Newspaper Clippings and Letters Home

from World War II

A-D

Sept. 20, 1945

Service Salutes

In every town, on every street,
There’s something missing—
The tread of feet, of all the boys we used to know,
And days are weary and nights are long,
We miss them so.

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June 4, 1942

Government Expects Iowa To Be Bombed Says W. B. Bedell

Attorney W.B. Bedell, who recently attended a government Civilian Defense Training school at Ames, as an appointee of the Dickinson County Civilian Defense council, give a very interesting talk before the Spirit Lake Rotary club at its noonday luncheon on Wednesday.

The government and the army anticipates bombing throughout the central west, due to the nearest distance from Tokyo and Norway, over the top, and important defense plants and hopes to educate the public for self defense.

A more detailed account of the efforts of the school will be given next week.

From: W.B. Bedell

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Re: Lloyd Allen

April 17, 1941

Weekly News From Grover Lake

Captain Lloyd Allen and wife and her mother Mrs. Michel  were Thursday afternoon and overnight guests at the home of his parents Mr. and Mrs. John Swanlund.  Captain Allen came from Fort Sill, Oklahoma on a ten day furlough to visit his wife and relatives, after which he will go to San Francisco, Calif. , from there to the Philippines for a two year period.

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May 28, 1942

Capt. Lloyd Allen is Reported Missing In Action

Capt. Lloyd Allen, son of Mrs. John Swanlund has been reported missing in action in the Philippines by the U.S. Government since the surrender of Corregidor  on  May 7.  Capt. Allen’s wife, who is in Stuart, Iowa, received word last week from the government, and informed his mother here of the message she had received.

The message, similar to many that have been received by anxious families, throughout the nation, stated that Capt. Allen may be a prisoner of war and extended sympathy to the family in their anxiety, stating that other word would be forwarded to them when available.

Capt. Allen was stationed at Ft. Stotsenberg in the Philippines when the war started, and the camp at which he was stationed was among those attacked.  The message received by the family this week stated that he has been in the battle of Bataan and Corregidor.

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June 4, 1942

Local Youth “Missing In Action” in Philippine Islands.

Mrs. John Swanland of Spirit Lake, mother of Capt. Lloyd C. Allen, reported to  be missing in  action in the Philippines, has received  from her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Allen in Stuart, Iowa, a copy of the letter sent to her  by the government recently.  The letter which states the possibility of Capt. Allen being a prisoner of war, is given in full below.

Capt. Allen attended and was graduated from the Spirit Lake high school with the class of 1925, after which he entered Iowa State college at Ames to study electrical engineering.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree at that college. At Ames he took advanced military training and following his graduation took further military training at Camp Knox, Ky. and at Ft. Snelling, Minn.

He was given lieutenants commission and served in the C.C.C. camp at Grand Marais, Minn.  Later he was promoted as first lieutenant and was then serving at a C.C.C. camp at Houston, Minn.

While at Camp Riley, Kansas he was promoted to Captain.  He served at Ft. Crook, Nebr., for a time and then went to Ft. Sill, Okla., where he was serving when he received orders to go to the Philippines.

In April 1941 he left Ft. Sill for Fort Stotsenburg, Philippines to serve as captain in the Field Artillery.  The Allens were married eight years ago, May 6 and have no children.

The letter received by Mrs. Allen is given below:

May 16, 1942

Mrs. Lloyd C. Allen

Box 123, Stuart, Iowa

Dear Mrs. Allen:

According to War Department records, you have been designated as the emergency addressee of Captain Lloyd C. Allen, O-278831, Field Artillery, who. According to the latest information available, was serving in the Philippine Islands at the time of the final surrender.

I deeply regret that it is impossible for me to give you more information than is contained in this letter.  In the last two days before the surrender of Bataan there were casualties which were not reported to the War Department.  Conceivably the same is true of the surrender of Corregidor and possibly of other islands of the Philippines.  The Japanese Government has indicated its intention of conforming to the terms of the Geneva convention with respect to the interchange of information regarding prisoners of war.  Until that time the War Department cannot give you positive information.

The War Department will consider the persons serving in the Philippine Islands as “missing in action” from the date of the surrender of Corregidor, May 7, 1942, until definite information to the contrary is received.

Very Truly yours,

Adjutant General

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December 17, 1942

Capt. Lloyd Allen Reported To Be A Prisoner of War

Capt. Lloyd Allen, son of Mrs. John Swanlund of Spirit Lake, has been reported as a prisoner of war of the Japanese government in the Philippines, according to word received by his wife, Mrs. Allen at Stuart, Iowa, Saturday.

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Mrs. Allen has just notified her mother-in-law here that on Saturday, Dec. 12, she received the following message from the Adjutant General at Washington, D. C.:

Mrs. Lloyd C. Allen

Box 123, Stuart, Iowa

Information received indicates your husband, Capt. Lloyd C. Allen, Field Artillery is now a prisoner of war of the Japanese government in the Philippines.”

Capt. Allen, who was at Fort Stotsenberg in the Philippines when fort was bombed at the start of the war a year ago, was reported missing in action after the fall of Corregidor May 7, this news coming to Mrs. Allen in a letter written May 16 by the Adjutant General.

At that time the letter stated that the Japanese government was conforming to terms of the Geneva convention with respect to interchange of information regarding prisoners of war, and at some future date, the government would receive through Geneva a  list of persons who had been taken prisoners of war.

Since that time the family has waited patiently as have many other families, for the first release of the prisoners names.  This release has just been made and the wife of Capt. Allen accordingly notified that her husband’s name was listed.

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Aug. 23, 1945

Word From Dickinson County Jap Prisoners Expected Soon

Three county families are anxiously awaiting word of the liberation of the Jap prisoners of war since the surrender of Japan.  As a result of the surrender the families last week were contacted by the county Red Cross Home Service chairman in connection with sending a letter to the prisoners.  Throughout the United States such letters are being sent through the Red Cross to the prisoners, the letters to be delivered to them the day they are liberated.  Each letter may contain a picture.  Mrs. H.P. Smithers has made the arrangements for the mailing of these letters by Dickinson county relatives.

Among those from Dickinson county is Capt. Lloyd Allen, son of Mrs. John Swanlund.  Capt. Allen, as well as others from this county now in Jap prison camps, was taken with the fall of Bataan.  Capt. Allen was last heard from, from the Fukuska prison camp on the island of Honshu.  Pfc. Bernard “Pat” Grow, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Grow of Terril was last heard from, from the Fukuoka prison camp on the Island of Honshu.  Pfc. Melvin Kuhse, a brother of Lester Kuhse of Spirit Lake is at the Mukden prison camp in Manchuria.  It will be remembered that Kuhse was reported this past winter to have been injured when American bombs struck the territory in which he was held.  Kuhse’s mother, Mrs. A. C. Kuhse, passed away in March.

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Aug. 30, 1945

Capt. Lloyd Allen At Manchuria Prison Camp

Mrs. John Swanlund was made happy Monday when she received word regarding her son Capt. Lloyd Allen, who has been a Jap prisoner since the fall of Bataan.  Mrs. Lloyd Allen of Stuart, received the message Monday morning and directly called the news to his mother here.

The message read:  “Secretary of War desires to inform you that your husband, Capt. Lloyd C. Allen appears on the list of prisoners at Camp Hoten, Mukden Manchuria, dated August 28.  The information has been received from the American Camp Commander.  As further information is received you will be notified.”

Others awaiting news of relatives who are prisoners of the Japs are Mr. and Mrs. George Grow of Terril, regarding their son, Pfc. Bernard “Pat” Grow and Mr. and Mrs. Lester Kuhse, regarding their brother, Pfc. Melvin Kuhse.

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Sept. 13, 1945

Spirit Lake Man Returned from a Jap Prison Camp

Mrs. John Swanlund of Spirit Lake has been advised that her son arrived in San Francisco from the Mukden, Manchuria, Japanese prison camp.  He seems to be in good health and was promoted from captain to major upon his liberation, his wife has reported from the coast by telephone.  She was flown to the coast to meet her husband.

Major Allen was with the 24th field artillery in the Philippines, having gone there in April 1941, from Stewart, Iowa, where he was employed in a drug store, and where his wife still lives.  He was taken captive on Bataan on his eighth wedding anniversary.

Last week Mrs. Allen had official notice that he had been liberated from the prison camp at Mukden.  She was later advised that he had been returned a government control, and then received a letter from him.  It arrived Friday, Sept. 7, and had been written Aug 19.

In the letter the former prisoner said he was on a prison ship in the Subic bay bombing by American planes and that he was slightly wounded and bruised.  That was in December, 1943.  He was again injured and bruised in an American bombing while he was in prison at Formosa.  He reached Nagoya Jan. 29, 1945, and was taken to Mukden.

The first Allen knew that the war was ended was the news brought by the American parachute troops in the mercy team that reached his camp at Mukden.

Last Saturday an army captain and WAC visited Mrs. Allen at Stewart and arranged for her to fly to San Francisco from Des Moines Monday, to meet her husband.  He apparently reached there first as she had telephoned his mother soon after her arrival there.

Allen was graduated from the Spirit Lake high school  with the class of 1925.  He is the first arrival from a Jap prison camp made known in this area.

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Sept 13, 1945

PRISONER 3 YEARS BACK IN STATES

Reached Frisco Wednesday Met There By His Wife

Since the surrender of the Japanese, event after event has followed in quick succession for Mrs. Lloyd Allen of Stuart, Iowa, wife of Capt. Lloyd Allen, who is a son of Mrs. John Swanlund of Spirit Lake.  First came the news that Capt. Allen, who has been a prisoner of the Japanese since the fall of Bataan in May 1942, was safe in a prisoner of war camp at Mukden, Manchuria.  Thursday night Mrs. Allen received a government telegram that her husband had been returned to military control on Sept. 5 and was being returned to the United States in the near future.  Friday morning, Mrs. Allen was made most happy when a letter arrived direct from her husband, the letter having been  Aug 19 at Mukden, following his liberation.  All messages were forwarded immediately to his mother in Spirit Lake.

To top off the events of the week end was the arrival in Stuart Saturday of an army captain and a WAC from Des Moines who came to tell Mrs. Allen that her husband would arrive in San Francisco, California this week and that the government was making all travel arrangements for her to go to Frisco to meet her husband upon his arrival in the states.  She was to choose her own mode of transportation with the government meeting all expenses.  Mrs. Allen chose to fly and by this time has reached her destination, having left Monday from Des Moines, and has without a doubt already greeted her husband as he was to arrive on Wednesday on the west coast.  The meeting was their first in over four years.

The latest happy turn of events in regard to Mrs. Allen going to California, was told to Mrs. Swanlund by phone after the army representatives called on her daughter-in-law Saturday.  Just when the couple will return to Iowa is not known as most of the war prisoners must have complete physical checkups upon arrival in the states and many times it is necessary for them to be hospitalized in case their condition requires such treatment.

Capt. Allen was serving in the army at Ft. Sill, Okla. In April, 1941, when he received his orders to go overseas.  He enjoyed a short visit with home folks before leaving.  He was at Ft. Stotsenburg when the Japs bombed the Philippines, being with the 24th Field artillery there.  He was taken prisoner with the fall of Bataan May 6, 1942 the eighth wedding anniversary of Capt. and Mrs. Allen.  Since that time the only word received from him was a letter he wrote in March, 1942, which did not arrive here until August 1942, and one card such as the prisoners were allowed to send out.  The more red tape.  Got plenty to eat for the first time since—knows when.  I’m up to 115 pounds now, but will rapidly gain the rest.  Managed to get a little Red Cross food to help out with the soybeans and vegetables, maize flour, etc.

