1945 . . .

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
March 16, 1945

LIEUT. RUSSELL ROHLFSEN KILLED IN SOUTH PACIFIC
Was Pilot Of Hospital Plane At Morotai

A telegram from the War Department was received this morning by Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Meyer brining the sad news that their son, First Lieutenant Russell K. Rohlfsen, was killed in a plane crash on March 7 on Morotai Island.
Lieutenant Rohlfsen was born on a farm north of Marcus on January 30, 1919.  He received his early education there but after the death of his father, the late George H. Rohlfsen, in 11929, he moved to LeMars with his mother, brothers, and sisters. He graduated from LeMars high school in 1936.
In 1942, Lt. Rohlfsen and his brother, Stanley, engaged in farming, but in July of that year he was inducted in the Army. He received his commission at Victoria, Texas, on October 3, 1943. He was then sent to Enid, Oklahoma, as an instructor and it was there on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1944, that he was married to Miss Vivian Fuller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fuller. On June 9 he left for overseas duty and was sent to the South Pacific. He was a pilot on a transport plane taking supplies and patients to various places.
He is survived by his wife, Vivian; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Meyer; two brothers, Herbert and Stanley, both of LeMars; three sisters, Ruth (Mrs. Glenn Gearke), Shirley and Betty, of LeMars; and also his grandfathers, Hans Rohlfsen of Sibley and August Kilker of LeMars.

NOTE FROM BOB KOENIG IN GERMAN PRISON REACHES HIS PARENTS
Mr. and Mrs. George Koenig received a card from their son, Bob Koenig, in Stalag Luft 3, prison camp in Germany, dated December 24, 1944, which said:
Dear Dad and Mother:
As short note to let you know how we are spending Christmas. The combined cooks, cooking now for twelve men, having their larder increased by special Red Cross issue, have fashioned a dinner consisting of turkey with dressing, plum pudding, fruit cake, cranberry sauce, potatoes, beans, salad, soup and coffee.
The band will play again, we’ll carol a bit, and then pray that the war will end soon. Love, Bob

MAJ. RONALD CARLEY HOME FROM ITALY
Was Member of Original Co. K

Major Ronald R. Carley arrived home Tuesday evening after three years of overseas duty.
Ronald was a member of Co. K of LeMars and left February 25, 1941, for Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. He was second lieutenant when he went into the service but received his commission as first lieutenant in August, 1941. On January 1, 1942, he was sent to Fort Dix and sailed for Ireland on February 17 of that year. While on the boat he was commissioned a captain.
In December of 1942, Captain Carley was sent to Africa and took part in the campaign there, and was then sent to Italy in September 1943. He has been in Italy ever since that time. He received his commission as Major in March, 1943, while still in Africa. Since he left the states, Major Carley has been a member of the 34th Division.
Major Carley arrived in the United States at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, March 9, and arrived in LeMars the early part of this week.  He is home on a 21-day leave and reports to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for fifteen days from which post he will be reassigned.

PARENTS NOTIFIED ALAN TINDALL DIED IN ACTION IN ITALY
One Of The First Men To Enter The Service From County

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Tindall of Johnson township were notified Monday that their son, Pfc. Alan Tindall, had been killed in action in Italy. The message gave no further particulars and it may be some time before they receive any.
Alan Tindall was born August 20, 1919, in Johnson township and lived on the home farm until February 17, 1941, when he responded to the first draft call in Plymouth County in this war. During midsummer of 1943, he was discharged because he was needed to help on the 480 acre home farm and continued there until a year ago when he re-enlisted and last October went with infantry replacements to Europe.
Alan Tindall attended Akron high school where he was prominent in athletics. While training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was a member of the first football team at the post. His last visit home was last October just before he left for overseas.
Besides his parents, he is survived by a twin brother, Adam, and two sisters, Grace and Phyllis, and his grandfather, J. G. Grebner of Merrill.
Alan was a member of the United Brethren church at Adaville and was secretary of the Sunday school for several years before he entered military service.

SGT. ROY PHELAN DEAD IN GERMANY
Killed In Action February 10

Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt Phelan of Union township were notified last week that their son,T/Sgt. Roy Phelan, had been killed in action in Germany, February 10.
He was inducted into the Army in 1942 and early in 1943 went overseas. He was an ordinance expert connected with General Patton’s Army.
He is survived by his parents, and six brothers and sisters: Emmett Phelan, Remsen; Leland Phelan, at home; Raymond Phelan, Brunsville; Mrs. John Marienau (Marie), Brunsville; Mrs. Dick Osterbuhr (Helen), living with her parents while her husband is overseas; and Mrs. Henry Marienau (Evelyn), Brunsville.

