor and was an air
pilot on the ship "The Vincennes" which was sunk in the Solomons in August 1942.
At that time he was injured and was in a California Naval hospital about a
year. He has been awarded the "Purple Heart" medal and has recently been
made commanding officer of the Naval Air Faculty at Conroe, Texas.
Since taking up his new duties he was married to Miss Ruth Sandorf of San
Jose, Calif. It is gratifying to know that he has done so well in spite of
misfortune and we wish him success in his new field and much happiness in
married life.
Page 54
WILMA WYANT ZELLER SELECTED TO TRAIN AT FORT DES MOINES
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wyant of Glenwood to Enter Training for Army
Commission
One of the 200 women from New York, New Jersey and Delaware selected for
officer training at Iowa's Fort Des Moines is a former Glenwood resident, Wilma Milmay Wyant Zeller. Mrs. Zeller, who for the past four years has been an
instructor in speech at Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y., is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. J. Millard Wyant. Her notice of appointment to the officer candidate
class was received this week; she has orders to report to Fort Des Moines on
October 12.
After graduating from Glenwood High School in 1930, Mrs. Zeller went to Park
College for two years. She then spent a year as secretary in her father's
insurance office before transferring to the department of speech and dramatic
art at the University of Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree at
Iowa City in 1935, and was married, to Winn Fredrik Zeller in Glenwood that same
year. Mrs. Zeller received her degree Master of Arts at the university the
following summer, when her husband completed his doctorate.
The Zellers were employed at Whittier College, Whittier, Calif., until 1938,
when they moved to Ithaca, where Dr. Zeller is director of the department of
drama and dean of the academic division. In addition to her work as an
instructor in speech at Ithaca College, Mrs. Zeller has directed the costuming
of many college theatrical productions and is resident housemother of Kappa
Gamma Psi, a national fraternity. Since the war came, she has been most
active as an instructor in First Aid for groups of air raid wardens, college
students, and Red Cross Motor Corps Members.
Wilma will complete her basic training about Christmas time and will be
assigned in the way of duties but is looking forward eagerly to the chance for
military service, and with especial eagerness to the opportunity for a return to
Iowa for a few weeks at the least. By the time she gets her officer's
commission, she hopes that she'll be located at least within flying distance of
her husband, who expects to receive soon a commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve.
WILMA WYANT ZELLER VISITS PARENTS HERE
Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wyant enjoyed a week end visit from their daughter, Mrs.
Winn Zeller, who is attending the W.A.A.C. Officer's Training School in Des
Moines. She was accompanied by three other young ladies from this training
center, Miss Sally Orchard of New Jersey who went on to Omaha to visit friends,
Mrs. Kathryn Herron and Miss Stephanie Szech of New York who visited in the
Wyant home.
MISS MILDRED WOODS TO TRAIN ARMY DOGS
Miss Mildred Woods, Photographer, of Albuquerque, N.M., left Tuesday evening
after paying a brief visit to her mother, Mrs. Carrie Woods. Miss Woods
reports that Albuquerque is bustling with war activities, the most spectacular
of which is a finishing school for bombardiers. Their practice goes on
continuously on the bombing range near the city.
Miss Woods, who has long been a dog fancier, has enlisted her energies in the
Dogs for Defense Drive, and, on returning to Albuquerque, will begin to train a
fine specimen of black Great Dane. The dogs and the service of trainers
are given without remuneration, and the U.S. Army has asked for 5,000 dogs this
year, 10,000 in 1943. After those requests have been filled, effort will
also be made to meet the need for dogs in the navy and the Red Cross. The
dogs, all of fine pedigree, are trained as guards and companions to sentries and
become splendid morale builders in the army. The European countries,
according to Miss Woods, have long recognized the value of dogs in the armed
service, and the German army, especially, has a large corps of them.
NEL B. KALSKETT IS HOSTESS AT ARMY CAMP
Nel B. Kalskett, instructor in Glenwood High School for the past eight years
has been appointed to the position of hostess at Camp Carson near Colorado
Springs, Colo. This is a new camp just being opened by the United States
Army and Miss Kalskett, who has been in Omaha since the close of this school
year left Wednesday to assume her new duties at the camp where she will have an
apartment in the hostess house and is furnished a private car and driver.
WYANTS SEE DAUGHTER RECEIVE LIEUT. COMMISSION
Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wyant visited over the weekend in Des Moines at which time
they had the pleasure of seeing their daughter, Wilma Zeller, receive her
Lieutenant's commission in the Woman's Army Auxiliary Corps. She was one
of the two Iowa women in the class who received their commission at that time.
Mr. Zeller, who is in the Cryptographic corps of the Army Air Corps, has just
received his Lieutenant's commission at the Glades, Miami Beach, Florida, and
had been assigned to Bolling Field, Virginia, was given a few days furlough and
was able to come to Des Moines in time to be present when Mrs. Zeller received
her commission.
Mrs. Zeller will remain in Des Moines for a time as an instructor in military
tactics at the WAAC training center.
Mr. and Mrs. Wyant also had the pleasure, while in Des Moines of visiting
their son, Maurice, who is receiving his basic training there in the Army Signal
Corps.
FIRST GLENWOOD GIRL TO ENLIST IN WAAC
Miss Miriam Parker, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. H.G. Parker of this city, is
the firs Glenwood girl to enlist in the WAAC. Miss Parker, who has been
employed recently in the Opinion-Tribune office, received her call last
week and was in Omaha from Wednesday until Saturday taking her examinations
which she passed in a creditable manner and was accepted as typist with
specialist's ratings. She took the oath of induction Saturday and will be
called for duty within three weeks. Miss Parker expects to be assigned to
the new training center at Daytona Beach, Florida.
JACQUELINE RUTH YORK
A daughter, Jacqueline Ruth, was born Wednesday morning, February 10 at the
Jennie Edmundson hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Rex York. Mr. York is with the
U.S. Marines in the Isles of the Pacific presumably on Guadalcanal. Mrs.
York, the former Ruth Michaelson, is secretary to the Mills County Selective
Service Board.
MISS OLIVE TAFT WRITES FROM CHINA
In a letter from Miss Olive Taft formerly of this city, written last Dec. 17,
in Peking, China, Glenwood friends have learned that she is well and is carrying
on her work in the Methodist Mission of that city in about her usual manner.
She states that war regulations have not interfered with them and that they are
permitted to go on with their tasks as usual. Her letter is given over
largely to the simple, daily happenings. She spoke of their Thanksgiving
dinner where not turkey, but bustard, a flying bird resembling wild duck in
flavor, was the chief item. Miss Taft regrets that she receives little or
no mail from the States, but adds that all ship space is given over to transport
purposes rather than to private mail. In begging that her Glenwood friends
will continue, however, to send letters to her, she requests that they write
mainly personal matters and refrain from comments on conditions.
MRS. ORRIN OSTERHOLM AND SON
The little fellow pictured above is Orrin Douglas Osterholm of this city, who
was born July 16 in the Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs. He has the
distinction of being the first child born to a soldier in World War II
from Glenwood stationed across the seas. His father is Sgt. Orrin Osterholm, a member of Company I, 168th Infantry, and is at present stationed
with the A.E.F. in northern Ireland.
MISS DORIS WILLIAMS RECEIVE CALL TO WAVES
Miss Doris Williams, who recently passed the entrance examination and was
inducted into service of the WAVES, on Monday received her official call
ordering her to report at Hunter College in New York City on April 19, Hunter
College, prior to ----------
CPL. MIRIAM PARKER AT CAMP POLK, LA
A card comes from Miss Miriam Parker, stating that she has just been
transferred from Wilmington, North Carolina to Co. 4, 1st Bn., 41st WAAC
Training Center, Camp Polk, Louisiana.
Miss Parker holds the rank of corporal, in the WAAC.
MILLS COUNTY GIRL SAFE IN PHILIPPINES
The anxiety of Mr. and Mrs. William Burgoin of Silver City, over the safety
of their daughter and family who are in the Philippines, was somewhat lessened
this week.
On Sunday they received a cablegram from the Singer Sewing Machine Company,
of which their son-in-law is a foreign representative, saying that "Pleased to
report all employees in the Philippine Islands safe and well.""
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Tyson, she being the former Ethel Burgoin, have been in
the Islands for several years, where he is district supervisor for the Singer
Sewing Machine Company. They visited their parents here two years age and
since that time a son,, James William, has been born to them, he now being a
year and a half old. Mr. and Mrs. Burgoin have not heard from their
daughter since war broke out last December, and at that time they were located
in the town of Baguio, province of Luzon.