Got my first pair of shoes today, they have always been available, never issued.

Hope you will be able to meet the boat—hope to make it by Thanksgiving.

Left Manilla Dec. 13, (1944) ship sunk (bombs) in Cubie Bay—slight wounds and burns.  Ship bombed at Formosa—more wounds.  Arrived Nagoya, Japan, Jan. 29, (1945).  No clothes, snow.  480 left from 1600, about 300 left now.  Father Carbury (this is a fellow from Ames) died before reaching Japan.  Malnutrition biggest problem.  Best food here since prisoner.  British and Dutch here with us.

Hope this note goes out on a supply plane this P.M. Notify folks, etc.  Everything OK, at last one hour sleep the other night—first time without restraint.  Plenty to say, but you probably know of the situation quite well.

Lots of Love,

Doc

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A telegram was received Wednesday morning that Capt. Allen had arrived ahead of schedule on Tuesday.  His wife met him, having made the trip to the coast in 11 hours.  She stated in the telegram that he “looked grand” and that he has been changed in rank from a Captain to a Major.

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Sept. 20, 1945

Major Lloyd Allen, son of Mrs. Swanlund of Spirit Lake, who has been a prisoner of the Japs since the fall of Bataan May 6, 1942, has been liberated and returned to the states.

He was in Mukden, Manchuria.  Melvis Kuhse of Spirit Lake was also at Mukden and it is presumed that he also is liberated, but the next of kin do not live at Spirit Lake now, so there had been no word regarding soldier Kuhse.

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Re: Bruce J. Anderson

Feb. 4, 1943

Terril Boys in the Army and Navy 

Bruce Anderson received his call to active service Friday. He came home from Ames Friday night to visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Anderson. He left for Des Moines Sunday via train form Graetinger. He will then go to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Bruce enlisted in the Army Air Corp last November. He has been attending college at Ames since last fall.

Bruce Anderson in Army School in Wisconsin.

March 18. 1943

Letter from Bruce Anderson

Dear Grows,

Thanks a million for the Record. It’s about the only paper I read anymore, but I read it from beginning to end.

I never thought I’d be going back to college, but no one knows what the Army’s going to do next. This country is just like Iowa, and I can’t wait to see some different country. Suppose that time will come.

If it weren’t for a lot of rules and regulations, this wouldn’t seem like the army. The town treats us swell, and every Saturday night the camber of commerce gives us a dance. The people also invite us out for week end dinners and parties. I guess we’re pretty lucky to hit a college town like this where everyone’s so friendly.

Everything’s done according to the cadet system. We have cadet officers and non-coms, and are supposed to run ourselves.

Well, thanks again for the Record and I’ll be looking forward to it.

Sincerely, Bruce

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June 24, 1943

A letter from Bruce Anderson

Dear Grows,

Those wild stories that the coast resorts circulate about “sunny California” are true most of the time, as far as I know. It’s a pretty nice time of year here. There’s usually a cool ocean breeze that stimulates and gives us lots of energy to sleep at night. We have to, because we’re in a six weeks quarantine and confined to the post. But we have a lot of fun: drilling, drilling, and drilling. Yes, that’s the air corps for you.

The Record comes as regularly as it is possible with me moving all the time, and I really enjoy it, especially “Services Salutes.” The farther and longer I’m away from home, the more I look forward to the home paper.

We’re in a pool squadron and waiting patiently for pre-flight to begin. Seems like the army is awfully slow, but who am I to criticize the greatest organization in the world. Our squadron has as interesting bivouac into the mountains for a week. We roughed it and slept with rattlesnakes, tarantulas, and scorpions. They were very considerate and left us alone in the day time. It was not uncommon to wake up in the morning and shake one or two tarantulas out of the blankets. We had two the size of a saucer. However they were soft and warm and usually curled up around our feet. After the first night we wore shoes to bed. Not that we were afraid-yes they were poisonous- but they were too friendly.

The walk home, a mere fourteen miles, was enjoyed by all. Nine miles of the hike was through heavily-laden orange groves. For some reason, must have been the scenery, no one worked up an appetite.

I’ve run on now for quite awhile, haven’t I ?- so I guess I’d better end this story, most of which is authentic to the last orange seed. Thanks for the paper again.

Another Soldier-boy.

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Oct. 21, 1943

Bruce J. Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Anderson, was born in Terril on November 8, 1923.

He has one sister, Mrs. Ervin Cook of Lake Park, three brothers, Donald of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Paul and Frankie at home.

He received his education in the Terril School, graduating in May, 1941. In June he enrolled as an engineering student at Iowa State college at Ames.

In the fall of 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and needed only a few weeks to complete his first year of study when called into service on Feb. 1. He first went to Jefferson Barracks, Mo. and then to Stevens Point, Wisconsin with the College Training Detachment. About May 15 he was sent to Santa Ana, California where he received his preflight training. About September 1st he was sent to Tucson, Arizona, where he is how stationed.

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March 9, 1944

The Army Air Forces Pilot School at Marfa, Texas announce the graduation class of Class 44-C on Sunday, March 12 1944 at Marfa Air Base Post Theater. Bruce Anderson is a member of this class and will receive his wings and commission as second lieutenant. Bruce expects to be home Tuesday, March 14 for a ten day leave.

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March 11, 1944

Service Salutes

Marfa, Tezas, March 11, 1944 Bruce Jay Anderson son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Anderson of Terril, received his silver wings today when he graduated as a second lieutenant from the Marfa, Texas, AAF Advanced Two-Engine Pilot School, it was announced by Col, Donald B. Phillips, commanding officer.

The new pilot, a former resident of Terril completed a course in training in twin-engine aircraft. He was assigned here from Minter Field, Bakersfield, California.

He is a former student of Terril High School and Iowa State College.

The Pilot School at Marfa is a station of the AAF Training Command, history’s largest educational system.

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May 26 1944

Boise, Idaho: May 17-2nd Lt. Bruce J. Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Anderson, Terril, has arrived at Gowen Field, Idaho to begin training as a pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber, under his first duty assignment as a commissioned officer. Lt. Anderson entered the service November 5, 1942 and received his commission March 12, 1944.

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July 13, 1944

Lt. Bruce Anderson called his folks, the Frank Andersons, Thursday night from Topeka, Kansas. He was on his way east and now has an APO number. Bruce is a member of a crew on a B-29.

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July 29, 1944

Last week we said that Bruce Anderson was a member of a B-29 crew. This should have read a B-24 Liberator. The last the Anderson family heard from Bruce was somewhere in the New England states.

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Nov. 20, 1944

Headquarters 2D Bombardment Division, Office of the Commanding General—Subject: “Awards and Decorations.” The Air Medal is awarded to the following named officer. Citation: For meritorious achievement in accomplishing with distinction, several aerial operational missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe. The courage, coolness and skill displayed by this Officer in the face of determined opposition materially aided in the successful completion of these missions. His actions reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.

448th Bombardment Group (H)-Bruce J. Anderson, 0771263, 2d Lt. Terril, Iowa.

Bruce

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November 1, 1944

Letter From Bruce Anderson in England

Dear Grows,

First of all, I want to thank you for the Record, I look forward to it as much as to the chow around here, which isn’t bad at all.

I just returned to the barracks from a wild football game in one of the lots nearby. A couple of the airfields manage to get a game arranged every now and them, and they usually are bloody battles for the teams and spectators both. Saw a darn good fight till the M.P.s came along and broke it up.

England is a pretty hospitable country once you get used to it. London is the big noise over here and the most American-like city in the U.K. Quite a village.

For some reason I haven’t seen any of the boys from home over here. I know pretty well who to look for, but they must be busy when I go on a pass and visa verse. Maybe when I’m a veteran of overseas service like most of them are, I’ll have seen a lot of them. I’ve gotten a bad start, tho.

I enjoy your letters very much, Mrs. Grow, and I’m sure all the rest of the boys do too, so keep up the good work.

Hope this finds you all in good health and high spirits.

A happy warrior,

Bruce

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March 1, 1945

Bruce Anderson has been promoted to first lieutenant.

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March 22, 1945

Lt. Bruce Anderson cabled his folks Saturday, that he had completed his missions and would be home soon. A letter from Pvt. Donald Anderson the same cay informed his folks that he was shoving off so by the time his letter was received, he would be for out on the Pacific. Destination unknown.

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May 1, 1945

Lt. Bruce Anderson is at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., this week where he received an honorable discharge form the Army air corps. He will stop at Ames to complete plans to finish his college course. Mrs. Anderson came home the first of the week from California where they spent their honey-moon.

Elaine Buns and Lt. Bruce Anderson United in Marriage Sunday, May 13

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May 17, 1945

Elaine Buns and Lt. Bruce Anderson were united in marriage at a very quiet ceremony at the Immanuel Lutheran church Sunday at high noon by the pastor, Rev. W. Schultz.

The attendants were the bride’s sister, Lt. Edythe Buns of Fort Sheridan, Illinois and the groom’s brother, Paul Anderson.

The bride was beautiful in a blue gabardine suit with white accessories and wore a corsage of gardenias and stephanotis. The groom wore his dress uniform. The bride’s attendant wore her Army nurses dress uniform and Paul wore a brown suit.

Following the vows at the church, the bridal party and the very immediate families had wedding cake and coffee at the Buns home and the bridal couple left on a wedding trip for a few days, perhaps in Minneapolis.

Elaine is the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Buns. She is a graduate of the Terril high school, having taken all twelve years here, and took a course at the A.I.B. in Des Moines. She has worked in office of the Farmers Elevator for the past couple years. She’s a winsome lass and Bruce may be glad he won her.

Bruce is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Anderson and is also a graduate of Terril high. He was active in athletics, an all round nice boy whom we have all liked and admired. He enrolled as an engineering student at Iowa State College at Ames in June “42 and enlisted that fall in the Army Air Corps. He was called in February of 1943 and went first to Jefferson Barracks, Mo. He was at various camps in this country to receive his training and went over seas around Christmas time of last year. He has flown 35 missions over Germany as a pilot of a B-24 Liberator. He came home about three weeks ago. They will go to California where he will be reassigned.

May peace, prosperity and happiness attend them.

****

July 5, 1945

Bruce Anderson arrived home the latter part of the week after receiving his honorable discharge at Jefferson Barracks, Mo.

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Re:Charles Oscar Anderson

November 1, 1940

Charles O. Anderson enlisted Aug. 12 1942 at Camp Dodge in the Transportation Corp ASF and was sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. From there he was transferred to Wood Island Park, Boston, Mass. He was also at Camp Miles Standish. Oct. 7 he received a good conduct medal for one year’s service without demerit. He received drivers medal and good marksmanship medal. He was transferred in August of 1944 to camp Gordon Johnson, Florida. He was hospitalized April 2, 1944 for a fractured arm while on duty. He was transferred to Fort Benning, GA. August 1, 1945.

He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy H. Anderson and was born Feb. 11, 1919 at Rodman. He was married in Canton, Mass., April 9, 1943 to Mary Catherine Mueller.

He has one other brother, Harris in service and one brother, John, was killed in Germany last May, besides younger brothers and sister at home.

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Re: Donald Anderson

May 18, 1944 

Donald Anderson, who with his wife and family came from Green Bay, Wis., a couple weeks ago, will leave for his induction into the navy next Monday. He goes to Mason City from here as that is where he registered. His wife and two little boys will stay here for the summer in the Frank Anderson home.

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August 2, 1944

Donald Anderson, who has been in training in San Diego, California, had a short leave. He arrived in Mason City Saturday where his wife and little boys were. They all came over to his parents Sunday and Monday. Donald and his wife spent the day at the lakes while the home folks kept the little boys. They had to be back in Mason City so Don could leave Tuesday night at 10 for San Diego.

