1945 . . .
In Uniform
Sioux City Journal-Tribune
8 January 1945
Thomas J. Elliott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Elliott, 3226 Myrtle Street was graduated recently from the naval air technical training center at Norman, Okla.
Lt. Betty Lou Davis, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J.H. Davis, 3709 Jones Street, now is training at the Camp Carson, Colo. nurses training Center. She attended nursing school at the University of Minnesota.
Pearl C. Larson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Larson, 700 S. Cecelia Street has been promoted to corporal in the women’s army corps at Fort Des Moines.
LeRoy R. Bernard, son of Mrs. Louise Bernard, 1119 Pierce Street, has been graduated from the officer candidate department of the transportation corps school, New Orleans army air base and commissioned a second lieutenant. He attended Jefferson High School. The officer was assigned to active duty with the transportation corps immediately after receiving his commission. Lt. Bernard served with the infantry and the transportation corps in the British Isles, North Africa and Canada from 1942 to 1944.
Lt. Frances Meylor, daughter of Mrs. James Meylor, is taking basic training at the nurses training Center, Camp Carson, Colo. Lt. Meylor attended St. Joseph’s College of nursing. She has two brothers in the service, First SGT. Jack Meylor in England and George Meylor, seaman second class, at Bradford, Va.
Sgt. Robert G. Leget, son of Mrs. R.G. Leget, 919 27th Street, is with the 324th ordnance battalion in England, according to a dispatch received from the European theater of operation. The Sioux Cityan has an important role in the repair of evacuated damaged vehicles and weapons from the battle fronts. The equipment is quickly restored for service at the United States army general depot in England. Maintenance of records in the receipt and issue section is under the supervision of Sgt. Leget.
In Uniform
Sioux City Journal-Tribune
12 January 1945
PFC Kemper Larson, son of Mrs. H.M. Larson, 1518 Court Street, is spending a 30-day furlough with his mother after being over-seas three years. He recently has been stationed in New Guinea. CPL Larson has five brothers in service.
John A. Beckwith, aviation machinist’s mate first class, is spending a 10-day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Beckwith, 2712 Clark Street. He will return to Travis City, Mich., where he is stationed at the training base.
First Lt. Leonard A. Meissner is spending a 10-day leave with his mother, Mrs. William Meissner and sister Frances, 3814 Ridge Avenue. He is stationed at the Aberdeen, Md., proving grounds.
Edward Goothier, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.G. Goothier, 1121 25th street, is home on a leave after completing boot training at Farragut, Idaho.
CPL. Theodore Gilinsky, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Gilinsky, 2101 Grandview Boulevard, has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on December 7 while fighting with Gen. Patton’s Third Army. CPL Gilinsky now is recuperating at a rest camp over-seas.
Peter L. Rostad, aviation cadet, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Rostad, 1517 24th Street, has begun the second phase of his flying training at Eagle Pass, Texas, airfield. After 10 weeks of basic training he will enter an advanced flying training school to finish his studies and receive the silver wings and commission of an army air force officer.
In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
14 January 1945
Flight Officer Ernest P. Wakehouse and Flight Officer Robert L. Wakehouse have been graduated from the advances flying school at Foster field, Texas and have received pilot’s wings and commissioned in the army air forces. They are sons of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wakehouse of Portland, Oregon, former Sioux Cityans. Both attended Central High School.
Sgt. John Tolson is with the army forces in Holland, when he joined the army he was assistant custodian of The Journal building.
Pvt. Phillip G. Sauer has been awarded the bronze star medal for meritorious service in France July 29, 1944, while serving with the Second army infantry division in connection with military operations against the enemy. The citation reads as follows. “While driving a liaison officer to a forward position, Pvt. Sauer learned of a number of causalities in the forward area for which no ambulances were available to evacuate them to aid stations in the rear. He drove to the area and voluntarily evacuated the casualties under fire. Pvt. Sauer enlisted two years ago and was sent overseas six months later.
Pvt. Kenneth Crowl, son of O.S. Crowl, Correctionville, is in a medical unit with the Third army in France. He was formerly employed in a department store here.
LaMoine G. Craighead, aviation radioman first Class, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Craighead, 120 W. Third Street, spent a three-day leave with his parents before going to San Diego, California, for operational training. He has just been graduated at Jacksonville, Florida, where he took a course in radar, gunnery and radio.
