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Iowa in the Great War

 

Casualties of War

 

 

Iowa Boys Killed in Action

- Fifteen Iowans lay Down Lives on Battlefield of France -

 Twenty Others Are Wounded


"Somewhere in France" 15 more Iowa young men have joined Merle Hay in eternal sleep, and have made the supreme sacrifice for their country in the great war of democracy. Capt. Harrison Cummins McHenry of Des Moines and 14 of his fellow fighters of the 168th infantry, formerly the third Iowa, are dead, and 20 more of the same regiment, representing all sections of Iowa, were wounded in the first series of engagements participated in by that unit which as a member of the Rainbow division, is the first made up exclusively of Iowa troops to reach the front. Particulars of how these men lay down their lives are not known. Their names are included in a casualty list given out by the war department Monday afternoon, and which, in addition, contains the names of several more killed and wounded, some of whom may be from Iowa. The casualty list indicates that the headquarters company suffered the [illegible], while two companies, B and the 168th, have been in violent [illegible]. In all probability Capt. McHenry died leading a detachment of men from his company, three privates having been killed and nine wounded. Six of the dead were members of the headquarters company. This organization when in action, was undoubtedly subjected to the greatest danger during the engagement. Company D also suffered severely. Five being reported dead, and 11 are wounded. Two more deaths [illegible] recorded in the headquarters company. It is probable that the list of killed and injured as given is not complete and other names may be added to both lists. The nature of the injuries suffered by the score of men who were among those reported as wounded are also not known, and [illegible] will probably result fatally. Practically every city in the state which had a company of infantry in the Iowa national guard at the opening of the war has men in the 168th regiment, which was originally re-[illegible] in southern Iowa, but was increased to war strength by drafts of men from both the First and Second Iowa regiments. It was mobilized at the Iowa state fair grounds in August and left for France late in the [illegible]

 

Following is a list of the killed of the 168th infantry:

Capt. Harrison Cummins McHenry, Des Moines, Company B
Private Isaac Davis, Woodburn, Ia., Company B
Private Byron Van Raden, Lanes [illegible], Ia., Company B
Private Guy O. Worley, Exline, Ia., Company B
Sergeant Walter J. Persch, Fort Dodge, headquarters company
Private John F. Ellis, Centerville, Ia., Company D
Private Russell L. Selix, Unionville, Ia., Company D
Private Alva F. Eaton, Humeston, Ia., Company D
Corporal Clifford J. Worden, Mason City, Ia., headquarters company
Sergeant James E. Wedding, Webster City, Ia., headquarters company
Corporal Dean Parish, Glade Valley, N.C. headquarters company
Corporal Donald H. Macrae, Twenty-fourth and Park streets, Des Moines, Ia.
Private Glen Pederson, Spencer, headquarters company
Edward Nash, Kingsley, Ia, headquarters company
Albert E. Hoschler, Akron, Ia., headquarters company
 

The following are reported wounded, all of 168th infantry:

Corporal Lewis E. Deitz, Waterloo, Co. B., seriously
Corporal Marvin Dunn, Des Moines, Co. B., seriously
Corporal Lewis A. Simons, El Reno, Co. B., seriously
Private Dan P. Bracelin, Norwalk, Co. B., seriously
Private Raymon L. Closson, Des Moines, Co. B., seriously
Private Fred A. Heintz, State Center, Ia., Co. B., seriously
Private Leon J. Miller, Charter Oak, Co. B., slightly
Private Ernest Rooney, Indianola, Co. B., slightly
Private Merrill B. Morrison, Union[ville?], Ia., Co. D, slightly
Private Robert l. Clausen, Mason City, Ia., Co. D, seriously
Private Ira J. Rogers, Unionville, Co. D., seriously
Private William T. Smith, Northwood, Ia., Co. D., seriously
Private Ray C. Walden, Centerville, Ia., Co. D., seriously
Private Arthur M. Shores, Cedar Rapids, Ia., Co. D. seriously
Private Jerry Schultz, Cedar Rapids, Co. D., seriously
Private John Vomacka, Cedar Rapids, Co. D., seriously
Sergeant Peal S. Edwards, Afton, Co. D., slightly
Private James F. Albert, Moravia, Co. D., slightly
Private Glen H. Gray, Amana, Ia., slightly
Private Albin Dernek, Plymouth, Co. D., slightly
 

The following have not been identified to addresses:

Killed

 James McDonough


Wounded

Mofford G. Reese

Emil F. [illegible]

Lewis Holmes

Lawrence Wen[cut off]

Joseph Cischowski/

Burton M. [cut off]

Clarence W. Dawson

Charles McLaughlin

Walter G. Smith

[cut off] Swanlund

Kenmore Thorsen

[cut off] McPeak

John A. Bedner

[cut off] McGurrl

Nichols McGaughre

Raymond Quinlan

Cook Chas. [cut off]

 

 

~ source:  Nashua Reporter, Nashua, Chickasaw co. Iowa, Thursday, March 14, 1918
~ submitted by Sharyl Ferrall
Iowa Old Press

 

 

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