Woodbury County

S/Sgt. Dwight G. Reigert

 

LISTED MISSING  

S. Sgt. Dwight G. Reigert, 19, a ball turret gunner on a Flying Fortress stationed with the 15th Air Force somewhere in Italy, has been reported missing in action over Germany since February 27.  His parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Reigert, 1901 W. Third street, received the notification from the War Department Friday.

Sgt. Reigert, overseas since last September, enlisted in July, 1943, and received his training at the Sioux City air base, Shepherd Field, Tex., Lincoln, Neb., and Kingman Field, Ariz.  He is a Central high school graduate and was formerly employed at the Sioux City air base.

Source:  The Sioux City Journal, March 17, 1945  (photo included)

Sioux Cityan One of 18,700 Freed from Reich Camp by 86th Division
Sgt. Dwight G. Reigert Had Been Reported Missing 

By Thoburn Wiant.
Eichstatt, Germany.—(AP)—
An American lieutenant colonel, one of 18,700 allied prisoners of war liberated by the United States 86th infantry division, said Thursday he had witnessed and been a victim of German maltreatment of their prisoners.

The officer, Lt. Col. J. D. Alger of New York City, said the Germans compelled 1,200 Americans and Britains to walk 297 miles from Szubin, Poland, to Brandenburg, Germany, in 32 days, although many of them were ill.

He said the Germans “absolutely refused” to give them medical care, although half of the column suffered from dysentery, and that at least 25 prisoners, seven of them Americans, died for lack of proper medical attention. He had to drop out of the column after 10 days because of dysentery, but was forced to march again after three days rest without medicine.

Most of the liberated prisoners showed effects of undernourishment, and some showed they had been on semistarvation diet, having lost 35 pounds or more.

Among others liberated from the camp near Eichstatt were S. Sgt. Dwight Reigert, 1901 W. Third street, Sioux City; and Cpl Robert G. Warndahl, Shafer, Minn.

Source: The Sioux City Journal, April 27, 1945 (photo included)