Iowan One of Reasons For Fame of the Alamo Scouts
By Frank Miles
(Daily Times Herald War Correspondent)
With the Sixth Army on Luzon (IDPA) -- The Alamo Scouts, hand picked and rigorously trained, are one of the greatest outfits of World War II. Sgt. Galen C. Kittleson, St. Ansgar, is one reason for their fame.
Kittleson, a former 11th airborne division paratrooper, has been a scout 10 months, serving under the personal command of Gen. Walter Krueger of San Antonio, Tex. He was first awarded the silver star. He received this for rescuing a wounded comrade of a combat patrol under flaming fire. Next he got a cluster for landing from a PT boat on the Japanese infested island of Mindanao, slipping through the enemy lines and gathering information on troop strength and installations. He owns a bronze star after he and buddies liberated 14 members of a Dutch family and 52 Javanese prisoners after wiping out an enemy outpost. General Krueger personally decorated him for that. Kittleson was among Americans, who staged the daring raid on the Cabantuan prison camp to free 513 American and allied prisoners. He was given the cluster for that. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Kittleson, St. Ansgar.
Other Iowans among the scouts are: Capt. Louis B. Hockstrasser, Davenport; and Sgts. Robert F. Shullaw, Burlington, and Louis Bealson, Sioux City.
Serving at Sixth Army headquarters are these Iowans, each of whom has the bronze star: M/Sgt. Glenn B. Olsen, Nora Springs; Sgts. Omer J. Hammes, Sigourney, and Robert L. Osborn, Creston; T/5. Benjamin H. Hale, Centerville; and Wilbur P. Moore, Randalia; Pfcs. Allen B. Clewell, Dubuque; and Emmet J. Finnegan, Guthrie Center; Pvts. Edwin R. Allison, Waterloo; Anton B. Fitzner, Fort Dodge; and Elmer W. Foster, Denison.
Other Iowans at Sixth Army headquarters are: T/5s, Jack R. Johnson, Burlington; and John F. Feller, Granville; Cpl. Arthur P. Customer, Des Moines; Pfcs. Merlin K. Plew, Des Moines; Alfred A. Jarchow, Oelwein; Richard W. Essary, Eldon; John F. Smith, Sioux City; and Edward A. Kitzman, What Cheer.
American military might is in evidence out here as air, sea and land forces move steadily forward on the Japs. I have flown far at low altitudes to see great fleets of our vessels. I have seen hundreds of our planes of various types on the wing and in their revetments. I have seen some of our superb ground forces.
Source: Carroll Daily Times Herald, August 10, 1945