LeMars Globe-Post
March 19, 1945

HOPE TO BRING BODY OF ROY PHELAN HOME

No arrangements for memorial services for T. Sgt. Roy Phelan, killed in action in Europe, have been made, pending the government’s reply to a request by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt Phelan, that the body be returned to this country for burial. Encouragement for the hopes of the parents is contained in a statement of the War Department a few days ago, that “no American dead will be buried in German soil.” T. Sgt. Phelan was killed in Germany.

HARRY REYNOLDS HELPED PAVE WAY TO CAPTURE OF CITY OF MANILA
With the First Cavalry Division Field Artillery in Manila—A field artilleryman that has helped pave the way for dismounted cavalry men of the famous first cavalry division in their fight to wrest control of the capitol city of the Philippines from Japanese forces is Tec. 5 Harry G. Reynolds, whose mother, Mrs. Hulda Reynolds, lives at 404 Central ave. SE, LeMars.
His field artillery battalion was responsible for destroying several of the Jap fortified positions in Southern Manila. Many of the field artillery battalions of the cavalry division engaged the Japs in artillery duels. In every case Jap artillery pieces were completely knocked out.
His battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Hugh H. Kennedy, of Chattanooga, Tenn., was attached to the first cavalry division artillery commanded by Brigadier General Rex E. Chandler of San Antonio, Tex.  The Battalion is now in its fourth major Pacific campaign. Most of the artillerymen in the battalion are veterans of the New Guinea, Biak Island and Leyte Island campaigns.

CHIEF EDDIE CRAWFORD WAS A SURVIVOR OF USS HOVEY
Aerial Torpedo Sank Destroyer Minesweeper in Lingayen Gulf

(Navy Release)—Edward L. Crawford, CGM, now home in LeMars, on leave, is a survivor of the USS Hovey, destroyer-mine sweeper sunk by a Japanese aerial attack just before the invasion of Lingayen Gulf.
The Hovey, with one of the most impressive minesweeping records of the Pacific war, had entered Lingayen Gulf two days before S-day to help clear the water of the enemy mines. She, and her sister sweeps had already undergone constant air attacks in the long voyage from Leyte up the west coast of Luzon, and entering invasion waters offered no respite.
It was night and the Hovey had completed one sweep when Jap planes attacked and sank another sweeper in the group, the USS Long. The Hovey immediately scoured the area and picked up a number of Long survivors as well as some personnel from another ship that had been hit. Then, shortly after 4:00 a.m. the enemy came back again.
This time, the Hovey took a direct, fatal hit from an aerial torpedo. Before the abandon ship order was given, the crew members had the satisfaction of seeing their attacker go down in flames from the fire of a sister minesweeper. But the Hovey was sinking fast, went down, in fact, three minutes after the order to abandon had been issued by Lieut. Ben N. Cole, U.S.N.R., of Charlotte, NH.C., skipper of the ship.
The survivors were all picked up within two hours and later were transferred to two of the battleships then entering the area for the invasion bombardment. A total of 46 men, some of the Long survivors, are listed as missing in action.
The Hovey, a converted destroyer, received its baptism of fire on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Since then, the speedy vessel had returned the compliment to the enemy at Guadalcanal, Russell Islands, New Georgia, Empress Augusta Bay, Palau and Leyte. According to Lieut. Cole, she was the first American ship to enter Japanese waters at Guadalcanal—and the return to Philippine waters when she started sweeping operations off Leyte three days before the invasion.
Five enemy planes have been credited officially to the Hovey’s gunners and a claim has been entered for three more kills during the Luzon operation. Her reputation includes the claim of having swept more mines than any other ship in the Pacific.
Chief  Crawford is now in this country on leave, before being assigned to a new billet.

CPL. VINCENT LANNERS COMMENDED FOR BRAVERY IN PALAUS IS.
With the 81st Division in the Pacific—His outstanding services during the battle for Angaur Island in the Palaus last fall have won for Cpl. Vincent N. Lanners, of LeMars, a personal letter of commendation from Maj. Gen. Paul J. Mueller, commander of the 81st “Wildcat” infantry division.
“While a member of an artillery forward observer party you assisted in the adjustment of fire on enemy installations without regard for the Japanese rifle, mortar, and artillery fire falling in the area,” Gen. Mueller wrote. “Only when enemy artillery shells destroyed the party’s radio set and made continuance of fire direction impossible did you leave the dangerous area.”
“It is with pleasure that I commend you for this courageous performance of duty which was in the best traditions of the military service and reflects great credit on you, your unit, and the Wildcat Division.”
Cpl. Lanners is the husband of Mrs. Alice M. Lanners, 114 Second avenue, SW., LeMars. He is a member of an artillery unit of the 81st division which invaded the southern islands of the Palau group, 500 miles off the Philippines, last September 17.