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August 2, 1944

Donald Anderson, who has been in training in San Diego, California, had a short leave. He arrived in Mason City Saturday where his wife and little boys were. They all came over to his parents Sunday and Monday. Donald and his wife spent the day at the lakes while the home folks kept the little boys. They had to be back in Mason City so Don could leave Tuesday night at 10 for San Diego.

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September 14, 1944

Letter from Donald Anderson

Dear Grows,

I feel that I owe you a letter of thanks for the Terril Record which I receive regularly each week and read from front to back and back again. I enjoy most of all the letters from the service boys. I wish you’d ask them to write a little oftener because I’m sure everyone of us boys who get the paper are interested to know what our old buddies and schoolmates are doing and how the war is affecting them. I enjoyed very much the letter from “Tee” Zenor about his experiences on Saipan. One thing that strikes me as significant is that nearly all the Terril boys have gone for in the service. It speaks well for our fair city and probably a lot of it can be traced back to our excellent little school.

There’s not much to tell about myself. I’ve been doing little more than expectant waiting for last month or more. They manage to find work for us, though, and to give us weekly inspections to see that we don’t get rusty. I’ve been stationed here in Camp Elliott just outside San Diego for about a month in the Supply Depot. Can’t say that I care so much for the life in the Marine Corps, but I imagine all the boys in service feel the same way.

Well, folks, that’s about all I have time for now, but be sure to work on the boys for a little more news of themselves for publication. It would give added interest to all of the servicemen who get the paper.

****

February 5, 1945

Pvt. And Mrs. Donald Anderson and children went to Mason City Saturday. Mrs. Anderson and children will remain there with her parents for a while. Pvt. Anderson left Monday to return to his camp in California.

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August 30, 1945

Donald Anderson, U.S. Marine Corp, is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Anderson.

He entered the service in May 1944 and received most of his training at Camp Elliot, San Diego, Cal. In Mar. 1945 he went overseas and is now stationed somewhere in the Pacific.

His wife and two sons are making their home in Mason City until he returns.

Donald has three brothers, Bruce, Paul and Frankie, all of Terril and one sister, Ruth, Mrs. Ervin Cook of Lake Park.

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October 4, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Anderson received word that their son, Donald, who has been stationed on Maui Island with the 4th Marine division, is on his way to Japan.

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March 14, 1946

Pvt. Donald Anderson called from Seattle, Washington last Monday to let his wife know he was back in the States. He will receive his discharge at Chicago.

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March 1946

Pfc. Donald Anderson and wife came home Tuesday. The children have been here since last week. Mrs. Donald Anderson met Donald in Chicago and they come here. He is discharged now from the Marines.

Yours sincerely,

Don

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Re: John Anderson

Pvt. John Anderson was born at Emmetsburg and was 19 years old last fall. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Anderson, living in the Twelve Mile Lake territory. He was one of ten children. There are two brothers in the service, both in this country. 

He was inducted in 1944 and was sent overseas in January 1945. He was in Patton’s third army and was transferred to the 355 infantry this spring.

May 31, 1945

John Anderson Died in Germany the 14th

Another notice of causality came to our community later in the day Tuesday when it was learned that John Anderson, son of Mrs. And Mrs. Roy Anderson, east of Terril, was reported dead in Germany May 14. He had written a letter to his mother on Mothers Day, May 13 and seemed all right. The telegram said he was dead May 14. It is probable that other word will come from the war department later, but that is not much to go on.

PVT John Anderson was born at Emmetsburg and was 19 years old last fall. He was inducted in 1944 and went overseas in January. He was with Patton’s third army and was transferred to the 355 infantry this spring.

There are four more boys in the family, Harris and Oscar in the service, but still in the states; two sisters married, Mrs. Duane Douty and Mrs. Bill Loftus, both of Estherville and three brothers and two sisters at home.

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Re: Paul J. Anderson

December 13, 1940

Paul J. Anderson is the third son of Mrs. And Mrs. Frank Anderson. He was born in Terril September 12, 1927. He was educated in the Terril school, graduating in May 1945.

Paul enlisted in the army reserve on August 1, 1945 and was called into service Oct. 1, 1945.

He has one sister, Mrs. Ervin Cook of Lake Park, and three brothers, Donald, Bruce and Frank Jr.

September 20, 1945

Paul Anderson, Army Enlisted Reserve, has been ordered to report for active duty at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, October 1.

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October 4, 1945

Paul Anderson left Saturday evening from Milford for Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he was to report for army service.

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March 14, 1946

Pvt. Paul Anderson came Saturday from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind. for a ten day furlough. He reports to Camp Beale, Cal. at the end of his furlough.

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Re:  Ned Austin

July 6, 1944

Cpl. Ned Austin is in the army hospital at Camp Gruber, Okla., with a 200 pound cast on his leg as the result of a broken leg. Cpl. Austin, who has been in the army three years and is an instructor in mechanics, was injured recently when struck by a truck. His leg was broken twice between the hip and knee and once below the knee. He is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Austin of southeast of Milford.

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Re: Ernest LeRoy Baedke

April 5, 1945

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy 

Pvt. Ernest Leroy Baedke son of Mrs. Anna Baedke was born near Terril, September 7, 1926. He graduated with the class of ’44.

He was inducted into the army January 25, 1945. He is at present receiving his basic training at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas.

He has three brothers, Lyle, Arnold and Harvey at home and one sister, Mrs. Leo Janssen, residing near Graettinger. His father, Fred Baedke passed away ten years ago.

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 Re: Lewis Bair    

January 18, 1945

Mrs. Herman Fairchild tells us that her sister, Mrs. Louis Baer (sic) got word Sunday that her husband was missing since the typhoon struck the boat in mid-Pacific Dec. 29. Two other Baer Brothers have been killed in action. Mrs. Louis Baer was Goldie Patten and she, with her three small children live in Sioux Rapids.

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Re: Wyatt Bassett

Posthumous Award of Purple Heart Sgt. Bassett

Ft. Dodge Messenger

The Purple Heart decoration has been awarded posthumously to Sgt. Wyatt Bassett of Estherville who gave his life in the Italian campaign about the middle of March.  Memorial services were conducted in Estherville Sunday in the Methodist church for Sgt. Bassett.

The award was received from Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson by the Bassett family Tuesday.

The family was assured that Sgt. Bassett was given a full military burial, and that  his grave is located in a beautiful cemetery, where the surroundings are maintained in keeping with the reverent respect and honor due our national heroes.

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Re: John Bielfeldt

November 12, 1942

Terril Boys with Flying Colors

PFC John Bielfeldt 

The soldier this week is PFC John Bielfeldt, Jr. son of Mrs. And Mrs. John Bielfedt, sr. who live about 6 miles south where he has helped on the farm until his induction February 20, 1942.

John was born near Hartley November 20, 1913. There are four sisters, Mrs. Alvin Pothast of Hamilton, Texas, Elsie who works in the Telephone office in Terril, Mrs. Clarence Beck of Fostoria and Mrs. Charles Quist of Dickens and one brother, Wilburt, helping on the farm.

Johnny attended school at Everly and since then has farmed. His first camp was Camp Bowie, Texas and he was also at Norfolk, V. The family have not heard from him since the middle of October and feel that he has been sent overseas. He was home on a furlough this summer.

****

June 29, 9142

John Bielfeldt Writes Grows

From Camp Bowie

Dear Mr. Grow,

Just a few lines to let you know that I received your paper last Friday. Believe me I was sure glad to get it. The home paper is always the best paper for the boys in camp. Local papers are the only papers we can get around here. They consist mostly of Texas news, and that doesn’t interest us in the least

We have a swell camp here. It’s quite large and we have a nice bunch of fellows and officers. The old men are mostly from Mississippi and Alabama.

We’re training quite hard now, getting us ready for the maneuvers, I guess. That time will soon be here.

I’m sure glad that I was transferred to the engineers. A person can really learn a lot here if he makes up his mind to do so.

Well, Mr. Grow news is pretty scarce around here, and I can’t think of any more so will quit for now.

Thanks a lot for the paper and best wishes and lots of luck to both you and Mrs. Grow.

Sincerely

Johnny Bielfeldt

****

August 12, 1945

John Bielfeldt came home Saturday an honorable discharged soldier. He was T5 and has been in the service over three and a half years. He was overseas 34 months. He has 102 points, 7 battle stars. He served in Africa, Cecily, Italy, France and other countries but when asked what place looked the best, he said, “none of them looked good to me”. It seems that the fields, and groves, rivers and lakes, pastures dotted with fine cattle, meadows, valleys, and rivers of Iowa have a hold on Iowa boys which no other country can uproot. And home is just home where you belong.

****

March 1, 1946

V-Mail from John Bielfeldt

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Grow,

Please use the above address when sending the paper. I have just received three copies of the Record tonight. The latest was the first edition of the New Year. It was slightly old but very full of news and very much appreciated. I am now in (censored). I have been is Germany once, but didn’t stay very long. Haven’t much more space, so will close. I am just fine.

Your friend Johnny

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Re: Archie Birt

March 27, 1944 

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Archie Birt

Pvt. Archie D. Birt, son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Birt, was born near Terril February 2, 1925.He graduated with the class of ’43.

After graduation, he helped George Sands in the D-X service station and before his induction, was employed at the John Deere plant at Waterloo.

He volunteered for the draft and was inducted Oct. 23,’44 and received his basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He has since received a medical discharge.

He has a brother, Lloyd, with the infantry, stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia and another brother, Bernard, working on the Alcan road. He has one sister Mrs. Mike Schmich, residing near Terril.

****

March 8, 1945

Pvt. Archie Birt came home last Wednesday from Fort McClellan, Ala. He has been given a medical discharge.

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Re: Lloyd W. Birt

December 10, 1942

Terril Boys Now with the Flying Colors

Pvt. Lloyd W. Birt, son of Mrs. And Mrs. D. Birt was born November 11, 1917 near Auburn, Iowa. He came to Terril in 1919 with his parents.

He graduated from the Terril high school with the class of 1936.

He has one sister, Mrs. Mike Schmich of Terril and two brothers, Bernard of Bagley, Minnesota and Archie at home.

Lloyd was inducted into the Army April 19, 1942. He was first stationed at Camp Roberts, California then he was moved to Fort Lawton, Washington and he is now overseas.

Before his induction into the Army he was a truck driver for Ralph Peters.

****

December 21, 1942

Lloyd Birt came last Friday from Ft. Benning, Georgia to stay until the day after Christmas.

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February 2, 1943

Mick Birt Writes From Alaska

February 2, 1943

Alaska

Hi Folks,

How are all of you folks back there in good old Terril these days. I hope the war hasn’t pinned you folks down too tight yet, and that you still have a little liberty yet.

I want to take this time to thank you folks for sending me the Terril Record. I’ve gotten two copies so far and I’ve still got them and run thru them about every day trying to find something maybe I’d overlooked before. I don’t know of anything that I’ve appreciated anymore than to get to see the old home paper again and to read about the other boys in service and where they are located. Also to my surprise, one of the papers I received has a picture of me on it. Well, I don’t know how the other boys feel, but I sure felt proud when I saw myself on the front page of the good old home paper. It surely goes to show us boys that the folks back home are still thinking of us and are all behind us.

I imagine you folks are going to be disappointed in my not being able to tell you much about where I am located. If I could I’d surely be glad to tell you all the news, but as it is we’ve got to be pretty careful about what we say, so I guess you’ll have to wait till this fireworks are over. All you’ve got to do is imagine about what Alaska is like and I’ll grant you (regardless how you are thinking) that you won’t miss it far. Some of the things I can tell you though are we have plenty of snow, bear, Caribou, fox and fish, but that’s all.

