Following are the addresses of some of the men who have left recently for the service.
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Pvt. Lawrence Bleeker 37692680
1st Platoon
Co. B. 89th Inf. Tng. Bn.
Camp Roberts, Calif.
Source: Sioux Center News Apr. 20, 1944 p 2
Pvt. Lawrence Bleeker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Bleeker is stationed at Camp Roberts, Calif. and at present is on maneuvers. Lawrence hopes to have a furlough soon. His wife and three children are living with Mrs. Bleeker's parents at Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Source: Sioux Center News July 20, 1944 p 2
Pvt. Lawrence Bleeker returned home Monday afternoon from Camp Roberts, Calif. and his wife and three children who are living at Rock Rapids came to Sioux Center to meet him. They are expected to come to Sioux Center the latter part of this week to spend a few days at the parental Gerrit Bleeker home.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 10, 1944 p 8
NEWS OF OUR MEN and WOMEN IN UNIFORM
Pvt. Lawrence Bleeker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gt. Bleeker of Sioux Center has this new address:
Co. D. 29th Bn. 8th Regt. A.G.F.R.D. No. 1
Ft. George E. Meade, Maryland.
Source: Sioux Center News, August 31, 1944
Lawrence Bleeker Wounded In Action
Work was received by Mrs. Lawrence Bleeker Saturday that her husband, Pvt. Lawrence Bleeker had been slightly wounded in action on Oct. 18th, and that she would be informed as to the extent of his injuries as soon as further information was received. As far as can be determined he had been in actual combat for about 8 days. It is thought that he was in the Belgium area at the time he was wounded. Lawrence is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Bleeker of Sioux Center. His wife and three children make their home here. His newest address is: (37692680) Co. F. 118th Inf., APO 30, c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y. No doubt a new hospital address will arrive here shortly and that the above address change was probably sent out before he was injured.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 9, 1944 p 1
Sioux Co. Servicemen Return To States From Battle Areas
Wounded Will Continue To Get Hospital Care
(photos)
Pictured here are six servicemen from the Sioux Center area who are among the fortunate men who have returned to the United States. Of these six, Koerselman, Vander Vleet and Bleeker were wounded. The first two are now at home on convalescent leave, will go to army hospitals for further care at the expiration of their furloughs. Bleeker has just arrived in this country and may come home briefly before continuing his hospitalization. Vander Berg, Keizer and De Weerd have come home on the rotation plan and will report back for duty at the expiration of their furloughs.
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Pvt. Lawrence Bleeker Back In States
Mrs. Lawrence Bleeker received a telephone call from her husband last Saturday telling her that he had arrived in the States the past week and was now stationed at Camp Edwards, Boston, Mass. and expects to be sent to the hospital at Clinton, Iowa in the very near future. Lawrence was wounded in Germany on Oct. 18 and has five broken bones in his foot which has been placed in a cast. He was also awarded the Purple Heart which he sent home to his wife the past week. He said he was getting around on crutches at the present time and was trying to get a short furlough before going to the hospital at Clinton. He left the States in the middle part of September and was in action for about 8 days when wounded.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 28, 1944 p 1
Pvt. Lawrence Bleeker Home
A happy family reunion took place Wednesday at the home of Pvt. And Mrs. Lawrence Bleeker, when their husband and father arrived home. Since he last saw his family in August 1944, Lawrence went overseas, was in action on the front line eight days, was struck by a mortar shell and spent the rest of the time since then in hospitals, ambulances, ships, trains, and busses traveling from hospital to hospital, until he finally reached the States.
Lawrence was wounded on October 18th, 1944, near Aachen, Germany. A mortar shell struck him, wounding him in sixteen different places, breaking five bones in his right foot. Within a half hour the Medics had him on a litter, and he said they deserved the highest praise for the courage and skill they displayed in handling the wounded men under fire. He was operated on at a Field Hospital in Holland, moved to Belgium, then to Paris, then to England, on to Scotland and then home by boat, arriving at New York City December 22nd. From there he was sent to the Wm. Beaumont hospital at El Paso, Texas, where he has been told he will be laid up for about a year with his foot injury. He says it is not painful except when they work with it and he will have another operation on it when he returns after his furlough. He made the trip home by bus, with the aid of crutches. Lawrence says he still feels strained and nervous from his battle experiences, but feels much improved as compared to his earlier period of convalescence, when he dodged gun fire in his sleep as well as when he was awake.
He wishes to thank the business girls for his Christmas gift and all the people whose contributions made these gifts for the servicemen possible. He will be here a little over two weeks and will then return to El Paso for further treatment.
Source: Sioux Center News, January 25, 1945
Furloughs
Name, address and expiration date of furlough
Lawrence Bleeker, Sioux Center... 7-18-45
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Source: Sioux County Capital June 21, 1945 p 1
