OMAHA RANGER IS KILLED;
Believed In Africa Fighting
Lt. Klefman Enlisted Before War
An Omaha member of an American Ranger unit, Lt. Gordon Louis Klefman, was killed in action November 10, according to word to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Klefman, 1618 South Thirty-second avenue.
As the north African invasion began November 8, it is believed he was killed in north Africa [Algeria], though the war department wire did not state.
Klefman, 27, was graduated from Council Bluffs’ Thomas Jefferson High school in 1931, and from Iowa State college at Ames in 1935. He finished college at 20, majoring in chemistry, and entered the research department of a paint company at Kansas City.
Entered Artillery
In June, 1941, Klefman decided to enter the army. He had taken ROTC work in high school and college, had been a member of the Council Bluffs national guard unit and had gone to special training camps. At first he planned to enter the air corps, but finally became a first lieutenant of field artillery. He transferred to the regular army from the reserve.
Going to northern Ireland with the first American troops sent across the Atlantic, Klefman transferred after a time to the Rangers, then training in Scotland.
Conscientious Instructor
He soon became a Ranger instructor, and in a V-mail letter to his parents dated October 9 said: “I should hate to feel that some boy lost his life because I failed to train him properly.”
Klefman was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and of the college honorary military fraternity, Scabbard & Blade.
Besides his parents, he is survived by one brother, Cpl. Richard J. Klefman of the marine corps, now at San Diego, Calif.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, November 27, 1942, Page 6
