COMMISSIONED LIEUTENANTS
AT TEXAS PILOT SCHOOLS
Among a large number of Iowa aviation cadets graduated from Texas flying fields Dec. 5 . . . was fighter pilot Dorance S. Grange, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Grange, 216 Vermont S. E. . . . .
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, December 08, 1943, Page 12 (photo included)
Praised by Under Secretary of War
Praised by Under Secretary of War, Robert P. Patterson as “a fine body of men,” another large class of potential combat pilots has departed from the San Antonio aviation cadet center to take advanced training at primary flying fields. Members of the class included 227 from Iowa, six of whom are from Mason City. They are Donald Leroy Ferrier, son of A. C. Ferrier, Route 4; Clair B. Edel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Edel, Route 3; Dorance S. Grange, 216 Vermont avenue southeast; Donald K. Kuhn, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kuhn, 544 Tenth street northeast; William O. McClellan, 4 Hazel Court, and Bennie J. Nozicka, 830 Fifteenth street southeast.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, May 26, 1943, Page 6
Lt. Dorance Grange Killed In
Crash At Greenville, Texas
FORMER KLEMME YOUTH DIED
TUESDAY AFTERNOON
Was on Routine Flight With His
Student When Plane Crashed
Klemme – Word was received in Klemme Tuesday evening of the death of Lt. Dorance S. Grange, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Grange of 216 South Vermont street, who lived in Klemme for over twenty years before moving to Mason City where Mr. Grange is [the] manager of the Northern Lumber Co.
Details of the fatal crash of Lt. Grange are meager, but it was learned that Lt. Grange, who is an army pilot instructor at Major’s Army Flying Field at Greenville, Texas, was on a routine flight with one of his students when the plane crashed near a small town out from the army base, Tuesday afternoon, May 9 at 2:45 o’clock.
The crash occurred near Caddo Mills, about 20 miles southwest of Greenville. The other victim of the fatal accident was Harvey Chapin, of Flint, Michigan, according to the latest news release by officials at Major Field.
No information has been received as to the time of the arrival of the body here.
“We deeply regret to advise you of the death of your son, 2nd Lt. Dorance S. Grange, which occurred at 2:45 p. m. CWT about 4 miles southwest of Caddo Mills, Texas, on May 9, 1944, as the result of an airplane accident,” stated the telegram.
Lt. Grange had been in Mason City 2 weeks ago when he had come as far as Des Moines in a cross country flight. Some friends had brought him to Mason City from Des Moines and his parents had taken him back at that time. A letter had been received from him on Monday.
Lt. Dorance S. Grange, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Grange, was born December 21, 1922, at Klemme. He attended the Klemme grade and high school and graduated on May 10 with the class of 1940. He then continued his schooling and attended the Mason City Junior College for one year, and then took one year at State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, preparing himself for a career in aviation.
He took his advanced training at the U. S. Army Air Forces Fighter Pilot Training School, Aloe Field at Victoria, Texas, where he was graduated on December 5, 1943, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and received his Silver Wings.
After spending a 10-day leave at home he returned to San Antonio for instructor training for 4 weeks, and then was sent to Greenville as a flight instructor, in which capacity he worked for the past five months.
Lt. Grange was a member of the Klemme Reformed church and always regarded Klemme as his own home town.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Grange are members of the Klemme American Legion and auxiliary, the Methodist church at Mason City. Mr. Grange is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Garner and Mrs. Grange is a member of the Eastern Star and White Shrine.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, May 10, 1944, Page 6 (photo included)
Death Notices
GRANGE, Lieut. Dorance S., 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Grange, 216 Vermont avenue southeast, died in an airplane crash Tuesday near Caddo Mills, Tex. The body will arrive here Friday afternoon and funeral services will be Saturday at 1:15 p. m. at Wesley Methodist church. Doctor Paul Peterson will officiate. Services will be held at 3 p. m. Saturday at the German Reformed church at Klemme, with burial in the Klemme [Calvary] cemetery. The Major funeral home in charge.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, May 12, 1944, Page 12
Philosophy Of Lt. D. S. Grange Given in Letter
Pastor Draws Sermon from Lines
Written While Waiting Call
Funeral services for Lt. Dorance S. Grange were held Saturday at 1:15 p. m. at the Wesley Methodist church, with Doctor Rev. Paul A. Peterson officiating.
Lieutenant Grange, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Grange, 216 Vermont avenue S. E., died in an airplane crash near Majors field, Tex., where he was a flying instructor in the army air corps.
“Our greatest comfort today comes from the pen of that one whose lips are now mute but whose spirit lives,” said Doctor Peterson in his funeral sermon. “He wrote 2 lines as he waited his call to serve his country: ‘In the way of righteousness IS LIFE: in the pathway thereof — there is NO DEATH.’
“These are his own words in his own handwriting as he and his grandfather discussed his inevitable enlistment in the service of his country. What a noble philosophy for life; how truly Christian his viewpoint,” said Doctor Peterson.
“If one were preaching a truly conventional sermon it would have those lines in his own handwriting, and a thought conveyed to his loved ones when they asked what it felt like to go up in a plane. His rely was a classic, ‘All you do it put yourself into a plane, then soar into the skies and commit yourself to the consciousness that you are safe under His wings.
“There is no death in the path of righteousness and under His wings we are kept and sustained. That, in brief, was the Christian philosophy of Dorance S. Grange, and who are we, in the light of his belief, to believe otherwise?”
Bearers were Fred Steffen, Lee Wilkinson, George Thompson, Lawrence Folsom, Walter Thompson and Carl Parker. Mrs. Lee Wilkinson, Mrs. W. M. Temple, Mrs. R. P. Hanson, Mrs. B. R. Baumgardner and Mrs. Harry Gibbs were in charge of flowers.
Mrs. Paul Peterson sang 2 solos, accompanied on the organ by Mrs. Carl H. Carlson.
Additional services were held in the German Reformed church at Klemme, with burial in the Klemme cemetery. The Klemme American Legion post conducted a military service at the grave.
The following organizations attended the Mason City services: The American Legion and the Legion auxiliary, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the V. F. W. auxiliary and the United Service Women.
The Major funeral home was in charge.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Monday, May 15, 1944, Page 16
