1944 . . .

LeMars Globe-Post
September 11, 1944

SOLDIER NEWS.
Three Plymouth County boys were enlisted in the Navy Thursday at Des Moines. They are Alfred L. Rounds, RFD 6, LeMars; Lloyd A. Chamberlain, 120 Fourth Ave. SE, LeMars; and Robert B. Brodie, Route 1, Akron. All three enlisted through the Navy recruiting station in Sioux City. Brodie, who had earlier passed the Navy’s Eddy test, was sworn in as a seaman, first class, for radio technician training.

Miss Dorothy Traufler, daughter of Mrs. Genevieve Traufler, 1131 A. East California Ave., Gendale 6, Calif., has signed up with the WAVES and will leave soon for Hunter’s College New York. Her brother, Sgt. Don Traufler, who recently returned from overseas, is now stationed at Camp Butner, North Carolina, and Robert, EM3/c is attending gyrocompass school in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Pvt. Marvin W. Dreeszen, a communication member of a B-29 crew at Smoky Hill, A.A.F. Salina, Kansas, arrived in LeMars Thursday to spend a 14-day furlough with his wife and family. He has recently been transferred from Fort Monmouth, N.J., to Salina, Kansas, for further air crew training.

Spl. Technician Joe Flynn is spending a 15-day furlough in the home of his mother, Mrs. Jennie Flynn, after spending two and a half years at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Lt. and Mrs. L. Vogt spent a 10-day leave in the home of Mrs. Vogt’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Nemmers. Lt. Vogt left for his new base, while Mrs. Vogt will remain with her parents this week.

Camp Wolters, Texas—Pvt. Sumner Ruffus Rhodes, 18, son of Thurman Rhodes of 1008 Central Ave. SE, LeMars, has arrived at this infantry replacement training center to begin his basic training as an infantryman. He has been assigned to a battalion stressing rifle, specialist training, paratrooper.

Camp Wolters, Tex.—Pvt. John Raymond Bruns, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Will Bruns of Brunsville, has arrived at this infantry replacement training center to begin his basic training as an infantryman. He has been assigned to a battalion stressing heavy weapons.

Pfc. George Martfeld arrived here Wednesday to spend 14 days in the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hans Martfeld. Pfc. Martfeld is a guard at the White House in Washington and also saw service in Africa. He was a member of K Company at the time the outfit left for Camp Claiborne and went with the company as far as Africa. He was operated on for appendicitis at Oran, Africa and was released from combat duty. He arrived home early this year. Pfc. Martfeld wears the following campaign bars: pre-Pearl Harbor good conduct, European theater of war and combat infantryman’s badge.

RALPH N. WILTGEN IS NOW A FLIGHT OFFICER

Brooks Field, Texas, Sept. 11—At a brief, simple ceremony today, Brooks Field, Texas, graduated its seventh class of aviation cadets of the year at the twin-engine advanced pilot school of the Central Flying Training command.

In his address to today’s graduates and their families and friends, Col. C. H. Childre, the field’s commanding officer, congratulated the young flyers upon the completion of their rigid course, and urged them to remember at all times their responsibility to the nation as officers of the Army of the United States.

Awarded hard-won pilot’s wings with this latest group of airmen to receive the final phase of their aerial education in the modified B-25 Billy Mitchell, was Flight Officer Ralph N. Wiltgen son of Mr. and Mrs. N. W. Wiltgen, 45 Fifth Ave. NE, LeMars.

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
Tuesday, September 19, 1944

SGT. JOHN MANSON GIVEN BRONZE STAR FOR HEROIC WORK

Sergeant John W. Manson of Glendale, California, was awarded the newly authorized Bronze Star for heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy during the battle for Attu, by Brigadier General Joseph L. Ready of the Seventh Infantry Division, in a ceremony held recently at a Central Pacific base.

Sergeant Manson, a member of an infantry assault unit, received the decoration in recognition of his outstanding actions, beyond the call of duty, in a grueling three-week battle for Attu, tip of the fog-bound Aleutian chain, a year ago.

A veteran of two campaigns in the Pacific war, Sergeant Manson participated with the Seventh Division in the recent assault and capture of Kwajalein Atoll, center of Jap held Marshall Islands.

In addition to the Bronze Star, Sergeant Manson wears the American Defense Service Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon with two Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Manson, who reside at LeMars, Iowa.

REPORTED DEAD FROM WOUNDS
Sgt. Arthur Brundeen Falls In Battle

Mrs. Edith Brundeen of Adaville received word Thursday evening from the Secretary of War Department in Washington DC., that her son, Sergeant Arthur Brundeen, had died from wounds received while fighting in the European area June 12. The communication said further details would be forwarded later.

