Joe Ritchey of Cedar Falls
Is Killed in Action
Cedar Falls – Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Ritchey, 1210 West Nineteenth street, received work Saturday that their son, S/Sgt. Joe Ritchey, was killed in action Jan. 23. No details were given.
He was born March 31, 1920, and graduated from Teachers high school in 1938. Previous to his induction into the army, he was employed at the Viking Pump Co.
Surviving besides his parents, are a brother, Paul, stationed in France, and three sisters, Avis and Donna and Mrs. Will Williams, all of Cedar Falls.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, February 11, 1945, Page 15
Two Iowa Airmen Receive Honors
Des Moines, Ia. – Two Iowa air force soldiers who were killed in action in the European theater have been honored posthumously for their heroism. Maj. Robert E. Lee, commanding officer of the air force detachment here, announced Monday
Staff Sgt. Joe R. Ritchey, Cedar Falls, has been awarded the Soldiers medal. He was killed Jan. 12, 1945, while attempting to extinguish a fire on a bomber which had crashed at a base in England.
Tech. Sgt. Albertus Harrenstein, Grundy Center, has been posthumously awarded the Air Medal for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in five bomber missions over occupied Europe.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Monday, July 16, 1945, Page 2
Joseph Ritchey Committal Wed.
at Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls – The body of Staff Sgt. Joseph Ritchey, who met death in overseas war service, was reburied in Greenwood cemetery here at a committal service at 2 p. m. Wednesday/
The graveside service was conducted by Rev. Z. K. Russell of Waterloo, a former pastor of the Christian church here, of which young Ritchey was a member.
Ritchey was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Ritchey of Fairfield, Wis., who resided in Cedar Falls for many years before moving to Wisconsin last year. Several members of the family were present at the final rites.
The casketed body arrived at 11:45 a. m. and was taken to the Junkung-Nelson funeral home.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Wednesday, August 11, 1948, Section Two, Page 19
