Erwin Jansma, Cecil Van Peursem and Albert Balkema and John Harvey De Vries left Tuesday afternoon for Des Moines to take their physicals for entering the Air Corps Reserve.
Source: Sioux County Capital Aug. 3, 1944 p 3
News From The Boys In The Armed Forces
Orange City
Now wearing the blue and silver wings of future army air combat crewmen are Orville Kooi and John H. De Vries, both 17, who have successfully qualified for enlistment in the reserve corps of the Army Air Forces according to word from the AAF Examining Board in Des Moines.
Orville is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Kool of RR2, Orange City, Iowa, and is a graduate of the Orange City High School.
John is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen De Vries of Orange City, and is a Senior at Northwestern Academy.
These future aircrew team members, being only 17 years old, will not be called to active duty until they become 18. However, in the meantime, if they are under the age of 17 years and 9 months at date of enlistment, and are high school graduates, they may choose to take advantage of the AAF college training reserve program.
Source: Sioux County Capital Aug. 17. 1944 p 7
Draft Board Makes New Classifications
The Selective Service Board made the following classifications at recent meetings:
…..
1-A, John H. De Vries, …..
Source: Alton Democrat Oct. 12, 1944 p 1
KEESLER FIELD, Biloxi, Miss., June 22: Pvt. John Harvey De Vries, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen De Vries of Orange City, has entered the Basic Training Center at Keesler Field, a unit of the Army Air Forces Training Command, for several weeks of recruit drill.
Source: Sioux County Capital June 28, 1945 p 1
Keesler Field, Biloxi, Miss., August 13: The job of keeping America’s giant bombers in fighting trim for their aerial assaults on the Axis awaits Pvt. John H. De Vries, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen De Vries of Orange City.
Pvt. De Vries was enrolled here this week for Keesler Field’s 76-day basic airplane and engine mechanics course, having qualified for the Army Air Forces Training Command technical school with outstanding marks on the army aptitude tests.
His training program includes instruction in maintenance fundamentals, structures, fuel and oil systems, propellors, electrical systems, instruments, engine operations, basic airplane inspection and hydraulic systems – preparatory training for possible entrance into one of the several specialized airplane mechanics courses also given at Keesler Field.
Source: Sioux County Capital, Aug. 23, 1945 p 7
John Harvey De Vries, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steve De Vries, is home on a 15 day furlough.
Source: Sioux County Capital Jan. 10, 1946 p 4
Iowa, U. S., WWII Bonus Case Files 1947-1954, Claim No. 235214
John Harvey De Vries, SN 17197513, was born on Nov, 23, 1926 at Orange City, Iowa, which was where he was living when he entered the Army Air Corps Reserve on May 16, 1945. He was discharged on May 29, 1946. His application for bonus pay was filed on Nov. 28, 1949, for which he received a $120 bonus.
Source: ancestry.com