The message received by the Singer Sewing Machine Company, came through the
International Red Cross at Geneva, Switzerland, and Manila, Philippine Islands.
RECEIVES GREETINGS FROM FORMER RESIDENTS
Miss Hattie Kirkpatrick received a Christmas note from Mrs. Elizabeth DeBrohun, who was well-known in Glenwood. Mrs. DeBrohun states in her
letter that her eldest daughter, Betty, is following in the footsteps of her
illustrious father, who held a high position in the U.S. Navy, and is
commissioned in the WAVES this month at Northhampton, Mass. (Incomplete)
MARINE CORPS LIBRARIAN IN NORTH CAROLINA
Miss Helen Hilton, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Charles Hilton of Glenwood,
who has been librarian at Shurleff College, Alton, Ill., has been appointed a
librarian by the U.S. Navy and is now located at the Marine Corps Air Station,
Cherry Point, N.C. She resides at Moorehead City.
Page 55
JOE BOSTEDT DIED IN PRISON CAMP
International Red Cross reports death of well known Bostedt twin on June
16th. Was on Bataan peninsula.
The sympathy of the entire community goes into the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Bostedt
of St. Mary's township, this week, sympathy over the untimely death of
their twin son, Corporal Joe W. Bostedt, who has been a prisoner of war of the
Japanese government in the Philippine Islands, and whose death was reported in a
telegram from the war department received by them on Tuesday evening of this
week.
This official message read as follows: "Report now received from the
Japanese Government through the International Red Cross that your son, Corporal
Joe W. Bostedt, who was previously reported a prisoner of war died on the
sixteenth of June in the Philippine Islands. The Secretary of War shares
your grief and extends his deep sympathy. Letter follows."
John and Joe Bostedt, 21, twins, enlisted shortly after their graduation from
a Council Bluffs high school, having served some three years in the air force.
They were both known to have been on Bataan at the time of its surrender to the
Japanese in February of last year. No word has ever been received of what
became of John, whether he lost his life at the time of the occupation of the
Islands by the Japanese or whether he has also been a prisoner of war.
Another son, Glen Bostedt, with the U.S. Army in the Philippines has been
reported as a prison of war although no direct word has been received from him
by his parents.
Some 300 names of American soldiers who died recently in the Islands has been
released by the war department. They have been reported to have died from
malaria, dysentery, pneumonia and other diseases, known to be prevalent in
Japanese prison camps.
ROBERT JACKSON GIVEN POSTHUMOUS MEDAL
A posthumous medal for bravery, in the form of the Purple Heart, was received
by Dean Jackson on Monday for his late son, Robert Wods Jackson, Yoeman Third
Class of the U.S. Navy. The official statement, after pointing out that
the Purple Heart was established by Gen. George Washington in 1782, reads that
the citation was given to Robert Woods Jackson "for military merit and for
wounds received in action resulting in his death on December 7, 1941."
Robert, who was Glenwood's first casualty in the current conflict, was on the
U.S.S. Arizona at Pearl Harbor. Significant is the fact that this citation
is dated just two years later, December 7, 1943. Coming from the Navy
Department, it is signed by Secretary Frank Knox and Rear Admiral Randall
Jacobs.
ENSIGN IVY IS LAID TO REST WITH MILITARY HONORS
Popular young man of this community killed in Plane crash at Hutchinson Field
Kans. was Flight Instructor
This entire community was shocked last Wednesday by the word of the death of
Ensign Dorsie E. Ivy, Flight Instructor at the Navy Aviation School in
Hutchinson Kansas which occurred as a result of an accident with a student at
the control.
Ensign Ivy's death was not instantaneous he lived for a time after the
accident and characteristic of his nature, carried out intended plans for
himself and his loved ones. The body was brought home by train under Naval
Guard Ensign William A. Hyde. It was met at the train by the Raynor
Funeral Coach and taken to the Raynor Funeral Home where it lay in state until
the hour of the service Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the Congregational
church.
The service was conducted by his pastor Dr. Frederick W. Long. Music
furnished by a sextette composed of Mrs. Edwin Fleer, Mrs. W.H. Rodabaugh, Mrs.
E.F. Hartman, Mary Louise Schade, Orla Jean Johnson, and LaDonna Johnson with
Mrs. Robert Honig pianist.
Dorsie Eugene, son of Orien and Sarah Elizabeth Bantoup Ivy, was born
December 7, 1917 at Barnett, Mo.
When he was two years of age, he came with his parents to Mills county, the
family home being west of Pacific Junction for many years.
Dorsie was graduated from the Pacific Junction high school in the class of
1935.
On July 21, 1939, he was united in marriage to Mercedes Hon of Glenwood.
One son, Dorsie Eugene, Jr., now age two and one-half years, was born to this
union.
For four years, Dorsie was superintendent foreman of the N.Y.A. in Glenwood
and Council Bluffs.
He went from this position to Government work in the Martin Bomber Plant at
Fort Crook later enrolling in the U.S. Navy. He served his weeks of
apprentice training at the Great Lakes Naval Training station at Chicago.
His work there was so commendable that he was sent to the Officers Training
School at Pensacola Florida where young men with aptitude are trained for
service in the Aviation Branch of the Service. He emerged from this course
of his training about the first of the year with an Ensigns Commission and was
assigned to duty as a Flight Instructor at the Hutchinson Field in Kansas.
His wife and little son, who were with him in Pensacola have been with him in
Hutchinson.
He leaves to mourn his untimely passing his wife and son; his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Orien Ivy of Pacific Junction; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Bantrup of Glenwood and many relatives and life long friends.
Seldom has any one young, or old in this community had the tribute of respect
paid their memory, such as was accorded Ensign Ivy at his funeral service.
The attendance was greater than the capacity of the church. The public
address system carried the words of the service to those seated in the
recreation rooms of the church basement and to the many who were standing on the church
lawn.
The Glenwood State Guard Company, the American Legion and the V.F.W. attended
the services in a body. The floral tributes were beautiful and profuse,
those in charge were Mrs. Paul Cheyney, Mrs. Chris Renschler, Mrs. J.M. Wyant,
Mrs. Chas. Coffey, Mrs. Harry Gilmore, and Mrs. John Powles.
The pallbearers were John Stacken, John Lafferty, Orville Snipers, Lyle
Hrasky, Wm. Rodabaugh, and Paul Cheyney.
The drone of airplane motors could be heard over the church during the entire
hour of the service and in Flight formation they formed an Aerial Escort as the
body was borne to the Glenwood cemetery. These planes were from his old
squadron at Hutchinson and were commanded on this day by Lt. J.G. Driblow, Lt.
J.G. Wagner, and Lt. J.G. Cruser, B.N. Maxwell and F.D. Logan had charge of the
Military service at the grave, removing the flag which draped the casket and
presented it to the widow of Ensign Ivy.
A firing squad from the Iowa State Guard Company brought all to attention,
Merrill Moore as bugler sounded taps and the answering echo from over the hill
was sounded by Leland Flora.
LT. DODDER KILLED IN PLANE CRASH
Another name has been added this week to the list of heroes who have laid
down their lives in the service of their country. The sad news of the
tragic death of Lt. Edward L. Dodder in a crash of two heavy bombers at Mountain
Home Air Base, Idaho, on Saturday came as a shock to the entire community.
Lt. and Mrs. Dodder had visited in Glenwood the preceding weekend.
Mrs. Dodder was with him in Idaho and accompanied the body to Muscatine,
where Lt. Dodder was a chiropractor before entering the service. Lt.
Dodder's mother, Mrs. J.C. Bussanmas, his sister, Mrs. Gene Hertz, of Algona,
his grandmother, Mrs. J.W., and his aunts, Mrs. Mabel Van Wickle and Mrs. Myrtle
Peterson of Tipton, who happened to be in Glenwood at the time the word came,
all motored to Muscatine on Tuesday. Mrs. Bussanmas boarded the train in
Omaha Tuesday night to accompany Mrs. Dodder across the state. Since no
word to the contrary had reached Glenwood Wednesday evening, it is assumed that
the tentative plans for funeral services on Thursday with burial in Muscatine
have been carried out.
PVT. VIRGIL SELL KILLED IN ACTION
Relatives here have received word that Pvt. Virgil Sell was killed in action
in New Guinea on April 6. The Sells were former residents of this
community having moved to Illinois some few years ago. Pvt. Sell is a
brother of Mrs. Max Hamilton.
