1945 . . .

IN UNIFORM
Sioux City Journal
July 2, 1945

Pvt. Albert P. Kourie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Kourie, 2002 W. Second street, now is stationed at Fort Sumner army air field, Fort Sumner, N.M.

Bruce D. Klas, son of Dr. and Mrs. J. M. Klas, 4619 Country club boulevard, was graduated recently from the operational supply course at the naval supply depot, Bayonne, N.J.  He now will go to Harvard where he will be sworn in as a midshipman and start on four months additional training.

Clarence J. Heppe, chief pharmacist’s mate, has reported to San Pedro, Cal., for duty on a new destroyer, after completing a 16-day leave with his wife and family, 3326 Sixth avenue; his mother Mrs. Lydia B. Heppe, 3436 Sixth avenue, and other relatives.  He entered the navy at the age of 17, retiring after four years service.  As a member of the naval reserve his service record includes four additional years on the east coast.  His new assignment will take him to the South Pacific area.

Sgt. Earl H. Seaton of the marine corps is spending a 30-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Seaton, Mitchellville, Ia., former Sioux City residents.  Sgt. Seaton spent 27 months in the South Pacific.  He was graduated from East high school and joined the marines in June, 1942.

George Rarick, aviation machinist’s mate second class, has departed after a visit with Mrs. Rarick’s mother, Mrs. Frances Rancipher, 210 Ross street, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Rarick, 4403 Grant street.  He is on duty at the fleet postoffice in San Francisco.  He worked at the postoffice here before going into the navy.

Pvt. Harry L. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bert F. Smith, 3719 Indiana avenue, is spending a 20-day furlough with his parents.  He has completed his training as a paratrooper at Fort Benning, Ga., and will return there at the end of his furlough.

Cpl. Leo L. Carroll is spending a 21-day furlough in the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Carroll, 109 Perry street, after serving 18 months in the Aleutian area.  He has three brothers in the service.

Naval Aviation Cadet LeRoy John Ronning, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Ronning, 3217 Fifth avenue, has completed his primary training at the naval air station, Glenview, Ill., and has been transferred to Pensacola, Fla.  He is a graduate of East high school and began his aviation training at the preflight school at St. Mary’s college, Cal.

Robert L. Harling, seaman first class, has arrived at a base in the South Pacific, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Harling, 2715 S. Lemon street.  He entered the Seabees in May, 1943.

Pfc. Wayne L. Skinner, 915 Pierce street, and Pfc. Earl F. Ely, 1623 Seventh street, are with the 713th railway operating battalion, which recently was commended by Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers, commander of the Sixth army group.  Now in France, this battalion was the first unit of the military railway service to arrive on the Riviera beachhead in the southern France invasion.

Cpl. William H. Olson has completed training at the radar school at Boca Raton field, Fla., and is spending a furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Olson, 2923 Grandview boulevard.  He will report to Salina, Kan., for assignment.  Cpl. Olson’s twin brother, Pfc. Robert L. Olson, army air forces, is stationed on Galapagos islands, off the coast of Equador.

Our Neighbors in Service
Sioux City Journal
14 July 1945
Hawarden, Iowa – T. Sgt. Max Miller, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Miller of Hawarden, has arrived home from the Philippines, having received an honorable discharge on points. He flew to San Francisco from Manila in 40 hours. Sgt. Miller was in the army three years and seven months and served overseas for 41 months. During part of this time he was in Gen. MacArthur’s headquarters. The Hawarden youth has five combat stars and the presidential unit citation with an oak leaf cluster.

Hawarden, Iowa – Sgt. Richard L. Heeren, 19-year-old B-17 Flying Fortress waist gunner, has been awarded his fifth oak leaf cluster to the air medal for meritorious achievement while participating in Eighth air force attacks on vital targets and enemy held installations in Germany. Sgt. Heeren who entered the service in July, 1943, is the son of Mrs. J. C. Hendricks of Alcester, South Dakota.

