Sioux County

 

Gerald John Sjaarda

Seven Members Of One Family Serve U.S. (photos) 

T/5 JOHN H. MULDER, JAMES A. MULDER AEM 2/c, BERNARD A. MULDER S 1/c, PVT. ELMER D. MULDER, CPL. GERALD J. SJAARDA & CPL CLARENCE N. SJAARDA, CPL. GERALD R. REINDERS. 

Pictured here are six sons and one son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Mulder of Sioux Center. The four Mulder boys are Mr. Mulders sons, two Sjaarda boys are Mrs. Mulder's sons and Gerald Reinders is Mrs. Mulder's son-in-law.

T/5 John H. Mulder, or better known as Harold, was one of the first boys to be inducted into the army. On April 24, 1941, he left for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, but was soon transferred to Camp Claibourne, La. for his training in the medical corps. He was there until the early part of January 1942 when he went to Fort Dix, N. J. From there he left for overseas in the last part of February 1942. The greater part of that year he was in Ireland and about Christmas he went with the army to North Africa. In September 1943 when Italy was invaded, he went there also. At present he is in Italy. He has seen several places of interest.

James A. Mulder AEM 2/c enlisted in the Navy in Sept. 1942 and was selected as Aviation Electricians Mate. He was a short time at San Diego, Calif. from where he was sent to the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis. He also was in Chicago till April 1943 when he was granted a furlough before leaving for Whidbey Island, Wash. where he has been for almost one and a half years. His wife and little daughter Carol Faye have been with him since last November when he was home on furlough.

Bernard A. Mulder S 1/c enlisted in the Navy Air Corp and was sent to St. Olaf College at Northfield, Minn. July 18, 1943 until the first part of November when he was at the LeMars Airport for almost a month. From December 1st to the latter part of January he was at Great Lakes Naval Station at Chicago and was then sent to Jacksonville, Fla. where he had training in Radio and Radar. Then he was moved to Hollywood, Fla. where he had practice in gunnery. At the present time he is at Miami, Fla. where he gets practice in radio and gunnery in a T. B. F. Navy plane.

Pvt. Elmer D. Mulder was inducted in the army last March and was selected for the Medical Corps. He has been at Camp Barkley, Texas for some time until about June 1st he was sent to O'Reilly Gen. Hospital at Springfield, Mo. as Surgical Technician. Then he was a short time at Camp Phillips, Kansas from where he left for Texas where he is at present. Watch for his new address.

Gerald John Sjaarda was inducted into the Army on March 18, 1943. He was sent to North Camp Polk, La. where he is with the 8th Arm’d Div. John is driver and mechanic. They were on maneuvers from February 2 until the first of May. Since May he is at Camp Polk, La. John has had two furloughs, one in October 1943, and one in April 1944. Troop B. 88th Cav. Rch. Sq. Mech. Camp Polk, La., APO 258

Clarence N. Sjaarda was inducted on Jan. 3, 1944, and was sent to Camp Robinson, Arkansas, In April they went on maneuvers for six weeks. In June he went to Fort Belvoir, Va. where he is at present. Clarence is with the Engineers. He has had one furlough. Co. B. 259th Engrs. Com. Bn. Fort Belvoir, Va.

Cpl. Gerald Reinders entered the army last December. He is stationed at Ft. Leavenworth where he is an instructor with the Spec. Trng. Unit. Gerald is a son-in-law of Mrs. Mulder. 37467749 W.D. Personnel Center 1773 S.C.N. Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. 

Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 14, 1944, p 2