Richard and Sophie Swierk Tomke Family - Wright Co.
John William Tomke was born Dec. 13, 1925. He died June 3, 1999 and is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Battle Creek, IA.
Sgt. Tomke was a tail gunner on a B-17 with the U.S. Army Air Corps, 224th Base Unit, in the European Theater of World War II. He was shot down over Germany and became a POW at Stalag Luft IV. He was awarded an Air Medal “for meritorious achievement while participating in sustained combat operations over Germany and German occupied countries.” He was awarded four Bronze Battle Stars and the Purple Heart.
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Stanley Thomas Tomke was born Feb. 17, 1919. He died Sept. 29, 2000 and is buried in Saint Johns Cemetery, Clarion, IA.
Capt.Tomke served with the U.S. Army and became the Chief Disbursing Officer of the European Theater of Operations. He was awarded numerous medals including two Bronze Battle Stars. He was especially proud to be awarded a French Liberty Medal for participating in the invasion of Normandy.
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Richard Anthony Tomke was born Aug. 11, 1920. He died Aug. 29, 2009 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Eagle Grove, IA.
Dick served in World War II with the U.S. Army as a Special Agent with the 970th Counter Intelligence Corps in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe.
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Joseph Richard “Joe”Tomke was born Oct. 5, 1915. He died Sept. 28, 1943 and is buried in Saint Johns Cemetery, Clarion, IA.
Sgt. Tomke served with the U.S. Army in World War II in the regimental headquarters of the 2nd Infantry in Iceland.
Joe Tomke married Irma Evans after her separation from serving with the WAVES.*
Sources: “Ordinary Heroes”, by Judge Newt Draheim, Chapters 30 & 46; ancestry.com
