CRESCO SOLDIER DIES IN ACTION
Report of Capture by Nazis Declared Error.
Cresco—Mr. and Mrs. Ed Dotzler received word from the war department that their son, Pfc. Dennis Dotzler, was killed in action at Craysville, France, on D-day, June 6, 1944.
Pfc. Dotzler was reported missing in August, 1944, and on Sept. 1, the same year, his parents were notified that their son was a German prisoner of war. The official word of his death said the report of his being a prisoner of war was erroneous.
Dotzler was 20 years old. He was a paratrooper, being inducted into the service at Ft. Des Moines March 17, 1942. He went to England in February 1944, from Ft. Meade, Md. He enlisted after a year’s service in the C. C. camp at Decorah. He served with the 5th armored division for a yhear, then transferred to the paratroopers’ division. He is survived by his parents, 7 brothers and 5 sisters.
Source: Unknown newspaper publication-posted on findagrave
Dennis Dotzler was born Oct. 6, 1923 to Edward S. and Mae A. Schafer Dotzler. He died June 6, 1944 and is buried in Howard Center Township Cemetery, Cresco, IA.
Pvt. Dotzler served in World War II with the U.S. Army Field Artillery (377th Parachute Battalion) and was KIA at Crasville, (Normandy) France.
Source: ancestry.com
