Mr. and Mrs. George Pehler received a cablegram from their son, Max, a few days ago stating he had arrived safely overseas and was well. Max, who went into the army early in July, took his basic training at Miami Beach, Florida. He is attached to an aviation supply company.
Source: LeMars Sentinel, September 25, 1942
Max Pehler Using Part of Wrecked German Plane In Home Made African Studio He Finished His Own Pictures and Stuffs Self With Oranges
Max Pehler, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Pehler of this city, writes the following interesting letter to The Globe-Post for publication:
March 1, 1943
Somewhere in North Africa
Dear Friends,
Your letter postmarked Jan. 26, received and very much appreciated. I’m certainly glad to hear that all of you are well and happy so keep up the good spirits until we can all get together and have some of the good times that we used to have.
News hasn’t changed much here, although I can mention that we are having wonderful weather although we did have a great deal of rain. In regard to the letter for The Globe-Post, well, I will try and give you some of the dope.
NOT “DARKEST” AFRICA In the first place I believe that people have the wrong impression of North Africa. I found it to be quite a modern country with cities that equal some of our American cities. Don’t get me wrong when I say that they equal American cities—by this I mean the structure and beauty. I’ll take the States any day in preference. One thing that I have found here and that is the people (French) are very friendly and cordial to the dog-faces. I have made the acquaintance of a French family and it seems that they go out of their way to accommodate the American soldier.
ARABS PROFIT One thing that I find quite amusing and that is the native (Arab) who certainly profited by the American arrival. It isn’t anything to see an Arab dressed in some sort of G. I. costume. Next we come to shoe-shine boys—they really take the cake. For instance: This is their sales talk when they approach an American. “Hello, Johnny! Shoe shine, comrade! Very good, comrade! Very good shoe shine, Johnny!” and so on.
One thing that I have really gotten a lot of and that is the oranges which they grow over here. It’s a very beautiful sight to see the large orange groves. There are other things that I would like to talk about but they are out as the censorship rules are very strict but after all it’s OK as letters could be of assistance to the enemy.
One thing I do miss over here and that is the good old Globe-Post. I do receive a few copies every now and then from the folks but it isn’t like getting it fresh from the press. Right & Early—that’s a darn good expression and it really lives up to the word.
NAZI SAFE-LIGHT News seems to be given out so will sign off for this trip but will be expecting a letter from you in the near future. By the way there is one thing that I wanted to tell you, and that is the darkroom which a buddy of mine and myself have built. It’s very original but does the trick. For our safe-light we used a landing light of a certain foreign plane. I think you know the one I mean. The printer being constructed of a metal coffee container (of course we boxed it in.) The glass on the top of the box is a window pane which we polished down with rubbing compound. To top it off when it came time to cut glass we didn’t have a cutter to do it with so I thought of my good old days in the Poeckes Paint Co. and remembered that a diamond would do the trick. We really have a nice place set up and feel very proud of it.
It’s getting about bed-time so will cut this one short but hope you will write soon. Please send me those pictures which I asked about in my previous letter and any other ones which might be of interest. Best of luck to all of you. Your friend, Maxie
Source: LeMars Globe-Post, March 15, 1943 (photo included)
NEWS OF THE BOYS IN THE SERVICE
Max Pehler, who is with the United States forces in Africa, writes friends here that the smattering of German and French he picked up while working in the Poeckes store is coming handy in North Africa where both languages are spoken somewhat. Max sent some pictures showing him visiting with some of his Arab friends. Max’ address is Pvt. Max F. Pehler, 36th Depot Supply Squadron, A.P.O. 528, Care of Postmaster New York, N.Y., Army Air Corps.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, March 16, 1943
~Mr. and Mrs. George Pehler are now receiving lots of mail from their son, Max Pehler, who, they think is somewhere in Algiers. However, he writes that he is getting little, if any, of the letters they send to him. “Our whole outfit has the blues,” he writes. “Nobody gets any mail.” The Pehlers have tried V-mail and ordinary mail and airmail, but it all seems to be held up somewhere. But mail from Max is delivered very promptly—sometimes only four days after the date it is written in Africa. Evidently it is flown back over the Atlantic. Presumably there is plenty of ship space for return mail but all the ships are heavily loaded with war supplies going overseas.
Source: LeMars Globe-Post, July 29, 1943
DISCHARGES FILED.
The following men have registered at the courthouse as having received their discharges from the Armed Services:
Vernon Ewin, Francis L. Strihl, Clarence Cowan, Werner P. Hoffman, Wm. A. Delperdang, Earl G. Utesch, Albert S. Simon, Don Shearon, Matthew J. Welsch, Howard Stinger, Karl J. Elsen, William Picks, Merlin B. Woodley, Wesley Witt, Vincent Zimmer, Clyde C. Marx, Raymond W. Anderson, Kenneth G. Bentz, Glenn Nussbaum, Elmer Muth, Roman J. Mayrose, Edward E. Keihn, Anthony J. Vanderschaff, John Frerichs, Raymond J. Berkenpas, John H. Moller, Max F. Pehler, Ralph Sweitzberger, Charles A. Honnald jr., LeRoy W. Gries, L.E. Newman, James A. Martin, Walter S. Utecht, Ralph M. Schnepf, Alvin L. Oaks, Morris Mezvinsky, Howard S. Dobbett, Kenneth L. Burdette, Otto F. Bishop, Edward J. Sitzmann, Francis H. Condon, Don A Pratt.
Source: LeMars Globe-Post, Thursday, November 15, 1945
***Further Research:
Max Frederick Pehler was born Dec. 10, 1920 to George Anthony and Margaret Helen Streng Pehler. He died Jan. 25, 1995 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, LeMars, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
