Marine Sergeant John Lanzendorf Killed In Action in Pacific Area
Parents Notified By War Department Wednesday Night
Mr. and Mrs. George Lanzendorf of Oyens received a telegram Wednesday night from the secretary of the War Department at Washington D. C., informing them that their son, Sergeant John W. Lanzendorf, was killed in action and offering condolences. The telegram stated a letter from the department would be forwarded later.
Sgt. John Lanzendorf was serving in the Marines and was attached to the Fifth battalion in the Pacific area, engaged in the heavy fighting at Saipan.
His parents received a letter from him July 4 from Saipan in which he said the bullets were flying fast and furiously and that he had been under fire four days and had been in the battle at Tarawa. He said he was recently transferred from the Fifth battalion to the Second battalion. It is presumed that he was killed sometime between July 4 and July 8.
Sgt. John Lanzendorf enlisted in the Marines and was inducted in the service November 26, 1942, and had not been home since that time. Following his training, he was assigned directly to the South Pacific area.
Prior to entering the service he was a student at Western Union college and was prominent in athletics. He was born November 22, 1923, and attended the LeMars high school after receiving his early schooling in the country school. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Lanzendorf, three sisters and three brothers, Helen of Indianapolis, Ind., Richard, William, Donald and Betty and Jane at home.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, August 4, 1944
John William Lanzendorf was born Nov. 22, 1923 to George Albert and Elizabeth Gengler Lanzendorf. He died July 7, 1944 and is buried in Saint Catherines Cemetery, Oyens, IA.
Sgt. Lanzendorf served in World War II with the U.S. Marine Corps and was KIA in Saipan while participating in combat operations.
He was initially buried in the 2nd Marine Division Cemetery on Saipan and returned to the U.S. in 1948.
Source: ancestry.com
