Ivan Evans Is Listed As Missing
Mrs. Lauretta Callery Evans of this city received word Sunday morning from the war department that her husband Pfc. Ivan R. Evans has been reported missing in action in North Africa since February 17.
A son of Lyle O. Evans of Winterset, the youth went into service as a member of the Waterloo National Guard company and was one of the first to leave this country by convoy for Great Britain. He was stationed at various times in northern Ireland, Scotland and England.
With the opening of the African campaign, Evans was transferred to the new battle zone and was last reported somewhere in Algeria.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans were married in January, 1942, with the latter remaining in this city where she has been employed.
The missing youth has one brother in the service, and there are three other brothers in the family. Mr. Evans’ mother died two years ago.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, March 8, 1943
IVAN EVANS A NAZI CAPTIVE
Wife Received Air Mail Letter From ‘Missing’ Soldier.
Without official government word that he had been located, Mrs. Ivan Evans of this city was in receipt of a letter from her husband, Private Evans, which was apparently sent from a prison camp in Germany.
Private Evans was reported missing in action Feb. 17 presumably in the Tunisian action in which some 300 Iowan soldiers were reported missing. Fred L. Wilson, also of this city, was first reported missing in this action, but recently was listed as an Italian prisoner of war.
No government word has been received by Private Evans’ wife, the former Miss Lauretta Callery, but the letter, sent air mail from Germany, definitely establishes the fact that the soldier is in one of the prison camps there.
Private Evans wrote that he had had some very exciting experiences and asked for various articles to be sent to him. Packages will be sent through the Red Cross association.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Apr. 26, 1943
PRISONER WRITES
Mrs. Ivan Evans of this city has received a postcard from her husband who is now stationed at a German prison camp somewhere in Germany. Private First Class Evans was captured during the early stages of the North African campaign, and this is the first word received from the soldier since that time. The card, which was very brief, was written Dec. 26.
Source: Webster City Freeman, Webster City, IA - Mar. 30, 1944
2 MORE W. C. MEN FREED
Ivan Evans, Chas. Conklin Liberated From Nazi Camps.
Two more servicemen from this community have been liberated from German prison camps, relatives in Webster City have been notified.
Pfc. Ivan Evans, Iowa National Guardsman who was captured more than two years ago in the battle of Faid Pass in North Africa, has been freed from nazi control, his wife, the former Lauretta Callery, has been notified by the Red Cross.
Evans went into the service from Waterloo in 1941.
Staff Sgt. Charles H. Conklin, who was captured March 27 in Germany, has been liberated and is in an English hospital for treatment, his sisters, Miss Leone Conklin, Mrs. Elston Segar and Mrs. K. A. Wright, have been advised.
Sergeant Conklin was serving with the armored infantry on the western front when captures.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - May 24, 1945
Pfc. Ivan Evans has arrived here for a furlough visit with his wife and friends. He was released late in May from a nazi prison camp after more than two years imprisonment.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - June 28, 1945
Ivan Rex Evans, Pfc. U.S. Army - MIA/POW
Ivan Rex Evans was born Jan. 30, 1912 to Lyle O. and Ida P. Gordon Evans. He died Aug. 6, 1961, and is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Webster City, IA.
Ivan Evans was reported missing in action in North Africa Feb. 17, 1943. The War Department confirmed that he was in a German prison camp in May 1943.
Sources:
Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA
ancestry.com