Well, this is about all that I can tell you for this time. I hope this argument will soon be settled and all of the old gang can get together again.

Thanking you again for sending me the paper and I wish you folks all the luck in the world.

Tell everyone “Hello” for me.

As ever,

Pvt. Lloyd W. Birt

****

December 8, 1945

Lloyd Birt came home Friday from Fort Benning, Georgia. He has been discharged.

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Henry Blum

July 17, 1943

Letter From Hank Blum

Camp Elliott

Dear Folks,

I think it’s about time I write to you all. I’ve been receiving the Record regularly. Sometimes it’s a bit late, but I say “better late than never!”.  I thought for awhile that I was going to get a furlough, but I guess it will have to wait a bit. I missed the letter by the Sunday school class last week in the services men’s section. I really enjoyed it and I’m sure all the other boys did.

I have noticed one thing in the Record lately that stood out like a sore thumb. It leads one to believe that the paper lacks support. I would like to let you know that at least one service man thinks his little old home town paper is tops as a morale builder as well as a source of a little local gossip. It may not appear important to you to read of a birthday party in the north end of town or of the Southside Circle meeting at Mrs. So-and-so’s but to us guys its sort of like being home for just a short minute and you don’t know how that feels or do you? I sincerely hope you do, for then the Record will never stop. Maybe I sound a bit selfish but that newspaper means a lot to me. I feel pretty proud to be able to let the gang read my home town newspaper. I know darn well that none of them know anyone in Terril but still the Record makes the rounds of the barracks after I get through reading it. By keeping the paper going you folks back home can rightly feel you’ve done something to aid the war effort, and I’ll bet my last two dollars (I say two dollars because that’s all I’ve got right now) that all the other Terril boys will back me up.

I hope everyone gets what I’m trying to put across here, because I’m sincere about every word of it. Perhaps I have been an editorial writer. No one need give me their opinion on that matter, however!

My address is going to change in the near future, so maybe you’d better hold my next Record until I send you my new address. I’d better quit now before I talk myself into something. Say “Hi” to all the folks.

Sincerely yours,

Hank

****

July 29, 1943

Terril Boys in the United States Army and Navy

PFC Henry Blum

Henry Blum, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Blum, was born October 3, in 1923 at Terril. He attended the local school and graduated with the class of ’41. He attended the State University at Iowa City for one and a half years where he was outstanding in football playing. He enlisted in the Marine Corp and was inducted December 10, 1942. He was in boot camp at the Marine base at San Diego, California for seven weeks. After this he took a course in radio and telephone signal corps. He is now at Camp Elliot, California. He is working in the decoding room and has been teaching map reading. He received at expert rating on the rifle range. He received a Private First Class rating when he graduated from telephone school. He has four sisters, Mrs. Duane Olson of Medical Lake, Washington, Marjorie, Coleen, and Patty J. all at home.

Henry Blum

****

Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Blum received a letter from their son, Cpl. Henry Blum Friday. This was the second letter from him since January 10. He was in Hawaii when the letter was written. He said that he had been in the Marshalls and was with the group that occupied the Eniwetok Atoll.

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October 5, 1944

CPL. Henry Blum writes from South Pacific

Dear Folks,

After a lapse of about three months I received two Records yesterday. They were really a godsend. It really takes one back home to read the old familiar names, and just what everyone is doing.

In this letter I want to say hello to all my friends in and around Terril and Spirit Lake. I hope the world is treating you good and I wish nothing but luck to you all. I especially want to say “Hi” to Delmar Fodness, my high school coach. I often lay in my “sack” thinking of the good old days four or five years ago. We were playing quite a bit of basketball in the Spirit Lake school then, and I got to know quite a few fellows around there.

It is quite warm here in the South Pacific, but it rains quite a bit, so that helps to cool us off. One thing that astonishes me continually is the ghastly number of stars that fill the sky down here. It seems that there are many more than there were at home. I have been away from home two years, one of them overseas, but the sights down here never stop to interest me.

One can’t say very much about his combat experiences. I’ve been in two major operations, Guam and Eniwetok. My particular job as a telephone wireman is to establish and maintain communications between specified units. My primary job doesn’t call for my hunting Japs, but when they come hunting you—well there is but thing a man can do. Nature gave me the instinct to protect myself and Marine Corps gave me the implements and trained me how. With that how can a man lose, yet some of us do lose and pay a big price—our lives. Through a letter one can’t portray what he would like to, so I suggest all of you see the picture “Marines at Tarawa.” Then you will know why they refer to the Marines as the “Fightingest Men in the World.”

From what I can gather from the papers and various letters, it has been a quite good year for the crops back there. I sincerely hope so. I suppose the fish are biting at the lakes, and the Park has gone strong this past summer. I’m sincerely hope so. I sure that if Dickinson county were to be wiped off the map, Iowa would have a mighty big hole in it. I hope to be back there some day, but until then I can just be—

Sincerely Yours,

Cpl. H. C. Blum USMC

****

November 2, 1944

Hank Blum Writes From South Pacific

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Grow and Nona,

No, I haven’t forgotten you folks at home; I’ve just been pretty busy of late. The Record is catching up with me again, and a very welcome catch., I might add. Some of them I get are pretty old, but none-the-less welcome. Yesterday I got the May 17th issue. It told all about the school closing last spring and it had the pictures of Fred, Pete, and the faculty on the back page. Late, yes but it certainly brought back fond memories.

I read “Tee” Zenors letter that he wrote on Siapan. I was on Guam, so we were pretty close. “So close but yet so far away”. It would have been nice if we could have gotten together.

I received a nice picture, from the Commercial club, of the Honor Roll Board. It certainly is a nice one. I was sorry to read of Buddy Cruse, and I extend my most sincere regrets, but that is one thing we all have to look forward to and hope and pray that it will pass us by. In the near future I expect to be up in Pat’s neighborhood. It would really be an occasion of we could meet out here. Have you heard from him lately? I’m sure he’s O.K. and my bet is you won’t have to wait long for him.

I suppose school and corn-picking are both in full swing. Those two usually go together at this time of year. One generation going to school and another picking corn. The generation in between is sort of preoccupied right now, but we’ll be back.

I want to say hello to all the folks back home. I’ll write more later, but for now I must say “so long”.

One of the boys,

Hank

****

September 2, 1945

Yokasuka, Japan

Letter from Hank Blum who is now in Japan

My Dear Mom, Dad, and Kids:

It is your long unheard of son letting you know that all is well. As you can tell by the heading, I’m in Japan. We are located at navel base about 20 miles southeast of Tokyo. We are living in a nice barracks with electric lights and running water. What I’ve seen of the Jap people, they seem to be rather indifferent to our coming. However, they are not very friendly. They are still Japs and we are Americans. The country is very green around here. The mountains are beautiful. Mt. Fujiyama (12395 ft.) was very impressive. The first night we spent aboard the ship out in the harbor and we were sitting so that the sun set right behind Fujiyama. It was a very beautiful picture. The civilians live in a pretty dilapidated state of affairs. Their homes are very flimsy and dingy in appearance.

Did you receive the message I sent to the paper? I sent it to the radio station at Spencer, too. I still have hopes of being home for Christmas. Tell every one “Hi” for me. Did I tell you I saw Irwin Bridson? He looked very good a bit fatter that I remembered him but otherwise the same old boy. This is all I’ll write for now. We haven’t received any mail yet, but I am expecting some any day.

Write soon.

Love, Hank

(Sgt. H.C. Blum)

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Leland Blum

Leland Blum left Spencer last Monday for Des Moines where he expected to be sent on to the Great Lakes naval Training Station as he enlisted in the Naval Reserve several weeks ago. He went with a group of 21 from various towns in northwest Iowa and wrote from Des Moines that six out of the group failed to pass the physical exam, so they were trying to enlist in the marines. Latest word received by Leland’s parents gave his address as Great Lakes Training Station, Co. 269 R. West, Camp Barry, Ill.

****

May 24, 1942

Leland Blum Leaves States

Dear Grows;

I just received the April 2 edition of the Terril Record and it sure seemed good to read the news from home, even if it was over a month ago. Thanks for sending it so regular. Pat’s letter was in the paper. I’m glad to hear he is alright. It doesn’t seem like a year ago that we were going to Spirit Lake twice a week to play ball. I miss that about as much as anything.

We left Frisco April 12 and the day we crossed the equator I had a real initiation, so now I am a shellback. This is the name given all sailors after crossing the equator. I can’t say where I’m at, but I’m well and that’s the main thing. Give my regards to all the Terril folks.

Sincerely,

Leland Blum

****

July 16 1942

This is the next of our boys whose picture and a little history we are printing. He is the fourth child of Adolph and Eve Blum and has lived here all his life. There is one brother Clifford, living in California, four sisters, Carol Olson with her husband and family living in California, four sisters, Carol Olson with her husband and family living at Brownsdale, Minn., Winona Young, husband and family living at Estherville, Bonnie, working in California and Gerry at home. Leland is a fine likable boy who makes friends easily and stands by these friends. He was interested in athletics when in school and in the soft ball team after he finished school in 1936.

He worked on the REA wiring until his enlistment in the Naval Reserve December 29, 1941. He has taken his training at Great Lakes, Ill., Quonsett Point, R.I. coming back to Litchfield, Ill., then to Norfolk, Va. From there he was sent to San Fransisco, leaving there via ship for foreign parts. He is one of the Sea Bees construction crew of 300 men.

Blums received word from Leland (Pop) Tuesday. He has been down in the Southwest Pacific somewhere for fourteen months. He has gone up in rank and is now a second class Petty Officer. He said they have good food and they are all enjoying the oranges, tangerines and other fresh fruits. This was the first letter they had received from Leland for two and a half months.

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June 28, 1943

Letter from Leland Blum

Southwest Pacific

Dear Grows,

The Records are still coming through, so I guess I can take time off to let you know how much I appreciate them. Between the letters from home and the Records I keep well posted on the news. It must keep you busy sending papers to all the service men when they change addresses each month. That’s something we can’t control. I’ll be glad when my address will be Terril, Iowa again, but it’s a cinch it won’t be until the war is over.

Our living conditions have improved a lot since I last wrote you. We have shorter working hours (eight a day)

Movies every night, a new recreation club, and better chow. Artie Shaw and his orchestra are living here in camp now and were to play for us last night but were rained out. I guess they will play as soon as the weather is better. Joe E. Brown was also here a while back and put on a good show. In our spare time the Yanks and Rebels try to settle the civil war. It’s about a 50-50 battle. There are a lot of Iowans here so I feel quite at home.

Well this is about my limit so will say so-long for now. Give my regards to all the Terril folks and thanks again for the Records.

Sincerely,

Leland Blum

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April 28, 1944

Letter from Leland Blum

Camp Parks California

Dear Grows,

I’ve just finished reading some of the Records that came in my mail today, and decided this was a good time to write you. They dated back to January and February and were either held over here or were sent back from overseas, but still enjoyed reading them.

Is seems good to be in the states again, and it was better yet to get home for a while. Terril looked mighty good to me, but in those 30 days I didn’t seen to have time to see much of it. Those were the shortest 30 days I’ve ever spent.

This is a new recuperation camp, about 35 miles from Frisco, so I’m working three or four hours a day so you can guess it isn’t so bad.

I hope everything is going alright in the Record office. You seemed plenty busy when I saw you last and I know you’re not having an easy time of it. The fellows away from home are really glad to get the records, so please keep them coming.

Here’s wishing you lots of luck.

