HERE and THERE
Pvt. Alex J. Dietz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Dietz, 20 Ninth street northwest, has qualified as a sharpshooter on the rifle range at the infantry replacement center at Fort McClellan, Ala. He entered the service on March 4, and was a butcher in civilian life.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Monday, May 03, 1943, Page 11 (photo included)
MASON CITYAN IS DECORATED for GALLANTRY in ACTION
Kills 3 Germans, Captures 4 and Chases Others
The Silver Star for gallantry in action recently was awarded to Pfc. Alex J. Dietz, Mason City infantryman who, single-handed, broke up an 11-man German attack on the right flank of his company on the allied 5th army Anzio beachhead in Italy, according to word received from the 5th army headquarters.
Pfc. Dietz and 3 other men of an infantry unit of the 5th army's 3rd "Marne" division set out to guard the flank, but the advancing Germans wounded one of them and forced the other 2 men with Dietz to take cover.
With bullets striking all about him, Pfc. Dietz fought on alone. He killed 3 Germans, captured 4 and chased off the remaining 4.
The infantryman's father, Jacob Dietz, lives at 20 9th N. W. He entered the service in March, 1943 and had been overseas since last September.
A letter from him a few days ago made no mention of the feat but he had written that he had been discharged from a hospital where he had been taking treatment for rheumatism.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Tuesday, April 18, 1944, Page 6
SILVER STAR INFANTRYMAN MISSING IN ACTION, ITALY
Pfc. Alex J. Dietz Missing Since June 4;
Had Written Day Before
Pfc. Alex J. Dietz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Dietz, 20 9th N. W., has been missing in action in Italy since June 4, according to a cablegram received here on June 27
Pfc. Dietz had written a letter to his parents the day before he was reported missing. In it he had said that things were going along better than he had expected and that he planned to be home soon.
The silver combat rifle with wreath had recently been awarded to Pfc. Dietz. Earlier in the year he was cited for gallantry in action and had been given the silver star. At that time, single-handed, he broke up an 11-man German attack on their right flank of his company on the allied beachhead in Italy.
Pfc. Dietz entered the service in March, 1943, and had been overseas since last September.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Friday, July 07, 1944, Page 11 (photo included)
NOTE: Pfc. Dietz was taken prisoner by the Germans.
HOME FROM ITALY
Staff Sgt. George Dietz, who has been overseas the past 21 months, lately serving in Italy, is her on a 20-day furlough, visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Dietz, 20 9th N. w. He has seen action in Africa, Sardinia, Sicily and Italy.
Staff Sgt. Dietz is a brother of Pfc. Alex Dietz, now a prisoner of war of the Germans; of Henry Dietz, seaman 2/c, stationed in New Guinea; and of John Dietz, with the coast guard in California.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Friday, September 15, 1944, Page 12
JAPS COME To CAMP FOR FOOD;
GIVES SELVES UP, WRITES DIETZ
Has 3 Brothers in Service;
One Prisoner of War
Henry Dietz, seaman 1/c with the seabees, writes from "an island somewhere" that about 5 miles from where they are Japanese come to their camp at night looking for food; also that most of them are glad to give themselves up.
From what he has seen of Japs, both dead and alive, says S 1/c Dietz, some of them don't look as though they are much older than 13 and 16 years.
Dietz enlisted in the navy last March and took his boot training at Farragut, Idaho. After a few days leave here with his wife and family, who live at 616 North Federal, he was sent to California and from there to New Guinea, where he was transferred to the seabees. He has just received his present rating.
Dietz has 3 brothers in the service: Pfc. Alex J. Dietz has been a prisoner of war of the Germans since last July 4 when he was captured in Italy; S/Sgt. George J. Dietz, now in Texas, back from 24 months overseas; and younger brother John, stationed with the coast guard in California.
They are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Dietz, 20 9th N. W.
Source: The Globe Gazette, ,Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Friday, January 19, 1945, Page 3 (photo included of Henry Deitz)
LETTERS BRING NEWS OF TWO
MORE MASON CITYANS RELEASED
S-Sgt. Phil Ong Prisoner 21 Months;
Pfc. Dietz a Year
Letters received here Tuesday bring news of 2 more Mason City prisoner of war recently liberated from German prison camps.
