Pike Township Family Stories
ALBERT J. HAZEN
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 250-251
By Jacque HazenAlbert Joseph Hazen, son of Cleve and Julie Hazen, was born in the house where Jack Gerstbrein now [1984] lives. He went to Athens school, and his teacher in 1933 was Marie Kaalberg. Marie taught three generations of Hazens. She taught some of Al’s children and three of his grandchildren before she retired.
Albert served in the United States Army from 19424-1945 during World War II. He was awarded a presidential citation, five bronze battle stars and the bronze arrowhead for landing at Normandy with the 70th Tank Battalion on D-Day, H-Hour, 6 June 1944. Sgt. Hazen also received a purple heart and a good conduct medal.
Al was quite a character when he was young. He tried to fly a homemade wooden airplane off the barn roof and landed in a big pile of manure. His wish to fly came true one day in 1983 when he and his wife spent an hour above Nichols in a hot air balloon.
One day Al broke his dad’s new grindstone. He knew he was in trouble, so he decided to run away. Al’s family looked and looked for him, but they couldn’t find him. They gave a general ring on the telephone and practically everyone in and around Nichols started looking for him. Al was found about dusk, safe and sound, hiding in the weeds in a ditch.
When Al got older, his family was moving to another farm. Al, his brother, Ray, and a friend found some homemade wine in the cellar; they drank it and passed out. When their Aunt Bertha found them, she yelled for someone to call the priest because she thought they were all dead.
Albert Hazen married Dorothea Alberta “Dort” Polman. She was born in Davenport, the daughter of Petrus Albert Polman and Sophia Van Aken Polman. Dort went to the Nichols school.
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Page created December 12, 2010 by Lynn McCleary