CPL. HAMANN SEES HIS HOME IN TRIP FROM PUEBLO, COLO.
But Air Corps Gunner Did Not Stop Here
Cpl. Karl Hamann visited his home town Saturday evening and saw his mother’s house without setting foot on Rock Valley soil.
He was in the big silver plane which circled low over town three times Saturday night.
Since his furlough here some weeks ago when he was at the Lincoln army air base, Karl’s bomber crew has been transferred to Pueblo, Colo., army air base and he has been promoted to Corporal.
He is a gunner in the belly turret of the bomber. The plane was on a training flight to Sioux City from Pueblo and the pilot asked Karl where his home was located. Then he said that as long as Rock Valley was so close to Sioux City, they might as well fly over and give Karl a sight of his Iowa. They circled so low that Karl wrote his brother Fritz here he could see his mother’s home plainly.
Many of their training flights are made at night. On one trip the crew lost their bearings and had to make a forced landing in Kansas to replenish their gasoline. One morning they started out on a flight at 2:00 a.m. It’s all for the purpose of getting the crew ready for anything.
Many Rock Valley citizens watched the big ship as it circled town Saturday and the observation was made that someone from Rock Valley must be in the plane.
Source: Rock Valley Bee, August 4, 1944
ROCK VALLEY:
Cpl. Karl Hamman was aboard the bomber that circled Rock Valley Saturday evening. Karl received his primary training at Lincoln Army Air Base and is now stationed at Pueblo, Col. Cpl. Karl Hamman was recently married to Miss Frances DeJonge, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dan DeJonge and they make their home at Pueblo.
Source: The Alton Democrat, August 10, 1944
HERE THIS WEEK
Corporal Karl Hamann and his wife arrived Monday night to spend a few days with relatives and friends before Corporal Hamann leaves for overseas duty.
Source: Rock Valley Bee, August 25, 1944 (photo included)
ROCK VALLEY:
MISSING IN ACTION.
Mrs. Karl Hamann received a telegram from the government advising her that her husband Sgt. Karl Hamann was missing in action over Hungary since November 6. Karl is a belly gunner on a B-24 Liberator and only arrived overseas in September and was stationed in Italy. His wife, nee’ Frances De Jonge, received a letter written by him dated November 5, stating that he had been on two missions and expected to go on a third the next day. The next word she received was the telegram stating that Karl had been missing in action November 6. Mrs. Hamann received a letter Sunday from the War Department stating that Sgt. Hamann had not been heard from and informing her on the disposition of matters. Karl is a son of Mrs. Ida Hamann of this city and has several brothers and sisters here. He was married to Frances De Jonge at Pueblo, Colo., on July 6.
Source: Sioux Center News, November 30, 1944
KARL HAMANN IS SAFE, BELIEVED
Mrs. Karl Hamann Wednesday received news of her husband who was reported missing in action over Hungary since November 6. The mother of another member of the crew of the B-24 in which Karl was belly gunner, wrote that she had received word from her son that the whole crew had made its way back to Italy. He said they had a time of it, but were all safe. Rock Valley friends rejoice with his wife and family at this encouraging news.
To this time no message has been received from the government or Karl himself, but without a doubt one or the other will arrive soon.
Source: Rock Valley Bee, Friday, January 26, 1945 (photo included)
OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE SERVICES
Rock Valley, Ia.—Sgt. Karl Hamann, who has been missing since November 6, in a bombing raid over Hungary, returned to duty in Italy on January 14, according to a message received from the government by his wife, Mrs. Frances Hamann. He had been missing since November 6 when the B-24 bomber on which he was the belly gunner was shot down over Hungary. No word as yet has been received from Sgt. Hamann himself. He is the son of Mrs. Ida Hamann, and has one brother, Ted Hamann, overseas.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, February 6, 1945
SERVICEMEN
Boyden:
Mrs. Karl Hamann received a telegram Saturday afternoon informing her that her husband, Sgt. Karl Hamann, had returned to duty. Sgt. Hamann had been missing in action since November 6 when the B-24 Liberator bomber, of which he was a gunner, was shot down over Hungary. No word has been received from Sgt. Hamann himself as yet. He is the son of Mrs. Ida Hamann.
Source: The Sioux County Capital, Orange City, Iowa, Feb. 8, 1945
Sgt. Karl Hamann Arrives in R. V.
S. Sgt. Karl Hamann was re-united with his wife and family here, Tuesday, when he arrived in Orange City, and came home from there. He telegraphed Mrs. Hamann one day last week from Miami, Fla., telling her he had arrived safely in the United States, but his arrival here came as a wonderful surprise.
Sgt. Hamann is well, after going through harrowing experiences in his career as belly-gunner on a B-24 bomber in Europe.
A few months ago Mrs. Hamann received word that her husband had been missing since November 6, when he had been in action over Hungary, but on February 3, he cabled her from Italy, saying that he was safe, though they had a bad time of it making their way back.
Source: Rock Valley Bee, Friday, March 9, 1945
Our Neighbors in Service.
Rock Valley, Ia.—S. Sgt. Karl Hamann arrived here on the night of March 6. He had telegraphed his wife last week that he had arrived in Miami, Fla. Karl was missing in action over Hungary November 16 from a B-24 Liberator bomber on which he was belly gunner. He reported back to his base in Italy January 14. He was married last summer to Miss Frances DeJonge and left for overseas duty in August.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, March 9, 1945
ROCK VALLEY
Mrs. Karl Hamann received a telegram from her husband Thursday evening telling her that S/Sgt. Karl Hamann is now in the States at Miami, Fla. He has been reported missing in action in a B-24 Liberator and afterwards reported back at his base in Italy.
Source: Alton Democrat, March 15, 1945
ROCK VALLEY
S/Sgt. Karl Hamann arrived home Tuesday evening from Miami, Florida. He got a ride from Alton to Orange City, so his folks met him there. It is reported that he has lost some weight, as he was without food for some days while he was missing in action. He was missing from November 6 to January 14. He has until March 28 to remain at home, and then will go to Miami, Florida.
Source: Sioux County Capital, March 15, 1945
ROCK VALLEY
S/Sgt. Karl Hamann and wife left Tuesday for Miami, Florida, where he will report at a rest camp. He has been spending a furlough here with his wife and his mother, Mrs. Ida Hamann. Karl was reported missing in action from November 6 to January 14.
Source: Sioux County Capital, April 5, 1945
ROCK VALLEY
Mrs. Karl Hamann arrived here Tuesday from Odessa, Texas. She traveled as far as Sioux City with her husband, S/Sgt. Karl Hamann, who was sent to Sioux City for discharge. He received his discharge Thursday arriving home the same day.
Source: Sioux Center News, November 15, 1945