Sincerely,

Leland Blum

****

July 6, 1944

When Adolph Blum looked up late Saturday afternoon from his field work, he wondered who was walking down the field to meet him. Who do you suppose? Leland! He took a plane from California and in eight hours was in Omaha. He got a plane out of Omaha to Sioux City and from there got home that same evening via train. Incidentally, he just missed seeing his sister, Bonnie Blum Thomsen at Berkeley by a few hours, as she didn’t get back there from here until the following morning. That’s just a part of the story. Mrs. Blum had left that morning for Mora, Minn. To visit their son Clifford and family and two brothers and families who live in that vicinity, and to stop at Bownsdale to visit their daughter, Carol Olson and husband and children. So Sunday, Orel Young of Estherville, who is taking flying lessons now and Leland cooked it up not to wait for mother to come home but to fly up after her. That’s pretty much all the story. We hope you get it. Leland Blum of the Seabees is home and all the little family story is written in here. When he goes back to his base he will go overseas again.

****

August 31, 1944

We have received word that Leland Blum, one of the Terril boys, has been sent overseas, and writes that he is in Hawaii at this time. He is the only one of the original 1st Construction Battalion Seabee who is in the 50th Btn. now on Hawaii. He has been in the recuperation camp at Camp Parks, California since returning from overseas in March, and when sent to Hawaii he looked up his brother-in-law, Lieut. W. G. Thomsen, and they have been together several times. Lieut. Thomsen, who has been in several combats, including the battles of the Aleutians at Attu and Kiska, and in the invasion on the Marshall Islands, is in the infantry division and has been in Hawaii for some time.

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August of 1944

Leland Blum, U.S. Navy, came Monday from San Francisco, California to visit at the parental, A.H. Blum home. Leland has not been home since February of 1942 and has been overseas most of the last two years. He has a 30 day leave.

****

The Adolph Blums didn’t sleep much after 2 Wednesday morning when they received a telephone call from San Francisco, Calif. from their son, Leland, who is a Seabee and had just landed that afternoon. He will be home soon, just how soon depends on reservations, but he has been overseas 23 months so it can’t be too soon.

****

Leland Blum, U.S. Navy, came Monday from San Francisco, California to visit at the parental, A.H. Blum home. Leland has not been home since February of 1942 and has been overseas most of the last two years. He has a 30 day leave.

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March 15, 1945

Blum First To Win Good Conduct Medal

(Taken from Gooney Tales, Sunday issue, Feb.18, 1945)

Francis Leland Blum FM2 of B Co. became the first member of the 50th battalion authorized to wear the good conduct ribbon by having completed three years active duty in the U.S. Naval Reserve with a conduct work of 4.0 and an average work of 3.8 in proficiency in rating.

In order to qualify for a good conduct medal, it is necessary to have completed three years continuous active service with an average of 3.5 in proficiency in rating.  One of the largest technical schools in the world, it graduates several times more students each year than the largest civilian universities.

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Richard Blum

October 4, 1942 

Dick Blum was home for Brookings, S.D. over the weekend. Mr. and Mrs. Minor Blum took him back Sunday. This was meant for last week and was missed. Sorry.

Pvt. Dick Blum came home from Brookings, S.D. Saturday night for a two weeks furlough. Monday, he and his folks, the Minor Blums, were business callers in Estherville.

****

December 20, 1942

Richard Blum, son of Mr. and Mrs. Minor Blum, was born Dec. 12, 1927 near Terril. He graduated from the Terril high school with the class of 1945. He left for his Army training Aug.5 and is now stationed at Brookings, S.D.

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Re: Clarence Blunt

June 4,1945 

Clarence A. Blunt, 17 has been sent to Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., for training in the U.S. maritime service. He will be given six weeks of training there to include all phases of work at sea, after which he may enter deck or engine training for an additional three weeks’ course.

October 11, 1945

Clarence Blunt graduated from Terril high school with the class of 1945 and joined the Merchant Marines the last week of May. He left for Sheepshead Bay, New York June 4, where he had five weeks basic training. He took a short cruise out from Boston and then returned home for a weeks leave before reporting to the base at San Francisco on July 21. From here he shipped out on the S.S. Tacoma and has made two trips to the Hawaiian Islands. His rating is now Stewart’s mate, second class.

Clarence was born in Dickinson county September 8, 1927. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Blunt. He has one brother, Rev. Gordon Blunt, 22, who is taking graduate work at Drake university in Des Moines, on his master’s degree. There are two sisters, Alice, 20 who is a sophomore at Drake university and Margaret, 15 who is student at Roosevelt high Des Moines.

****

7, 1945

Clarence Blunt left Monday to go to Minneapolis for further orders as to where he goes for his training in the Merchant Marines

July 1945

Clarence Blunt, U.S. Merchant Marine, came home last Wednesday from Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., for a short furlough.

Clarence Blunt wrote the following for speech class.

A Bid For Freedom

Father time looked down from his ancient throne
When the embers of war were stirred
To sell man freedom at costs unknown
In dollar and deed and word
A rich and a poor man stood there that day
To compete for the prize Time chose
For all the men who would live its way
Were seemingly one of those
Poverty opened his month, wealth spoke instead
(He had lived for money and show)
“I’ll raise the price for the rest” he said
“As far as my dollars will go”
“No, no!” said the poor and the auctioneer,
“Your money will help; it true,
But wealth and greed have brought us here
The cure won’t come from you”
“Well” said boy rich man with his dollars to spare
“Raise the price if you can.”
“I will” said poverty, “by working there
For the good of my countryman”
Then the auctioneer smiled a knowing smile
At a boy passing that way
And he asked if he had treasures worth while
That he was willing to pay.
The youth laughed loudly and said he did,
With a careless nod of his head,
“If you’ll promise to pay at the highest bid,
I’ll give my life,” he said
“Freedom is sold!” said the auctioneer
“But pray tell me my lad,
What will you do, now death is near,
With the freedom you might have had
Being too young to know and too old to regret
He said, “For the sacrifice I’ve made,
Freedom is Their’s lest They forget
The price that I have paid.

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Re: Raymond Boughey

Cpl. Raymond  Boughey Assigned to Class at Fort Know, KY

Upon orders of Maj. Gen. Charles L. Scott, chief of the Armored Command, a new class of soldier students had reported at the Armored School today to take a special course in the Wheeled Vehicle Department.

New students include Corporal Raymond D. Boughey, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Boughey of Milford.

The Armored School, of which Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Holly is commandant, trains the thousands of officers and enlisted technicians who perform the specialist tasks in the Army’s mobile, powerful armored division.  One of the largest technical schools in the world, it graduates several times more students each year than the largest civilian universities.

The Wheeled Vehicle Department trains the student mechanics in the intricacies of keeping peeps and jeeps, trucks and scout cars rolling in combat.

Raymond Boughey Completes Armored School

Upon completion of an intensive 12 weeks course in the maintenance and repair of the peeps and jeeps, scout cars and trucks that give the hard hitting armored divisions their speed of movement, a class of qualified automotive mechanics had been graduated today from the Armored School at Fort Knox, KY.

Among the graduates was Corp. Raymond D. Boughey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Addison H. Boughey of Milford.

Practical repair and maintenance work was performed on vehicles in the field, working in wind, rain and other difficulties to give the students practice under battle conditions.  Expert army and civilian instructors supervised work in shop and field.

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Re: Fred M. Brallier

June 18, 1942

Maxwell Ala., June 11­­– Taking the initial step toward winning his wings as a pilot and a second lieutenant’s commission. Merle F. Brallier, of Mr. and Mrs. David M. Brallier, of Terril Iowa, is now enrolled as an aviation cadet in the Army Air Forces Pre Flight school “pilot” at Maxwell Field, Alabama, where he will undergo expert military, physical and academic training calculated to fit him for the job of learning to fly our fighter planes.

Cadet Brallier was a student at Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, Ia., in 1939-40. He had served a year in the Regular Army before he was accepted as a cadet in the Army Air Forces on April 9, 1942 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. His father served in the last World War.

Upon competition of his course at Maxwell field this Cadet will be sent to one of the primary flying schools in the southeast for the first phase of his pilot training.

November 26, 1942

Fred M. Brallier

Merle Fred Brallier son of Mr. and Mrs. D.M. Brallier is the man in service we are picturing this week.

He was born at New Providence, Ia. December 18, 1918. He started school at Greenville, and graduated from the Lake Center high school. He attended one year college at the Buena Vista College at Storm Lake.

He entered the Army Air Corps in April 1941. He took his pre-flight training at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala., primary training at Decatur, Ala. And is now taking his basic training at Walnut Ridge, Ark. He will start his advance training next month.

He has one brother, Keith attending Iowa State College at Ames, three sisters, Mrs. Vern Miller of Bremerton, Wash. Lowene working at Spencer, and Noreen of Terril.

November 8, 1944

Lt. Fred Brallier has been transferred from Monroe, La., to Liberal, Kansas.

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_

Re: Ronald Keith Brallier

January 27, 1944

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy 

Ronald Keith Brallier, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.M. Brallier, graduated from the Lake Center high school in 1942.

In June of 1943 he successfully qualified for training as an aviation cadet. He was inducted August 18th and called to duty September 10, 1942.

He received six weeks training at Keesler Field, Biloxi, Miss., then went to Elon college, Elon, North Carolina.

He finished his college course in March and then be classified.

While at Lake Center high he played on both basketball and baseball teams.

November 8, 1944

Pvt. Keith Brallier of South Falls, South Dakota spent the weekend at the parental, D.M. Brallier home.

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Re: Irwin Bridson

March 18, 1943

Farragut, Idaho, March 8 – A new representative of the Terril, Iowa community has joined the forces of the U.S. Navy, reporting here at the U.S. Naval Training Station this week. He is Irwin Emmett Bridson, Terril, Iowa, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Bridson of Terril, Iowa.

During the period of his recruit training, he will learn the fundamentals of seamanship and undergo physical hardening in the intensive program. On graduation, he will either be sent to a Navy Service School for additional training in a specialized field or ordered to join the combat forces of the U.S. fleet in action against the axis enemies.

****

May 20, 1943

Boys in the United States Army and Navy

Irwin Bridson is the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Bridson. He was born at Jackson, Minnesota April 1, 1924.

He worked at the Halquist grocery store during his four years in high school and graduated in May, 1942. He worked on the farm during the summer months and attended the Minnesota Aircraft school in Minneapolis in the fall of 1942.

He was inducted into the Navy in February, 1943, going to Camp Farragut, Idaho and just recently has entered Radar School in San Diego, California.

Irwin has one sister, Bernice and two brothers, Keith and Wesley at home.

****

May 30, 1943

Irwin Bridson writes From San Diego, Cal.

Dear Grows,

I guess it’s about time I’m writing you folks a letter. I don’t have time to write all the letters I’d like to. They keep us pretty busy studying out here. I’m studying to be a Radar operator. I don’t suppose most folks have even heard of Radar. The reason is its not a very old invention. It’s a government secret as yet so we aren’t allowed to tell anything about it. It’s only a two and a half weeks school and I’ve already been here for two weeks so I suppose I’ll be getting into the thick of things before long.

I’ve been getting the Record regularly. I guess you folks already know how much us fellows that are away from home appreciate it. It really makes a guy feel good to about what the folks back home are doing. I know I read it more thoroughly than I ever did when I was home.

Things sure are different out here along the coast than they are in the middlewest. About three fourths of the people you see on the streets are service men. Its almost a novelty to see a civilian.

I’m writing in the U.S.O. here in San Diego. It’s a pretty nice place. I think the U.S.O. does a lot for the fellow’s morale. Right now there is a big group around a piano singing. I guess I don’t have much more to write so I’ll sign off. I hope this letter finds everyone in Terril okay. So-Long and thanks a lot for sending the paper.