LIEUT. DODDER RITES HELD AT MUSCATINE
WELL KNOWN IN GLENWOOD
Well Known Glenwood Boy and Pilot of B-24 Heavy Air Corps Bomber Met Death
When Two Ships Collided at Mountain Home, Idaho.
Funeral service for Lieutenant Edward Lanning Dodder, U.S. Army Air corps
were held at 10 o'clock, October 28th in the First Baptist church in Muscatine
with the pastor, the Rev. Vincent Brushwyler, in charge. Following the
service the body was taken to the Greenwood cemetery at Muscatine for interment
with the American Legion in charge of the burial rites.
Second Lieutenant Dodder, 28, was a pilot of a B-24 United States heavy
bomber and met instant death on Saturday afternoon, October 3rd, when two heavy
army bombers collided near Mountain Home, Idaho. All 16 members of the
crews of the two bombers, each having a staff of eight men were killed.
Lt. Dodder was senior pilot on his plane. Reports revealed, following the
tragic accident, that one bomber sheared off the wing of the other. The
plane which lost the wing flew a short distance before crashing, but the other
plane, dropped straight to the earth and burrowing deep into the sand of a dry
creek bed.
Lt. Dodder and Mrs. Dodder had recently visited in Iowa with relatives here
and friends in Muscatine, going on from here to Salt Lake City, Utah. A
short time later Lt. Dodder was assigned to a post at Boise, Idaho, which is but
a short distance from Mountain Home.
Lt. Dodder is a graduate of the Glenwood High School with the class of 1933.
He later attended the Lincoln Chiropractic school, Indianapolis, Indiana, where
he graduated in September 1939. He opened his practice as a Doctor of
Chiropractic in April of 1948 in Muscatine, where he remained until his
enlistment in the armed forces. Mrs. Dodder is the former Frances Schmidt
of Burlington, Iowa.
He had been in the service since September 1942, when he enlisted in the army
air corps. He received his wings and commission as a second Lieutenant at
the Blytheville Army Air Field, Blytheville, Arkansas, on July 28th of this
year. His mother, Mrs. J.C. Bussanmas, of this city, was in attendance at
the graduation exercises.
Immediate survivors are his wife, Frances, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Bussanmas of this city, one sister, Mrs.
Eloise Hertz of Algona, Iowa, a
grandmother Mrs. J.W. Laraway of Glenwood two aunts, Mrs. Mable Van Wickle of
Glenwood and Mrs. Myrtle Peter son of Tipton, Iowa. All were in attendance
at the services in Muscatine.
WARREN STONE KILLED IN ACTION DECEMBER 5
A sad token, indeed, to Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Stone was the message which reached
them on New Year's Eve giving notice of the death of their son, Staff Sgt.
Warren Stone, who was killed while in combat with the Fifth Army in Italy on
Dec. 5. An earlier message had advised them that he had been wounded, but
from this he had recovered and had returned to active city at the time he was
killed.
Warren and his brother, Hubert, left Glenwood together as members of Co. I.
They were separated, however, before they embarked for Europe. Hubert
remained with the 168th Infantry and is now a prisoner in Germany. Warren,
together with a number of other Glenwood comrades, was transferred to the 133rd
Infantry, with which he has served ever since.
CPT. PARLE KELLEY KILLED IN ACTION
Cpl. Parle P. Kelley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Kelley, formerly of
Glenwood and now of Los Angeles, was killed in action with the 33rd Armored
Regiment last December 26 in the vicinity of Grand Menil, Belgium. Parle
had been serving with the regiment during its campaign in Germany. He was
buried in the American Military Cemetery in Belgium with a Protestant chaplain
officiating at the service. Colonel John C. Welborn, commanding officer of
the regiment, has written a letter to the parents of Cpl. Kelley in which he
praised him, saying, "He was held in very high regard by all members of the
command; he was a splendid soldier and outstanding character. His loss is
very deeply felt by his many friends throughout the unit."
Cpt. Kelley and his parents will be well remembered by many readers.
His father is a former owner and operator of the South Side Drug Store.
Page 56
MALVERN GIRL IS FIRST IN COUNTY ENLISTED IN WAAC
Mary Louise Juelke of Malvern Leader staff enlists in Woman's Army Auxiliary
Corps in Des Moines
Mary Louise Juelke, office assistant in the Malvern Leader in Malvern for the
past three years has the distinction of honor of being the first young woman
residing in Mills county whose application for enlistment in the Woman's Army
Auxiliary Corps has been accepted. Because of the fact that the WAAC is a
new departure in Military preparations its organization is a matter of general
interest and at the request of the editor of the Leader, she wrote the following
interesting account of her enlistment experiences which this newspaper is
privileged to reprint here just as it appeared in the Leader this week.
When the first rumors were circulated concerning the organization of a
woman's army I decided I would do my best to enlist. At first, it was the
idea of something unique and different that appealed to me and then as the WAAC
came into actual being I began to realize the seriousness of purpose in the
organization.
I obtained an application blank for officer's training and on June 10 was
called into Omaha for exams. There was a large group of us who had been
called in for exams and out of an estimated 200 or so who began the exams, there
were 89 who passed the mental and the interview on the first day, thereby making
us eligible for a physical examination.
One thing about the army is that they are very thorough in their exams.
The mental examination covered everything one would be expected to know after
having reached the age of 21 and several doctors and nurses were on hand at Ft.
Crook to give the physical exams. Here a few more girls were eliminated
and the rest of us went home to wait and hope.
In a little over a week I received my rejection card, saying that I hadn't
had the executive experience needed for an officer candidate. I really
expected to be rejected, especially after finding that the majority of the girls
in the final group had had a great amount of college work and several had held
executive positions.
When the auxiliary enlistments were begun I again filled out an application
blank and was called into Omaha Thursday for exams. The letter states that
I would be expected to stay for three days, so I supposed that I would have to
take all the exams over again.
There was just one other applicant there who had taken the officer's training
exams with me and there were also three girls who had never applied for either
enlistment previously. We five were taken to Ft. Crook for physicals that
morning, but as Miss Roush, who is from Carson, and I had already taken them we
were given only a slight checkup to see that we had no serious illnesses since
June 10.
That afternoon we were interviewed to find what our interests were, something
concerning our family life and how we get along in our associations with others.
Following this we each had a private conference with Capt. John P.
Bottenfield, who helped us decide what kind of specialist training would be
advisable in each case. I had a difficult time deciding between typing and
driving as I like to do both, but we finally decided I should be a chauffeur.
Then our remaining necessary questionnaires were filed out, we were
fingerprinted and were ready to be sworn in. Miss Roush and I were sworn
in together by Capt. Bottenfield and we had then completed our enlistment in the
WAAC.
We were then sent home, the government furnishing our transportation.
We were instructed that we should be ready to leave for Ft. Des Moines at any
time, with maybe 24 hours notice or as much as two weeks notice.
Some people have the idea that most girls are joining the WAAC just for the
excitement and glamour of it, but I think if these persons would investigate the
matter they would find that we really are serious in wanting to help in the war
effort.
The organization offers a great opportunity for gaining experience in many
lines, such as cooking, sewing, printing, driving, all types of office and post
exchange work, communications and many others not mentioned.
Although it is fairly unlikely, the WAACs have a slight chance of being sent
overseas and this is understood by each girl before she enlists. And each
girl is aware of the fact that her enlistment is good for the duration.
The idea of a women's army is comparatively new but before the war is over
there will probably be nearly as many women in service as men and we of the WAAC
all hope that we may be an important factor in bringing a victory to the United
Nations.
DOROTHY BROADFIELD HONORED BY NATIONAL WOMEN OF THE AIR
Reception tendered former Glenwood girl in Omaha. Had
been named outstanding woman aviator of air.
Miss Dorothy Broadfield, formerly of this city and a young woman whom
this community still likes to claim but who is now referred to in the
Metropolitan newspapers at Dorothy Broadfield of Omaha, has risen to great
heights in her profession, actually as well as figuratively speaking as she has
just been awarded the National Amelia Earhart scholarship as the outstanding
woman aviator of the year.
Members and guests of the Omaha Chapter of the National Aeronautic
association assembled to honor Miss Broadfield Saturday evening at the Hotel
Fontenelle. Mrs. Charles Harwood of New York City, woman flier and
chairman of the National Amelia Earhart scholarship committee, was present to
award the scholarship to Miss Broadfield. She and Miss Broadfield were
interviewed on a radio broadcast at the airport Saturday following her arrival.