Hawarden, Iowa -- M. Sgt. George Ross, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Earl Ross of Hawarden, suffered a fractured skull recently in a truck accident in New Guinea. His parents have been informed that he is recovering rapidly and soon will be able to leave the hospital.

Hawarden, Iowa -- T. Sgt. Willard Madson, son of Dr. and Mrs. William E Madson of Hawarden, is reported to be in a hospital on Mindanao, seriously ill with malaria and complications.

Hawarden, Iowa -- Pvt. Arthur Coleman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Coleman of Hawarden is home on a 30-day furlough, having recently returned from Germany after 11 months service overseas. Pvt. Coleman, who saw action in several battles, expects to go to the Pacific at the end of his furlough.

Hawarden, Iowa – Cpl. Kenneth Ruby, who recently returned from Germany, is spending a furlough with his wife at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Shoemaker of Hawarden.

Cherokee, Iowa – Sgt. John Anderson of the marines and Robert Melton, seaman first class, who were Cherokee friends, met recently on Saipan in the Marianas. Anderson has been overseas for 19 months and Melton’s ship docked at the island, so the two were able to meet.

Cherokee, Iowa- Technician Fourth Grade Darrell Olsen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Olsen, arrived home from northern Italy, making the trip as far as Miami, Florida by plane.

Cherokee, Iowa- Lt. Charles King, son of Mr. and Mrs. Perry King of Cherokee, was slightly wounded on Luzon June 22. His wife received a message from the war department giving this information, but no details. Lt. King has been in the south Pacific since February, 1945. Prior to that he was stationed in the European theater, where he was a prisoner in Italy. With the fall of Italy, he fled from an Italian prison camp and found his way back to the allied lines.

Cherokee, Iowa—Sgt. James H. Nielson, son of Mrs. Marie Nielson of Cherokee, was awarded a citation for exceptionally meritorious conduct. He served on the Fifth Army front in Italy with the 168th (Rainbow) infantry regiment. When his battalion’s ammunition supply became very critical during the tenacious defense of positions on a high mountain, Nielson and six others, volunteered to deliver vital supplies. Loaded down with ammunition, they traveled over a muddy, slippery trail constantly under fire to reach the troops on the mountain.

Cherokee, Iowa—Lt. Dale Curtis, glider pilot and copilot on a transport plane, is spending a leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Curtis, in Cherokee. Lt. Curtis recently returned to the States from Europe, where he was stationed for two years.

LeMars, Iowa – Sgt. Mathew Mertes, former LeMars youth, was in LeMars this week as a guest in the S. H. Luken home. Sgt. Mertes has just returned from one and a half years duty overseas. He has been officially discharged from the service and at present is visiting his wife and family in Sioux City. He has been in service the last 12 years. Immediately following D-Day he was wounded in France and was then flown to a hospital in England where he was confined for 10 months for treatment of shrapnel wound in his hip.

LeMars, Iowa – Lane VandeSteeg received a letter from his son, Sgt. Bill VandeSteeg which was written July 4 somewhere in the tropical Islands.
He has been in the Pacific area for the past 34 months and is looking forward to being sent back to the states soon. Sgt. VandeSteeg has been helping publish the Yank Magazine, a publication for service men.

Rodney, Iowa – Raymond E. Daniels, seaman first class, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Daniels of Whiting, Iowa, recently underwent an appendectomy in an army hospital on an island in the South Pacific. He has now recovered and is back aboard his ship.

