COUNTY SEAT SOLDIER KILLED AT METZ, FRANCE
Donald Wassenaar Overseas Only 7 Weeks
Pvt. Donald E. Wassenaar was killed in action Nov. 12th in France, according to a message from the War Department received late Sunday evening by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Wassenaar of Orange City. The telegram read: "The secretary of war desires me to express his deep regret that your son, Pvt. Donald E. Wassenaar was killed in action Nov. 12. Letter follows."
Donald was one of three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Wassenaar in service overseas and deepest sympathy is felt for the family. A seventh gold star will be added to the Orange City Honor Roll.
Pvt. Wassenaar was born July 26, 1923 and was 21 years old. Born at St. Cloud, Minn., he came to Orange City with his parents at the age of 2 1/2 years. His education was interrupted by illness in his younger years but he graduated in 1943 from Northwestern Academy. June 17, 1943 he was inducted into the service and sent for basic training to Fort Knox, where he was hospitalized for four weeks. He went to Ft. Geo. G. Meade for further training and to Nashville, Tenn. for maneuvers in May of this year, then to Ft. Jackson, Miss. where he was again hospitalized for two months. Late in August he left for overseas. He was home on three furloughs during his service.
Donald was with a Field Artillery unit in General Patton's Third Army, in the 26th Division believed to be fighting south of Metz about Nov. 12th.
He was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Wassenaar and besides his parents is survived by two younger sisters, Arloa and Wilma at home; an older brother, Jerry Wassenaar, with the Canadian Royal Air Force in England, after serving before the war for four years with the U.S. Coast Artillery; and a younger brother, Tech. Cpl. Clifford D. Wassenaar, with an engineering regiment in Iran where he is at present serving as a cook after driving a water supply truck for a year.
Pvt. Wassenaar was a member of the First Reformed church, where memorial services will be held early next week. He was a young man of splendid character and was loved by all who knew him.
Source: Alton Democrat, November 30, 1944.
NEWS OF OUR MEN and WOMEN IN UNIFORM
DONALD WASSENAAR, O.C. SOLDIER, KILLED IN ACTION
Pvt. Donald E. Wassenaar was killed in action Nov. 12th, in France, according to a message from the War Department received late Sunday evening by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Wassenaar, of Orange City.
The telegram read: “The Secretary of War desires me to express his deep regret that your son, Pvt. Donald E. Wassenaar, was killed in action Nov. 12. Letter follows.”
Donald, who was overseas only about seven weeks, was one of three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Wassenaar in service overseas and deepest sympathy is felt for the family. A seventh gold star will be added to the Orange City Honor Roll.
Source: Sioux Center News, December 7, 1944
In Memoriam Pvt. Donald Wassenaar
A Memorial Service for Pvt. Donald E. Wassenaar, who was killed in action in France, was held in the First Reformed church Tuesday afternoon. The Legionaires were in charge of the military service. The flags were carried by Cpl. Frank DeVries and Pfc. Marinus Mulder, and the gold star was placed on the service flag by Pvt. Thomas Jellema. Following was a moment of silent prayer followed by Taps. Rev. H. Colenbrander, pastor of the church, delivered the message, the theme being “The Voice of the Dead.” Favorite scripture passage, Psalm 23, was also read. Special music was rendered by a mixed quartet singing, “Sometime We’ll Understand” and a male quartet singing, “Faith of Our Fathers,” favorite hymn of the serviceman.
The portrait of Pvt. Wassenaar was framed in bouquets of flowers, which were presented by the Ref. church Sunday School and Mr. and Mrs. Ton Auchstetter, of Granville, Iowa.
Rev. Jacob Heemstra offered the closing prayer.
Those who attended from out-of-town were Mr. and Mrs. Eben Wibben and son, Mervin of Yankton, South Dakota; Mrs. George Vander Pol, Joe Dykstra, Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Vander Pol, Gerrit Peters, and Clarence DeVries, all of Sheldon; Mr. and Mrs. Marinus Hoekstra, of Melvin; Mrs. Dern Baker and Mrs. John Nobel, of Rock Valley; Mr. and Mrs. John Dykstra and daughter, Gertrude, and Mr. and Mrs. E. Weyers of Maurice; Mrs. Louis Haley, of Sanborn; Mr. and Mrs. Tony Auchstetter, of Granville; and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Menning, of Newkirk. Pvt. Wassenaar was employed by the latter two before entering military service.
Source: Alton Democrat, December 14, 1944
Donald E. Wassenaar is buried in West Lawn Cemetery, Orange County, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