Miss Broadfield, only woman pilot in Nebraska to hold a commercial license,
was also honored at a luncheon Saturday noon at the Athletic Club.
Among the famous women pilots present for the occasion were officers of the
Ninety-Nines Club, a famous organization of women pilots of which Miss
Broadfield is a member, as well as Miss Jacqueline Cochan, first woman
pilot to cross the Atlantic in a plane and who is on tour of the country to
recruit women pilots for the W.A.F.'s
Present at the reception at the hotel Saturday evening was Mrs. Beatrice
Broadfield of this city mother of the honoree of the evening.
DOROTHY BROADFIELD IN FERRY COMMAND TRAINING
Dorothy Broadfield, daughter of Mrs. Beatrice Broadfield of
this city is now attending the Ferry Command school at Houston, Texas, where she
will be for four months. Miss Broadfield was joined at Gainsville, Texas,
by her brother, Sgt. Frank Broadfield who continued on with his
sister to Fort Worth where she received her final instructions.
MIRIAM PARKER COMPLETES WAAC REFRESHER COURSE
Jr. Ldr. (Cpl.) Miriam M. Parker, has completed a brief refresher
course in the 41st WAAC Training Regiment at Camp Polk, Louisiana, and has been
assigned to headquarters company, with which she will go to an army post, camp
or station to take over non-combatant work.
She is the daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. H.G. Parker, of this city.
MIRIAM PARKER TRANSFERS TO AWS IN WAAC
A letter comes to the Opinion-Tribune from a former member of the staff, Miss
Miriam Parker, now with the WAAC in Des Moines, in which she says, "We are kept
pretty busy during the day so evenings are the only spare minutes. We
have, of course, minor things like laundry, scrubbing or dusting have nothing to
do with our being rushed.
"We have inspection each morning and everything must be perfect. We get
up at 6:00 a.m., dress, clean our barracks, make the beds, and fall out in
formation at 6:35.
"For the first week, we were in a receiving station getting broke in.
Yesterday, Saturday, we moved to "Boomtown" and our permanent address for the
remaining three weeks of our basic training. After that we'll either be
shipped out or remain here to go to school.
"I transferred to the AWS, (Aircraft Warning Service) thinking it might be
more interesting than a clerical job. I will undoubtedly be sent out soon
to a training school as there isn't one here as yet for that purpose. Most
of them are on the east or west coasts.
"Our barracks hold 50 girls each. I have a private room with two other
girls. It used to be the cadre room, sergeant's room to you.
"We have a very nice "top-kick" in our barracks. She's very cute and
friendly. She lives just across the hall from me.
"We have drilled quite a lot every day. I like the army fine.
It's a drastic change from civilian life, but I'm getting accustomed to it
gradually. We stood formal retreat once on the parade grounds and it
really gave me quite a thrill and made us all proud to be in the service."
She adds that she has seen "Tillie Juelke" of Malvern who is also in the
W.A.A.C. stationed at Des Moines.
Miriam's address is:
Aux. Miriam Parker
12th Co., 3rd Regiment
Army Post Branch
Des Moines, Iowa
MIRIAM PARKER NOW IN NORTH CAROLINA
Rev. and Mrs. H.G. Parker are in receipt of a very interesting letter from
their daughter, Miriam who is a member of the WAAC, and is now stationed at
Wilmington, North Carolina, where she is employed in relaying flight
observations of planes.
She, at present is on duty from three a. m. until nine a.m. every morning and
states that she has found the work very interesting.
Her address is:
Aux Miriam Parker
PO Box 1567
Wilmington, North Carolina.
MIRIAM PARKER TO COME HOME ON FURLOUGH
Rev. and Mrs. H.G. Parker have received word from their daughter, Miriam, who
is stationed at Wilmington, North Carolina with the WAAC, stating that she
expects to get a ten day furlough beginning February 13 and is now planning to
make the trip home by plane.
Miss Parker, who is serving in the Aircraft Signal Division recently sent a
copy of a department news sheet known as the "Sky-Tracker" in which she has a
column under her own name.
Miss Parker has been advanced to a supervisor in her division.
When Miriam Parker of the W.A.A.C. comes this week end from Wilmington North
Carolina on furlough, she will come with "stripes." Her father Rev. H.G.
Parker received word Monday that she has been advanced to the rank of Corporal.
Miss Parker has been supervisor of her division now for some time and her
advance in tank was not unexpected.
DORIS WILLIAMS FIRST SOUTHWEST IOWA WAVE
Miss Doris Williams of Glenwood has the honor of being the first young woman
from south-western Iowa to enlist in the WAVES. Miss Williams passed the
aptitude and physical examinations and was sworn in at the Des Moines Navy
Recruiting station on Monday. She expects to be called within the next
month.
Her application was made and accepted at the Council Bluffs recruiting office
located in the post office building, and forwarded to the Des Moines office to
which she was summoned for final examination.
Miss Williams, who is 20, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.G. Williams.
She was born in Emerson and graduated from the Hastings High School with the
class of 1939.
She was employed in the Telephone exchange at Hastings during her senior year
and following her graduation from high school she accepted a position at the
Glenwood State School. She later took a course as Nurse's aid at the Iowa
State University. She worked for a time at practical nursing in
southwestern Iowa and for the past year has been employed as secretary and
receptionist in the real estate office of Carl Morgan in Glenwood.
She is a member of the Congregational choir, has taken an active interest in
Sunday School and Young People's work of the church, is a young woman of
pleasing personality and charm.
She has a brother, Ensign Robert E. Williams, who is stationed with the Navy
at Washington, D.C.
Page 57
KIRK STERNS IS MISSING IN ACTION
Took Part in Five Major Engagements
Mrs. Kirk Stearns received word Tuesday morning, stating that her husband,
Electricians First Class Kirk C. Stearns has been missing in action.
Kirk, a former Glenwood boy, made his home with his uncle and aunt Mr. and
Mrs. John Clark since a small boy and graduated with the class of 1940 from the
school here. Shortly after graduation, Kirk joined the submarine service
of the Navy, taking his boot training at the Great Lakes Naval Training school
at Chicago an advanced training at the Submarine school at New London,
Connecticut.
In December of 1942, Kirk received his first leave since the war began
and returned to Glenwood, where on December 17, he was married to Jacqueline Godsey, daughter of Master Sergeant and Mrs.
Carn Godsey of Pacific Junction.
When Officer Stearns was last home he was wearing service ribbons, indicating
that he had taken part in five major engagements including the Aleutians, Wake
Island and other battles of International fame in the Pacific.
The heartfelt sympathy of the entire community goes out to Mrs. Stearns,
whose father has been a prison of war since February, 1943, and to Mr. and Mrs.
Clark.
Page 58
Dear Mom,
I guess this is the first time our family has been separated at Christmas
time. I know you're probably feeling sorry for me being away for the firs
time and the only one of the kids who won't be home. It's a funny thing,
but as the time draws near my throat aches a little when I think of how lonely
you'll feel when you see that vacant place at the dinner table.
The Christmas spirit isn't altogether lacking here, tho. Of course,
there are no street decorations but display windows are brightened with last
year's leftovers. Some of the stores have Christmas trees out without any
decorations at all. There's a solemn beauty about the way they try to
reflect a little Christmas cheer, even without the aid of lights or snow.
They're sort of like soldiers in fatigues.
Mom, do you remember Dad telling about how the fellows used to get together
and sing Christmas carols when he was in the last war? Well, they had
nothing on us. We have one fellow here with a hearty baritone voice.
He usually starts things off. We join in and before you know it, the
fellow clear down the line are singing. It makes me feel pretty good to
hear a chorus of masculine voices raised in "Joy to the World" or Silent Night."
Reminds me a lot of when I was little and we used to sing Christmas carols the
first thing in the morning at school.
Mom, I guess I had an idea I had outgrown the church. The last couple
of years before I went into the army I got the idea what churches were for kids
and women. I didn't appreciate the feeling of warmth, sincerity, and
security to be found there. We're having special services here Christmas
morning. I'm going to attend and you can bet I'll be thinking of you and
Dad and the kids.
God bless you, Mom, and keep your chin up. Also MERRY CHRISTMAS!
With love,
Your son
HOWARD MINTLE REPORTED AS GERMAN PRISONER
Mrs. Howard Mintle received a communication under the date of December 25
from Washington, D.C., saying "The name of Howard Mintle has been mentioned in
an enemy broadcast as a prisoner in German hands. The Army is checking the
accuracy of this information and will advise you as soon as possible."
