Three Bodies of War Dead Due Today
The bodies of three Waterloo boys will be among the 15 northeast Iowa veterans aboard the United States army transport Robert Burns which is scheduled to dock at New York City today, it was learned here yesterday.
The majority of these dead are being returned from Henri Chapelle military cemetery at Eupen, Belgium. Some are from the cemetery at St. Laurent-sur-Mer, 10 miles west of Bayeux, France. Included in the group are many men who fell on the furious D-Day assault on Omaha beach.
The dead will be buried in private or national cemeteries according to the wishes of next-of-kin.
Northeast Iowans included Pvt. John Hovar, son of Anton Hovar of Route 2, Cedar Falls.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, November 23, 1947, Page 11
Military Services for Veteran
Hanover, Ill., Dec. 17 - Military funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon in the Methodist church for Pfc. John Hovar who was killed in action in Germany on March 22, 1945, while serving with the 16th army infantry.
His body arrived in Hanover, Ill. Friday evening and was taken to the C. E. Therrien funeral home until Saturday morning when it was removed to the church. Local veterans remained on guard with the body. Rec. H. L. Sturgill, pastor, officiated at the service. Military services were held with the burial in Evergreen cemetery, Hanover. The body was escorted to Hanover by Tech. Sgt. Thomas A. O'Donnell.
John Hovar was born October 13, 1923, in Hanover township, the son of Anton and Myrtle Sanderson Hovar. He attended schools in Hanover township and at the age of 20 was drafted to serve his country in the armed forces.
Pfc. Hovar was in the invasion of Europe with the 16th infantry regiment and remained with his outfit until wounded in October, 1944, when he returned to England for hospitalization. In January of 1945 he rejoined the 16th Infantry Regiment to give his life on March 22, 1945. He was one of four brothers who served in World War II.
Surviving are his father, Anton, Sr., of Cedar Falls, Iowa; three brothers, Elmer, Technical Sergeant with the U.S. air corps, Anton, Jr., of Cedar Falls, Ia., and Frank, of Hanover; and one sister, Miss Augusta Marie Hovar of Waterloo, Ia. He was preceded in death by his mother and one sister.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Wednesday, December 17, 1947, Page 13
