Young Farmer Called To Army
Holds Farm Sale August 29
Henry M. Blankespoor who left on Tueday August 18, 1942 for his physical examination in Des Moines, came home last Wednesday evening having completed the physical requirements and now plans a farm sale. The public auction sale of livestock and grain will be held on his farm on Saturday, August 29, 1942 beginning at 1 o'clock.
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Henry Blankespoor is a married man with a son, Morris Gene, who is three months old. He is the first young farmer in Sioux County to break up farming to join up with Uncle Sam to help win the war. Mr. and Mrs. Mass Blankespoor, his parents, live in Sioux Center.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 27, 1942 p 1
Sixty relatives, Rev. H. J. Trienenberg of Rock Valley and Rev. John Blankespoor of Orange City gathered at the farm home of Henry M. Blankespoor on Tuesday night as a farewell gesture before Henry leaves for army service. Each guest left an envelope with his or her address in it for Henry to keep and write to all later. Henry is a married man with a three month old son. He is having a farm sale Saturday so that he may enter the service.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 27, 1942 p 11
Henry Blankespoor in Arkansas
Henry Blankespoor who recently left for army service is now located at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. His address is: Pvt. Henry M. Blankespoor 37427929, Co. D. 67th, 14th Regt., Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. There are four Sioux County boys in this camp with Blankespoor. The two who have been there for some time are Pvt. Lewis Kooi and Pvt. Gerrit Visser. Two of the last group to arrive there are Jerry Vander Zwaag and Randall Van Gelder.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 17, 1942 p 11
Visit Husbands in Camp
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor, Mrs. Jerry Vander Zwaag and Mrs. Randall Van Gelder left Friday for a 10 days visit with their husbands who are stationed in Camp Robinson, Ark.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 15, 1942 p 2
Takes 8 Week Mechanical Course
Henry Blankespoor has been transferred from Camp Robinson to a mechanics school in Bloomington, Ill for and eight week course. He said Randall Van Gelder, another Sioux County boy, is there with him. His new address is: Pvt. Henry M. Blankespoor, Bloomington Hotel Room D-1, Bloomington, Ill.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 29, 1942 p 10
Mrs. Peter Schouten and Mrs. Henry Blankespoor and baby left for Bloomington, Ill. last Friday where they will visit Pvt. Henry Blankespoor who is in camp there. Mrs. Schouten will return home the latter part of the week and Mrs. Blankespoor and baby will remain there for some time.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 19, 1942 p 3
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor writes the following:
Dear Sioux Center Folks:
As I am now living in Bloomington with the baby until Hank is transferred again, I would like to have you send us the News to the new address. I will notify you when he is transferred. Randall Van Gelder and Henry have both been promoted to First Class Private. They like their work (they go to school here). Mrs. Peter Schouten from Sioux Center is with me. She came along when I went and is leaving for home again Thursday. We have an apartment here only 3 blocks from the school and Henry's hotel. We arrived here last Saturday. Hoping to receive our News in Bloomington this week we remain, Pvt. F. C. Henry Blankespoor, Mrs. and son.
307 E. Locust St.
Bloomington, Ill.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 19, 1942 p 10
Here is slight change of address for PFC Henry M. Blankespoor, Midwest Motive Trades, Platoon 16 c Institute, Bloomington, Ill.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 26, 1942 p 10
Mr. and Mrs. Mass Blankespoor returned last week from a visit to their son Henry who is stationed in a mechanics school in Bloominton, Ill. ... Henry will finish his course the latter part of this week and expects to be sent to a new post shortly afterward. Mrs. Henry Blankespoor and the baby are staying in Bloomington until he moves.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 17, 1942 p 6
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor and baby arrived home from Bloomington, Ill. last Friday evening where they spent several weeks with PFC Henry Blankespoor who has been stationed there but was transferred. His new address will be published as soon as it arrives at the News office. Mrs. Blankespoor and baby will make their home at her parents Mr. and Mrs. Herman Nibbelink southwest of Sioux Center for the present time.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 24, 1942 p 7
The address of Henry Blankespoor, son of Maas Blankespoor is as follows:
PFC Henry M. Blankespoor
A.S.N. 37427929, APO 4045-B
c.o. Postmaster, New York, N.Y.
Source: Sioux Center News Jan. 21, 1943 p 9
Correct address: (Note: same edition of paper as above)
PFC Henry M. Blankespoor 37427929
Co. Br. U.N.A.S.D.D.
APO 4045-B, c.o. Postmaster
New York City, N.Y.
Source: Sioux Center News Jan. 21, 1943 p 12
PFC Henry M. Blankespoor
O.S.A. Casual Section, Barracks 288
Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Source: Sioux Center News Feb. 11, 1943 p 10
About 125 relatives and friends gathered at the town hall Wednesday evening at a farewell gathering held there for PFC Henry Blankespoor who has been spending a 15 day furlough with his family here and will return back to camp at Brooklyn, N. Y. the latter part of this week.