PVT. ALAN TINDALL KILLED IN ACTION ON ITALIAN FRONT
The news came to Mr. and Mrs. Adam Tindall, southeast of Akron, in a message from the War Department in Washington D.C., Monday, to the effect that their son, Pvt. Alan J. Tindall, had been killed in action on the war front in Italy on February 21, 1945. Pvt. Tindall was serving there in the U. S. Mountain Troops Infantry.
He had received his preliminary military training at Camp Hood, Texas, going overseas only a few months ago. He first entered the armed service in the late summer of 1942, and was then stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Alan had lived in the Akron vicinity all his life, was a graduate of Akron high school, and had assisted his parents on the farm.
Besides his parents, he is survived by a twin brother, Adam Jr., and two sisters, Grace and Phyllis Tindall.

FOUR MORE MEN ADDED TO ARMED FORCES OF U. S.
Four more men were added to the armed forces of the United States in an induction call from this county Friday. Sent to Ft. Snelling, Minn., for induction were the following:
Henry A. Ahlers, LeMars; James A. Holtz, Merrill; Harold A. Hathaway, Marcus; and John E. Schuchard, Remsen.

LT. HOMER DUNN LISTED MISSING
Son of Rev. and Mrs. Geo. W. Dunn, Often Visited Here
Lt. Homer A. Dunn, 20, son of Rev. and Mrs. George W. Dunn, 1915 Nebraska street, Sioux City, has been reported as missing in action by the War Department.
The parents were notified Thursday night. Rev. Mr. Dunn is pastor of the First Methodist church of Sioux City.
According to the dispatch, which gave few details, Lt. Dunn, a pilot of a fighter plane, has been missing since February 26.
He enlisted in November, 1942, and went overseas February 24, 1943.
Rev. Mr. Dunn formerly served at Struble. Mrs. Dunn is the former May Alberts, a sister of Clarence and Will Alberts of LeMars.

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
March 23, 1945

MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR LT. ROHLFSEN
To Be Held Here Sunday, March 25

Memorial services will be held Sunday afternoon, March 25, at 2:30 o’clock at St. John’s American Lutheran Church in LeMars for Lt. Russell K. Rohlfsen, who was killed in a plane crash on March 7 on Morotai Island.

Lt. Fohlfsen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Meyer, residing at 221 First Avenue NW, entered the service on July 23, 1942. He took his basic training at Camp Robinson, Little Rock, Arkansas, and received his commission at Victoria, Texas. He was then sent to Enid, Oklahoma, and on June 9, 1944, left for overseas duty. Lt. Rohlfsen was a pilot on a transport plane taking supplies and patients to various places.

Rev. L. L. Belk will officiate at the services while will be directed by the local American Legion post.

CAPT. G. BRODIE NOW IN GERMANY
With Artillery In Support 4th Infantry

With the 4th Infantry Division in Germany.—All four companies of the 70th Tank Battalion were given honorable mention in a recent 4th Division Order of the Day for “invaluable support” given this division in the capture of the Schnee Eifel and Brandsscheid, Germany.

“Over four months ago,” the order read, “after advancing through the Ardennes, the Fourth Infantry Division broke through the Siegried Line and occupied the Schnee Eifel. Relieved by another division, the Fourth moved north and attacked through the Huertgen Forest, moved south again and successfully defended the city of Luxembourg against the German counteroffensive in December, attacked across the Sure and Our Rivers and advanced against continuous opposition until it was again opposite the Schnee Eifel.

“In spite of almost incredible weather conditions and the long period of continuous contact with the enemy, the division then recaptured the Siegfried Line defenses on the Schnee Eifel and captured the fortified town of Brandscheid which had heretofore successfully withstood all attacks made against it. The 70th Tank Battalion contributed aggressive and invaluable support throughout this entire operation.”

The 70th Tank Battalion is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Henry E. Davidson Jr., of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Company A., which supports the 8th Infantry, is led by Captain Gordon A. Brodie of LeMars.  Capt. Francis E. Songer commands Company B in support of the 12th Infantry, and First Lieutenant Preston E. Yoeman of Crystal Lake, Illinois, commands Company C in support of the 22nd Infantry. Captain Herman Finkelstein of Philadelphia is commanding officer of Company D which is used in general support.