Sgt. Arthur Brundeen was about 23 years old and lived on a farm until he entered military service in November, 1942. He was a graduate of the Akron high school. He received his training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and went overseas last March.

Besides his mother he leaves a brother, Donald Brundeen, who is still in school.

NEWS OF THE BOYS IN THE SERVICE

~Twenty-one months at sea and aboard the same ship with less than a half dozen times ashore for brief periods, and with five invasions and two severe air attacks in the record, has been part of the experience of Paul Hatz, son of Mr. and Mrs. N. H. Hatz of Remsen, hone on leave until September 29. Seaman Hatz is ship’s cook second class on the USS President Jackson. Paul reports having been in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the Fijis, Samoa, Guadalcanal, Saipan, Bougainville, New Georgia and other places.

~Staff Sergeant Merland Delperdang arrived at his home Saturday in Remsen, to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alphonse Delperdang, after two and a half years overseas during which he earned three bronze stars in major battles. Merland is another original Co. K man and after a year in Louisiana went with the 133rd infantry overseas, landing in North Ireland where he was transferred to Co. F., 168th Infantry in October. Later he went to Scotland and early in November 1942 landed in Africa and spent six months in the Tunisian campaign. This was followed by the chase over to Italy in 1943 and at Savarro he was wounded on the head when a bullet almost pierced his helmet and he spent six weeks in a hospital. After his hospitalization period, he had orders to return to this country but the order was rescinded when he full recovered and he was sent back to the fighting front, taking part in the battle at Cencia after which he left his comrades and started for home on August 18. He is under orders to report at Hot Springs, Ark., September 29.

~Sgt. Lewis Treinen, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. N. Treinen of Remsen, is home after thirteen months overseas. For his services Sgt. Treinen has been awarded the 2-star campaign ribbon for his part in North Africa and Italy; the American Defense ribbon given those who were in the service prior to the Pearl Harbor attack; the Combat Infantry badge, and the good conduct medal. The soldier was in many hard-fought battles in North Africa and Italy but says the Anzio and Casino “had them all beat by far.” In spit of three months on the battle lines in Africa and 10 months almost continuously in Italy, he escaped without a scratch. Sgt. Treinen is home on temporary duty—the first Remsen man to return under this order which is a departure from the furlough system which sent the boys home in rotation after replacement according to rank. Under the new system, he is ordered to report back to his unit in Italy, provided a special order otherwise is not issued before he leaves this country.

~Technician Corporal Jos. Flynn of Fort Richardson, Alaska, is home on furlough visiting his mother, Mrs. Jennie Flynn. He has been serving in an engineering corps in Alaska the past two and a half years and will return to Fort Richardson this week.

~Pfc. Louis Zimmer, stationed with an engineering corps at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, arrived home Saturday morning on a two weeks furlough and is visiting his wife and children in Remsen and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zimmer, in LeMars.

~S/Sgt. Virgil E. Campbell, formerly of Melbourne community and now serving in the United States Air Forces in England, is a tail gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. He has been given the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and two presidential citations for extraordinary good work on certain missions with his group. He has been overseas since May 1. Up to July 20 he had flown on 20 missions. He has been in North Africa, Egypt, Russia and Scotland.

~Sgt. Roger S. Nylund, of Akron has been reported as wounded while in service in the Mediterranean area.

~Staff Sergeant Herman J. Charlson, who was wounded in the fighting in France on July 14, arrived in LeMars last week to visit relatives. Sgt. Charlson stepped on a land mine and received serious leg and arm injuries. His leg injuries healed up so he has no trouble getting around, but the three broken bones and other injuries in the arm improve more slowly. Sgt. Charleson has been in service almost three years and overseas six to eight months. After an 18-day furlough he will report at Galdesburg, Illinois. His mother is Mrs. August Anderson, of Akron, formerly of LeMars.

LeMars Globe-Post
September 21, 1944

AFTER KILLING SO MANY JAPS, LIEUT. ROLFES DREADS TAKING SOUVENIRS FROM THEIR BODIES
What He Treasures Is Gold Bars He Wore In Battle

Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Rolfes have received two letters from their son, now First Lieutenant Aloysius Rolfes, who is with the infantry regiment which recently took Makin and Saipan Islands, and which has been taking other stepping stones, one by one, in the American march to Japan.

