11 North Iowans Join Army, Navy
Eleven North Iowa youths have been recruited during the last few days for service in the army and navy, local recruiting officers announced here Thursday. Sgt. Bill Posey, army recruiting agent for North Iowa, announced the enlistment of four men, all of whom have already reported to Fort Snelling, Minn.:
. . . Thomas J. Boyle, 1424 East State street. . . .
Application for either the army or navy are being accepted daily by both of the recruiting officers in their offices on the second floor of the federal building.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Wednesday, November 13, 1936, Page 16
BOYLE FIGHTS in PHILIPPINES
His Father Fought for A. MacArthur
Mrs. J. J. Boyle, 1424 East State street, has received a letter from her son, Tom, who is in the United States army air corps in the Philippine islands, one of the men fighting under the command of Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright.
The local man, a mechanic in the air corps, was stationed at Clark field when the Japanese attacked the Philippines. His letter, dated Jan. 14, states that he is well and safe.
Boyle, a private first class, has been in the Philippines since Oct. 28 and fought under Gen. Douglas MacArthur until that military hero flew to Australia to assume command of the southwest Pacific area. The local man's father fought under Gen. Arthur MacArthur, father of the present war hero, in the Philippines also, during the Spanish-American war.
"The life is kind of rugged and I do have an appetite," wrote the local man, "we have two meals a day and there is always plenty there.
"This war has really changed a lot of men, including me. Our chaplain gave me a little prayer book and I've made good use of it every day and I've said my prayers every night. I also pray to God every night that we knock out the opposition and put an end to this conflict once and for all . . . I miss you and the rest of the family very much," he concluded.
Boyle, who is 27 years old, attended St. Joseph's parochial school in Mason City. He has been in the army more than two years.
His brother, Daniel James, was among the army draftees who left Mason City for Des Moines this week.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Wednesday, April 01, 1942, Page 11
JAPS TAKE BATAAN
CORREGIDOR STANDS; FEAR U.S. LOSSES ARE NEARLY 36,853
Mason Cityans on Bataan
Capt. Lawrence Meade, son of Dr. and Mrs. C. L. Meade, 504 Ninth street southeast, and Pvt. Thomas Boyle, son of Mr. and Mrs. J[ames]. J. Boyle, 1424 East State street, were among the Americans fighting on Bataan peninsula in the Philippine islands when the Japs overwhelmed the Yankees Thursday.
Private Boyle, who was a mechanic in the army air corps, was last heard from in a letter received by his parents recently, which was dated Jan. 14.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Thursday, April 09, 1942, Page 1
2 Mason Cityans Believed Prisoners
At least two Mason Cityans were probably prisoner of the Japanese as a result of the fall of Corregidor Wednesday. They were Capt. Lawrence Meade, son of Dr. and Mrs. C. L. Meade, 504 Ninth street southeast, and Pvt. Thomas Boyle, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Boyle, 1464 East State street. No word has been received from Captain Meade, who was in an anti-aircraft artillery unit on Bataan peninsula, since he was wounded on Feb. 26, and his father said Wednesday that he believed his son had probably been moved to Corregidor after being wounded in action. Last word from Private Boyle, an aviation mechanic in the army air corps, was received in a letter in January.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Wednesday, May 06, 1942 (photo included)
Globe-Gazette Diary ~ Saturday, July 24
Mason City members of the Spanish-American war are certain that James J. BOYLE, former head of the veterans of that conflict in this community, who died last week, fought under Douglas (sic) MacArthur in the days when the latter was a shavetail in Philippine service. They know Boyle’s son, Pvt. Thomas BOYLE, fought under General MacArthur on Battaan (sic) and is now believed to be a prisoner of war in the Philippines.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Saturday, July 24, 1943, Page 14
WORD FROM SON
Mrs. J. J. Boyle, 1424 East State street, received word by postcard from her son, Pfc. Thomas Boyle, a mechanic in the army air corps, who is a prisoner of the Japanese in the Philippines. Boyle reported that he is in the Philippine prison camp number one and that he is ill in a hospital but his health is improving.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Tuesday, August 17, 1943, Page 10
Prisoner in Japan Was Heard From
War prisoner in the Philippines, Pfc. Thomas J. Boyle, son of Mrs. J. J. Boyle, East State, was heard from. He was taken by the Japs in the battle for Corregidor early in 1942. His card stated that he was in good health. The message was received in August.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Thursday, December 30, 1944, Page 18
LIBERATED JAPANESE POLITICAL PRISONERS
EMERGE TO CHEERS OF WAITING CROWDS
Tokyo, (AP) - Liberated political prisoners emerged from behind the massive walls of 4 Japanese prisons Wednesday to the acclaim of welcoming communist crowds shouting opposition to imperial rule - while a newly-formed national federation of toilers arose to defend the imperial house and assail the reds.
