Whittemore Boy Was Victim
Harold Wm. Muller Killed in Action in New Guinea in December.
The Whittemore Champion announces in this week’s issue that Harold Wm. Muller, son of Mrs. Grace Muller of Whittemore, was killed in New Guinea December 31, 1942. Harold enlisted in the U. S. Army on January 1, 1942, as a volunteer. He spent four months in training at Camp Roberts, Cal., and from that place was sent to Australia with one of the first units to go to the South Pacific. He never had furlough since he left his home in Whittemore.
Harold is survived by his mother; two sisters, Mrs. Herman Thilges and Mrs. Harlan Will, and by two brothers, Cletus Muller of Kansas City and James Muller of Whittemore.
Harold W. Muller was born on the Muller farm southwest of Whittemore on March 20, 1921. He attended Presentation Academy and grew to manhood in his home community.
This morning at nine o’clock memorial services are being held in St. Michael’s Catholic church in Whittemore. The pastor, Rev. Wm. Veit, officiated at a requiem high Mass. The students of Presentation Academy and the Seely-Walsh post of the American Legion attended in a body. Following the Mass, Peter Schumacher, sergeant-at-arms, conducted the military service. The firing squad consisted of Ed Wichtendahl, Leo J. Elbert, Harry Seely, Elmer Elbert, August Meyer, Nick Reding and John Steier. Color bearers were Elmer Bell and Albert Meyer; color guards, Louis Priester and Martin Bonnstetter; and buglers, Kenneth Rusch, Tom Rochford and Simon Weydert.
Source: Emmetsburg Democrat, January 28, 1943
YANKS
S. Sgt Cletus Muller arrived home from Germany last week with a discharge. An engineer with a bombing squadron, Cletus has the Purple Heart. His older brother, Pvt. Harold Muller, was the first Whittemore man to be killed in action in the Pacific in December ’42. Several soldier friends of Harold’s visited his grave, which they described as being in a beautifully kept cemetery in New Guinea.
Source: Emmetsburg Democrat, December 27, 1945
80 Kossuth Men Officially Listed As Casualties In War
FIRST RELEASE OF STATE HISTORICAL DEATH SUMMARIES
Eighty men from Kossuth county lost their lives while in the service of their country in World War II.
KOSSUTH'S WAR DEAD.
Muller, Harold W. Pvt.
Killed in New Guinea, 12-31-42. Mother: Mrs. Grace Muller, Whittemore, Ia.
Source: The Algona Upper DesMoines, Tuesday, January 22, 1946 – page 7.
BODIES OF IOWA VETS RETURNED
North Iowans Among Yanks on Transport
Remains of 4,459 Americans who lost their lives during World War II are being returned to San Francisco from Manila aboard the United States Army Transport, Lt. George W. G. Boyce, the department of the army announced Monday.
Armed forces dead originally interred in temporary military cemeteries in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands are among those being brought to this country.
A total of 110 remains are being returned upon instructions of next of kin residing in Iowa.
North Iowans in the list include the following:
Pvt. Harold W. Muller, Whittemore.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, June 1, 1948
RITES HELD FOR WHITTEMORE VET
Whittemore—Military rites were held here Thursday for Pvt. Harold Muller, whose body was returned from New Guinea. He was one of the first Americans to die in the South Pacific. He was killed in action Dec. 31, 1942.
Harold Muller was the son of Mrs. Grace Muller. He was born on a farm near Whittemore in 1921 and grew up in this community.
Surviving are his mother, 2 sisters, Mrs. Harley Will, Mrs. Herman Thilges; 2 brothers, Cletus and James, all of Whittemore.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, July 10, 1948
Harold William Muller was born Mar. 20, 1921 to William and Grace Gunn Muller. He died Dec. 31, 1942 and is buried in Saint Michaels Catholic Cemetery, Whittemore, IA.
Pvt. Muller served in World War II with the U.S. Army 127th Infantry, 32nd Division.
Source: ancestry.com
