SGT. HOWARD DIRKS REPORTED KILLED FIGHTING IN FRANCE
Letter Written Fatal Day Arrives With Official Notice
Mrs. Howard Dirks of Craig was notified Tuesday night by the Secretary of War at Washington, D.C., that her husband, Staff Sergeant Howard Dirks, had been killed in action in France while fighting in the front line, September 8. The news came on the same day on which she had received a letter from her husband, saying he was well. The letter was written on September 8, the day he was killed.
Staff Sergeant Dirks was employed as mechanic in a garage at Craig before entering the service November 27, 1942, and was at Camp Cook, California, and camps in Tennessee and New York before leaving from Camp Dix in December 1943, for duty overseas. He was in an engineering corps.
Howard Dirks was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dirks, living near Chatsworth. He was born in South Dakota, March 3, 1916 and lived on a farm near Ireton.
He was married at Dakota City, Nebraska, November 7, 1942, to Arlene Hutton, who survives him with a one year old daughter, Donna Lee. Besides his wife and parents, he leaves two brothers, Darrell and Carlyle, at home and five sisters, Della Jane, Myrna and Pearl at home, Mrs. Reva Albright of Omaha and Mrs. Mildred Galvan of Gardena, California.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, Sept. 29, 1944
HOWARD DIRKS KILLED IN ACTION
Mrs. Howard Dirks of Craig received word from the War Department on Tuesday night of last week that her husband, S/Sgt. Howard Dirks, had been killed in action in France while fighting on the front line September 8. Sgt. Dirks was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dirks, who live a mile north of Chatsworth. He was fatally injured when struck by a large vehicle.
One the same day that Mrs. Dirks of Craig received the government message she received a letter from her husband, saying he was fine. The letter was written on September 8, the day he was killed.
Sgt. Dirks was employed as a mechanic in a garage at Craig before entering the service on November 27, 1942. He left for overseas duty in December 1943.
Howard Dirks was born at Chester, S.D., on March 3, 1916, and for many years lived on a farm near Ireton. He was married to Arlene Hutton of Craig at Dakota City, Neb., November 7, 1942, who survives him with their year old daughter, Donna Lee. Besides his wife and parents he leaves two brothers, Darrell and Carlyle at home and five sisters, Della Jane, Myrna and Pearl at home, Mrs. Reva Albright of Omaha and Mrs. Mildred Galvan of Gardena, Calif.
Memorial services will be held in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ireton Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
Source: Hawarden Independent, Oct. 5, 1944
SGT. HOWARD DIRKS IS WAR CASUALTY
Wife Of Craig Man Is Notified Of His Death On French Front
Word came from the War Department at Washington, D.C., on Tuesday of last week to Mrs. Howard Dirks, of Craig, bringing the sad news that her husband, Staff Sgt. Howard Dirks, had been killed in action in France while fighting in the front line September 8, 1944. The news came on the same day on which she had received a letter from her husband, saying he was well. The letter was written on September 8, the same day he was killed.
Staff Sgt. Dirks was employed as a mechanic in a garage at Craig before entering the service on November 27, 1942, and was at Camp Cook, California, and camps in Tennessee and New York before leaving from Camp Dix in December 1943, for duty overseas. He was in an engineering corps.
Howard Dirks was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dirks, living near Chatsworth. He was born in South Dakota, March 3, 1916, and lived on a farm near Ireton. He was married at Dakota City, Nebr., November 7, 1942, to Arlene Hutton, who survives him, with a one-year-old daughter, Donna Lee. Besides his wife, daughter and parents, he leaves two brothers, Darrell and Carlyle, at home, and five sisters, Della Jane, Myrna and Pearl, at home; Mrs. Reva Albright, of Omaha; and Mrs. Mildred Galvan, of Gardena, Calif.
Source: Akron Register-Tribune, October 5, 1944
MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR SOLDIER KILLED IN FRANCE HELD SUNDAY
Memorial services will be held in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for Howard Dirks, who was killed in action, Sunday afternoon, October 15, at 2 o’clock, says the Orange City Capital.
Howard Dirks was born at Chester, S.D., on March 3, 1916, and for many years lived on a farm near Ireton. He was married to Arlene Hutton of Craig at Dakota City, Neb., on November 7, 1942. She, with their year old daughter, Donna Lee, survives him. Besides his wife and parents, he leaves two brothers, Darrell and Carlyle at home and five sisters, Della Jane, Myrna and Pearl at home, Mrs. Reva Albright of Omaha and Mrs. Mildred Galvan of Gardena, Cal.
S/Sgt. Howard Dirks was killed in action in France while fighting on the front line. He was fatally injured when struck by a large vehicle. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dirks.
On the same day Mrs. Dirks received the government message she received a letter from her husband saying he was fine. The letter was written on September 8, the day he was killed. Sgt. Dirks was employed as a mechanic in a garage at Craig before entering the service on November 27, 1942. He left for overseas duty in December 1943.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, Oct. 17, 1944
Lest We Forget
Howard Dirks, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dirks, was born on a farm in So. Dak., and came here when a small child with his parents and lived for a number of years on a farm in Washington township.
He attended school in this community and upon reaching young manhood he with his boyhood chum, Laurence VanWyhe opened a car repair shop in Craig and were successfully pursuing this venture when both young men answered the call to the colors.
Howard joined the U. S. Army and was with the Armored Division in France when an accident took his life. His death occurred September 8, 1944. Survivors included his wife, the former Arlene Hutten of Craig and little daughter, Donna Lee, who now lives in LeMars. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dirks of Hawarden and several sisters and one brother.
Source: Ireton Ledger, Thursday, May 30, 1946 (photo included)
Howard Willard Dirks is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Ireton, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
