NEWS of the MERRILL SERVICE MEN
From Merrill Service Men's News
Martin Hoffman, Pvt., Bty. A. 344 F. A. Bn., APO 90, % P. M. New York, may be on his way overseas. For the past four months he has been assistant to the clerk in his battery. He moved from Camp Granite, Cal., to Camp Dix, N.J. last January. He visited his parents, the T. F. Hoffmans, in January.
Source: The LeMars Sentinel, Friday, April 14, 1944
Martin Hoffmann Missing In Action
Member Of General Patton's Third Army
Mr. and Mrs. T. F. Hoffmann of Johnson Township have received word from the war department that their son, Pfc. Martin Hoffmann, is missing in action in Luxembourg since January 14. Pfc. Hoffmann was a jeep driver with the field artillery in General Patton's Third army, 90th Division. He had been in the service three years and went overseas one year ago.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann are the parents of three other sons in the Service, Cpl, Albert stationed in Service, Cpl. Albert, stationed in India; Sgt. George, in the south Pacific and Cpl. Louis; who is still stationed in the states. Since receiving the telegram last week. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann have received word from their son’s commanding officer verifying the statement in the telegram.
Mr. and Mrs. T. F. Hoffmann of Johnson township received word from the war department on Thursday that their son, Pfc. Martin Hoffman, was killed in action in Germany on January 14.
Source: Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, Friday, February 16, 1945, Le Mars, Iowa
FOUR LE MARS MEN KILLED IN MILITARY SERVICE LAST WEEK
Billy Bradley, Walter Ruden, Gordon Phipps, Martin Hoffman
Martin Hoffman Killed
Mr. and Mrs. T. F. Hoffmann of Johnson township received word from the War Department on Thursday that their son, Pfc. Martin Hoffmann, was killed in action in Germany on January 14.
The parents had been notified in February that their son was missing in action in Luxembourg since January 14 and heard nothing further until the word received on Thursday. Pfc. Hoffmann was a jeep driver with the field artillery in General Patton's Third army, 90th Division. He had been in the service three years and went overseas more than a year ago.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann are the parents of three other sons in the service, Cpl. Albert in India, Sgt. George in the South Pacific and Cpl. Louis, still in the states.
Source: Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, Friday, April 27, 1945
PVT. MARTIN HOFFMANN DIES
Son of Merrill Residents Killed in Luxembourg
Pvt. Martin Hoffmann , 29, who was employed in Sioux City before he entered service, was killed in action in Luxembourg January 14, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore F. Hoffmann of Merrill, were informed Thursday by a telegram from the War Department. Pvt. Hoffmann in February was reported missing in action.
The oldest of six sons, Pvt. Hoffmann was born September 15, 1915, and was reared on his parents farm on the Perry Creek Road. He attended St. Joseph’s grade school in LeMars, and was graduated from Liberty high school in 1933. Before his service in the army, he was employed at St. Joseph’s hospital in Sioux City.
He took most of his military training at Camp Barkeley, Tex., serving in the infantry for a year. He was transferred to the 344th field artillery, and for a time served as assistant battery clerk. His unit went to England in March, 1944, and shortly after D-day, landed in France. After arriving in France, Pvt. Hoffmann was a jeep driver.
He wrote his parents December 30 that he had been transferred back to the infantry. His relatives believe that he took part in one of Gen. Patton’s offensives.
He is survived by his parents and five brothers, three of whom are in the service overseas. They: Cpl. Albert T. Hoffmann, with the air forces in India; Rev. E. D. Hoffmann of St. Joseph’s parish, Sioux City; Cpl. Louis Hoffmann, with an armored force in Germany; Sgt. George H. Hoffmann, with a maintenance division on Leyte in the Philippines, and Peter Hoffmann, at home near Merrill.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, April 27, 1945
Memorial services for Private Martin Hoffmann will be held on Wednesday morning at 1 o'clock, at St. Joseph's church at Ellendale. The American Legion will take part. Celebrant of the solemn requiem high mass will be Fr. Edward Hoffmann, assistant in St. Joseph's Parish in Sioux City, and Fr. Zeno Reising of Merrill and Fr. Frank Ureteman of Leeds will likewise take part. Fr. Gerald Kelly, assistant at the Immaculate Conception parish in Sioux City, will be master of ceremonies.
Source: Le Mars Globe Post, Monday, April 30, 1945
Pvt. Hoffmann served in World War II with the U.S. Army 358th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Regiment and was MIA/KIA and awarded the Purple Heart. He is buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium.
Source: fieldsofhonor database