Later under date of December 27 she received this report:
"Following short wave message from Germany has been intercepted. 'Am leading
lazy life. Enough to eat and drink. Received mail O.K. Very happy Holiday season
to all. Affectionately, Raymond Howard Mintle.' This message supplements
previous official reports received from International Red Cross. Signed Gullion,
Provost Marshall General."
AVIATION CADET DALE RECTOR COMPLETES BASIC TRAINING
Aviation Cadet Dale Rector has just completed his basic flying training at
the Merced Army Air Field, California. He will now proceed to an Army
advanced flying school, where he will take the final steps toward attainment of
his silver pilot wings.
He is the son of Mrs. Cora Rector of Tabor.
"I UNDERSTAND"
From somewhere in the South Pacific, an Iroquois County family received the
following letter:
Dear Family:
It is nice to hear from you after such a long period of waiting, but is is
unpleasant to learn of the many hardships brought about by your changed
conditions of living, all of which I can readily understand because there has
been considerable change in my living conditions, too.
It is too bad that you are limited in the use of the family car, and have to
mess around with gas coupons and walk so much. I know what it is to have
to walk instead of riding in the car for my walking has been through miles and
miles of swamp and jungle. So I understand!
It is too bad, too, to have your choice of food so limited and to have to do
without good steaks so much of the time. I have experienced this also,
except that there is no choice here. So again, I understand!
It is a shame that Willie has to work so many hours a day a the defense
plant. It must be awfully hard on him. But then I have to work night
and day at this defense plant. So again, I understand!
It is too bad that you all have so little time for amusements and haven't any
place to go. But then I am deprived of amusements, too. So, I
understand.
It is too bad that you have to wait out in the rain for your transportation.
But then I have to get out in the rain too, sometimes for a whole week at a time
without any shelter. And of course my transportation is just a little bit
uncertain too. So, I understand!
It is a shame that you are paid so little for the long hours and the hard
work you put in. But then I only receive a fraction of the pay you folks
back home get. So, I understand!
It is too bad that you have to live under all the little rules and
regulations that are so annoying. But then we have rules and regulations
out here,, too. So, you see, I understand!
Winning this war is hard on all of us. You work hard, put in long
hours, have to limit your ordinary activities and forego much of the customary
pleasures. And so do I, so I understand! But during all of these
long hours, hard work and changed conditions, I get shot at! DO YOU
UNDERSTAND????
Your loving brother,
Bill
PARENTS NOTIFIED OF NEAL DUSENBERRY MISSING
Official notification that Sgt. Neal Dusenberry is missing in action in Italy
since Jan. 5, came to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Dusenberry, on Sunday
evening. There is reason to believe that Sgt. Dusenberry has been
captured, as a letter was received from Harold Slaughter, also in Italy, last
week in which he said that "Dusenberry has gone to visit Howard Mintle."
It will be recalled that Sgt. Mintle was taken captive in the Tunisian Campaign
and is now held in Germany.
M 2/C MARO CRAIG HERE ON 30 DAY LEAVE
Metalsmith 2/c Maro Craig of the U.S. Navy arrived Tuesday to spend a 30-day
leave at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Craig. This is his
first visit at home since he entered the Navy in August, 1941, except for a
brief stop here when he completed boot training. He is to report at
Treasure Island, Calif., on Feb. 29.
Maro is stationed on the U.S.S. Waller, a destroyer, has seen a lot of the
Pacific and wears four stars for participation in naval battles. He feels
very much at home on the ocean and really feels the urge to be back on the ship
whenever he is having shore liberty. The farthest east he has traveled is
within sight of the shores of New Guniea. Equipment which he always
carried with him is his knife and life belt. Admiral Halsey, whom he
describes as "the best old Admiral in the Navy" is a frequent caller on the
Waller, comes aboard in the most informal attire and appears to be
constitutionally opposed to a tie.
Maro says he finds Glenwood to be the "same old town" after his absence of
more than two years, "only a little deader!" He is surely enjoying his
mother's fine cooking after the dehydrated food he has been eating.
The only Glenwood person he has met since leaving the home town was Clark
Lewis, who was on M.P. duty at the depot in Ogden, Utah, the other evening when
Craig's train stopped there.
FAYE MESSINGER HEARS FROM JAMES HAFER
Faye Messinger is in receipt of a letter, written January 4, from James Hafer,
who was linotype operator at the Silver City Times, when she was editor and was
later linotype operator for the Glenwood Opinion-Tribune until his entrance into
the Navy in the summer of 1942. Jimmie who is a Firecontrolman 3/c in the
U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Murray, writes in part, "Believe it or not I am
finally getting around to answer some of the mail I have received recently, I do
like to get letters, but just keep putting it off to answer until they pile up
on me. I have been getting the Glenwood papers ok , sometimes a little
late, but I do enjoy them just the same. I read every line and immensely
enjoy the letters of the service boys.
"Sure doesn't seem like two years ago that we put out the Silver City paper.
I guess those days weren't so good for either of us, but would sure like to be
back in that rut for a while. I enjoyed the few months I worked on the
Glenwood paper and it would again feel good to pound a linotype or feed papers
to a clanking press."
I can't tell you how much about what I've been doing and nothing about where
I've been. They have given us permission to say that we have crossed the
equator though. I've been swimming a few times lately and we have movies
quite often. We are getting good chow, in fact exceptionally good of late,
but there are a few things though they can't dehydrate and send out, but guess
we will catch up on those things when we get back."
SERG. ORVILLE SIMMONS RECEIVES AIR MEDAL
For 32 vital missions against the Japs in the South Pacific, during which he
downed at least one Zero, Sergeant Orville C. Glenwood Iowa, has received the
Air Medal.
The Marine radio gunner was first cited overseas, while serving with a dive
bomber squadron, and his award was officially presented during ceremonies at the
Marine Corps Air Depot, Miramar, California, conducted by Lieutenant Colonel
Francis E. Pierce, USMC, retired, Commanding Officer Personnel Group.
Sergeant Simmons is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Simmons, of Glenwood, with
whom he recently spent a furlough. His citation reads:
"In this period of intense hostile activity consisting of attacks on enemy
ships and ground installations, numerous searches, and patrols over dangerous
hostile territory, (then) Pfc. Simmons performed his essential duties as radio
gunner with outstanding professional ability and keen judgment. In one
engagement with an enemy task force when his plane was attacked by Japanese
Zeros, he quickly destroyed one of the hostile aircraft.
"On another occasion during an important search mission, (then) Pfc. Simmons
sent in an accurate and timely contact report concerning part of a Japanese task
force attempting to escape after a battle, and later, by his skillful and
effective use of his guns on a night patrol, he silenced a hostile machine gun
nest."
Also decorated in the same ceremony was Corporal Steve Tupis, of Monclo, West
Virginia, who received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for "heroic conduct and
outstanding devotion to duty, in the saving of a plane from exploding at great
personal hazard.
A/C Orthello Byers Jr. Completes Basic Training
A/C Orthello V. Byers, Jr., has completed basic flying training at Merced
Army Air Field, Calif., and has been sent to an advanced flying school at Marfa,
Texas, where he will take final steps toward the attainment of his silver pilot
wings,
His address now is:
A/C Orthello V. Byers, Jr.
17097885
Box 499, 44C, MAAF
Marfa, Texas
MR. AND MRS. STONE HEAR FROM SON IN PRISON CAMP
The latest letter to be received by Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Stone from their son,
Cpl. Hubert Stone from their son, Cpl. Hubert Stone of a German prison camp, was
dated Sept. 12. In this he reported having received his first package from
them on the day before his birthday, which was Aug. 28. He added that the
box was great and that "Mother always did know how to pack a box." He had
seen his first movie in seven months and it was a German picture with English
script and a pretty good show. Hubert asked his father to save a couple of
rows of corn for him to shuck so he won't get out of practice. All of
Hubert's friends join with the family in hoping that Hubert can be here for the
next harvest.
WINSTON HOLMES TELLS MOTHER OF OVERSEAS XMAS
Among the letter received from the boys overseas the following, received from
Winston Holmes, son of Grace Holmes is very interesting. Excerpts from the
letter follows:
"We put up our Christmas tree last night. You should see it.
We couldn't find a thing to decorate it with so we used candy (hardy candy).
