Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hawkins of Grant township received a V-mail letter Monday, September 21, from their son, Duane, written September 12, with location a military secret. His last letter was written September 3, and stated that he was fully equipped and was ready to leave the training station early next morning. His chief pride and joy then was a new Reising hand machine gun with lots of cartridges but his V-mail letter had as his joy—being on land again even if it was in a hospital. He had contracted a touch of fever similar to flu aboard ship but which he thought wasn’t any excuse for keeping him in the hospital as he felt well enough to be at work. Life for the marines doesn’t get monotonous from staying in the same place too long. Duane has gone to the marine base in San Diego, to the rifle range, to the naval air station at North Island (near San Diego) and now overseas somewhere since June 16, when he left Des Moines.
Source: LeMars Sentinel, September 25, 1942
DUANE D. HAWKINS, GUADALCANAL VETERAN, TO RETURN HOME SOON
Mrs. H. S. Hawkins has received word from her son, Pvt. Duane D. Hawkins, of the U. S. Marine Corps, stating that he had arrived at San Francisco Wednesday, August 11, after nearly a year overseas.
Three months of this time were spent fighting the Japs on Guadalcanal; and the last three months were in New Zealand, recuperating from malaria fever, which often bothered the Americans more than the Japs. Another marine recently home on furlough, George Rickenbaugh, also had a bad case of malaria.
Pvt. Hawkins wrote that he hopes to be home on furlough in the very near future.
Source: LeMars Globe-Post, Thursday, Aug. 19, 1943
Private Duane D. Hawkins of the U.S.M.C., landed at San Francisco, Wednesday, August 11, after nearly a year overseas, three months of which were spent at Guadalcanal and the last three months in New Zealand recuperating from malaria fever. He hopes to be home on furlough in the very near future.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, August 20, 1943
MORE PICTURES OF PLYMOUTH COUNTYANS IN UNIFORMED SERVICES
Source: The LeMars Globe-Post, January 29, 1945 (photograph only)
Cpl. Duane D. Hawkins of the U.S. Marines corps, left Monday after enjoying 11 days of Iowa winter weather at his home in Grant township. He reports back to Santa Ana, Calif., where he has been located at the marine airfield for the past 15 months.
Source: LeMars Globe-Post, Thursday, Feb. 15, 1945
Adaville: (Special Correspondence)
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley King and son and Mr. and Mrs. W. J. King were dinner guests Sunday in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hawkins of LeMars. The dinner was in honor of Pfc. Duane Hawkins, who will leave for Santa Anna, California, on Monday having spent a furlough here.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, February 16, 1945
Adaville: (Special Correspondence)
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hawkins received word that their son, Royal, who has been stationed in the Philippine Islands, arrived in the United States last week and expects to receive his discharge soon. He has been in the Navy for two years. Their son, Duane Hawkins, who has been in the Marines for four years, also expects to receive his discharge this week.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, June 14, 1946
***Further Research:
Duane Douglas Hawkins was born Feb. 25, 1923 to Harry S. and Elva L. King Hawkins. He died Jan. 6, 2001 and is buried in Seney Cemetery, Seney, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
