Think Dudley Wyatt Still With MacArthur’s Troops in Philippines
(Republican Independent News Service)
HARDY—Mrs. Ferne Wyatt has not received any word from her son, Dudley, who is in the Navy, for almost six months. The last letter she received from him was on September 19th, and she has been much concerned over his safety since the Pearl Harbor attack. When the letter was written he was still at Manila Bay, and was aboard the supply ship, the USS Vaga.
Mrs. Wyatt finally got in touch with the Red Cross and they reported back that according to their files, Dudley was not reported missing. Mrs. Wyatt was much relieved to get this word and she is assured now that he is safe. The Red Cross could not give out any information as to his whereabouts on account of government restrictions, but it is likely that he is still with MacArthur’s troops in the Philippines.
Source: Humboldt Republican, March 20, 1942
WERE SAID TO BE ON CORREGIDOR
At least two Humboldt county youths in the service of the United States were said to be on Corregidor, stronghold that fell to the Axis powers recently. One is Clare Nielsen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nielsen, of Rutland. The other is Dudley Wyatt, son of Mrs. Fern Wyatt, of Hardy.
Telegrams were sent to the parents of both boys informing them that the boys may be prisoners of the Japs. It is said that the telegram to Mrs. Wyatt from the Navy department announced that Dudley was reported as missing since the fall of Corregidor.
Source: Humboldt Republican, May 15, 1942 (photo included)
Dudley Wyatt, of LuVerne, Missing in Philippines Action
LuVerne: Mrs. Fern Wyatt of Hardy, has received word that her son Dudley, has been reported missing since the fall of Corregidor. He had been stationed at the Philippines for four years, the first three in a commissary store on shore and the past on the supply ship, the USS Vagabond. The telegram which was from the navy department at Washington said that he may be a prisoner of the Japs and that any further word received would be dispatched to Mrs. Wyatt. The last letter Mrs. Wyatt received from her son was in March. The Wyatts live on a farm between LuVerne and Renwick.
Source: Algona Upper Des Moines, May 19, 1942
Dudley Wyatt Reported Prisoner In Philippines
It is reported that Mrs. Fern Wyatt received word the past week through the American Red Cross that her son Dudley, who is in the U.S. Navy, was being held as a prisoner of war by the Japanese in the Philippine Islands. Dudley had previously been reported “missing.”
Source: Renwick Times, March 18, 1943
List 28 Iowans Held Prisoners of Japanese
WASHINGTON, (AP)—The navy department announced the names of 1,044 United States navy personnel, including 28 Iowans, held as prisoners of war by the Japanese, mostly in the Philippine islands.
North Iowans listed were:
Orvin G. Kringler, watertender, brother of Mrs. Henry Klepper, West Bend.
Louis A. Willard, fireman, son of Braden Willard, Eagle Grove.
Dudley D. Wyatt, seaman, son of Mrs. Fern Wyatt, Hardy.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, May 14, 1943
DUDLEY DUANE WYATT IS REPORTED TO BE JAPANESE PRISONER
Mrs. Fern Wyatt, of LuVerne, received word through the Red Cross that her son Dudley is a prisoner of the Japanese in the Philippine Islands. Dudley was with the United States Navy, and was reported missing after the fall of Corregidor last May.
In May of last year, Mrs. Wyatt received word that Dudley was missing in action and the first communication she has had from the Navy department since that time was last week. The letter stated that Dudley Duane Wyatt, seaman first class, U. S. Navy, is being held prisoner of war in the Philippine Islands.
Wyatt enlisted in the Navy over five years ago. He has not been home for five years, and the last letter received from him was in January, 1942. Mrs. Wyatt has communicated with an information bureau, and she hopes to receive a reply giving a few details as to her son’s welfare.
Mrs. Wyatt has another son, Neale, who enlisted in the Army several months ago. He has been in the armored reconnaissance division, but has not been transferred to the Army air corps as an aviation cadet. He is stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
Source: Humboldt Republican, March 19, 1943 (photo included)
DUDLEY WYATT, LUVERNE, DEAD IN JAPANESE CAMP
LuVerne—Mrs. Fern Wyatt, who lives south of LuVerne, received word Monday of the death of her son, Dudley, in a Japanese prison camp. The young man, who was 25 years of age, had been in the Navy and was a prisoner since the fall of Bataan. He is survived by his mother and three brothers, one of whom, Neal, is the in the Army Air Force. Mrs. Wyatt is a sister of Roy Brayton, LuVerne.