As Ever,

Irwin

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June 8, 1943

The Emmet Bridson Family was thrilled Sunday when Irwin Bridson called up from San Diego, Calif., and talked a few minutes.

****

January 25, 1945

The Emmett Bridsons got a telephone call from Irwin at San Francisco Wednesday afternoon. He has been overseas 18 months but is in a hospital in San Francisco for an appendectomy. This was the 4th day following the operation and he was getting along nicely. He is RDM 8-c. He is supposed to get to come home following his recovery.

****

Feb. 25, 1945

Rdm. 3-c Irwin Bridson surprised his folks Saturday by calling up from somewhere close by and asking them to come and get him. He has been overseas 18 months and came back to the states a couple weeks ago for an appendectomy. They knew he was coming home but not quite so soon. He’s looking fine and seems to be terribly busy. He has a 35 day leave.

****

July 1945

Hank Blum and Irwin Bridson got together on Guam recently. It seems to me they used to be on the kitten ball team in Terril about 4 years ago.

****

November 1945

Irwin Bridson came home from the west coast Sunday morning. Irwin has just returned from the South Pacific and has been discharged.

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Re: Bert Brock

June 10, 1943

Terril Boys in the United States Army and Navy 

The picture the Record is publishing this week is of Pvt. Bert Brock who was known better here as a small boy when his folks lived in Terril.

He is the son of Mrs. Herman Fairchild of Estherville and was born in Sioux Rapids, Jan. 9, 1922.

He as one sister, Ruth, who is now employed in Washington D.C. and a half sister, Lucille, who is at home.

He was inducted into the army Dec. 26, 1942 and was stationed at Little Rock, Ark., for awhile and is now at Comp Blanding, Florida

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Re: Edythe I. Buns

April 19 1944

Terril Girl Now an Army Nurse in Service

Edythe Buns is the middle daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Buns and came to Terril 16 ½ years ago from Woden. She received her elementary schooling here and after graduating took two years at the I.S.T.C., Cedar Falls. She entered the nurse’s school at Walther Memorial Hospital, Chicago Feb. 28, 1940 and graduated Feb. 28, 1944. She was supervisor of this hospital until entering the army, Nov. 28, 1944 at Camp McCoy, Wis. She has been at Station Hospital at Fort Sheridan, Illinois since Dec. 28, 1944.

Edythe was 22 March 24. Everyone here knows and likes Edythe and admires her for her conscientious work in school and in her nursing career. She has two sisters, Evalyn Mathern at Gaza and Elaine Buns, who is bookkeeper at the Farmers Elevator.

November 30, 1944

Appointment of Edythe I. Buns to the Army Nurse Corps, Army of the United States, with the rank of second lieutenant, was announced today at headquarters of the Sixth Service Command in Chicago.

Miss Edythe I. Buns of 3040 W. North Ave Chicago, Illinois was graduated from Walther Memorial Hospital of Chicago and has practiced nursing at Walther Memorial Hospital. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Buns, live at Terril, Iowa. She has been assigned to Camp McCoy, Sparta, Wisconsin effective November 30, 1944.

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July 1945

Lt. Edythe Buns left Tuesday evening for Ft. Sheridan, Ill. She will leave there Thursday for Ft. Lewis, Washington.

****

August 9, 1945

Lt. Edythe Buns came last week from Ft. Sheridan, Ill., for a 15 day furlough after which she will be sent overseas.

****

December 13, 1945

Lt. Edythe Buns

Married to Joseph Walsh

S- Sgt and Mrs. Joseph Walsh came Wednesday from Seattle, Wash. Mrs. Walsh was, until last May, Lt. Edythe Buns, ANC. She has been in a hospital at Ft. Lewis, Wash. Edythe is the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Buns and has come up in Terril and been just one of our girls. He took her nurse’s training in a Lutheran hospital in Chicago. A year or more ago she joined the nurse corps of the Army. She was married last May 5 at Ft. Sheridan, Ill., to S-Sgt. Walsh who was at Pearl Harbor 4 years ago the 7th of this month, having enlisted but a short time before.

They will be here until about the first of February.

We might say that Edythe has always been one of the Terril’s real girls and from the short acquaintance we made with her husband we feel he’s a pretty fine boy, too.

We wish them all the happiness possible in this messed-up world.

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Re: Clarion L. Christiansen

From the Fort Dodge Messenger

Graettinger, Nov. 23 

Clarion L. Christiansen, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Christiansen of Graettinger, was killed in action overseas.  This brief information was given in a telegram received Sunday from the war department.

Clarion was a member of the U.S. marines.  He entered the service last February and received his training at San Diego.  In the latter part of June he left for overseas service and was with the marine force that took Tulagi harbor on Florida Island.  It has been two months since his parents heard from him.  He then wrote and interesting letter and spoke of the capture of the harbor city.  It is presumed he was later transferred to Guadalcanal.

He is the first Graettinger service man killed in the present war.

The marine is survived by his parents and by five brothers and four sisters.

The deceased is a brother of Melvin Christiansen and Mrs. Harry Probst of Terril.

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Re: Robert J. Christenson

February 3, 1944

Reporting Missing 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Christensen received a telegram last week, Thursday, that the training plane in which their son, Robert, was a gunner, was missing. The Field from which he was training is Windover, Utah. While the family have had telegrams from the government daily since then, there has been no report of the fate of the plane.

Robert was the first boy in Dickinson County to volunteer for the years training in Selective Service. This was three years ago last fall. He is a gunner in the Air Corps. The other bother, Peter, is in the Navy. There are two sisters, one living in Kansas City, and one in Clinton, Missouri.

February 17, 1944

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Missing Flier

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Christenson received a telegram about three weeks ago informing them that the training plane in which their son, Robert was a gunner, was missing. S-Sgt. Christenson has been in training at Wendover Field, Utah. The plane of which Sgt. Christenson was a member of the crew disappeared while on a routine flight. While the family have had several telegrams from the government since the disappearance of the plane, there has been no report of the fate of the plane.

Sgt. Christenson, who was expecting to be transferred to active duty after completing seven more hours in the air, was the first boy in Dickinson county to volunteer for the year’s training in selective service. This was three years ago last fall.

Bob has a brother, Peter, in the Navy, and two sisters, Audrey of Kansas City and Helen of Clinton, Missouri.

****

Body Of Robert Christensen Found

The body of Staff Sergeant Robert J. Christensen 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Christensen, who live between here and Superior, was found Friday evening in the mountains northwest of Wendover Field, Utah. Five other bomber crew members were killed in the crash, Jan. 27.

Robert was born in Clay County, but his family moved to Dickinson county when he was 20 months old. He was valedictorian of the 1935 Superior High School graduating class. Entering the service in November, 1940, he was in the medical corps until September, 1942. Surviving are his parents, two sisters, and a brother, Peter, now on convoy duty in the Atlantic.

Military services will follow arrival of his body.

******

Five Reported Missing in Past 10 Days

Special to The Messenger

SPIRIT LAKE, March 24

Dickinson county homes have been hard hit by the war news and government official telegrams within the last 10 days. More bad news had been received than throughout the war period previously.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Christensen of near Superior have been notified that the body of their son, S/Sgt. Robert J. Christensen, has been found near Wendover field, Utah, with others in a plane that took off on a practice flight Jan. 27 and disappeared from sight.  The plane was the object of constant search in Utah and was found buried in the snow.  None of the crew members survived the crash that wrecked the plane.  Christensen’s body is to be buried with military honors.

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Re: John Clark

September 1945

John Clark, son of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Clark, joined the U. S. Maritime Service in June 1945 and was given his training at Sheepshead Bay, New York. In August he was sent to the Panama Canal Zone, where he was sent out on a Steam Turbine Tanker owned by a Texas oil company.

John graduated from the local high school in May of this year. He has one sister, Dorthie, who in Cedar Rapids.

****

June 1945

John Irvin Clark, 17, Terril, Iowa, joined the United States Maritime Service Saturday at the regional enrolling office in Room 110, Federal Court House, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

John will be assigned to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, N.Y., the largest merchant marine training station in the world. After completing training he will become a seaman in the U.S. Merchant Marine.

Volunteers from 17 to 50 ½ are needed now for enrollment in the maritime service. Men of draft age may sign up as long as they have not received notices to report for induction. All volunteers must obtain referral cards from the U.S. Employment Service.

John is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin J. Clark or Terril. He is a Graduate of Lloyd Township Consolidated high school and was active in basketball and baseball while in school.

****

June 28, 1945

Sheepshead Bay, N.Y. – Now in training at the U.S. Maritime Service Training Station, Sheepshead Bay, N.Y. is John I. Clark, 18 of Terril. Before enrolling he was a student.

Apprentice Seaman Clark will receive six weeks of basic training, including lifeboat work, fire fighting, breeches buoy, mess, sea rules and traditions, swimming, ship construction and equipment, gunnery and physical training.

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Re: Maurice Clark

May 11, 1944 

Maurice Clark, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Clark was born at Fostoria October 27, 1921. He went through Terril school, graduating with the class of 1939. He entered the army July 1, 1943 in the signal corps and is now stationed at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

January 11, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. William Donald Avery of 328 Leicester Ave., Duluth, Minn., announce the marriage of their daughter, Dorothy Huntington Avery to Lt. Maurice Randolph Clark of Boston, Mass., son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence O. Clark of Terril.

The wedding took place Friday evening, December 22, at Memorial Chapel on the Harvard University campus. Dr. Matthews, a friend of the brides parents, performed the ceremony.

A beautiful candle light single ring ceremony was used. The couple was attended by Lt. and Mrs. Christian Davidson III of Chicago, Ill., friends of the groom.

The Bride wore a lovely royal blue crepe afternoon dress and a corsage of gardenias. Mrs. Davidson wore a powder blue crepe afternoon dress.

After the ceremony, the wedding and a corsage of pink carnations, party was served dinner at the Hotel Gardner.

Both the bride and groom are graduates of Iowa State college.

The bride graduated from the Home of Economics course at Iowa State in June 1944. Since then she has been employed by the Quaker Co. of Chicago as research analyst.

The groom graduated from the Terril High School with the class of 1939. He took a course in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State College and graduated in 1943. He immediately enlisted in the Signal Corps and took his officers training at Ft. Monmouth, N.J. After completing his training there he has been given additional training at Harvard University and Mass. Institute of Technology.

The young couple have an apartment and will reside in Boston until the groom completes his training.

****

February 8, 1945

Lt. and Mrs. Maurice Clark arrived Monday from Boston for a short visit in the C.O. Clark home. Maurice will report at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey the first of the next week.

****

August 9, 1945

Lt. and Mrs. Maurice Clark from Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey came Monday of last week for a visit with relatives. Saturday they went to Duluth, Minn., to visit Mrs. Clark’s folks. They returned here Wednesday and will vist here until some time next week.

****

August 29, 1946

Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Clark got home the last of the week. Maurice has been in Japan for some time. Mrs. Clark met him at Ames and they are visiting at the C.O. Clark home.

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Re: Merril C. Clark

July 15, 1943

Aviation Cadet, Merril C. Clark, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Clark of Dickens, Iowa has been graduated from the advanced Navigation School at Selman Field, Monroe, Ia. He now wears the wings of an aerial navigator.

Lieutenant Clark attended Lake Center High School and the State University of Iowa.

Before entering the service he was employed by his father at home.