A letter from S/Sgt. Phil Ong, the first news of him in 6 months, states that he had been released from 17-B in Krems, Austria. The letters from Pfc. Alex J. Dietz bring word of his release from Stalag 7-A near Moosburg, Germany.
"Am feeling great. Preparing to leave for the states soon," was the message received by S/Sgt. Ong’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Ong, 123 President court.
S/Sgt. Ong had been held by the Germans as a prisoner for 21 months. More than a year ago he had written home saying he was "sitting and wondering when the war would be over."
Pfc. Alex Dietz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Dietz, 20 9th N. W., was taken in Italy by the Germans last June. He wrote that he hoped to be home soon. That he was glad to be able to write letters without someone standing over him to see what he was writing.
Dietz has 3 brothers in the service: S/Sgt. George in Galveston, Tex.; S 1/c Henry in the Philippines; and John with the coast guard in California.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Tuesday, May 29, 1945, Page 1
MORE WAR PRISONERS ARRIVE HOME
ONG AND WICKRE WERE TAKEN ON 200 MILE MARCH
Dietz Winner of Silver Star;
Lt. Vaughn War P.O.W. Since May, 1944
Among Mason City's liberated prisoners of war to arrive home from the Jefferson Barracks, Mo., reception center within the last few days are Lt. Richard Vaughn, S/Sgt. Phil Ong, Sgt. Sherman E. Wickre and Pfc. Alex Dietz, all are unanimous in that the best thing about coming home is "just being there."
Lt. Vaughn, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Vaughn, 219 1/2 North Federal, was met at Nora Springs early Sunday morning by his parents. He will be here on a 60-day leave after which he will go to Miami Beach, Fla. He had been held by the Germans since May 10, 1944.
S/Sgt. Ong, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Ong, 123 President court, arrived in Mason City Saturday. He says he was a lot more fortunate that many. Wounded at the time his plane was shot down by fighter planes, he was taken prisoner by some German civilians and given first aid by 2 Catholic sisters before being taken to a German hospital. He was held at Krems, Austria, for a little more than 21 months. He reported that he had taken part in the 200 mile march from his camp when the Russians advanced in that area. It took them 18 days. They were not taken to another camp but marched into a woods that had a large strip cut around the outskirts. They were released from this place on May 3 by American soldiers who captured the German units there.
Sgt. Sherman E. Wickre, whose wife, Esther, lives with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nels Landgren, 524 20th S. E., has been here several days, and by this time is fairly well acquainted with his 6 month's old son, John Edwin, whom he is seeing for the first time, also getting reacquainted with his 2 daughters, Ruth and Rachel. Mrs. Wickre reports that "he looks good." Sgt. Wickre was in the same camp as Sgt. Ong and with him in the "march." They carried some food with them while on the march, as well as all their other belongings. Some food was acquired along the way by trading such things as cigarets (sic) for some food. Sgt. Wickre had been a prisoner since last November.
Pfc. Alex Dietz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Dietz, 20 9th N. W., holder of a silver star for gallantry in action in Italy, reported he "hadn't suffered much." A prisoner of the Germans since last June, he spent only about 2 weeks in the actual prison camp. He said that they could volunteer to get "out of the fence" to work and he got out to live with some Bavarians. He had been at Stalag 7-A near Moosburg, Germany.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, June 20, 1945, Page 11
Two Mason Cityans, Repatriated POW'S Now at Hot Springs
Two Mason City veterans, Pfc. Alex S. Dietz, 20 9th N. W., and Pvt. Sherman E. Wockre, 524 20th S. E., have reported to the army ground and service forces redistribution station, Hot Springs, Ark., for reassignment. They recently spent 60-day furloughs at their homes.
Captured during combat action in Italy, Pvt. Dietz was a prisoner of war for 11 months and wears the silver star and the E. T. O. ribbon. Prisoner of war for 5 1/2 months, Pvt. Wickre saw action in Germany and wears the purple heart and E. T. O. ribbon with 1 battle star.
Prior to entering the army, Pvt. Wickre was employed by the I. C. Bolson Co., Decorah, and Pvt. Dietz by the J. E. Decker and Sons Packing Co., Mason City.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, September 05, 1945, Page 8
NOTE: Alex J. Dietz owned and operated Alex Dietz's Rock Shop, Mason City. ~ Globe-Gazette, September 26, 1963