We took the colored "Life Savers" and strung them on thread, then we took the
white ones and hung them all over the tree. We cut the lead foil for
icicles.
Had to go up in the mountains after the tree. Sort of primitive but
that's all we have to work with. We want to take a picture of it.
We added another decoration; We have a box with a star cut in it and have a
light in the box."
In a letter of January 12
"Well, Mother, here is a take of a French Christmas in the War Zone:
I arrived at Mrs. Cortez home at 9:00 a.m. She was just getting ready
to go down town. You should have seen her face, as pretty as a picture and
her hair had been fixed up so neatly.
She was all smiles as she began the ceremony of kissing me on each cheek and
taking my coat.
She then went in and brought me a little glass of banana liquor.
She woke up the lady who stays there and told her to take care of me.
She took care of me with more banana liquor. We talked and sang, in French
and American.
No gifts were exchanged but things sort of worked out by themselves.
After everyone had come, Mrs. Cortez took me in to show me the table. I
was just like walking into heaven. Everything was blue, plates, table
cloth.
We began to eat at 1:00 o'clock and at 3:00 o'clock we pushed back our chairs
and walked around from room to room so we wouldn't feel so stuffed.
We sat down and had champagne and talked about how wonderful it was to be
alive.
Before I went home I had met everything from a Professor to a French usher.
I can't write as much as I would like but I'll tell you later. I will
close now and send all my love to you, Dixie Ann, Jean and Judy.
Adoring you always,
Your son,
Winston
SGT. HANEY SENDS POEM TO HIS PARENTS HERE
Sgt. W.M. Haney in a letter to his parents Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Haney
sent
the following poem which he says "I won't get to see you this Xmas, but don't
lose hope, I'll see you next Xmas or the Xmas after that. I have a little
poem here that kindly hits the spot.
We'll all be home by Christmas
This war is almost done
We'll all be home by Christmas
'Cause Jerry's on the run
He started in Tunisia,
In Sicily he did fail,
We licked him up in Naples
Through Rome to home he'll said
The Russians are advancing
We licked them up in Naples
The Japs are still withdrawing
The Aussies tied the score
The Yugoslaves are jabbing
Der Fuehrer in the rear
Yeah, we'll all be home by Xmas
God only knows What year.
Page 59
LT. ZELLER WRITES OF PARTS OF ITALY
Lt. Winn Zeller writes of his trip through Bari and Naples and tells of the
beauty of it to Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wyant
Part of a letter to Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wyant from their son-in-law Lt.
Winn F.
Zeller concerning part of Italy.
I've mentioned trips to Bari and Naples rather often, but so far you have had
no details. The land between Bari and Foggia, a distance of about a
hundred miles is very lovely. The day was perfect for driving since the
persistent winter rains had stopped momentarily, and the sun was bright over
mile after grey green mile of twisted olive trees, the moss-covered grey stone
fences, the lush winter wheat. Foggia is built in country not unlike our
middle west, and I suspect that at the time of harvest one could imagine himself
in Nebraska. Nearer the Adriatic, the terrain breaks into rolling hills,
like southern Ohio or central Tennessee, with only the ever present olive and
almond trees to dispel the illusion.
Perhaps you will think me "un-American" if I tell you that there's another
reason why the farm territory between Foggia and Bari couldn't be mistaken for
the United States--the farm homes are better built and better maintained.
For many miles on either side of Foggia I saw what appear to be state farms, the
buildings of good cement or brick construction, large, clean, attractively
designed. House and barn adjoin and usually there is a straw stack neatly
built around a stake. Of course my remark about poorly-kept farm homes in
the U.S. would apply most to the South, and most certainly would not apply to
the Pennsylvania Dutch part of Pennsylvania! The Italian fields are well
cultivated; the work is done with horses or oxen (or both yoked together), and I
did not see power machinery at work but it is possible that this lack is in part
a war condition. The groves of almonds and olives, or the extensive
vineyards, are always excellently tended; seemingly not even the disaster of a
lost war (and the not so great cataclysm of a lost Mussolini) would interfere
with the painstaking agriculture of the Italian farmer. Of course those of
us who've seen the vineyards and farms of the Italians in the United States do
not have to be reminded of their cultivating methods.
One of the most attractive cities any of us has seen (abroad or at home) is
the Adriatic port of Bari. Bari is a small district stretching along the
Adriatic, and there are numerous places of scenic and historic interest there (I
saw the smaller coastal cities of San Spirito, Moleftta, Trani, and Barletta,
too) put ordinarily one thinks of the city of Bari. The district has a
history antedating that of Rome and relics of the prehistoric periods have been
found in caves and are on exhibit in the Archaeological Museum. Later the
Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans were to leave their marks upon the region and in
the middle ages it was a city of real importance. I should judge that Bari
is more of a commercial than an industrial city; certainly the port is a
good one, and as the sea outlet for a rich agricultural region no doubt much
shipping passed through this excellent harbor.
The Norman-Swabian rules left some landmarks around Bari too, including the
Cathedral and Basilica of St. Nicholas and the massive Swabian castle of
Frederick 11. I walked through this castle, part of which is still used as
barracks for troops, and thought of the changes which have come to our world
through the democratization of war, this fortress for a Frederick might give
security and strength in the middle ages, but the vaunted "European Fortress" is
not enough to hide Adolphus the last from his enemies today.
You will remember our visiting old Fort Marion at St. Augustine. The
Swabian castle reminds me much of Fort Marion, though of course the Bari
building is several centuries older and somewhat larger. It is built close
to the Adriatic, where it commands the old port. Neither the Swabian
fortress nor our modern anti-aircraft defenses were very effective a few weeks
ago when the Luftwaffle swung into Bari port on a low level raid which left
seventeen of our ships sinking. I've mentioned already how glad I was to
see that Secretary Stimson announced the exact figures on those sinkings, for I
was assured again of the truthfulness of our war communiques.
After having seen Foggia and Naples, both of which have suffered greatly from
bombing and demolition, it was a real happiness to come upon Bari, where the war
has brought little damage. The German bombings in the harbor were
destructive enough of life and shipping, but other than for the fact that
windows and shutters along the waterfront have been smashed, the city does not
show many marks of war. Here is a city which had a peacetime population of
about 200,000, a city rich in history, well built, and genuinely attractive.
You cannot imagine how good this city looked to men who had been overseas up to
years and who had seen mostly the careless African cities.
It's always a matter of disappointment and wry amusement that as we come into
each new city or town, we look for something to buy, something to send home as a
souvenir. And always there have been too many soldiers there before us. or
the war has passed over ruthlessly, for nothing in good taste or of value is
left. Oh, yes, there are still souvenirs, of the Coney Island sort, but a
trashy bit of pottery rag, or brass is still contemptible, though it cost 1150
Lire and come from sunny Italy. Unfortunately, great quantities of this
spurious merchandise are sold, both in Italy and Africa, and I have no doubt
that for the next twenty years the shelves and mantle pieces (and attics) of
American homes will be cluttered with the priceless mementos of affection
"loving son" sent from the shops of the world's enterprising merchants. I
did happen into one shop where silk stockings of a sleazy quality could be had
for one English pound. A number of American officers have been eager to
buy Italian silk stockings for "trading stock," but as a rather
innocent monogamist happily married to a G.I. WAC, I was not interested.
Isn't it amazing how few of the things for sale in this world are necessary to
one's comfort and happiness?
Perhaps you will consider me blind or inarticulate when I dismiss a two day
trip to Naples in a few paragraphs. I had a good military reason for going
to Naples, since our private "intelligence" had it that we could get repairs
made on a generator there, so with a generator-trailer rambling along after our
two and a half ton G.I truck, two enlisted men and I rolled out on the Macadam
Highway for Naples. Now it must be said in advance that an army truck with
attached trailer is not the ideal vehicle for a tour across the Appennines.
The way is often steep and the reaction on the anatomy reminded me of my mule
trip into Grand Canyon. But the December day would have passed for early
spring anywhere else; the green hills, misty mountains, and tingling air brought
each of us to exclaim repeatedly: "Italy is Beautiful."
Our road passed through no large cities, but there were a number of
attractive villages. The village houses are built together usually, in
solid rows, the individual family home of our towns is uncommon. The
prevailing color is tan or cream, a rich, warm tone and the roofs are oftenest
red tile, but not the sharp red one sees in Norwegian Coastal towns. There
is a tendency to build villages on the hilltops, as in Sicily (a survival of
feudalism, I presume), and the combination of village, hilltop, and narrow
streets did not make for the most pleasant driving conditions.