In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
16 July 1945
Dorothy Anne Comstock daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Comstock, 2021 McDonald Street, has been promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. She is serving as a hospital dietician with the 197th general hospital in the European theater of operations.
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Pfc. Herbert F. Marshall, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Marshall, 1811 W. Palmer Avenue, is now returning home from Europe with the Eighth infantry division which participated in the Normandy breakthrough, the capture of Brest, the fight in the Hurtgen Forest and crossing the Roer River to launch the drive that reached the Rhine. He has been in service since April 1944 and has served overseas for five months. He was awarded the combat infantry badge. Before entering service he was employed by the Chesterman Company.
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Ppl. Tony J. Letellier, reported to be from Sioux City, has been awarded the combat infantryman’s badge for exemplary conduct in action against the Japs in the Philippine liberation campaign He was previously awarded the expert infantryman’s badge for service in Dutch New Guinea and is a veteran of three campaigns, having served in the drive through central Luzon which was climaxed by the capture of Baguio, the Eummer capitol of the Philippines. He entered service January 29, 1942 and after serving in the Hawaiian Islands and New Guinea, he has been in the Philippines since February.
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Cpl. Michael Moravian reported to be from Sioux City was one of eight men who spent three weeks in catching up to their outfit after getting separated during the attack on Dassau.
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First Lt. Claude R. Wright, 2325 Douglas Street, is a member of the 219th field artillery battalion which held five battle stars, 98 individual awards and a nomination for the presidential unit citation. The group is now serving with the 15th army in Germany.
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Pvt. Milton W. Gregg, whose wife lives at 1810 ½ E. Fifth Street, is an assistant automatic rifleman with the third battalion of the 239th regiment in Italy. This was the group which discovered a vast collection of priceless art treasures that had been taken by the Germans from all over Italy and hidden in a 15th Century Castle.

Cpl. Raymond E. Cook, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence R. Cook, 5702 Lorraine Road, recently spent a 30-day furlough with his parents. He has just returned from 16 months overseas duty in England and has now reported to a base in Alabama for further assignment.
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Gilbert E. Tweet, gunner’s mate, second class and Wesley L. Tweet, gunner’s mate first class, both of 603 Eden Avenue, participated in the battle of Okinawa, they were on duty on the battleship U.S.S. New York.
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Pvt. Einar N. Fuglemsmo, formerly stationed at Camp Hood, Texas, has reported to Fort Riley, Kansas, after spending 12 days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. Fuglemsmo, 1218 Court Street.
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Sgt. Chester J. Kudrle, whose wife, Helen, lives at 3108 McDonald Street, recently was awarded the Bronze Star medal for meritorious service in support of combat operations, while serving with the Fifth army in Italy.
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Pvt. Doyle Stone, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. G Stone, 1113 Hill Avenue, has been enrolled in an A.A.F. airplane mechanics training course at Keesler field, Biloxi, Mississippi. His wife lives with his parents.
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T. Sgt. James R. McCue, son of James R. McCue, 1301 Seventh Street, has received a medical discharge from the army hospital at Camp Carlson, Colorado. He has been in the army three years and was wounded twice in Germany for which he received the Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster and the Bronze Star. He also has the European Theater of operations ribbon with three Battle Stars and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

S. Sgt. Raymond A. Hequist, 1316 26th Street, is a member of the 1132d engineer combat group now in Germany aiding in the military government of that occupied country. The group now is a part of the 15th army, in charge of German patrol border areas, construction and repair of roads, bridges and airfields, establishment of water supply depots for independent units, prisoner’s war camps and displaced persons centers. The 1132d arrived in France in February this year.
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Lt. Donald D. Thatcher, 1716 Nebraska Street, is with the United States army’s transportation corps in the channel base section in France. The corps moved more than 1,000,000 tons of cargo monthly by rail, barge and motor and thousands of troops daily in supplying needs of the 12th army group in its drive against the Germans. These men now are engaged in redeploying troops and supplies from Europe to the China-Burma-India and Pacific theaters as well as directing the return of civilian personnel, troops and repatriated allied military personnel from forward areas to their home station.
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Marine Cpl. R. E. Paul, who recently returned after 27 months overseas and his younger brother, Milford, apprentice seaman, who arrived Sunday evening after completing boot training at the Great Lakes naval training station, are visiting in the home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. V. Paul, 4220 Central Avenue. A third brother, S. Sgt. Arthur Paul, is with the marines at Okinawa and a brother-in-law, Pvt. Leo Schmit, is a marine serving in the south Pacific.

