AKRON SOLDIER IS WAR VICTIM
Private Sperling Anderson Dies In Action Somewhere Over France
Pvt. Sperling (“Bud”) Anderson, 39, Akron, has been reported killed in action over France on February 2, notice having been received by his wife, Edna, of Akron. Pvt. Anderson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Anderson, Akron, and was graduated from high school there. Most of his adult life had been spent in the contracting and building business. He enlisted in the service January 3, 1944, and went overseas in July last year.
He is survived by the widow, a son aged 7 years, his parents, three brothers, C. W. and H. P. of Akron, and Carl L. in the air corps at Great Bend, Kan., and three sisters, Mrs. L. L. Stinton, Sioux City, Mrs. George Sawyer of Hawarden, and Mrs. Forrest Akers of Chicago.
Source: LeMars Globe-Post,
February 22, 1945
AKRON MAN DIES IN FRANCE, FEB. 2
Had Been In Service About Year
Mrs. Edna Anderson, Akron, has been notified that her husband, Pvt. Sperling (Spud) Anderson, 39, was killed in action over France, February 2.
Pvt. Anderson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Anderson, Akron, and was graduated from the Akron high school. Most of his adult life had been spent in the contracting and building business. He enlisted in the service January 3, 1944, and went overseas in July last year.
He is survived by the widow, a son aged 7 years, his parents, three brothers, C. W. and H. P. of Akron, and Carl L. in the air corps at Great Bend, Kansas, and three sisters, Mrs. L. L. Stinson, Sioux City, Mrs. George Sawyer, of Hawarden, and Mrs. Forrest Akers of Chicago.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, February 23, 1945
PUBLIC MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD FOR PVT. S. ANDERSON
Attendance Exceeds Capacity Of Masonic Temple Last Sunday
At the memorial services held in honor of Private Sperling Anderson at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon in the Masonic Temple, the attendance considerably overflowed the capacity of the building, and the basement dining room was utilized by those who could not gain admission to the auditorium; also, quite a number of people stood outside, and they, along with those in the basement, were enabled to hear the program by means of a public speaker system installed in the building for this purpose.
As the relatives passed through lines of the Masonic fraternity and American, Legion members drawn up outside and entered the Temple, they were escorted to assigned seats, while soft music was played on the piano by Mrs. V. G. Adams. The Masons and Legionaries then marched into the Temple auditorium, after which the Legion and Auxiliary color bearers and guards advanced the colors to the rostrum.
The program opened with a prayer offered by Rev. J. Olen Kennell, pastor of the Baptist church. A solo, "Some Day They'll Make It Plain to Me,'' was sung by H. J. Behmer. Rev. A. A. Howe, pastor of the Methodist church, delivered an appropriate memorial address, in which lie paid high tribute to the loyalty and patriotism of Pvt. Anderson, who, had he desired, could have obtained deferment from service; but that it was his choice to go out and give his best effort for his country's cause, even if it led to the supreme sacrifice which he so willingly and heroically made on the battle front in France on February 2, 1945. He told of the part Pvt. Anderson had taken along with his father, W. C. Anderson and brothers, Claude, Holland and Carl, in the construction, of the local Masonic Temple, and of his being made a Master Mason therein on February 18, 1929.
Forrest Akers, of Chicago, brother-in-law of Pvt. Anderson, then gave the impressive Masonic oration that is ordinarily used in connection with funeral services, but adapted the same to fit the memorial occasion. It was a very well delivered, sincere and appropriate rendition. J. J. Behmer then sang another beautiful selection, “Beyond the Sunset,” with piano accompaniment by Mrs. V. G. Adams. S. E. Siebens, master of the lodge, made brief remarks, during which he extended the condolence of freedom Lodge, A. F. & A. M., to the relatives of this lamented and deceased brother of the order, Pvt. Anderson. To close the service, taps were sounded by H. J. Behmer.
The following poem, which W. C. Anderson, father of Pvt. Anderson had happened to read several months ago in a folder put out by a manufacturing firm in Dubuque, Iowa, and had also appeared in several different publications, as well as a copy of it being found on the body of an American soldier killed in action in Italy, was read by Rev. Howe at the memorial service. The poem had been shown to Rev. Howe by Mr. Anderson even before news was received of his son’s death, as it expressed a sentiment in a letter that Pvt. Anderson had at one time written home. The poem reads:
Look, God, I have never spoken to You; But I want to say, “How do You do.”
You see, God, they told me You didn’t exist, And like a fool, I believed all of this.
Last night from a shell-hole I saw your sky. I have figured right then, they had told me a lie.
Had I taken time to see the things You made, I'd have known they weren’t calling a spade a spade.
I wonder, God if you’d shake my hand? Somehow I feel you will understand.
Funny, I had to come to this hellish place, before I had time to see Your face.
Well I guess there isn’t much more to say. But I’m sure glad, God I met you today.
I guess the “Zero Hour” will soon be here, But, I’m not afraid since I know you are near.
The signal, Well, God I’ll have to go. “I like You, This I want you to know.”
Look now, I’m going into the fight; Who knows? I may come to Your House tonight.
Though I wasn’t friendly with you before, I wonder, God, if You’d wait at Your door.
Look, I’m crying! Me shedding tears! I wish I’d known You these many years!
Well, I have to go now. I’ll say good-bye. Strange since I met You, God, “I’m not afraid to die.”
Sperling Wilhelm Anderson was born March 8, 1906, in Akron, Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Anderson. He attended the Akron public school and graduated from Akron High school with the Class of 1925 on May 28, that year. For a number of years he worked with his father in the contracting and building business here. On September 22, 1936, he was united in marriage with Miss Edna Lamoureux, of this city, and one son, Billy, came to bless their union.
Entering the armed service of his country January 3, 1944, he completed his basic training at Camp McClelan, Alabama, and was stationed at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for a short time before being sent overseas to England in July, 1944. He served in a U. S. Infantry Regiment during the invasion and campaign in France. Pvt. Anderson is survived by his wife, Edna, and son, Billie, aged seven years; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Anderson; three brothers, Claude W. and Holland P., of Akron, and Carl L., in the Army Air Corps at Great Bend, Kan., and three sisters, Mrs. L. L. Stinton, of Sioux City; Mrs. George Sawyer, of Hawarden, and Mrs. Forrest Akers, of Chicago.
Among the near relatives coming from away to attend the memorial services were Mr. and Mrs. Lester L. Stinton and Virginia, of Sioux city; Mr. and Mrs. George Sawyer and Mary Ellen, of Hawarden; Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Akers and Jean, of Chicago. Others relatives and friends were present from Elk Point, Jefferson, Sioux City, Sloan and Salix.
Source: Akron Register Tribune, Thursday, April 12, 1945
Pvt. Sperling Anderson is buried in Epinal American Cemetery, Dinoze, France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Source: ancestry.com