Even now, several months after the war has passed southern Italy, the roads
are filled with refugees. There's not much reason why people should be
traveling across the Peninsula, for conditions are little better one place than
another, but there is the hope of something better elsewhere. Whole
families are walking alongside the road; old women, barefooted; kerchiefed,
handsome peasant girls; ragged men; disconsolate demobilized soldiers.
They carry all their possessions, and a small load it makes after bombers and
Germans. Many had gone to the Foggia are to get a sack of wheat, and then
trudged, pushed a bicycle, hitch-hiked back toward Naples, some of them to see
the grain for a fabulous profit some that they might eat. I saw an old
peasant woman sitting by the road in part of a tumbled load of straw, crying
fiercely, for her horse had fallen dead. Late at night I stopped by
the road a moment and saw in the headlights a family, without coats or blankets,
three without shoes, going where? A Napoli? Would there be a home or a heap of
rubbish when they got to their hard won destination?
The pictures you have seen war in Naples cannot convey all of the
destruction. It is a sad city. High explosives here had more tragic
possibilities than anywhere else that I'd seen, for I felt that more of beauty
and wealth was here to be destroyed. Whole streets have ceased to exist
Great sections of the harbor are a mass of sunken ships, twisted cranes, toppled
port machinery and docks. I walked through several acres of what had been
a plane factory producing Axis fighters. The machine death laid on our
bombers is absolute and great installations had been blasted and torn as if
mankind had repudiated a disreputable machine age. Years will be required
for Naples to rebuild the homes, factories, and warehouses which were pulverized
by the necessities of war.
And yet there is still much of magnificence in Naples. Unfortunately I
had absolutely no time in Naples to call my own. But in passing through
certain of the important streets, such as the Via Roma, one could see that this
was rightly called one of the world's great cities. Many of the public
buildings are superb examples of architecture, some of the modern Fascist
architecture seems years ahead of most of our own. The theatres, museums,
churches, state buildings are among the finest in Europe. And I think that
no one will ever forget looking out through the night, over the ruins of a vast
factory, to see the flaring torch of Vesuvius. Truly, destruction still
rains down from the skies in the bay of Naples. This city I regretted
leaving so soon and hope to see again, after the war. Right now we have
certain jobs which have priority, and if you wonder that I don't take a week off
to enjoy the sights and sites, just remember that this isn't the home front, and
the army salary is based on seven day a week, three hundred sixty five day a
year service, and anything else is accidental.
LT. ZELLER WRITES OF VISIT TO PALERMO
Extracts From Letter
Son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wyant Flew to Famous Battle Town in Sicily.
Tells of Visit to Place of Historical Interest.
Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wyant are again in receipt of an interesting letter from
their son-in-law, Lt. Winn F. Zeller, whose letters this newspaper has been
privileged to publish before and which have proven to be very entertaining as
well as informative.
Extracts from this recent letter are:
This week I flew to Palermo, Sicily. With the exception of Palermo and
the immediate vicinity, I should not think of Sicily as being particularly worth
seeing. The country is very dry, the land seems to be poor, and with the
occasional valley, mountains predominate. We can be very proud of the men
who fought through such unfavorable territory to swift victory.
Palermo has been badly mauled by our bombers, but not so much as places like
Catania and Messina, of course. The port area has been hit especially
hard, but bombing struck in practically all parts of the town. In that it
is unlike Tunis, North Africa, where the bombing was almost entirely localized
to the dock area. Possibly we felt differently about the treatment of
neutral and enemy territory. A guide pointed out with what I seemed to
detect as a note of pleasure that one bomb had fallen squarely on the facist
party palace, there wasn't any palace left. Even with the bombing
evidence, Palermo would rank as an attractive city, though the marks of poverty,
of defeat, and of war are everywhere.
Probably the two most interesting places in Palermo are the catacombs, where
the visitor walks past endless thousands of skeletons as he goes through the
corridors, a sight that is curious and gruesome, but not very edifying, except
insofar as it shows the credulity and greed of man and the second sight is the
cathedral at Monreale. This latter is a truly magnificent edifice.
MR. AND MRS. CLAUD HUNT HEAR FROM "SNOWY" AND FLOYD
Mrs. Claude Hunt is in receipt of a letter from her son "Snowy" written last
July. In part he says, "Dear Mother, I finally received your letter of May
10, I sure wish I was there now, I would soon eat up your spring fries. I
sure wish I could have a picture taken for you, I am sure you wouldn't know me,
am as dark as an Indian. I hope everyone is OK at home and that we can all
be together this year sometime. I am getting along fine now, so don't
worry too much,
Your loving son "Snowy" Cpl. Noah Hunt.
Another letter received later from Sgt. Floyd Hunt written December 10, from
somewhere in Italy, to Dearest Mother and Dad saying, "I am just dropping you a
few lines to let you know I am alright but am still in the hospital, but do not
think I will be here long. Mother, they tell me I am not going back to my
Company but will be put in some kind of an outfit where I won't have to do heavy
work, so will be having a new address one of these days, but will let you know.
I suppose by the time you receive this you will already know about Sgt. Stone
getting killed. He died a brave man because he was trying to save another
man's life when he got hit.
Sgt. Radford is still Ok so far as I know. It won't be long Mom, until
you have a birthday, I hope it is a happy one. For Christmas be sure and
get yourself and the rest something. As yet I have not gotten my
mail and boxes, but they should catch up with me one of these days. I sure
would like to get some mail. Our weather sure has changed, "Old Man
Winter" is here to stay until Spring. I has not snowed where I am but has
in the mountains. Mother, I wish you a Happy Birthday. Your son,
Floyd.
MRS. IRMA FLINN HEARS FROM SGT. GERALD FLINN
Mrs. Irma Flinn is in receipt of a letter from her son Sgt. Gerald Flinn who
is a prisoner in Germany in which he says "Ho Momsie, how are you feeling today?
Fine I hope. I have changed camps so please notice the change of address.
It is very nice here. There is a church, a theatre, and plenty of
recreation. We were deloused yesterday and I met Myers, Ross Garrett,
Blaine Hays, "Snow" "Bus" Marshall, Kenny Shirley Mayberry, Sully Honig
in fact
about all of our home town gang. Snowy received a package from home and he
gave me quite a list of items. Most of the fellows are asleep in this
S/Barracks, as it is a nice day and warm on the inside. One change in the
packages. Don't send Malted Milk Tablets, send me Malt Powder. The
first time a prisoner receives a package from home the government encloses 3
cartons of cigarettes which are issued to you at the rate of 2 packs a day.
That also applies to candy bars being issued in this camp. Well you can
see I am OK and can begin looking for me home in a short while. Best of
luck and happiness
Your Pal
Gerald
Page 60
NINE MILLS COUNTY MEN REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION
Eight Mills county men, serving with the United States armed forces on the
Tunisian front were reported "missing in action" and one was reported "killed in
action" near relatives were notified by telegram this week.
Donald E. Hammers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Hammers who reside south of
Pacific Junction was reported "Killed in Action." He left here with Co. I,
168th Infantry.
Among those reported "missing in action" were Lt. Verris Hubbell, former
member of Company I, Sgt. Walter L. Marshall, only son of Mr. and Mrs. W.C.
Marshall of this city; Major Merle Meacham formerly with Co. I, now serving
Headquarters Company and Master Sgt. Carn Godsey who enlisted with Co. L of
Council Bluffs and whose family resides west of Glenwood.
Those from Malvern serving with Company M of Red Oak reported "missing in
action" were Sgt. Fred Robinson, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Robinson; Cpl.
Daniel Myers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Myers, Cpl. Glenn E. Herrick, son of
Mr. and Mrs. A.R. Herrick and a brother of Mrs. Dave Kemp of this city, and Cpl.
Paul Galliher, son of Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Galliher.
A report from the Adjutant General's office in Washington, D.C., is that 90 %
of the men reported missing are prisoners of war.
GLENWOOD BOYS WAR PRISONERS
The homes of Glenwood relatives and friends were cheered the forepart of the
week when messages from the United States government concerning boys missing in
action began arriving. Most of the boys heard from had been missing since
February 17 in the North African campaign.
Among those heard from were Pfc. Wally G. Elizondo, Noah B. Hunt, Howard
Mintle, Shirley D. Mayberry, Burl A. Parks, Blaine C. Hayes, Glen W. Mayberry,
Shirley Meredith, Paul Devers, Walter W. Marshall and Edwin Barkus, all
prisoners of the German government, and Gerald Flinn, prisoner of the Italian
government.
