OELWEIN SOLDIER DIES IN BATTLE ON AFRICAN SOIL
Corp. Ben B. Sanford, 25, Had Been Sent to Ireland in Oct. with Infantry
Oelwein, Ia.—An Oelwein man, Corp. Ben B. Sanford, 25, of Oelwein, is included in the list of 407 United States soldiers killed in action announced Saturday by the War Department.
Of the total casualties, 224 were in Africa, 48 in Europe, 99 in the South Pacific and five at sea.
Corporal Sanford was born in Oelwein and had spent his entire life here until he joined the armed forces three years ago. He was in cavalry first, but had been transferred to the infantry before he was sent to Ireland Oct. 6, 1942.
TWIN IN SIGNAL CORPS.
A twin brother, Robert, is serving in the Signal Corps at Camp Crowder, Mo.
Surviving also are his widow, the former Dora West, whom he married two years ago; a daughter, Sheila, a year old; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilford A. Sanford of 29 Fifth street northwest, Oelwein; two brothers, Ralph, working in a defense plant at Long Beach, Cal., and Gordon, Oelwein; also one sister, Mrs. H. E. Matthews, Chicago.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, January 3, 1943
The Associated Press report, issued under a Washington dateline, follows:
Eleven of the men, including one officer, were killed in Africa and two were killed in the southwest Pacific.
Folllowing is the list of Iowans killed in Africa:
Capt. Edwin C. Novak, mother, Mrs. Mary F. M Novak (1035 Second street SE) Cedar Rapids;
Sgt. Otto P. Boettcher, mother, Mrs. Emma A. Boettcher, Storm Lake;
Pvt. Leland P. Christensen, mother, Mrs. Edith M. Christensen (1508 S. Maple) Sioux City;
Sgt. Noah J. Davis, wife, Mrs. Frances K. Davis, route 3, Centerville;
Sgt. Paul M. Denison, father, George E. Denison, route 3, Atlantic;
Pfc. Melvin J. Goecke (615 N. Eighth street), Estherville;
Sgt. Stanford S. Johnston, wife, Mrs. Doris S. Johnston, Box 3, Bridgewater;
Sgt. Robert J. Kliegl, route 1, Osgood;
Corp. Henry F. Ohlendorf, father, Henry H. Ohlendorf, route 1, Marcus;
Corp. Ben B. Sanford, father, Wilford A. Sanford (29 Fifth street) Oelwein;
Sgt. Leon D. Stipe, mother, Mrs. Mabel Stipe, Clarinda.
Killed in the southwest Pacific:
Donald J. Carpenter, mother, Mrs. Hilda M. Carpenter, route 2, Estherville;
The War Department’s national list also included Pvt. Harold J. Doecher of Beemer, Neb., whose mother’s address is route 1, Beemer. He was killed in Africa.
Source: Carroll Times, Monday, January 4, 1943
IOWA’s HONOR ROLL
Here are more Iowans who have been killed in action. The final line beneath each picture gives the geographical location in which the man was killed. Additional Honor Roll pictures will be carried on future Sundays.
Source: The Des Moines Register, Sunday, January 2, 1944 (photo included)
Ben B. Sanford is buried in North Africa American Cemetery, Tunis, Tunisia.
Cpl. Sanford served in World War II with the U.S. Army 6th Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Division and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Sources: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
