3 Waterloo Army Men Killed
War department messages Wednesday had informed families that three Waterloo soldiers died recently in the service of their country. The dead included:
Cpl. Riley W. Williams, 24.
Tech. 5th Gr. Kenneth Horner, 38.
Pfc. Robert C. Free, 19.
[NOTE: Portions of this article regarding Cpl. Williams and Tec5 Horner have been omitted but may be found on their individual webpages within this site.]
Mr. and A. W. Free, 408 Baltimore street, Wednesday had been notified by the war department that their son was killed in action June 24, on Okinawa while serving with a field artillery battery attached to the Seventh division.
He had been in service since July 19, 1944 and overseas since last January. His parents had learned in letters from him that he was stricken with tonsillitis during his overseas trip, and was in an army hospital in the Hawaiian islands two weeks, and later in a hospital one week on Saipan.
In his last letter, dated June 22 and mailed June 23, the day before he was killed, he said the battle was all over on Okinawa and that things were “pretty quiet” there. An additional comment was censored from the letter.
Born Apr. 19, 1926, in Waterloo, he attended Sacred Heart Catholic school and was graduated from high school there with the class of 1944. He was prominent in high school basketball.
He took basic training with the M-18 “Hellcat” tank destroyers at North Camp Hood, Tex., and spent a 15-day delay en route leave here last December. He served on Okinawa with the 49th field artillery.
Surviving are his parents, a brother, James, 17; his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Mary Schaefer, all at 408 Baltimore street. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic church.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Wednesday, July 18, 1945, Section Two, Page 14 (photo included)
Memorial Services for Free Tuesday
Memorial services for Pfc. Robert C. Free will be at 9 a. m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Catholic church with the Rev. Fr. Donald Sweeney, assistant pastor, officiating.
Private Free, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Free, 408 Baltimore street, was killed in action June 24, on Okinawa while serving with a field artillery battery attached to the Seventh division.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, July 22, 1945, Page 3
City in Brief
The body of Pfc. Robert C. Free, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Free, 408 Baltimore street, who was killed in action on Okinawa June 24, 1045, will arrive in Waterloo Monday at 10:55 p. m. at the Illinois Central depot. The body will be taken to O’Keefe & Towne funeral home.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Friday, February 11, 1949, Page 9
Rites for Robert Free Wednesday
Funeral service will be Wednesday at 9 a. m. at Sacred Heat Catholic church for Pfc. Robert C. Free, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Free, 408 Baltimore street, who was killed in action on Okinawa June 24, 1945.
Private Free was killed while serving with a field artillery battery attached to the Seventh division. He entered service July 19, 1944, following his graduation from Sacred Heart Catholic school, and went overseas in January of 1945.
Private Free was born Apr. 19, 1926, in Waterloo, and attended Sacred Heart school where he was active in basketball.
Surviving are his parents; one brother, James; and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Mary Schaefer, all of 408 Baltimore street.
Burial will be in Calvary cemetery.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, February 13, 1949, Page 11
DEATHS
PFC. ROBERT FREE
The Rosary society of Sacred Heart Catholic church will meet at O’Keefe & Towne funeral home at 8 p. m. to recite the Rosary for Pfc. Robert Free, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Free, 408 Baltimore street, whose body will arrive here Monday at 10:55 p. m. for reburial. Services will be Wednesday at 9 a. m. at Sacred Heart.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Monday, February 14, 1949, Page 2
