NORTH IOWANS IN UNIFORM
AT U.S. CAMPS AND AIR BASES
Pvt. John M. Garcia, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. John Garcia, 714 6th street southwest, is not stationed at Fort McClellan, Ala. He entered the service in July of this year, before which he was employed at Swift’s Produce company. Mr. and Mrs. Garcia also have another son in the service, Joe Garcia, radio technician third class. He has been in the service since last September.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, August 31 1943, Page 18
WHEREABOUTS
Joe E. Garcia, radio technician 3/c, has returned to the west coast after spending the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Garcia, Sr., 714 6th S. W. Joe enlisted in the navy in Sept., 1942, and received his boot training at Great Lakes, Ill., later being sent to Hawaii for further training. Before returning to the west coast he was on duty in the north Pacific. Mr. and Mrs. Garcia also have another son, Pvt. John Michael Garcia, Jr., and a son-in-alw, Pfc. Nick J. Kantaris, both in the army and serving overseas.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, February 18, 1944, Page 8
WHEREABOUTS
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Garcia, 714 6th S. W., have received word that their son, John M. Garcia, Jr., had recently been promoted to private first class somewhere in Italy where he is now stationed with the infantry.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, April 28, 1944, Page 3
Seriously Wounded
Pfc. John M. Garcia, Jr., was seriously wounded in action in Italy on June 17, according to a telegram received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John E.Garcia, Sr., 714 6th S. W. Pfc. Garcia was sent overseas to Italy after spending his Christmas furlough with his parents. Before entering the service in July, 1943, he was employed by Swift’s Produce. He received his basic training at Fort McClellan, Ala. The Garcias have another son and a son-in-law in the service: Joe E. Garcia, radio technician 3/c somewhere in the Pacific, and Pfc. Nick Kantaris with an engineer corps in France.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, July 11, 1944, Page 10 (photo included)
NOTE: Pfc. Garcia died of his wounds on June, 23, 1944, Grossetio, Italy.
Card of Thanks
WE wish to thank Father Murphy and assisting priests, service organizations, friends and neighbors for their kindness and flora offerings in attending the memorial services of our son and brother.
Mr. and Mrs. John Garcia, Sr.
and family.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Monday, July 24, 1944, Page 15
Memorial Is Conducted by W. R. C.
At the Women’s Relief Corps meeting Tuesday afternoon in the Legion hall, with Mrs. C. E. Sherwood presiding, memorial services were held for 15 service men who had lost their lives in defense of their country.
A memorial table was arranged by Miss Betty Russell with flags, patriotic emblems, and garden flowers. A blood plasma fund container was in the center with a placard, “In Memoriam to a Fallen Hero.” Mrs. Sherwood gave the names who were Pfc. John M. Garcia, Platoon Sgt. William C. Cross, Pfc. Roy J. Schultz, Sgt. Cecil Waldmoe (sic, should be Woldmoe), Pharmacist’s Mate Maurice T. Hurlt, Sgt. Robert H. Anderson, Sgt. Robert D. Fowler, Signalman Dale E. Wentworth, Sgt. Harvey McDougle, Cpl., Keith E. Dye, Pfc., Wallace Spinger, Pvt. Harry Paxton, First Lt. Richard L. Grow, Pvt. Harold Frazier, Staff Sgt. Ernest Ruhnke.
Mrs. Erma Hewitt placed the corps check of $7.50 in the container and led in the Lord’s prayer. Mrs. Hugh Stevens placed a piano solo, “America, The Beautiful.” The additional check brings the total for blood plasma fund to $132.50.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, August 02, 1944, Page 6
MEMORIAL RITES HELD FOR
THOSE WHO GAVE LIVES
Rogness Speaks for Services
Held at Music Hall for 12
The great problem in rehabilitation of men in service will be to find something to do as significant as the services they have given on the battlefield, the Rev. Alvin N. Rogness, pastor of Trinity Lutheran church, said at the monthly memorial service Sunday at Music hall, commemorating those members of the army, navy and marine corps who have given their lives in the service of their country.
“The minds of these boys often reach high points of service that these things for which we fight shall live, even if it costs their life blood to have them live,” said Mr. Rogness.
“We have honor today those whose lives have been cut short by war. It is the price man pays for not having walked the ways of God. God did not make war. He didn’t desire their death. It is not wrong for us to say that God may take the blood shed by these and cleanse the earth of such pillage that has been our lot for several years.”
. . . The program was sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, with W. V. Clausen, commander of the post, in charge. Mrs. Harold Sayder sang 2 selections, accompanied by Mrs. Morris Laird at the piano.
The offering of symbolic tribute and roll call of departed comrades was given by Comdr. Clausen and this was followed by the presentation of flags and Gold Star citations to the next of kin assisted by H. A. Austin of the American Legion and by Cpl. Beverly Myers and Pvt. Jean Morley, WAC recruiting officers.
Those honored Sunday were:
Robert Harold Anderson
Jerold Richard Bond
Keith Ellsworth Dye
Willard Earl Dunton
Mickel John Garcis
Eugene Hall Kirshbaum
Louis Joseph Pion, Jr.
Ernest Hall Ruhnke
Robert Vance Ulin
Cecil Thomas Waldmoe
Lester Lee Williams
John Raymond Gagnon
The ceremony was concluded by the firing squad under 1st Sgt. Frank Shobin, with Major Jack Cheyne sounding taps. The next ceremony will be held the final Sunday in November.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Monday, October 30, 1944, Page 11
John M. Garcia is buried in Elmwood Saint Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, IA and has a cenotaph in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