Many of the messages arrived on Mother's day and while friends had believed
that those reported missing in action were prisoners, yet the telegrams erased
fears that they might be "killed in action."
Most of the reports were that they are being treated fair and that they are
well.
CPL. GUY HUNTER IS GERMAN PRISONER
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hunter of near Pacific Junction, received word on
Friday, April 30, from the United States government that their son, Cpl. Guy
Hunter, who has been missing since the North African skirmish of February 17, is
a prisoner of the German government.
Cpl. Hunter was with Company I, 168th Infantry.
BELIEVE CO. I BOYS SAFE IN PRISON CAMP
Harold Krecklow received a clipping and a letter from his niece of Jefferson
which adds encouragement concerning the boys of Company I. The Jefferson
paper points out that Capt. Milligan from there who was in command of the
Glenwood company is believed by reason of broadcasts heard to be a prisoner of
war in Italy.
The paper further says, "Letters from Senator Herring stated that the ground
has all been retaken and a search of the area gave clear evidence that the men
were captured."
This information when coupled together, indicates that Company I men have not
taken part in the fighting of the last few weeks and are, therefore, definitely
safe, or as safe as a man can be in an enemy prison camp. Many other
points of evidence are along the same line, which (Incomplete).
MAJ. MEACHAM WRITES FROM PRISON CAMP
Mrs. Merle Meacham is in receipt of a letter from her husband, Major Merle
Meacham, who is in the Oflag prison camp in Germany. The letter, which was
mailed April 9 and received here May 16 says in part:
"We are allowed to write three letters and four cards a month and can send
one air mail every five days. There is a small library here and I have
been reading some good books. We get sufficient food but crave some of the
"specials."
"Herring, Capt. Milligan, Burgeson, Bolton and Chaplain Kane are in the same
room with me, as well as several others. It will probably be several
months (Incomplete)
TWENTY MORE MILLS COUNTY MEN "MISSING IN ACTION"
Telegrams arriving in Mills County today, Thursday, brought additional
sadness to family and friends of additional boys serving in Company I and other
southwest Iowa units in North Africa.
There were 15 from Glenwood reported missing in action and five from Pacific
Junction.
Those from Glenwood were Ross Garrett; Earl Krecklow; Glen Mayberry and his
brother, Shirley Dwayne; Artie Clair Evans; James Surber; Hubert Stone; Arno
Kelso; Warren Clites; Dale Boyd; Burl Parks; Noah Hunt; Blaine Haves; Don T.
Kirkendall and Wally Elizondo.
Those from Pacific Junction reported missing in action were Verl Johnson;
Lawrence Turner; Guy Hunter; Paul Devers and Alva Hostetter.
During the past week Donald Gamble, a Company I boy from Hastings was listed
as missing in action as was also Edwin Diehi of Emerson and Jack and
Edward
Dorsey of Imogene. The last two boys were with Company E of Shenandoah.
These 24 men with the nine reported last week brings the total to 35 from the
county reported missing in action within one weeks time.
PRISONERS OF WAR WRITE HOME FOLKS
Two Glenwood homes were gladdened Easter Sunday with greetings sent from
German prison camps from soldiers who had been captured by Axis forces in the
North African campaign.
One was Lt. Verris Hubbell to his wife here, sent from a German prison camp
under date of March 24, in which he stated that he was all right and to assure
the folks at home that all the men from Glenwood who had been taken prisoners
were all right. Formerly a member of Company I of Glenwood, Hubbell was
transferred to Company L of Council Bluffs after arrival in Africa.
The other letter received here Easter Sunday was to Mrs. Merle A. Meacham
from her husband, Major Meacham, who assured her that he was all right, but that
he had lost all of his personal belongings.
CPL. TURNER WRITES FROM PRISON CAMP
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Turner of Pacific Junction, have received a letter from
their son, Cpl. Lawrence Turner, who was in North Africa, and who is in a German
prison camp.
He says in his letter, "I am in good health. Safe and sound in a German
prison camp. Don't worry too much. Parcels can be sent to me.
Go to your nearest Red Cross to get full information. Tell all my many
friends that I received their packages at Christmas time and many thanks to
them."
This is the first direct message that Mr. and Mrs. Turner have received from
him since he was reported missing February 17.
GLENWOOD MEN REPORTED PRISONERS OF WAR
More telegrams arrived in Glenwood this week telling of boys, previously
reported missing in action, who are now reported prisoners of war. Kenneth
Myers, Sgt. Earl Krecklow, Cpl. Orville Krecklow, Cpl. Hubert Stone and Sgt.
Thomas Vandershule are reported prisoners of the German government and Pvt.
Ross
Boyce is reported to be a prisoner of the Italian government.
These, with the 12 listed as prisoners of war in last week's issue of the
Opinion-Tribune, brings the total of 16 officially reported as prisoners of war
within the past two weeks.
DONALD HAMMERS WRITES FROM GERMAN PRISON CAMP
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Hammers who reside near Pacific Junction, after having
received two reports that their son, Donald, who was with Company I, 168th
Infantry in North Africa, was dead, welcomed a message from him that told of his
being in a German prison camp.
He asked that they send smoking tobacco, chocolate and cigarettes to him,
stating that it was hard to get them where he was. He said that he had not
seen his brother, Jim, since Christmas, but that he was all right when he last
saw him and asked concerning smaller brothers and sisters at home.
He said in his letter "All of the boys from home are in the same prison camp
that I am in."
ARNOLD KELSO IS GERMAN PRISONER
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Kelso of this city, received word on Saturday of last
week that their son, Arnold, who was with Company I, 168th Infantry in North
Africa, that he is in a German prison camp. He had been reported missing
since February 17.
ROSS BOYCE IS IN ITALIAN PRISON CAMP
Ross Boyce, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Boyce of this city, who
was with the armed forces in North Africa is now known to be in an Italian
prison camp. Word came from the Vatican in Rome to the Papal
representative in Washington, D.C., and was forwarded to Father Mangan of
Hamburg, who delivered the message to the boy's family in Glenwood, Wednesday.
SGT. KENNETH MYERS MISSING IN ACTION
Sgt. Kenneth Myers of Co. I is another former Glenwood boy who has been
reported "missing in action" in North Africa.
OTHERS REPORTED TO BE MISSING IN ACTION
The list of boys from Mills county who have been serving in North Africa, who
have been reported "missing in action" within the past two weeks totals 45.
In addition to the list carried in this newspaper last Thursday 10 more
telegrams were received Friday morning listing the following boys as missing in
action: Edwin Barkus, Thomas Vandershule, Howard Mintle, Shirley
Meredith, Ross Boyce, M. Davis, "Sully" Honig, "Corky" Twaddle all of
Glenwood. Edwin Clark, and Lester Haynie of Pacific Junction.
WRITES TO FATHER FROM GERMAN PRISON CAMP
Rasmus Peterson of near Pacific Junction, has received a letter from
his son, Cpl. Marvin Peterson, who on February 17 was reported missing in
action and who later was reported a prisoner of the German government.
Marvin says that he is treated rather well and that the Red Cross is very
good to him. He was with Company L, a Council Bluffs unit, and was serving
with the 168th Infantry, 34th Division.
This is the second message that Mr. Peterson has received from his son.
The first was received March 19 and the last April 27.
LT. VERRIS HUBBELL IN GERMAN PRISON CAMP
On Wednesday of last week, Mrs. Verris Hubbell received word that her
husband, Lt. Verris Hubbell of Company I, who had been reported missing
since February 17, was in a German prison camp. This information came
through the United States War Department.
On Tuesday of this week she received a letter from the War Department
confirming the telegram and giving more detailed information. He is in
Camp Oflag, a camp reserved for enemy officers. She was advised she could
send him a package weighing not more than 11 pounds and one letter at this time.
Special labels were provided for both the package and letter, to insure their
delivery through the lines to the camp.
The letter further stated that the camp was inspected by a representative of
the International Red
Cross and that it was reported to be sanitary, and that
the men were given sufficient food, and are reported to be treated
fair.
Medical attention for those who need it is also reported to be provided.
JOHNSON REPORTED TO BE IN GERMAN PRISON CAMP
Mrs. Gertrude Johnson of Pacific Junction, has received word from the
United States government
that her son, Sgt. Verle H. Johnson, who
was in North Africa, that he is a prisoner of the German government,
but that he
is well. He had been reported missing since February 17.