28 men accepted out of 43 called; will leave from Orange City Friday
The following named men have been accepted for military service and will leave for induction this week Friday at 8:45 AM from Orange City for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
US Army
.......
Charles Aardema, Sioux Center
........
US Navy
.......
Source: Sioux Center News - Thursday, April 29, 1943 pg 1
Here is the address of another new recruit: Pvt. Charles Aardema, 2-D-61, Camp Wolters, US Army, Texas. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Aardema.
Source: Sioux Center News, May 27, 1943 p 10
Pvt. Charles Aardema, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Aardema, arrived home last Wednesday morning to spend a five day furlough in the home of his parents. Charles has been in the service since May 1, 1943. He expects to be transferred when he gets back. He left again on Sunday morning.
Source: Sioux Center News, Sept. 23, 1943 p 2
Pvt. Charles Aardema
Co. I, 3rd Bn. 1st Ref.
A. G. F. Replacement Depot No. 2
Fort Ord, Calif.
Source: Sioux Center News, Nov. 7, 1943 p 10
Pvt. Charles Aardema has been in Australia for 2 months now. Call either the News or his parents for his complete new address.
Source: Sioux Center News, Jan. 6, 1944 p 2
Charles Aardema, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Aardema writes-
March 13, 1944
Dear Ed. and Friends;-
I have received the newspaper of October 14th. I read the letters of the boys and thought I'd like to write a few lines too. I have left the states shortly after my furlough, and have been in New Guinea for some time. On the ship I was with Henry Vonk. We met Irven Steenstra of Hull and Bill Westhuis who is a sailor. There were some (censored) sailors there too. We enjoyed talking Dutch with them. Henry became sick in Australia; I haven't seen any of the boys since. It sure is interesting to know where the boys from back home are at. I like to read the Semons and other things too. Chow is good here and the weather is fine. We can see a movie about every night. Well I'll close now hoping to receive the other copies of the News. Yours truly, Charlie.
Pvt. Charles Aardema
Co. C 127 Inf
APO 32, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, Calif.
Source: Sioux Center News, April 6, 1944 p 2
PFC Charles Aardema
Pfc. Charles Aardema, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Aardema of Sioux Center, Iowa, entered the service on April 30, 1943. He received his basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. He had a seven day furlough in September, 1943, and was then transferred to Fort Ord, Calif. He was sent overseas in the last part of October, 1943, and arrived in Australia, and is now stationed in New Guinea. He fought in the battle east of Aitape. He became ill about 2 months ago, and is now recuperating at a hospital somewhere.
Source: Sioux Center News, Nov. 16, 1944 p 2
Killed in Action
Sgt. Charles Aardema
Mr. and Mrs. Nick Aardema received word Monday that their son Sgt. Charles Aardema had been killed in action on Luzon on the 12th of May. He was 22 years old.
Charles left for the service on April 13, 1943, receiving his training at Camp Wolters, Texas. After his basic training he was home on a week's furlough and was then sent to Fort Ord, Calif., from where he left for the South Pacific Islands in October, 1943.
He was born in Sioux Center on July 10, 1922 and is survived by his parents and two sisters; Grace (Mrs. Albert Kelderman) of Sioux Center, and Irene at home with her parents.
The News joins their many friends in extending sincere sympathy to the family in the loss of their son.
Source: Sioux Center News, June 7, 1945 p 1 (photo included)
Mr. and Mrs. Nick Aardema received word from Philip C. Johnson, Chaplain of the 127th Infantry, that their son, Sgt. Charles Aardema, was given a Christian burial with the full military honor due to one who gave his life for his country. He was buried at Santa Barbara cemetery on Luzon, Phillipine Islands.
Source: Sioux Center News, July 5, 1945 p 2
Double Memorial Service
Memorial services for two Sioux Center boys were held in Central Reformed Church Tuesday evening, for Sgt. Charles Aardema, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Aardema, and Pfc. Gerrit Ter Haar, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ter Haar. Aardema lost his life on the island of Luzon, and Ter Haar at Okinawa.
Source: Sioux Center News, August 2, 1945 p 1
Body Of Sgt. Charles Aardema Arrived In U.S. June 28
The body of the late Sergeant Charles Aardema, being returned from Manila aboard The U.S. Army Transport Sergeant Morris E. Crain, due to reach San Francisco on or about June 28, will be forwarded at a later date through the American Graves Registration Distribution Center in Kansas City, Mo. to Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa, the final destination requested by next of kin.
Next of kin, Mr. Nick Aardema, Sioux Center, Iowa, has been notified in advance of the return of the remains and will receive further notice concerning forwarding to the final destination.
From two to three weeks will elapse after arrival of the transport before the Distribution Center is in position to forward any of the bodies. In some cases the elapsed time will be as much as six weeks.
From the distribution center to the final destination, the remains are accompanied by individual military escort from the same branch of service as the deceased and of comparable rank or grade.
Source: Sioux Center News July 1, 1948 p 1
At the Sioux Center Iowa Memory Gardens cemetery there is a memorial for all servicemen killed in action, consisting of a monument for each serviceman with a flag behind each monument, set in a half circle. The Memorial Day service is held there, and the inscription on each monument is read aloud as part of the service while each flag is lowered to half mast.
Memorial Photo complements of the Sioux Center Wreaths Across America organization
Sgt. Charles Aardema is buried in Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, IA. He was initially buried at Santa Barbara Cemetery, Luzon, Philippine Islands and returned to the U.S. in 1948.
Source: ancestry.com