In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
19 July 1945

Pvt. Joseph B. Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs J. B. Roberts, 1311 W. 18th Street, has been graduated from a training school at Chanute field, Illinois.
While attending that army air force training command school he received instruction in power plant mechanics.

Marlin L. Clark, was graduated recently from a course in signalman training at service schools at the Great Lakes, Illinois, naval training school, his wife, Bonnie, lives at Waukegan, Illinois.

Pfc. Robert W. Wyant, whose wife, Mildred, lives at 107 W. Third Street, is being processed at Camp Atlanta in northeastern France, as a member of the first European theater of operations armored division to be ordered to the Pacific. Pfc. Wyant served with the 13th armored division, popularly known as the Black Cat Division in the battle of the Ruhr pocket and in the drive through Bavaria into Austria. He will be given a furlough before the division begins its training for action in the pacific.

Jack A. Krone, 4210 Perry Creek Road, has been promoted to technician fifth grade.

James Richard Coughlin, fireman first class, is stationed at the motor torpedo boat squadron training Center at Melville, R. I., training before joining a P.T. squadron. The Sioux Cityan, a graduate of Trinity High School and formerly employed by a construction company, attended basic engineering school at Great Lakes, Illinois and refrigeration school at Syracuse, New York. His wife, the former Dorothy Jane Knowles, and three children, Patrick, Michael and Timothy are living on Morningside Avenue. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Coughlin, 2805 Myrtle Street. A brother, William, is a signalman in the navy.

Sgt. Neyron R. Pomeroy, son of Mr. and Mrs Ray Pomeroy, 1226 W. Fifth Street, recently was awarded the bronze star medal for meritorious service in maintaining the efficiency and operation of the army vehicles in his organization. Sgt. Pomeroy, a member of Headquarters battery, 546th antiaircraft artillery battalion, was cited for the period from July 14, 1944 to May 8, 1945, during which time he served in France, Belgium and Germany. As an auto parts clerk, Sgt. Pomeroy’s principal duty was securing a proper supply of spare parts and units for the maintenance of motor vehicles and he had been commended for his efforts in establishing a steady flow of supplies essential to the proper functioning and care of the 123 vehicles in the battalion. Prior to entering the service he was employed by Neisner Bros. Inc., Rochester, New York.

Pfc. Lloyd H. Hoff, whose wife, Ann, lives at 813 Douglas Street, has been awarded the Bronze Star medal for heroic action during the Seventh army drive in the Vosges Mountains last January. Pfc. Hoff, a rifleman with the 110th infantry by volunteering to act as a letter-bearer over an uncharted enemy mine field. While the wounded were being evacuated from the mined area, one of the litter-bearers stepped on a mine, the explosion tearing off both of his feet. Pfc. Hoff rushed to the wounded man and after giving him first aid, carried him to safety. Returning and making several more trips across the mine field, he carried out wounded under intense enemy artillery fire.

Lt. Darwin Thorton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Thornton, 1901 W. First Street assisted Capt. T.B. Schwartz of Forrest Hills, New York, in leading a small detachment of the 84th medical battalion detailed to supervise a hospital at Ecksberg, near Muldorf, Germany. The patients of the hospital are under American care and gradually are recovering from the effects of Nazi brutality.

Sgt. Dale Harter, whose wife resides at 2401 S. Cornelia Street, is serving as a radioman in the signal corps with the 10th army on Okinawa, it was learned here. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Harter, live at Bell, California.

Pfc. Francis B. Heilman, son of Clarence Heilman, 206 S. Rustin Street, recently was awarded the Bronze Star medal for “heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy in Germany” while serving with the 290th infantry there.

Cpl. John W. Forrester, 1017 S. Glass Street, is serving with a transportation division in Antiverp, Belgium, which is aiding in the redeploying of troops and supplies for the European theater

M. Sgt. William P. Mahrt, whose wife, Elizabeth, lives at 206 14th street, was with special troops of the 339th “Polar Bear” regiment in the day it discovered many famous German political prisoners and immense caches of gold currency and art works in the Dolomite Alps in Italy.

