East High Honors War Dead
East high Friday morning paid tribute to its war dead in a memorial service in which the flag from the casket of Cadet Wayne E. Martin, killed in a plane crash near Phoenix, Ariz., Mar. 16, 1944 was presented to the student body. Aviation Cadet Martin, 19, was a former star athlete at East high school.
Some 1,000 persons listened in East high auditorium as Leonard Raffensperger, East instructor said in presenting the flag:
“I hope this will be a lasting reminder that many East high boys have paid the supreme sacrifice that those now in school and those to come might enjoy the American way of life, probably no better evidenced anywhere else than in school activities at East.
“May the flag be a daily reminder to East students of the courage and spirit of those heroes.”
There was a brief introduction of the program by Charles L. Hoffman, principal of East high. He explained that the memorial service had been prompted by the gift of the flag to the school from Cadet Martin’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis H. Martin, 1210 Mulberry street.
Miss Leola Strope, social science and Bible instructor, offered a prayer, and the 90th psalm was read by Anne Reed.
Music for the program included “We Thank Thee, Lord” by Tkack, sung by the a cappella choir under the direction of Miss Edna Lenicek, director, and “The Lord’s Prayer” by Matlotte, sung by Don Deedrick. Dorothy Fulton served as accompanist for the choir.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Friday, January 19, 1945, Page 10
Wayne Edward Martin was born Jan. 30, 1925 to Louis H. and Elizabeth A. Kauten Martin. He died Mar. 16, 1944 and is buried in Fairview Cemetery, Waterloo, IA.
Wayne served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Source: ancestry.com
