W. C. SAILOR IS MISSING
James J. Gleason Reported Lost in Action in Pacific.
James J. Gleason, S 2-c, of this city, is missing in action in the Pacific, his wife has been notified in a navy department message just received.
Further details, the navy department said, were not available but they will be supplied as soon as they are forthcoming.
Seaman Gleason entered the service last Spring, taking his boot training at Farragut, Idaho. He returned on a short leave in July following which he reported for duty with the fleet.
In August he was transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and left there in September.
Prior to entering the navy, Seaman Gleason was employed at the state liquor store in this city.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - December 5, 1944
W. C. SAILOR’S DEATH LISTED
James J. Gleason, 34, Is Presumed to Have Died Nov 20.
James J. Gleason, 34, Webster City sailor who was reported missing in action as of Nov. 20 is now presumed to have lost his life in the sinking of the U.S.S. Mississinewa, American tanker which was set afire by Japanese attack in the Pacific.
Gleason’s wife was notified Saturday morning in a letter from the navy department that the commanding officer of the sunken tanker had reported circumstances of the sinking “have led to a conclusion of his death.” His body, the letter said, has not been recovered.
The Webster City sailor, a seaman second class, was first reported missing about a month ago. He had been in service since April and received his initial training at Farragut, Idaho.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - December 23, 1944
OBITUARY - James J. Gleason
A solemn requiem memorial mass was offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic church in Webster City Wednesday morning, Feb. 7, for James J. Gleason, S 2-c, U. S. N. R., who lost his life due to enemy action while serving on the U. S. S. Mississinewa Nov. 20, 1944 in the South Pacific area. He was reported missing Dec. 5, and on Dec. 23 his wife received the message of his death from the government. He was 34 years old.
He was graduated from high school at Blairsburg and also from Upper Iowa University at Fayette. He was a member of the Rho Sigma Chi fraternity and Elks lodge of this city, and was employed in the Iowa Liquor Store here for several years.
Mr. Gleason entered the navy March 16, 1944 and took his boot training at Farragut, Idaho. After being home on leave June 22, returned to Shoemaker, Cal., and was assigned to the U. S. S. Mississinewa, serving one month.
Surviving are his wife and son, James Michael, four years old; his mother, Mrs. M. J. Gleason of Blairsburg; two sisters, Mrs. Catherine Maubach of Williams and Mrs. Sadie Carpenter of Swaledale, Iowa; one brother, Ted of Gilmore City, and several nieces and nephews.
In the memorial services, Mrs. Gleason was presented the flag by George Worthington, chaplain of the American Legion post here. United Service Women and Legion members led into the church, followed by the family. Taps were sounded after mass and presentation of the flag.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Feb. 22, 1945
James John Gleason was born about 1909 to Michael J. ‘Mike' and Alvine E. Hennick Gleason. He died Nov. 20, 1944 and is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines.
Seaman Gleason was reported missing and later declared killed in action, after the sinking of the U.S.S. Mississinewa (AO-59), a Navy oiler sunk in the Pacific by a Japanese Kaiten (manned suicide torpedo) at Ulithi Atoll.
He was awarded the Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon.
A beautiful tribute to his father, James, has been posted by his son, Jim at the Upper Iowa University website “The Military Salute” http://uiumilitary.tumblr.com
Sources:
ancestry.com
World War II Memorial
HonorStates.org
Upper Iowa University: The Military Salute