In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
27 July 1945
Capt. David I. Caldwell, whose wife resides at 2237 Jones Street, is a member of the 474th fighter group of the ninth air force which recently was awarded the presidential unit citation. Capt. Coldwell has been overseas since February, 1944 and in addition to the presidential citation wears four battle participation stars.
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Pfc. Dean C. Sluyter, son of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Sluyter, 4214 ½ Van Buren Avenue, recently joined the Ninth air force’s 416th bombardment group in France as a technical supply clerk. He has been overseas since March of this years.
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Pfc. Edward Zenkovich, son of Mrs. Marie Zenkovich, 2611 Dodge Street, is serving at present with a cannon company, 395th infantry regiment of the 99th infantry division with the Third army in Germany. His decoration include the combat infantry badge and the E.T.O. ribbon with three battle stars.
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Lt. (j.g.) Gerold E. Bammerlin, whose wife lives at 1508 Pierce Street, has returned to this country after flying 50 combat patrols as the pilot of a navy search plane operated from a base in the south Atlantic. He is the son of Edward H. Bammerlin, Burton, Nebraska.
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Warrant Officer Roy Payne, 2609 Myrtle Street and Stephen A. Carter, Jr. aviation radioman first class, 512 27th Street, have returned to this country after a tour of duty with the navy’s fleet wing 11, which operated patrol planes from an Atlantic base.
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Harvey Stowers, 19, seaman first class, son of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Stowers, 1704 George Street, has completed basic training at the submarine school, New London, Conn. A graduate of the Moorhead, Minnesota high school, he will be assigned to the underseas fighters. He has been in the navy since graduation.

In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
29 July 1945
Liberated prisoners of the Germans, PFC Lawrence E. Shoop, 720 Morgan Street, PFC Gilbert Wallenburg, Ireton, Iowa are now at the army ground and service force redistribution station in Hot Springs, Arkansas for reassignment. Both were home on 60-day furloughs after arriving in the States in May. PFC Shoop, combat infantryman who wears the distinguished unit badge, was a prisoner for 73 days after serving seven months in Belgium and Germany. PFC Wallenburg, a prisoner for ?6 months after his capture in North Africa, wears two Bronze Battle Stars.
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PFC. Henry J. Holdenreid, with the Sixth division of marines on Okinawa has been promoted to that rank, according to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Holdenreid, 1501 South View terrace. A former pupil at Central High School, Pfc Holdenreid has been in the marines for more than a year and overseas for seven months. He recently was released from a hospital where he was treated for battle wounds.
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Sgt. Michalsky, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Michalsky, 414 Lafayette Street, has been promoted to staff sergeant. His wife lives with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Porter, 1615 Hamilton Street. S Sgt. Michalsky is a radio man with the Eighth air force and has been transferred from England to North Africa He has been overseas two years and has received a presidential citation and six service stars. S. Sgt. Michalsky has two brothers overseas, PFC Joe Michalsky with an infantry division in Italy and Tony Michalsky, gunner’s mate third class, in the south Pacific.
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Merle J. Burns, watertender third class, son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Burns, 706 Morningside Avenue, served aboard the battle cruiser U.S.S. Guam during six months of combat from Okinawa on the fringes of Japan’s Island Sea. The Guam, the American version of the pocket battleship, cruised off Japanese shores for 61 days and during the Okinawa invasion she was a carrier escort
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Sgt. Harlan L. Hoffman Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Harlan L. Hoffman of Omaha, has been awarded the combat infantryman badge. He was graduated from Central High School here in 1939.
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S. Sgt. Earl W. Lindgren, 1014 16th Street, was with the First Airborne Army Force which entered Berlin July 4 to assume control of the American sector there.

