VINCE HARRINGTON DIES IN ENGLAND WHILE ON SERVICE
Was Major In U. S. Air Forces Past Year
Major Vincent F. Harrington, former congressman from the Ninth Iowa district, died November 29 in England. He was stricken with a heart attack while in an officer’s club at Rutlandshire, England. He is survived by his widow and two daughters who live in Sioux City. Major Harrington had been serving with a troop carrier command since last August.
Major Harrington was state senator from the Woodbury district for four years before being elected to Congress in 1936. On September 4, 1942, he resigned as congressman to give full time to his military duties, having already had several months service with the Army Air forces. Harrington played on the Four Horsemen football team at Notre Dame and later coached at Portland, Oregon, university team.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, December 10, 1943
Frank Miles Writes About Mason Cityans in Italy
By Frank Miles (Iowa Daily Press War Correspondent)
Somewhere in the Mediterranean War Theater (IDPA) --
When the late Vincent Harrington of Sioux City was ninth district representative in congress he and Colonel Peeke were next door neighbors in Washington.
"I was very fond of Vince," said the colonel. "His sudden death while on duty as an army major in England was as great a blow to me as if he had been my own brother."
Recalling his pleasant association with him, Col. Peeke smiled: "He made me like Iowa after I hated the state for several years. Reason for that was that once when I was crossing tall corn land in an old Ford, I got stuck in your fertile mud 3 times and once thought my machine would submerge before a farmer with 6 horses could pull it out."
That, of course, was before Iowa acquired its now excellent cross state roads.
Source: The Mason City Globe-Gazette, Sept. 4, 1944
Vincent Francis Harrington was born May 16, 1903 to F. F. and Maria O’Leary Harrington. He died Nov. 29, 1943 and is buried in Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge, England.
Maj. Harrington served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps Headquarters, IX Troop Carrier Command. He was awarded the Legion of Merit.
Sources: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