Source: Algona Upper Des Moines, July 22, 1943
Memorial Rites Held Sunday at Hardy for Dudley D. Wyatt, 23
Memorial services were held at the Methodist church in Hardy last Sunday afternoon for Dudley D. Wyatt, 23, who died in a Japanese prison camp recently, and were largely attended by people from the Hardy-Renwick community.
Rev. E. D. Hart preached the sermon and was assisted by Rev. R. E. Cook. The service was in charge of Harvey McPeak Post of the American Legion of Renwick of which Hardy war veterans are members. Several members of the Jesse F. Gregg Navy Mothers Club from Fort Dodge attended the service. Mrs. Fern Wyatt, mother of the deceased, is a charter member of this club.
Dudley was the son of Mrs. Fern Wyatt of Hardy. He enlisted in the Navy in July 1938 and served in the Philippines until the fall of Corregidor in May 1942. Soon after that he was reported missing and a year later was reported to be a prisoner of the Japanese. Besides his mother, he is survived by three brothers, Brayton and Winston at home, and Neale, who is in the army air corps at Athens, West Virginia.
Dudley held the rating of Seaman first class. His brother Neale from West Virginia and a cousin, Walter Brayton from Camp Lanning, Texas, had short furloughs and were here for the memorial service.
Source: Renwick Times, August 5, 1943
Present Navy Mothers With Gold Star Pins
Gold star pins were presented at a recent meeting of the Jesse F. Gregg Navy Mothers Club in Fort Dodge to Mrs. Lillian Beesley of Fort Dodge and Mrs. Fern Wyatt of Hardy whose sons, both Navy men, died in their country’s service.
Dudley Wyatt died a prisoner of the Japanese in the Philippine Islands. Mrs. Wyatt was not present at the meeting and her pin was sent to her. The pins are a gift of the National Navy Mothers Clubs of America to all members whose sons are lost.
Source: Renwick Times, September 23, 1943
Iowa’s World War II Honor Roll
These Iowans, like the ones pictured in this section last Sunday, have given their lives for their country. They came from all sections of the state, from all walks of life, and they rest today in strange and far away but never-to-be forgotten places. The final line beneath each photograph tells the geographical area in which the man was serving. Additional pictures of Iowans who have been killed in combat will be carried on future Sundays.
Source: The Des Moines Register, Sunday, December 12, 1943 (photo included of Dudley Duane Wyatt )
HARDY:
Mrs. Fern Wyatt of Fort Dodge, a former Hardy resident, recently received the Army Distinguished Unit Bade with Oak Leaf Cluster in honor of her son, the late Dudley Duane Wyatt, who lost his life in the Philippines during the war.
Following is a copy of the letter she received from the Navy Department:
Dear Mrs. Wyatt:
The Chief of Navy Personnel takes pride in forwarding herewith the Army Distinguished Unit Badge with Oak Leaf Cluster which your son, the late Dudley Duane Wyatt, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy, would have been entitled to wear by virtue of his services in defense of the Philippines.
By direction of Chief of Naval Personnel.
Sincerely Yours,
Joe H. Floyd
LCDR, USN.
Following is an explanation as to why a Navy man was awarded an Army citation: After Cavite, when the Navy base in Manila was bombed out, in Manila, and all ships were sunk or out of commission, the remaining sailors that were left went into the army lines and fought side by side with them until the fall of Corregidor.
Source: Renwick Times, May 22, 1947
WYATTS BACK FROM ATTENDING REBURIAL SERVICES OF BROTHER.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wyatt, 962 15th N. E. have returned to Mason City after attending the reburial of Mr. Wyatt’s brother, Dudley Duane Wyatt in the National Cemetery at Little Rock, Ark.
Returning to Mason City with the Wyatts were Mr. and Mrs. Neale Wyatt and family and Mr. and Mrs. Winston Wyatt of Saulte St. Marie, Mich., and Mrs. Fern Wyatt of Fort Dodge, who also attended the services. The Wyatt men are brothers of the deceased and Mrs. Fern Wyatt is their mother.
The Saulte St. Marie families flew back to their homes Wednesday and Mrs. Fern Wyatt sent to her home in Fort Dodge, Thursday.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, April 14, 1950
Dudley Duane Wyatt was born Mar. 3, 1920 to Frank and Fern Valentine Brayton Wyatt. He died July 9, 1943 and has a cenotaph at the Cedar Cemetery, Rinard, IA.
Petty Officer Wyatt was a POW in the Philippine Islands where he died from beri-beri. He was originally buried in the USAF Cemetery, Manila No. 2, Philippine Islands and was later returned to the U.S. where he was buried in the Little Rock National Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Sources: Renwick Hardy Vernon Veteran’s Memorial POWS and KIA - Renwick, IA; ancestry.com