Lieut. Rolfes received his promotion unexpectedly, on Saipan. Describing how it happened, he says:

“Our company commander, a captain, wanted to surprise me. He waited until retreat formation when he had the entire company assembled in one body. Then he started to make a big speech about me. He was really comical. A kidding speech about LeMars, etc., which he always does. I couldn’t figure out what he was leading up to. Then he ended up the speech by saying the general had decided I was an important man and promoted me to first lieutenant.

When he said that you could have knocked me over with a feather. Then he said I was the highest ranking man in the Army from LeMars. (Just kidding, of course.)”

But the promotion presented a new problem for the first lieutenant. There are no Army goods store on Saipan, where he might buy the new silver bars he now has to wear. He asked members of the family here to try to buy a pair of bars for him. His gold bars, no longer regulation for him, he’s sending home. He wrote that he treasures them highly—and they are about the only thing he wants to keep, to remind him of the battles he’s been in

Like so many soldiers who have been in battle many times, he’s fed up with battlefield souvenirs. He wrote:

“I could have had oodles of souvenirs, such as Jap swords, pistols, rifles, etc. But after fighting and killing the Japs for such a long time, I dread the sight of them, and dislike taking anything from dead bodies.

I could really relate some stories. I would like to tell you the story about the time about three other boys and myself took a bunch of prisoners. I had a very close call that time, and there was also a very funny incident. EVERY DAY OF BATTLE IS A DAY OF WILD EXCITEMENT. You never know from one minute to the next what is going to happen.”

Lieut. Rolfes enclosed some copies of official pictures showing himself and his men wading ashore, in water about waist deep, to Makin Island, while huge fires from Japanese shore installations can be seen. Another picture shows a group of infantrymen, not otherwise identified, watching a burning ammunition or gasoline dump. The men are pictured in battle deployment in the jungle, with a trench mortar in the foreground, and another photo shows the American flag flying from the top of a sheltered palm tree. The beach on which Lieut. Rolfs’ men landed under enemy fire was Butaritari beach.

LeMars Globe- Post
September 25, 1944

SOLDIER’S NEWS.

Friends here have received V-mail letters from Cpl. Scott Langendorfer, who is stationed somewhere in the South Pacific. He states in one of the letters that he hopes to be home soon. Cpl. Langendorfer is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Langendorfer of this city, and before entering the war was employed at The Globe-Post.

M/Sgt. Edwin F. Van Goor, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Van Goor of Yankton and former residents of this city, informs the Globe-Post that he is now stationed in Brisbane, Australia. He arrived in Australia the first part of August after 14 months in New Guinea. He states that food is plentiful, especially after eating bully beef and C rations for so long. He found a place in Brisbane where he can buy a T-bone steak for 65 cents and it is an inch thick and larger than the plate. There are very few places to go at night except a show, since there are no night clubs and only a few places to dance. He also states that the weather has been quite cold, but that Spring is on the way. It seems much different to him to have the months of July and August so cold when it is warm back home. He states that about the time Christmas arrives in Australia it will be so hot that he will be sweltering with the heat. His brother, Joe Van Goor is in New Guinea and another brother, Vince Van Goor, is in Italy.

Soldier’s News item from Mrs. Alma Rohde, LeMars: “I received a letter from my son Edmund. His change of address is as follows: Lieut. Edmund W. Rohde – (the rest omitted for publication, in compliance with the voluntary censorship code.) He writes he got to England ok, and he finds that the food is good. He was amused to see the people drive their cars from the wrong side, and he says they ride bicycles a lot there, and he thinks he may buy one.”

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Arendt have received another letter from their son, Lieut. Arendt, reporting satisfactory progress in the hospital from wounds received in battle in France. He writes that he has received the Purple Heart decoration, and that he is sending the decoration, as well as the bullet and fragments of his own pistol which were dug out of his hand by Army surgeons, home to his parents.

Lieut. Clarence S. Erickson, of the Army Air Corps, whose home is Akron, has been promoted to the rank of captain, according to an Army press release.

Pvt. Guy Harkness of Hawarden has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in action in France, according to the telegram from the War Department received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Harkness. Pvt. Harkness was home on furlough in May, before he was shipped overseas. He is now in an American military hospital in England.

Lake Field, Ariz.: Clyde Arthur Kinzey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kinzey, of Kingsley, has successfully completed his flight training at the Army Air Forces advanced flying school, Lake Field, Ariz. At the graduation ceremonies Sept. 8, he received the Army Air Corps silver wings and a second lieutenant commission. He received his pre-flight training at Santa Ana Army Air base and pilot training with Army flying units at fields in the western training command. He attended the Kingsley high school and Iowa State University.

