LISTED MISSING
Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt, 23, who was listed as missing in action in France, since Jan. 25, in a telegram received by his parents late Friday, was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. John Daufeldt, 1005 East Seventh street, to be reported missing, an older son, Tech. Sgt. Mearl E. Daufeldt, 26, having been missing in action over Germany since July 18, 1944.
Mearl E. Daufeldt was reported missing in a telegram received August 17, 1944, no further information has been forwarded concerning Sgt. Daufeldt’s offical status. A radioman-gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, Sgt. Daufeld was awarded the Air Medal on July 31, 1944 and according to his record on that date had completed 32 missions. He was a member of a task force making the historic first shuttle mission to Russia from a 15th Army Air Force base in Italy.
Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt was attached to an armored division until going overseas in October of last year. He entered service March 15, 1944.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, February 12, 1945 (photo included)
Pvt. M. Daufeldt Reported Dead In New Message
Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt, 23, listed as missing in action in a telegram from the War Department recently, is now listed as killed in action on Jan. 25, according to another message received Tuesday by the parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Daufeldt, 1005 East Seventh street.
Pvt. Daufeldt was born in Muscatine county, near Moscow, on June 4, 1921, and had lived all his life in this vicinity. Before he entered the service on March 15, 1944, he had been employed at the International Harvester plant at Rock Island.
He left with a group of Illinois youths for service and received his training at Ft. Sheridan, Ft. Knox and Ft. Smith going overseas in October of 1944, arriving in France on Nov. 7. He had been through England and was a member of an armored tank division. His last letter to his parents was written under date of Jan. 20.
Surviving Pvt. Daufeldt are a small son, Marvin G. Daufeldt, Jr.; his divorced wife, the former Carla Christensen, of Atalissa; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Daufeldt, Muscatine; a sister, Mrs. Ellen Lanfier, Muscatine; one brother, Sgt. Mearl Daufeldt, who was reported missing in action in a telegram received on Aug. 17, 1944, and of whom nothing more has been heard. One brother, Ralph, preceded Pvt. Daufeldt in death.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, February 14, 1945
Tribute to Memory Of 7 Servicemen Planned
Seven Muscatine county servicemen whose deaths have been reported between Jan. 20 and Feb. 17 will be honored at the February community memorial rites at the high school auditorium at 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon, officials in charge have announced.
The program followed for the services will again include the memorial ritual of the American Legion with other patriotic organizations in the county participating. Leonard Plessy will be soloist and Miss Catherine Flannery, organist.
Dr. Henry C. Schneider, Legion post chaplain, will offer the eulogy.
The servicemen to be honored include:
Pvt. Fred Hintermeister, killed in action in Luxembourg, Dec. 23, 1944.
Lt. Phillip Fagan, killed in action in Belgium, Jan. 14.
Tech. Sgt. Karle E. Kolmerer, killed in action over Germany, Sept. 10, 1944.
Pvt. Roy E. Bond, killed in action in Belgium, Jan. 3.
Staff Sgt. Donald G. Kopf, killed in action over Germany May 27, 1944.
Pfc. Wesley Samuel Hagens killed in action in France, Dec. 23, 1944.
Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt killed in action in France, Jan. 25.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, February 21, 1945
Six Servicemen Who Made Supreme Sacrifice Are Honored At Rites Here
The fourth community memorial rites in honor of Muscatine county soldiers and sailors killed in the service of their country were conducted by patriotic organizations at the high school auditorium Sunday afternoon with Dr. Henry C. Schneider, American Legion post chaplain, offering the eulogy.
Six servicemen whose deaths have been reported since the January memorial were honored: Pfc. Fred Hintermeister, Lt. Phillip Fagan, Tech. Sgt. Karle E. Kolmerer, Pvt. Roy E. Bond, Pfc. Wesley Samuel Hagens and Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt.
L. C. Flannery, Legion commander, was in charge of the rites, with music provided by Leonard Plessy, soloist, and Catherine Flannery organist.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, February 26, 1945
140 Have Made Supreme Sacrifice in Muscatine Area In War Against Axis Powers; Many Reported Wounded
The names of those who have made the supreme sacrifice in World War No. 2, compiled from records maintained by The Journal, follow:
Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt, 23, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Daufeldt, 1005 East Seventh street, killed in action Jan. 25, 1945, in France.
Source: Muscatine Journal, Victory in Europe Edition, May 7, 1945
LAST RITES FOR PVT. MARVIN DAUFELDT CONDUCTED HERE
Funeral services for Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt, who was killed in action Jan. 25, 1945, in France, were held at 2p.m. Sunday at the Ralph J. Wittich Funeral Home, with Dr. Claude W. Cooper, pastor of the First Methodist church, officiating.
The body of Pvt. Daufeldt, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Daufeldt of Davenport, formerly of Muscatine, was returned from the cemetery at Epinal, France, aboard the Robert F. Burns on April 2.
Mrs. George Holliday served as organist and flower attendants were Mrs. Loretta Brown and Mrs. Gertrude Brown. Legionnaires were casket bearers, including Ralph McBride, Walter Truitt, Ben SyWassink, Maynard Fisher, H.O. Carpenter and A.J. Cordwell. Burial was in the cemetery at Moscow with military rites conducted at the grave by the ceremonial team of Edward H. Bitzer post No. 27, American Legion.
Members of the team included H.E. Plett, staff commander; Maynard Fisher, post commander; Vernon Franklin, first vice commander; Ralph Connell, staff second vice commander; Paul Peterson, staff chaplain; Frank Vorwerk and P.M. Phillips, color bears; Donald Young and Raphael Lamb, color guards.
Serving on the firing squad were Frank Onken, Roy Kramer, Elwood Law, Roy Bieri, Eugene Meyers, Vernon Clark and George Globes. Walter Whitmer was bugler and A.J. Phillips was commander of the ceremonial team.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, April 26, 1948
Solemn Procession Continues Through 1948 as War Dead Are Returned Home
Flag-draped caskets, coming from the European and Pacific war theaters, were brought to Muscatine county and other neighboring communities at intervals throughout the year of 1948 as the solemn procession of the country’s war dead continued to move home.
As each casket carrying a soldier, sailor, marine or flier who died during World War II was returned, last honors were accorded to the servicemen at funeral and burial rites. Final interment was in the cemetery chosen by his next-of-kin.
This year was the second for the government’s program of returning the bodies of war dead to the United States for burial in keeping with the wishes of their family. Inaugurated in the fall of 1947, the program has to date seen the return from overseas cemeteries of more than 50 bodies of men from this vicinity who died in the service of their country during the war.
The list of war dead returned to Muscatine and surrounding counties includes the following:
Pvt. Marvin G. Daufeldt, of Muscatine, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Daufeldt of Davenport, killed in action Jan. 25, 1945, in France. Burial at the Moscow cemetery.
Source: The Muscatine Journal, December 30, 1948