Pvt. Vernon Pugh is spending a furlough with his father, V.H. Pugh, 2121 Douglas Street.
Lt. Robert C. LaCrois is a company commander of the 313th engineer battalion with the Fifth army in Italy.
Pfc. James R. Rustwick, son of Mrs. Inga Rustwick, 910 S. Cornelia Street, recently was promoted from the rank of private. He is serving as an airplane mechanic with the 11th A.A.F. in the Aleutian Island.
Blair Watson, seaman second class, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Watson, 309 14th Street, now is on a ship somewhere in the Pacific area. He formerly was employed by The Journal as a carrier boy and later worked in the circulation department.
Sgt. Virgil Bunkers, whose wife, child and grandparents reside in Sioux City, has been commended by Lt. Gen. Carl A. Spatz, commanding general of United States strategic air forces in Europe, for his part in the preinvasion production efforts as a service command depot in England.
Don Higgins, seaman second class, whose port is at Norfolk, Virginia, is home on a 30-day leave after 15 months overseas. His brother, Pfc. Kenneth Higgins of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is also home on a 16-day furlough. They are sons, of Mr. and Mrs. J. Higgins, 2601 Jones Street.
Pfc. Clare R. Mueller, son of Mrs. Ruth Mueller, 2515 Hamilton Street, is spending a 30-day furlough at home. He has been overseas for two and one-half years in the marines Third amphibious corps.
T. Sgt. Ralph R. Thorp, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Thorp, 4512 Grant Street, was awarded the bronze for meritorious service while serving with the 91st infantry division in Italy. His wife lives at 4514 Arthur Street.
Pvt. John Brennan has gone to O’Reilly General Hospital at Springfield, Missouri, with a medical detachment, after spending a five-day furlough with his mother, Mrs. C.J. Brennan, 1125 25th Street. A brother, PFC Jim Brennan, is stationed with the signal corps at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
Lyle F. Daniels, technician third grade, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Daniels, 116 S. Dorman Street, is returning from 25 months overseas with an ordinance section and is expected to arrive at Jefferson barracks, Missouri soon. He then will be given a furlough.
John Bolchunos, 2619 Correctionville Road, has received an appointment as a cadet midshipman in the merchant marine cadet corps and has reported for duty at the basic school as San Mateo, California.
In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
21 January 1945
Pfc. Gerald Lesser, who has just returned to the United States after 22 months in the Panama region, is spending a furlough with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Shapiro, 709 Center Street.
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Cpl. Bernard A. Dandurand, 716 Court Street, has been promoted to sergeant, according to a news release from the Fifth Army in Italy. He is a mechanic with the 34th Red Bull division.
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Technician Fourth Class Henry E. LeMaster, 4000 Jefferson Street, is a member of an engineer boat regiment which has recently been inactivated in the Italian theater. Prior to its disbanding it achieved a superb record which won it a commendation from Col. Francis H. Oxx, commanding officer of the base section.
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Herman A. Tool, Jr. a seaman second class is spending a nine day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Tool, 906 10th Street. Upon completion of his leave he will report for further orders to the Great Lakes naval training school, where he recently finished boot training.
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Patrick C. Parks, petty officer first class, recently spent a 30-day leave with his wife and daughter in the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schrader, 2813 Grandview Boulevard and with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G.A. Parks, 1627 W. Fifth Street. Officer Parks, who served 18 months overseas, is stationed at San Pedro, California while awaiting further orders.
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Leon A. Pepin, is spending a short leave with his mother, Mrs. George Upton, and his sister, Mrs. Mary Harold, at 1114 Jennings Street. He has been on sea duty.
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Cpl. Wilmer Hoffman, who has just returned from 28 months in the south Pacific, is spending a 30-day furlough in the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.V. Hoffman, 114 Sioux Street. A member of the Third amphibious corps in the marines, he worked in a commissary.
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Pvt. Bill Bourret, whose wife resides at 2509 Isabella Street, recently arrived at Camp Hood, Texas for his basic training. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bourret, former Sioux Cityans, now live in Big Bear Lake, California.
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Pvt. Walter Kull is spending a five-day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Kull, 2722 Ridge Avenue, en route to Fort Meade, Maryland from Camp Maxely, Texas.