Word has been received from Maurice Hodge that he is now located at an Army advanced training camp near Jackson, Miss., for 6 weeks basic train, after which he will be sent to Atlanta, Ga., for 8 weeks technical training as a sheet metal specialist. Before entering the service, he was employed by the Northwestern Air Lines at St. Paul and while living at Kingsley was employed at the K. Service station. Mrs. Hodge and children are still in St. Paul.

From the public relations branch of Fort Belvoir, Va., come a communication saying that Emil C. Wilberding has completed a special two-week officers camouflage course at the engineer school there. He is a lieutenant in the quartermaster corps, and is now returning to study with the field operations branch at Camp Kuernsey, Wyoming. His home is at Remsen.

Pvt. Gilbert Wictor arrived home Sunday at Remsen from Camp Stewart, Ga., and will spend 10 days with his family and other relatives and his many friends. Pvt. Wictor was among the young fathers who were the last to report for military duty. While his arrival was duly welcomed by all it came in the nick of time to permit of his joining the rest of the family in welcoming a new daughter into his family.

Remsen Bell-Enterprise: Mr. and Mrs. John B. Muller have of late not been receiving many letters from their son, Cpl. John Muller Jr., who is in the Marine corps and overseas, but last week they received word which meant more than an ordinary letter. The lad says he expects to be home by Christmas, and a lengthy furlough and visiting will more than make up for the long delays in the mail service and the few opportunities he has had for writing home.

Walter Shea, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Shea, departed Monday afternoon to return to the west coast on Navy duty after spending eight days at home. He recently arrived back in this country after six months aboard the U. S. ________ on the Pacific, landing at San Francisco three weeks ago. He was given leave from the San Pedro base but on his arrival at the coast will report at Treasure Island near San Francisco and be assigned to a new ship.

Harold J. Kestel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kestel, will receive his doctor of dental surgery degree at commencement exercises Sept. 21 and 22 at Creighton University, Omaha. The Remsen boy is a member of the Naval training unit at Creighton and during the commencement exercises will take an oath as a commissioned officer. He attended St. Mary’s school at Remsen and was graduated with the Class of 1937.

AAF Base Unit, Indianapolis, Ind.—Cpl. Bernard Kraus of the 3521st AAF base unit (FS), AAF eastern technical training command, Indianapolis 6, Ind., was awarded the Army “good conduct medal” at a ceremony September 16, 1944, by Capt. John W. Varley, commanding officer. Cpl. Kraus is the husband of Threase Kraus, LeMars, Iowa.

LeMars Globe-Post
September 28, 1944

SGT. LUDWIG WAR VICTIM
Gave Life Fighting On French Soil On Sept. 10

Sgt. Alphonse T. Ludwig, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Ludwig, who live near LeMars, was killed in action fighting on French soil on September 10, according to a telegram received here from the War Department.

The telegram came to the Ludwig farm last night and was stuck under the door as the family was not at home. They found the tragic news this morning.

Sgt. Ludwig was born on April 12, 1916, and entered the service on March 23, 1944. He received his training at Camp Barkeley, Shreveport, and Fort Dix. He went to France the day after D-day.

Surviving are the parents, one sister, Esther Ludwig, and four brothers, Joe, Herb, Norman and Clarence.

A memorial mass will be read at 9:30 Monday morning at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Oyens. Father Henry Karhoff officiating.

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
September 29, 1944

SGT. HOWARD DIRKS REPORTED KILLED FIGHTING IN FRANCE
Letter Written Fatal Day Arrives With Official Notice

Mrs. Howard Dirks of Craig was notified Tuesday night by the Secretary of War at Washington, D.C., that her husband, Staff Sergeant Howard Dirks, had been killed in action in France while fighting in the front line, September 8. The news came on the same day on which she had received a letter from her husband, saying he was well. The letter was written on September 8, the day he was killed.

Staff Sergeant Dirks was employed as mechanic in a garage at Craig before entering the service November 27, 1942, and was at Camp Cook, California, and camps in Tennessee and New York before leaving from Camp Dix in December 1943, for duty overseas. He was in an engineering corps.

Howard Dirks was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dirks, living near Chatsworth. He was born in South Dakota, March 3, 1916 and lived on a farm near Ireton.

He was married at Dakota City, Nebraska, November 7, 1942, to Arlene Hutton, who survives him with a one year old daughter, Donna Lee. Besides his wife and parents, he leaves two brothers, Darrell and Carlyle, at home and five sisters, Della Jane, Myrna and Pearl at home, Mrs. Reva Albright of Omaha and Mrs. Mildred Galvan of Gardena, California.