S. Sgt. Phillip F. Jauron, son of Mrs. Alda R. Johnson, 720 Hornick Avenue has been awarded the Bronze Star. A member of the V corps in Czechoslovakia, S. Sgt Jauron was cited for meritorious service in military operations during the period from June 9, 1944, to May 8, 1945 in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Czechoslovakia. He served with the 648th medical clearing company.
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Emmett L. Keough, serving as assistant G-3 with the 11th armored division, has been promoted to major. He also has been awarded the Bronze Star for heroic conduct during the division’s attack from the Kyll River to the Rhine. Maj. Keough’s wife and daughter, Connie, reside at 2123 Pierce Street. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leo H. Keough, live at 2004 Grandview Boulevard.
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Pvt. Gene Cook, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Cook, Sergeant Bluff, has been graduated from the demolition school part of the parachute school, Fort Benning, Georgia.
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Pfc. Albert D. Dallman, stationed in Prestwick, Scotland, with the European division of the transport command working in the servicing crew in the engineer action of operations, has been promoted to the rank of corporal. Cpl. Dallman, formerly employed by the navy as a truck driver, entered the service February 24, 1943 and was sent overseas after receiving basic training at a field in Texas. His mother is Mrs. J. J. Dallman of Sioux City and is wife, Margaret, lives at Prestwick.
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Franklin LeRoy Coon, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wilfred Coon, 12 W. Second Street, is receiving his naval indoctrination at the United States naval training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois.
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Dave R. Nicklen, whose wife, Helen, lives at 721 Market Street, has been promoted to the rank of sergeant. He participated in the battle of central Europe with the 16th armored division.

In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
30 July 1945

Lt. (j.g.) James H. Alexander, Jr., and Lt (j.g.) George W. Brown, sons of Mrs. Pearl Alexander, 1619 W. Fifth Street and 182 other United States navy men who lost their lives while operating from a naval air station at Dunkeswell, England were honored by having their names permanently inscribed on a memorial dedicated at the air station by Fleet air wing 7.

Thomas E. Hanifan, ship-fitter third class, 2001 S. Newton Street and Joseph C. Orth, fireman first class, home address 2925 Beck Street are serving with a landing vehicle track repair unit at an advanced naval base on Saipan. Mrs. Orth and their daughter Sharon live with his mother at the Beck Street address. A brother, Glenn Orth, is a motor machinist’s mate in the navy

Capt. Ray C. Beermann, former owner of a mortuary at South Sioux City who served as supply officer at Camp Somerset, a prisoner of war base at Westover, Maryland has been awarded a certificate of commendation for exceptionally meritorious performance beyond the call of duty, according to a communication from the camp. Capt. Beermann has been transferred to service command head-quarters and now is director of mortuary operations for the Third service command which includes Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. He entered the army in October 1942 and after serving at posts in several states was assigned to Camp Somerset in June, 1944. He received his commission in 1935 and was a member of the officers reserve corps until called to active duty.

Robert L. Beck, seaman first class, has arrived from the Great Lakes naval training station for a leave with his wife and son, Roger Lee, 1519 Helmer Street.

M. Sgt. Richard H. Grubel, 3604 Fourth Avenue, soon will return to the United States with the veteran 459th bomb group, after serving in Italy with the 15th air force, according to an announcement from the commanding general. The veteran group will receive additional training and equipment before reassignment to the Pacific theater of war. During the 13 months service in Italy the 459th flew on 244 missions against strategic targets in German-held Europe.

T. Sgt. Howard, whose wife resides at 2731 Prospect Street, is a member of the 142d infantry of the veteran 36th Texas division and recently was awarded the bronze arrowhead to wear on his European theater of operations ribbon. The award was for participation in the Salerno-Riviera invasion when he made the D-Day amphibious assault.

Pfc. Wayne L. Bocain, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Bocain, 223 South John Street is a member of the Second battalion, 143d infantry of the veteran 36th Texas division and has been awarded a bronze arrowhead to wear on his European theater of operations ribbon. It was awarded for participation in the Riviera invasion when he made the D-Day amphibious assault.