GEORGE A. TIMM MISSING IN ACTION
THORNTON – George Timm, Sr., of Thornton, was notified Tuesday by the war department that his son, Sgt. George A. Timm, is missing in action after the surrender at Cooregidor. Sergeant Timm has been in the service in the regular army for more than 20 years and would have been retired on pension soon.
Timm attended Thornton schools before entering the army.
A sister, Mrs. Andrew Miller, and a brother, Henry, both live in Thornton. Another sister, Mrs. John England, lives in Clear Lake and another brother, Fred, is on a farm near Mason City.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, January 26, 1942
GEORGE A. TIMM, THORTON,
REPORTED PRISONER OF WAR
In U. S. Army for 25 years;
Served in First World War
THORNTON – George Timm, Sr., received word Tuesday from the United States war department that his son, First Sergeant George A. Timm of the United States coast artillery, is a prisoner of war on the Philippines.
Sergeant Timm was stationed on Corregidor when the Japanese gained possession, and on May 7, he was listed by the war department as missing in action. No further word was received until the notification Tuesday, which stated that mail of a personal nature would be delivered to him if addressed in care of the American Red Cross at Tokio (sic).
In all, he has had about 25 years of service in the United States army, having served in World War I, and enlisted in the regular army shortly after that time. He had been looking forward to retirement when war was declared after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Monday, January 29, 1943
JAP PRISONER WRITES SISTER
George A. Timm Says he’s Well, Uninjured
THORNTON – Sgt. George A. Timm of the U. S. regular army, who has been a prisoner of the Japs since the fall of Corregidor, wrote to his sister, Mrs. Andrews Miller, of Iowa Falls, formerly of Thornton, this week.
The war department had previously notified his parents that Sergeant Timm was missing in action, but later notified them he was a prisoner of the Japanese. In the meantime both of his parents have died, but his sister had written many times receiving no reply. Evidently, he had not received her letters as he addressed her at Thornton, and she has resided in Iowa Falls since last November.
The card received by Mrs. Miller was a printed form card and he had underlined words showing that his health was good, that he was uninjured, and not under treatment and that he was a prisoner in Philippine Military Prison Camp No. 1. The only evidence that it actually was a message from Sergeant Timm was the signature, George A. Timm, in his handwriting.
This was the first direct word his relatives had had from him in 20 months.
There were a number of printed Japanese notations on the card, but no one here could read them.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, August 17, 1943
35 Cerro Gordo Men Killed in Action in 2 ½ Years of War
Memorial Day this year marks almost 2 ½ years since the United States entered World War II. Of the more than 11 million men serving with the U.S. armed forces at home and overseas, it is estimated that Cerro Gordo county has contributed 4,100 men.
Prisoners of war list:
Sgt. George Timm, Jap prisoner since Corregidor, reported July, 1943.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, May 30, 1944
GEORGE TIMM RESCUED IN PHILIPPINES
First Sgt. George Timm of Thornton was one of the Iowans rescued from Japanese internment camps in the Philippines by United States troops on Feb. 5 and 6, according to the first partial list issued Sunday night by the war department. It was stated that he was rescued from Bilibid prison at Manila.
Sgt. Timm, a veteran of World war I, and a member of the regular U. S. army since that time, was stationed with the coast artillery in the Philippines at the outbreak of this war and was taken prisoner at Corregidor in May, 1942.
He was first reported missing by the war department and later, in Jan., 1943, a message was received here stating he was a prisoner. The first direct word from him came in August of that year when a form card bearing his signature was received by his sister, Mrs. Andrew Miller, Iowa Falls, formerly of Thornton.
The card stated that his health was good, that he was uninjured, and not under treatment; also that he was a prisoner in P. I. Military Prison Camp No. 1.
Another sister, Mrs. John England, lives at Clear Lake.
_______
Other Iowa civilians on the list of persons rescued from Santo Pomas include:
Mrs. Ruth Jane Ayers, Des Moines [Polk Co.]
Carl Henry Van Hoven, Dickens [Clay Co.]
The partial list of American prisoners of war rescued from Bilbid prison at Manila included these Iowans:
Pvt. Lester Peterson, Modale [Harrison Co.]
M/Sgt. Clifford E. Taylor, Cedar Rapids [Linn Co.]
Pfc. George L. Wood, Council Bluffs [Pottawattamie Co.]
1st Lt. Richard B. Lang, Marshalltown [Marshall Co.]
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, February 19, 1945
GET MESSAGE FROM RESCUED PRISONER
First Sgt. George Timm of Thornton, rescued from Bilibid prison at Manila, P. I., recently has been heard from since the story of his release was published on Feb. 19, through a telegram received by his brother, Henry Timm, also of Thornton.
“Released on my birthday, Feb. 4. Health fair. Letter follows,” was the message of the telegram received on Feb. 25.
The day after the telegram came his brother also received a card, which, however, had been written last May 6 from Military Camp No. 1 in the Philippines. It said:
“I am getting along in fair shape. My heath is better now, my weight is up to 130 pounds again. (His brother states that George weighed 200 pound when last home.) Received your Christmas package in April. It was wonderful to hear from home. Received one letter from Gertrude. With love to all, George.”
The card had his own signature and the box mentioned was sent in Aug., 1943.
Sgt. Timm has the following brothers and sisters: Henry Timm of Thornton; Mrs. Henry Caspers of Swaledale; Mrs. Andrew Miller of Iowa Falls; and Mrs. John England of Clear Lake. The letter mentioned was from Mrs. England.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Thursday, March 01, 1945
THORNTON MAN BACK FROM PHILIPPINES
SAN FRANCISCO, (AP) – A large group of American and British soldiers liberated from Japanese prison camps in the Philippines arrived her Friday.
Among them was Sgt. George A. Timm of Thornton.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, March 16, 1945
SWALEDALE – Mrs. Henry Caspers accompanied her brother, Henry Timm of Thornton, to Denver, Colo. to visit her brother, George Timm, who was released as a prisoner of the Japanese, and is in a hospital.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, April 11, 1945
LIBERATED PRISONER of JAPANESE RETURNS
THORNTON – Henry Timm and Mrs. Henry Caspers returned from Denver, Colo., after visiting their brother, Sgt. George Timm, who is a patient in a hospital. Sgt. Timm recently returned from the Philippine Islands where he had been a prisoner of the Japs since the fall of Corregidor until his liberation.
Source: The Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Tuesday, April 17, 1945