Source: Sioux Center News Apr. 15, 1943 p 4
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor and son Morris Gene accompanied PFC Henry Blankespoor to Holland, Mich. Saturday morning where she and the baby will visit at the home of her sister Mrs. Ted Bouma for a few days and he went on to Camp at Brooklyn, N. Y. after spending a furlough at home for 15 days.
Source: Sioux Center News Apr. 22, 1943 p 4
PFC Henry Blankespoor is transferred from Ft. Hamilton at Brooklyn, N. Y. to 37427929, Task Force Replacement Pool, Camp Kilmer, New Brunswick, N. J.
Source: Sioux Center News June 10, 1943 p 10
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor returned home on Tuesday evening after spending a short visit with her husband who is stationed at Camp Kilmer, N. J.
Source: Sioux Center News July 1, 1943 p 10
PFC Henry Blankespoor has a change of address and writes his wife that he expects to be sent overseas. He may be gone by the time this is published in which case his address will be changed again, so we will publish the correct address as soon as we receive it.
Source: Sioux Center News July 15, 1943 p 8
PFC Henry M. Blankespoor
ASN 37427929
1753rd Ordinance Co. MM AVN (Q)
301st. Serv. Grp.
APO 3769, c.o. Postmaster
New York City, N. Y.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 26, 1943 p 8
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor received word from her husband Wednesday afternoon.
This is the first time she has heard from him in eight weeks. He wasn't able to say much. The letter was written on July 20 and postmarked August 19. She received it on September 1. Henry left for overseas duty on July 7. His complete address will be published when received.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 2, 1943 p 10
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor received a cablegram from her husband that he had arrived safely in India, after being on the ocean for 6 weeks. His address has a slight change - that of his APO number which is now 885.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 9, 1943 p 10
PFC Henry Blankespoor has a change of address and his APO number is now 431. As he is now overseas the News is not allowed to publish his address, but anyone wishing to write him can call his relatives or the News office.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 23, 1943 p 10
Mrs. Henry Blankespoor received a letter from her husband who is in the service and is stationed somewhere in India, saying that he had been at the hospital with a fever for the past two weeks but was recovered and about ready to leave again. The letter was written two weeks ago.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 7, 1943 p 10
Henry Blankespoor who is with the U.S. army in India has been in the hospital again for several weeks while receiving a medical check-up. Henry has been ill with malaria for several times and was sent to the hospital in one of the larger cities to put on some weight and gained six pounds in one week. He is now back at work at camp.
Source: Sioux Center News Jan. 6, 1944 p 8
IN INDIA
Pfc. Henry M. Blankespoor entered the service September 1942 and went overseas last July. At the present time he is in India and has had Malaria twice. Henry is married and has a son, Morris Gene. He has had one furlough. Henry is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Maas Blankespoor.
Source: Sioux Center News, January 20, 1944 (photo included)
PFC Henry Blankespoor, who is stationed in India with the Air Corps, has recovered from his third attack of malaria and is getting along nicely.
Source: Sioux Center News July 13, 1944 p 2
PFC Henry Blankespoor, who is stationed in India with the U.S. army wrote his parents that he was back at work following a rest period which he enjoyed very much, as it was nice and cool in the rest camp and he could sleep beneath several blankets during the night which was a delightful change. Henry has been given the job of working in the P. X. as he has been sick several times with malaria fever.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 17, 1944 p 8
In Burma
(photo)
PFC HENRY BLANKESPOOR
Pfc. Henry Blankespoor wrote his folks, Mr. and Mrs. Maas Blankespoor the past week, that he had just arrived in Burma, having flown by plane on Jan. 13th. He was formerly stationed in India. He is now located in a valley between two mountain ranges, and he very much enjoyed the plane trip to his new location. He is living in a tent, four men to each tent. It isn't as nice as the place he left in India, but the food and weather are O. K. He was working in a P.X. in India but since there is none where he is now, he had not yet been assigned to a job. He says it is very obvious there has been a war there and while there are no Japs around anymore, they left plenty of stuff behind them.
Source: Sioux Center News Mar. 1, 1945 p 2
New Address
Cpl. Henry Blankespoor 37427929
1753rd Ord. S. and M Co. AVN
52nd Air Service Grp.
APO 218, c.o. Postmaster
New York, N. Y.
Henry is still in Burma, his third year overseas. He hopes to be back in the states in '45 yet, but knows nothing definite about coming home as yet.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 9, 1945 p 8
Cpl. Henry Blankespoor arrived in the states last Friday and has received his discharge and is expected to arrive home on Thursday. He has been in the service more than three years and overseas two years. He expects to go back to farming in the spring. His wife and son Morris Gene have been staying with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Nibbelink while he was in the service.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 8, 1945 p 8