October 5, 1944

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Merrill Clark, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vern Clark, living near Lake Center, was born July 16, 1921 at Spencer. He graduated at Lake Center in 1940. He was inducted in the air corps in April 1942. He received his commission as Navigator in July 1943 and is Ferry Commander. He has made five trips overseas, one to India, one to Africa and three to the United Kingdom. He has one brother, Russell. Merrill was married to Marian Stanton of Spencer September 9, 1943. He is located at Nashville, Tenn., and at present has charge of all the planes in transit from that base.

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Re: Charles B. Claypool

October 12, 1944

Major Charles B. Claypool has been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action at Humboldt Bay, Dutch New Guinea, on April 23. Major Claypool is with an army amphibious engineer’s unit in the Pacific.

He was formerly a coach in the Terril School.

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Re: Bob Cook

Boy in Service Writes Grows

Sept. 26, 194?

Dear Grows;

Thanks a lot for sending the Terril Record.  It seems to keep we boys from Terril close together. It helps a lot to know what is going on at home also where the other fellows are.

I am 100 miles off the New York City coast, just east of New London Conn. on a small island called Fort Terry.  We man the big guns of the coast artillery.  This island along with other two others, Michy and Fort Right guard the Harbor of Long Island Sound.  The island we are on is very small, six miles long, 3/4 mile wide.  There are many activities on the Island one can take part in.  We also have lots of work here which fills many of our hours each day.

I sure had a swell trip out here.  I went right by Yankee Stadium, also had a good vision of West Point.  That surely is a beautiful place.  I stopped in New York for four hours right down town.  Not many cars on the streets and a taxi is impossible to get.  There surely is a shortage of cars here.

Must close for now, the lights go out soon so will have to hurry to bed.

Tell everyone in Terril, Hello.

Always,

Bob Cook

P.S. Fishing is very good here.  Haven’t been out as yet but will go out tomorrow.  Some of the boys went out last Sunday and had very good luck.

****

Service Salutes

Robert Cook, who is stationed at Fort Michie, N.Y., spent part of his furlough last week with his brother, Roy and wife and his sister, Mrs. Howard Hildreth and family.  He went from here back to Jackson, Minn., where his mother, Mrs. Carrie Cook and sister, Mrs. Glen Chapman live.

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Re: Eva Cook

Eva Cook Joins WAACs 

Eva D. Cook of Seattle, Washington, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cook came home last Thursday to spend a short time visiting at home before reporting for duty with the WAACs at Ft. Des Moines. Miss Cook has been an active member with the Red Cross Motor Corps at Galesburg, Illinois for the past year.  She has been employed since early summer at Boeing Aircraft Co. in Seattle.

****

  January 7th, 1943

Eva Cook, WAAC of Des Moines visited at the parental, Julius Cook, home last week.

Aux. Eva Cook. Graduates From Bakers-Cooks School

****

March 18th

Fort Des Moines, Iowa – Auxiliary Eva D. Cook of Terril, Iowa has completed training in the Bakers and Cooks School of the First Women’s Army Auxiliary Training Center here.

Auxiliaries attending Specialists schools are enrolled either in the Bakers and Cooks School, the Motor Transport School or the Administrative Specialist School.

In Bakers and Cooks School, Auxiliaries learn how to buy and prepare food, cut meat, and plan menus the Army way. Administrative Specialist School equips Auxiliaries with knowledge of military office routine necessary to carry on maintenance of Army records. WAACs attending Motor Transport School learn inspection maintenance and operation of Army trucks and motor vehicles.

Graduates of any of these specialized courses are ready for assignments to serve with the Army in noncombatant service.

****

November 18, 1943

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Eva D. Cook youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cook, was born September 25th, 1910. Eva has two sisters, Mrs. Lloyd Griffin of Spirit Lake and Mrs. L.R. Pratt of Galesburg, Illinois. Also four brothers, Lu Vern of Terril, Irvin of Lake Mark, Alvin of Halbur and T Sgt. Leonard Cook, with U.S. Army Air Force, stationed in England.

Eva attended the Terril school and Business College at Mason City. She was employed with the Montgomery Ward Co. at Galesburg, Ill., and an active member of the Red Cross Motor Corps. While employed with the Boeing Aircraft Co. at Seattle, Wash., she enlisted in the W.A.A.C. September 15, 1942. Reported for duty Nov. 30, 1942 at Ft. Des Moines, where she received her basic training, Motor Corps and Cooks and Bakers Specialist training. March 8th she was sent with the 82nd W.A.A.C. Mess Co. to Ft. Ogelthrope, Georgia, where she received experience as First Cook and later attended Mess Sgt. School. She graduated as Mess Sgt. May 23rd , 1943.

June 3rd Aux. Cook was sent with cadets of twelve Auxiliaries to the Army Air Field at San Bernardino, California. June 22nd she received her permit for driving Army vehicles up to 1 ½ ton trucks. June 26th she received Sgt. Rating. She was selected with a group of twelve soldiers and attended a six day special course in the preparation of dehydrated foods conducted at Camp Hann.

Stg. Cook re-enlisted along with a contingent of WACs of the 796th WAC Post Headquarters C. and was sworn into the regular army of the United States, August 23, 1943.

April 1944

Sgt. Eva Don Cook stationed with the 4126th AAR Base Unit at the San Bernardino Army Field received her promotion to Staff Sgt. Effective April 15th.

****

September 1944

Sgt. Eva Don Cook stationed with the AAF at San Bernardino, California came home on furlough Sunday after spending a few days with her sister, Mrs. S.R. Pratt at Galesburg, Illinois and at the Ervin Cook home at Lake Park. She has to be back on duty the 19th. Eva stopped in for a short call Wednesday and looks fine. She says Iowa’s green fields and meadows look pretty fine to her.

****

December 13, 1945

S-Sgt. Eva Don Cook, who has been stationed with the Army Air Force at San Bernardino, Calif., received an honorable discharge at Camp Beale, Calif. She arrived home Saturday.

****

The Spencer Army Recruiting office received a rare surprise when Miss. Eva Don Cook of Terril, Iowa walked into the office and reenlisted in the Women’s Army Corps. Miss Cook had 38 months previous service and said she never really felt right out of uniform. She retained her grade of Staff Sgt. and will be stationed at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Staff Sgt. Cook is the first WAC to reenlist in the Seventh Service Command under the new provision authorizing WAC reenlistment. This fact has caused the personnel of the Spencer Recruiting station to feel rather proud of themselves.

****

2 Iowans Re-enlist in WACs

Lt. Col. William V. Hannay, commanding officer of army recruiting in Iowa, tries out the chevrons on Eva Cook of Terril, first woman in the 7th Service Command to apply for re-enlistment in the WAC. Beside her is Betty Boyinton, 3333 Grand Ave., who also signed for a second hitch Wednesday.

Reveille soon will be blowing again for Miss Betty J. Boyington, 3333 Grand Ave., and Miss Eva Cook of Terril.

Both former WACs started their second enlistment Wednesday after being sworn in again at the army recruiting office in the Old Federal building here.

****

 First to Apply

Miss Cook, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cook, Terril, is the first former army woman in the 7th Service command to have applied for re-enlistment.

In mid-February the war department authorized re-enlistment of former WACs. They may re-enlist for (1) the duration and six months or (2) until September 1946.

Miss Cook, now Staff Sergeant Cook, re-enlisted for the duration and six months.

A mess sergeant, she learned the art at Fort Des Moines, and is “sweating out” transfer orders so she can practice it in the ETO.

****

Former Riveter.

She was riveting together Flying Fortresses at the Boeing plant in Seattle, Wash., before she joined the then WAAC in September, 1942. She stayed on when the organization became an integral part of the army in August 1943.

After basic training, Miss Cook was posted as a cadrewomam to the army air force depot at San Bernardino, Cal. She was discharged last November.

“I’ve been doing nothing since then. Just resting at my folks’ farm. And I haven’t been collecting $20 a week for it, either, like a lot of them do,” she said.

Miss Boyington, who re-enters the service as a corporal, first joined the WAC here in July, 1944. She was trained to be a radio mechanic, but ended up in the supply office of a Louisiana air base.

****

Husband Returns.

Miss. Boyington was discharged last December when her husband returned from Europe and was discharged. In January they were divorced and she resumed her maiden name.

She also is yearning for overseas duty – “Japan or Germany, it doesn’t matter to me” she said.

****

Sunday June 16th, 1946

Now in Germany

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Grow,

Well, here I am at Bremerhaven Germany. Took us fourteen days coming from New York to Le Harve, France. The first few days weren’t very enjoyable, were in a storm and did plenty of rolling and tossing around. Although the meals were very good aboard, we spent most of the time hanging over the rail on deck. Yes, you guessed it, just plain sea sickness. The rest of the trip was wonderful. We began to get color back in our cheeks and regained our appetites. Spent quite a bit of time on sun deck, some of the girls got a terrific burn. I acquired a good tan after a burn that peeled.

From LeHarve, France we went by train to Paris, spending five hours there between train schedules, took quite a few pictures with the camera Lindy gave me.

Left Paris that evening and arrived at Frankfut, Germany the next morning. Here our gang was sort of separated. Some left that evening for Berlin, Vienna and Heinburg. Lot of destruction there. We spent the day there sightseeing and taking more pictures. That evening twelve of us girls left for Bremerhaven, Germany, where we will be stationed. Very chilly here. Was told in another month will start having cold weather. Rains quite often although the sun shines a lots.

Believe it or not, but it is now 10:20 at night and we are writing our letter by daylight. Begins to get dark at eleven.

This address will be my permanent address so you can send the Terril Record here. I’ve missed the home town news, so will be very happy to receive it again. Hoping you are feeling better, Mrs. Grow. Tell everyone hello.

Lovingly,

Eva.

****

Aux. Eva Cook Graduates from Bakers-Cooks School

Fort Des Moines, Iowa

Auxiliary Eva D. Cook of Terril, Iowa has completed training in the Bakers and Cooks School of the First Women’s Army Auxiliary Training Center here.

Auxiliaries attending Specialists schools are enrolled either in the Bakers and Cooks School, the Motor Transport School or the Administrative Specialist School.

In Bakers and Cooks School, Auxiliaries learn how to buy and prepare food, cut meat, and plan menus the Army way.  Administrative Specialist School equips Auxiliaries with knowledge of military office routine necessary to carry on maintenance of Army records.  WACCs attending Motor Transport School learn inspection, maintenance and operation of Army trucks and motor vehicles.

Graduates of any of these specialized courses are ready for assignments to serve with the Army in noncombatant service.

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Re: Leonard Cook

U.S. AAF photo shows Technical Sgt. Leonard H. Cook, 24, of Terril, Iowa, focusing his camera on a battle-damaged Flying Fortress bomber at the Eight Air Force base in England. Sergeant Cook is in charge of a seventeen man photographic laboratory processing intelligence photos made by automatic cameras as American bombs smash German targets.

With U.S. AAF Photo

An Eighth Air Force bomber station, England-Technical Sgt. Leonard H. Cook, of Terril, Iowa, is the man behind many newspaper pictures, such as St. Nazaire’s submarine pens, Schweinfurt’s ball bearing plants and Bremen’s docks.

Photo Laboratory Chief at this Pioneer B – 17 Flying Fortress base 24-year-old Sergeant Cook, who helped in filming the narrative of Memphis Belle, develops and prints in his modern processing station hundreds of feet of “strike” photos taken by automatic cameras as American bombs crush today’s target.

Under Sergeant Cook’s direction, negatives are force-dried, printed and delivered to divisional headquarters photo-interpreters for assessment, minutes after its return of a flight of fortresses.

In charge of 17 enlisted photographic specialists, the sergeant supervises routine assignments for passport photos, copies of official documents, pictures of battle-damaged bombers, portrays and news photos. While some material is classified secret, all work of his department is confident of his reviewed by European theatre censor.