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Don Linduski, radioman second class, recently spent two days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. H. Linduski, 621 S. Helen Street. He has been graduated from navy radio school at the University of Idaho, and was en route to a base in California for assignment.
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Dean C. Watland, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Watland, 409 20th Street, is now taking his indoctrination at the naval training center at Great Lakes, Illinois.
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John Stanley Bekish, son of Mrs. Mary Tobasco, 1308 Dace Avenue and Eugene Francis Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest D. Smith, 617 Rebecca Street are both taking their initial indoctrination at the naval training center at Great Lakes, Illinois.
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Russell J. Pedersen, son of Chris J. Pedersen, 405 Isabella Street, William R. Haller, whose wife lives at 1219 21st Street, Emmett E. Michael, Sr., whose wife lives at 1307 25th Street, Wayne E. Carpenter, whose wife lives at 406 W. Seventh Street and Kenneth A. Robertson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie A. Robertson, 1825 Elkhart Street, are all taking their naval indoctrination at the naval training center, Great lakes, Illinois
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The late Pfc. John Warren Whitcher, who died December 17 in a military hospital in England, had recovered from burns suffered on the battlefront and was up and around the hospital when he was stricken with a liver disease which caused his death. This information came to his parents, Patrolman and Mrs. John Whitcher, 1615 Riverside Boulevard in a letter from Col. Francis W. Pruitt, medical corps commander at the 297th general hospital which went into considerable detail as to young Whitcher’s case. It gave assurance that the young soldier had received every possible medical care and that he had made many friends during his time in the hospital. He was given a religious burial in a cemetery in England.
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Pvt. Norton Spayde has been made editor of the Specialist, the “official organ” of “specialists who compose the Fourth squadron, First regiment,” at Fort Riley, Kansas. Mr. Spayde is a former Associated Press man and was a member of The Journal’s news staff before joining the army. The first copy issued under his direction is full of interesting news and comments, with an army flavor.
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Ivan Bradley, storekeeper second class, is here on a 30-day leave visiting his mother, Mrs. Eve Bradley, 2016 S. St. Aubin Street. He recently completed 18 months of service in the Pacific area. Following his leave, he will be reassigned.
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Leo F. Fitzgibbons, who is stationed at Camp Crowder, Missouri, has been promoted to corporal in the signal corps, according to word received by his wife, Mrs. L. F. Fitzgibbons, residing at 2816 Boise Street.
In Uniform
Sioux City Journal-Tribune
25 January 1945
Marjorie Conly, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Conly, 2223 Jones Street, has been promoted to first lieutenant. She is in the nurses corps stationed in France. She has been overseas since September 1944.
Willis Hays, seaman first class, and his wife have been spending a brief leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Hays, 421 Allen Street. He has been stationed at Troy, N.Y. and now is going to Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, where he will attend midshipman’s school.
S. Sgt. Aloa J. Miller, 313 Ninth Street, is a key man behind the scenes of the supply war in Europe, according to information from the air service command S. Sgt. Miller is serving with a station complement squadron at an air service command depot in England, keeping them moving to the men of the combat air forces. He entered the service in October, 1938 and has been overseas 30 months. Before joining the army he attended Central High School. His wife is residing in Norfolk, Neb.
In Uniform
Sioux City Journal
26 January 1945
PFC. John J. Ryan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Ryan, 5050 West Street has received his wings as an aerial gunner. He graduated from the training school at Harlingen, Texas.
PFC. Alex Paul, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Paul, 1215 S. Mulberry Street, is spending a 24-day furlough at home. He has been in the south Pacific for the last 27 months. PVT. Paul is to report January 30 in Little Rock, Ark.
PVT. Glenn Roest, whose wife and son live at 1608 Ingleside Avenue, now is taking his basic training at Camp Hood, Texas.
T. Sgt. Raymond L. Simons and his wife recent spent a seven-day furlough in the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Bierwirth, Sr., 3221 Jackson Street. Sgt. Simons, an overseas veteran, is a flight instructor at Great Bend, Kansas. Mrs. Simons is the former Dorothy Bierwirth. PVT. Henry C. Bierwirth, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Bierwirth, has reported at Keesler Field, Biloxi, Mississippi for pre-aviation tests.
