Local Man Reported Safe
After Attack Launched by Japs
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ervin, 208 Tenth street northwest, have received word from their son, Lyle, that he is safe at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The local man’s letter was dated
Dec. 9, two days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and was received here on Dec. 31. He is stationed on a submarine.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Saturday, January 03, 1942, Page 14
Ervin With Sub in Pacific Area
Lyle Ervin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Ervin, 208 Tenth street northwest, is [a] fireman first class on a submarine somewhere in the Pacific. His parents recently received a cablegram from him in Honolulu, the first word that they had received from him in two months. Ervin, who is 21, was at Pearl Harbor when the Japs attacked Dec. 7. His parents received a letter from him recently, but most of it been scissored by the censor. Ervin enlisted in the navy in March of 1940. He attended the Mason City high school.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, April 24, 1942, Page 11 (photo included)
Ervin Gets Commendations
for Sub Action in Pacific
Fireman First Class on Submarine
That Destroyed Tanker
Lyle F. Ervin, fireman first class on a submarine in the Pacific, has received a note of commendation from Rear Admiral T. Withers, submarine commander of the Pacific Fleet, and an individual notation from the commanding officer of his ship for the part he played in the destroying of an enemy freighter while his ship was on war patrol.
The commendation from Admiral Withers follows:
“On the second war patrol conducted by the U. S. S. Pollack, that vessel is credited with having attacked and destroyed one enemy freighter of 5,400 tons. In addition, two sampans which were hampering the activities of the Pollack were attacked and sunk. The area to which the Pollack was assigned was heavily patrolled by enemy air and surface anti-submarine vessels. The Pollack returned safely to port, having received no damage or injury to material or personnel.
“As a member of the crew of the U. S. S. Pollack, you contributed materially to the success of the mission. The commander submarines, Pacific Fleet, takes pleasure in commending you on your performance of duty.”
Accompanying the commendation was this indorsement (sic) from Ervin’s commanding officer: “Forwarded with congratulations. The commanding officer wishes to take this opportunity to state that he concurs unconditionally with the first sentence of paragraph two of the basic letter. Your conduct was in accordance with the highest traditions of the service.”
Ervin, who enlisted in the navy in March, 1940, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Ervin, 208 Tenth street northwest.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, August 25, 1942, Page 14
Lyle F. Ervin, son of Switchman Harry Ervin of Mason City, Ia., is a fireman 1st class on a submarine in the Pacific. He recently received a note of commendation from Rear Admiral Withers, submarine commander of the Pacific Fleet, and an individual citation from the commanding officer of his ship for the part he played in destroying an enemy fighter while his ship was on patrol.
Lyle enlisted in March, 1940, and has not been home since.
Source: Milwaukee Road Magazine, May 1943 (photo included)
RAIDED JAPAN
Lyle F. Ervin, machinist’s mate second class, has returned to the U. S. Submarine Base, New London, Conn., after completing a series of war patrols during which his submarine sank nearly a dozen Japanese ships of varying types and raided the coast of Japan, sinking patrol vessels with deck guns in surface actions. Ervin attended Mason City high school before entering the navy in 1940. He went directly to the submarine service, seeing action shortly after completing basic training at New London.
He was home on his first leave in three and a half years, recently reporting to the submarine base, now there for assignment to a new submarine. Ervin will be a key man in the crew because of his battle experience. He has received commendation from the submarine commander of the Pacific Fleet and from the commanding officer of his submarine for his work in sinking an enemy freighter and two sampans. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ervin, 208 Tenth street northwest.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, August 13, 1943, Page 12
PARENTS AT CEREMONY
Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Ervin, 208 10th street N. W., have recently returned from Manitowoc, Wis., where they attended the commissioning ceremony of a new ship that their son, Lyle F. Ervin, machinist’s mate 1st class, was waiting assignment to. Ervin has seen action in a number of submarine battles and has been commended by his submarine commander of the Pacific fleet and by the commanding officer of his submarine for his work in sinking an enemy freighter and 2 sampans.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, October 14, 1943, Page 21
MISSING ON SUBMARINE
Lyle Ervin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ervin, 208 10th N. W., is missing in action on a submarine, according to word received here.
Lyle has been in the service for more than 4 years, having enlisted in March, 1940. He has seen action in a number of submarine battles and some time ago was commended by his commanding officer for his work in sinking an enemy freighter and 2 sampans.
Mr. and Mrs. Ervin left Tuesday to visit their other son, who is in defense work in the state of Washington. Last October they had attended the commissioning of Lyle’s new ship at Manitowoc, Wis.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, August 29, 1944, Page 11 (photo included)
NOTE: USS Robalo (SS-273) was sunk by a mine off the western coast of Palawan Island, The Philippines in the Balabac Strait on July 26, 1944. There were four survivors who made it ashore but where captured by the Japanese military police but did not survive this ordeal. ~ wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?132334
MoMM 1/C Lyle Franklin Ervin was lost at sea with the USS Robalo.
Petty Officer Ervin is memorialized at the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Source: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
