Adams County

Pfc. Russell Elwood Dicks

 

News About Adams County
Men and Women in the Service

Private Russell E. Dicks, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. E. (Red) Dicks of Carbon, is located at the Marine Corps Base at San Diego, California, for his basic training. Russell left for service January 9th.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, February 17, 1944, Page 8

News About Adams County
Men and Women in the Service

Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Dicks of Carbon, have received word from their son, Pvt. Russell Dicks, of the Marine Corps at San Diego, California, that he is now located at Headquarters Company, Signal Battalion, where he is attending Radio school. Russell recently enjoyed a short furlough at home, following completion of his basic training, returning to his base March ninth.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, March 23, 1944, Page 4

Locals

Russell Dicks of the Marines is spending a furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Dicks west of town.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, May 18, 1944, Page 6

News About Adams County
Men and Women in the Service

Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Dicks of Carbon, were very happy this week to receive a recording from their son, Pvt. Russell Dicks, which he had made for them while spending a week-end leave in Hollywood, Calif. Russell greeted his parents with a few words and then played two musical numbers. He is with the Marine Corps stationed at Camp Pendleton, Ocean Side, California.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, July 20, 1944, Page 6

Works On B-29’s

CAMP PENDLETON, OCEANSIDE, California. – When the B-29’s stabbed at Japan, Marine Private Russell Elwood Dicks, MSMC, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elwood E. Dicks, Route No. 1, Nodaway, Iowa, felt surge of pride, and justly so. He helped build the Boeing Superfortress. “Gosh, I was proud when I read of the punishment dealt out by those babies a Kyshu and other Japanese industrial areas,” he declared.

“I felt as though I had a hand in it,” he added. “I hope to see them in action out there,” he said. And well he might as Private Dicks is in training here as a Marine rifleman, and Marine riflemen are already knocking on Japan’s front door.

Private Dicks dropped out of his classes at Carbon, Iowa, high school in order that he could accept employment in the Boeing Aircraft Plant at Wichita, Kansas. He installed hydraulic tubing for electrical wiring in the Superforts. Marveling at the complexity of the B-29’s, Private Dicks admitted frankly that he knows very little about them, and doubted if any of his erstwhile fellow workmen did either.

“I have all the confidence in the world in them, though,” he said.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps December 22, 1943, at Corning, Iowa. He has a brother, Seaman Second Class Paul Dicks, 17, a naval air corps gunner, who is stationed at the Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia, and two brothers and sisters at home.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, August 31, 1944, Page 7

CARD of THANKS.

In loving memory of our son and brother, Russell E. Dicks, who gave his life on Iwo Jima three years ago, On March 10, 1945.

“Our lips can not tell how we miss him,
Our hearts can not tell what to say;
God alone knows how we miss him,
In a home that is lonesome today.”

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Dicks,
and brothers and sisters.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, March 11, 1948, Page 7

Adams County News Briefs

The bodies of two Adams County boys who lost their lives in World War II arrived in San Francisco, March 22, aboard the United States Army Transport Walter Schwonk. The bodies are those of Pfc. Russell Elwood Dicks and Corp. Samuel Robert Yeadon. Both are being forwarded to the Kansas City distribution center. Accompanied by appropriate military escort, the bodies will later be returned here for burial. A period of about two weeks is expected to elapse after transport before the remains are started from the distribution center.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, March 25, 1948, Page 1

Hold Services for Pvt. Dicks

Funeral services were held from the Carbon Methodist church Sunday afternoon for Pfc. Russell E. Dicks, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Dicks, who was killed in action at Iwo Jima, March 10, 1945. He was aged 19 years, 4 months and 17 days at the time of his death. The body arrived in Corning Friday, accompanied as escort by Sgt. Frank H. Rovernstine of the distribution center at Kansas City. Obituary is published on another page in this issue.

~ ~ ~ ~
Obituaries
RUSSELL ELWOOD DICKS

Pfc. Russell Elwood Dicks, the oldest child of Elwood and Eula Dicks, was born at Carbon, Iowa, November 3, 1925, and gave his life in service of his country at Iwo Jima on March 10, 1945, while with the Third Marine Division. He was 19 years, 4 months and 7 days.

He leaves his parents, three brothers and three sisters. Sgt. Paul Owen Dicks, now serving in the U. S. Army in Vienna, Austria, who was unable to come home at this time. William V., James, Mary Lou, Garnette Ann and Norma Jean, all at home, besides his grandmother, Mrs. N. I. Hancock, of Corning, four uncles, four aunts and many other relatives and friends.

Russell attended the Carbon school and high school and worked at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas, before entering the service in January of 1944. Russell was a kind and loving and brother, a loyal friend and was loved by all that knew him. He was escorted home by T. Sgt. Frank H. Rovenstine, from the distribution center of Kansas City, Mo.

Though he has passed away,
In memories that never fade,
He’ll live for us each day
And in the knowledge without regret,
We’ll know he went to God
Content to do the task he met.
His spirit will live on with
Those who fought for Liberty
And he will be forever young,
Who died to keep men free.

Funeral services, with full military honors, were held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, at the Carbon Methodist church. Rev. J. L. Gallogly was in charge. Interment was in Quincy cemetery. Music was furnished by Joan Fitcher, Dorothy Steven, Arline Kralik, Marilyn Carter, with Mr. Tom Bond at the piano.

Members of the Corning National Guard unit had charge of the military services. Pall bearers were also from the guard company and were Sgt. Joe Jones, Sgt. Albert John, S/Sgt. Louis Ormise, Sgt. Wayne Millhollin, T/Sgt. Raymond Gauthier, Pvt. Donald Herring.

Out of town people attending the service were Claude and John Hancock of Wichita, Kansas; Mr. and Mrs. John McConnell, Mr. and Mrs. Homer Houck, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Schaffer, all of Villisca; Claude McConnell and Betty, Mr. and Mrs. Don Fichter, Dorothy Steven, Arline Kralik, Marilyn Carter and Mrs. Tom Bond, all of Cumberland; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Robison of Omaha.

Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, April 29, 1948, Pages 1 & 8

Russell Elwood Dicks died Mar. 10, 1945 and is buried in Oakland Cemetery, Corning, IA.

Source: ancestry.com