Sergeant Grimesey, Wounded in Action, Writes From Africa
Sergeant George V. Grimesey, 32, a son of Mrs. Laura Grimesey, 2715 S. Lyon Street, wounded several weeks ago in the North Africa campaign is convalescing “in a hospital somewhere in Africa.”
Such was the word received from him Monday by Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Findeisen, 3121 Sixth Avenue.
“I am being treated swell,” continued his letter, “and outside of being restless from lying around, I do not feel so badly.”
He was discharged from the army about two weeks before Pearl Harbor. A member of the reserves, he later was called back to service, went to Fort Dix, New Jersey, was transferred to Ireland in February of 1942. He landed in Africa last January 4. At one time he was a member of an Iowa National Guard unit stationed at Camp Claiborne.
Source: The Sioux City Journal-Tribune, March 12, 1943
WAR VETERAN TO BE DEPUTY
Sheriff Edwin Lunde Appoints George Grimesey as Aid
Sheriff Edwin L. Lunde has announced that he has appointed George Grimesey, a veteran of the present war, as deputy sheriff to fill a vacancy on his staff.
Mr. Grimesey, who has been employed as a guard at the army air force specialized depot here since receiving his medical discharge last December, will assume his new duties August 1. He is 33 and lives with his mother at 2715 S. Linn street.
Enlisting in Company L, 133d Iowa infantry, national guard, in 1931, Mr. Grimesey spent several years in the guard service. He was transferred to the federal service February 10, 1941., and went to Camp Claiborne, La., with the troops from Sioux City. Later his outfit was sent to Ireland, then to England and finally where it took part in the African battles. Mr. Grimesey was wounded seriously in the engagement at Faid pass in Africa and spent five months in a hospital. On his release he was transferred to the mounted police and soon afterward was injured by a bomb during an air raid. After spending another month in an African based hospital in October last year, he was returned to the United States and spent three months in Northington General hospital at Tuscaloosa, Ala., after which he was given a medical discharge.
In recognition of his service on the battlefields, Mr. Grimesey has been awarded the Purple Heart by the War Department.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, July 25, 1944
WAR VETERAN NOW DEPUTY
Equal Number of Civilians, Ex-Service Men in Sheriff’s Office
War veterans and civilians were balanced on the staff of Sheriff Edwin L. Lunde Tuesday morning when George V. Grimesey, veteran of the present war, recently appointed as deputy, arrived at the office to assume his new duties.
The personnel of the sheriff’s office includes eight deputies, four of who are veterans, ranging from the Spanish-American war down to the present global conflict. Sheriff Lunde declared that if he could have found a civil war veteran able to wear a badge, he would have given him a job.
The senior deputy sheriff is Edward Zink, veteran of the Spanish-American War, who spent nine years in the service, having enlisted three times including two enlistments for service in the Philippines. He was a sergeant at the time of his honorable discharge. He received the distinguished service cross, a certificate of merit signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904, and five campaign medals. His most prized trophy is a long spear which he captured from the sultan of Morro. He has been a deputy sheriff for nearly five years.
Deputy Sheriff Grimesey is just two wars behind Mr. Zink. He was presented with the Purple Heart for distinguished service, and declared that he always carries it for good luck. He served in Ireland, England and Africa and was wounded twice. His last service was with the military police in Africa. It was during this service that he received the second wound, after which he was returned home and given an honorable discharge.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, August 1, 1944