. . . Three other prisons, Kosuge, Toyotama and Tokyo Koshisac, also opened on the Oct. 10 deadline set by MacArthur. Many of those prisoners had been held without charge for 10 to 20 years, after they had advocated communism of spoken against the ruling Japanese government.
Meanwhile . . .
PFC. THOMAS BOYLE, JAP POW,
ENROUTE TO MASON CITY HOME
Condition Is Good, Says Message From 3 Year Prisoner
Another Mason Cityan who has been interned in a Jap prison camp since the fall of Corregidor in May, 1942, has been heard from.
Wednesday morning Mrs. Josephine Boyle, 1424 East State, received a telegram from the war department stating that her son, Pfc. Thomas Boyle, had been returned to military control on Sept. 17, and was being returned to the United States within the near future.
"He will be given an opportunity to communicate with you upon arrival if he has not already done so," the message said. The war department has received a message from Pfc. Boyle, which said that he was "Well and safe - leaving for home tomorrow." The report had also stated that his physical condition was good.
Mrs. BOYLE said that she had been receiving a number of cards from her son. The last one to arrive was sent from camp No. 1 in the Philippines but no date was given as to [the] time of writing. Neither was there any date on the other cards, one of which was a Christmas greeting presumably sent for last year's holiday. All were form cards with only the signature of Pfc. Boyle’s handwriting.
Another Jap prisoner from this community heard from recently is J. D. Cannella, who wrote from Manchuria that he was well.
Known to have died in a Japanese prison camp is Capt. Lawrence Meade, son of Dr. and Mrs. C. L. Meade, Mason City. Lt. Lawrence Hendrickson, son of H. J. Hendrickson, Mason City, died as he was being transported from the Philippines to Japan by the Japs.
George Timm of Thornton, also from a Jap prison camp, was returned to his home some time ago.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Wednesday, October 10, 1945, Page 1 (photo included)
Sgt. Boyle, Jap POW, and Mother
to Be Guests of AAF at Miami Beach
Sgt. Thomas J. Boyle and his mother, Mrs. J. J. Boyle, 1424 East State, will leave Sunday night for Miami, Fla., to spend 2 weeks as guests of the army air forces.
The invitation was issued to Sgt. Boyle as part of a program of the air force personnel distribution command affording liberated prisoners of war a period of relaxation in pleasant surroundings. The offer includes 2 members of the war prisoner's immediate family and Sgt. Boyle has invited his mother to go with him.
Sgt. Boyle was offered transportation to Miami by air, rail or in his own automobile. He chose rail and the AAF personnel command has arranged transportation which includes Pullman and dining car service. Throughout their stay at the resort Uncle Sam "picks up the checks" for all room and meal costs and a special service department is ready to offer an elaborate free program of entertainment.
Sgt. Boyle was returned to the states last fall after having been interned in a Jap prison camp since May, 1942.
Sgt. Bolye said, "I've been thru the worst of it - now I'm going to enjoy the best of it" upon re-enlisting in the army.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, March 15, 1946, Page 11
HERE in MASON CITY
Thomas J. Boyle, son of Mrs. J. J. Boyle, 1424 East State, has recently been promoted to the grade of staff sergeant at Boca Raton army air field, Fla. Sgt. BOYLE first entered the service in 1936 and was a prisoner of war of the Japanese in the Philippines. Prior to his entrance into the service, Sgt. Boyle was employed by E. A. Lund Sales Stables here.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, April 17, 1947, Page 11