On the secret list is much pioneer experimental work done by Sergeant Cook and his technical assistants in conjunction with precision bombing by the Eighth Air Force through clouds by means of instruments.

Technical Sergeant Cook, who hold the second highest rating open to an enlisted man, Joined AAF March 22, 1941, taking his basic training at Fort Leavenworth Kan., and Fort Douglas, Utah. Before being posted to duty at Gowen Field, Boise, Ida., in May. Here amid sagebrush and jackrabbits of a new raw airfield, Cook helped to install photographic equipment to train high-altitude precision bombardiers.

Later stationed at Pendelton, Ore., the sergeant was recommended to set up a laboratory at Walla Walla, WN., air base in June, 1942. He was posted overseas to this pioneer base in August 1942, with the first aviation group to make one hundred daylight attacks on Hitler. Two years later he was awarded the certificate of merit for his outstanding efforts.

Sergeant Cook, who wears the Gold-Framed Blue Presidential Citation for his part in bombing of Oschersleben, Ger., on January 11, graduated from Terril, Iowa high school in 1938. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cook.

****

England, V-E Day

Among the 185,000 men and women of the Eighth Air Force congratulated today by Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle, who assumed command of the Eighth in January 1944, was Technical Sergeant Leonard H. Cook, Terril, Iowa.

“I wish to extend my personal congratulations and heartfelt appreciation to everyone of you for the magnificent job you have done” Gen. Doolittle said in a message to all personnel.

“Each of you,” he continued, “may be proud of your part in the defeat of Germany. I am proud of you. The world is proud of you.”

The Eighth Air Force was the world’s mightiest strategic bombing force. It’s personnel of 185,000 was the equivalent of 12 infantry divisions, and it could send 21,000 airmen in 2,000 four-engine bombers and 1,000 fighters over Germany at one time, a combat effort possible only through the support of tens of thousands of non-flying specialists.

Since August 1942, when combat operations began, Flying Fortresses and Liberators of the Eighth dropped more that 700,000 tons of bombs on enemy targets. Fighter pilots shot down 5,250 Nazi planes and destroyed 4,250 other on the ground. Bomber gunners shot 6,000 German interceptors out of the air.

The Eighth dropped an average of a ton of bombs every minute of the last 12 months.

Airmen of the Eighth were the first Americans to attack Germany. The early crews flew a handful of unsorted bombers against the powerful Luftwaffe, and proved the feasibility of an American idea, precision daylight bombing of the Reich.

As the Eighth grew in strength, it was assigned the task of crushing the German Air Force, which had to be done before the Allies could invade France. Bombers of the 8th smashed Nazi aircraft production centers. Its fighters destroyed thousands of enemy planes on the ground and in the air.

After beating the Luftwaffe into relative impotency, the Eighth threw its growing weight against Germany’s fail system and vital sources of oil. These campaigns, in conjunction with the British Royal Air Force and US 15th Air Force, disorganized all transport in Germany.

****

September 17, 1942

Terril Boys with Flying Colors

Staff Sgt. Leonard H. Cook

“Lindy” as he is known by everyone around Terril, is the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Julies Cook and was born June 15, 1920, four miles east of Terril. He graduated from Terril high school in 1038 and the next year helped his father on the farm and worked part time at the Farmers Coop. Elevator. He enlisted with the U.S. Army Air Force, March 22, 1941 at Fort Des Moines. He received his “Rookie” training at Fort Leavenworth Kans. And Fort Douglas, Utah. He moved with the 39th group to the Air Base, Boise, Idaho. There he received basic photographic training and also was a member of the Gorven Goshwk’s football team. Later on he moved to Pendleton, Oregon and became an AAF official photographer. He then moved with the 367th air base and became production chief of the photographic section.

Lindy has now left the Stated for overseas duty. His present whereabouts are unknown.

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Service Salutes

We got another bundle of “Yanks” and “Stars and Stripes” from Leonard Cook in England yesterday.  Thanks to Lindy for remembering us.

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Promoted to sergeant to Gowen Field army air base near Boise, Idaho, recently was Leonard H. Cook, son of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cook, Terril, Iowa. Sgt. Cook who enlisted in the army in March, 1941, is a member of the photographic section at the Idaho air base. Cook played on the base and football teams last fall.

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June 3, 1945

Letter from Leonard Cook in England

Dear Grows,

I thought best I let you know about the Record. I won’t be here at Baseing-bourn to receive at any more after this month. You see, the 91st is moving out so please hold them for me until I get another address.

For the past thirty-three months, I’ve been enjoying every issue of the Record you sent over here. Thanks a million for sending the Record to the servicemen overseas.

Always,

Lindy

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1945

T-Sgt. Leonard H. Cook arrived in New York June 30th on the Queen Elizabeth for the thirty day furlough after serving overseas for thirty-four months. “Lindy” as he is known to us and his buddies, will spend his furlough at home and at Boise, Idaho. He called his sister, S-Sgt. Eva Cook, stationed at San Bernardino AAF, Calf., saying he was leaving for home that evening. Eva immediately started a little “brown nosing” and managed to get her furlough that night. Lindy and Eva had quite a surprise finding themselves on the same bus from Omaha to Spencer. Lindy will report back to Salt Lake City, Utah August eleventh, from there to Florida with the 91st Bomb-Group he was stationed with overseas.

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September 27, 1942

Letter to the Record Folks

Somewhere in England

Dear Grows:

I received the September 3rd copy of the Terril Record yesterday. Sure was great to read all the news again.

According to the paper, September’s really going to be a great month for War Savings Bonds in Terril – in fact the whole United States. “Autograph a B-25” in Terril for that purpose.

The country is sort of on the primitive side but certainly is beautiful. Almost all the homes are either made of brick or stone. Ane to top everything off they drive on the left side of the road. It surely confuses one when meeting a car or bicycle.

During our spare time if we aren’t out picking blackberries we are in our barracks arguing which states are the best of the “48”. Only several of us are from good old Iowa but we put up a good scrap anyway.

Airplanes, automobile’s and highways also enter the arguments. More fun than a picnic.

Golly, it would be great to be over there for the opening of duck season but due to the fact that we have a pretty good open season on “Jeries” over here we are all well satisfied.

That’s all for now. Til you hear from me again, “Keep ’em Flying”

Always you friend

Lindy

S Sgt. Leonard Cook, 17028867

322nd Bomb Sqd.

APO 634 % Postmaster

New York City, NY.

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Monday December 7, 1942

Leonard Cook writes From Old England

Somewhere across the pond

Dear Grows,

Well, a year ago yesterday things began to happen – and today things are really hot. Poor Jerries and poor Little Japs.

I suppose by now you are all shoveling snow off the walks. I can’t tell you about the weather here. In fact, I can’t tell you anything except that I’m feeling fine and anxiously awaiting the day to come down out of clouds and stay in Terril for a spell.

I certainly miss you all and would like to be there for Christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Good bye,

Lindy

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February 13, 1943

Leonard Cook Writes From England

Somewhere in England

Dear Grows,

Received a December copy of the Terril Record today, sure is great to read all the home town news, even though it is several months old, it hardly makes much difference. Maybe by next fall the February copies will be here. I hope so.

It was very pretty here this evening. About the best yet. The sun was shining so nice and bright, reminded me so much of dusk in Iowa.

While on the subject of Iowa- the photo gang and I were fortunate to pick up a broadcast, on my English radio from the United States tonight. The British Broadcasting Co. picked it up direct from Des Moines via New York. My buddie photographer from Clear Lake, Iowa and I sure were thrilled to hear they had picked Iowa as The Production State. Another member of the gang-a “sage-brush Rebel” from Texas and a few other “Yanks” wanted to turn it off. They were all very jealous, but, after arguments and “sophisticated speech” we all quietly listened and enjoyed the few remaining minutes.

Time to get to work again. Thanks again for the Record.

Goodnite and God bless you all.

Always,

Lindy

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Re: Robert Cook

Robert R. Cook was born in Clay County February 17, 1920 and graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1940. He was inducted into the army in August 1942 at Pueblo, Colorado where he had been working on a defense project. He is stationed at Fr. Michie on the East Coast now.

Bob was brought up a mile west of Terril and is another of those huntin’ fishin’ guys that we all know and like so well.

He has three sisters, Mrs. Stella Hildreth, Edna Cook of Des Moines, and Mrs. Mabel Chapman of Jackson, Minnesota, and a brother, Roy on the home farm. His mother, Mrs. Carrie Cook, makes her home at Jackson and visits around.

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Bobbie Cook was home for a few days furlough and visited the Roy Cook and Howard Hildreth homes.

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September 26, 1942

Boy in Service Writes Grows

Fort Terry, New York

Dear Grows;

Thanks a lot for sending the Terril Record. It seems to keep we boys from Terril close together. It helps a lot to know what is going on at home also where the other fellows are.

I am 100 miles off the New York City coast, just east of New London Conn. On a small island called Fort Terry. We man the big guns of the coast artillery. This island along with two others, Michy and Fort Right guard the Harbor of Long Island Sound. The island we are on is very small, six miles long, ¾ mile wide. There are many activities on the Island one can take part in. We also have lots of work here which fills many of our hours each day.

I sure had a swell trip out here. I went right by Yankee Stadium, also had a good vision of West Point. That surely is a beautiful place. I stopped in New York for four hours right down town. Not many cars on the streets and a taxi is impossible to get. There surely is a shortage of cars here.

Must close for now, the lights go out soon so will have to hurry to bed.

Tell ever one in Terril, Hello.

Always,

Bob Cook

P.S. Fishing is very good here. Haven’t been out as yet but will go out tomorrow. Some of the boys went out last Sunday and had very good luck.

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February 25, 1943

Robert. Cook Home On Ten Day Leave

PFC Robt. Cook came Sunday morning from Ft. Michie, New York, where he is stationed. He will be home on a seven day leave. When he goes back, the end of the week his mother, Mrs. Carrie Cook will accompany him as far as Chicago for a visit.

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August 17, 1944

Robert Cook is leaving Friday for Fisher Island, N.Y. after a two weeks visit with the home folks.

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Re: Milton D. Cronk

December 31, 1943

Terril Boys in the Army and Navy

Milton D. Cronk, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cronk, was born in Iowa City December 2, 1922. He graduated from the Ringsted high school and on his 20th birthday enlisted in the Marines. He took his training at San Diego, Cal., and went overseas July 1.

A telegram from somewhere in the South Pacific reported him wounded in battle about December 1 and later word has been received that he was improving.

Besides his parents, who recently moved here, he has one sister, Mrs. Ed Allen of Biglow, Minnesota.

He is known among several of the young folks here as he had frequently visited at the home of his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Engholm.

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Milton Cronk left Thursday to return to his base at San Diego, Calif. He went by the way of Tacoma, Wash. to visit his wife. He had been here for a couple of weeks, called by the illness and death of his father, Harry Cronk.

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Harry Cronk told us Wednesday that they are receiving letters now from their son, Milton, who was injured some time ago in the arm. He is still in a hospital but getting along very well.

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Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cronk received a telegram Saturday from their son, Milton that he was married to Beverly Lamb on Tacoma, Wash. They expect to be home some time in June.

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Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cronk received a cablegram Sunday from their son, Milton saying he had landed in Oakland, California. He had been overseas ten months. He has been in the hospital over there five months. He will be in the states for four months and will be home in the near future.

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Re: John Eldon (Sonny) Cruse

February 26, 1942

Sonny Cruse in Navy 

John Eldon (Sonny) Cruse is in the navy and is stationed at the United States Training Station at Great Lakes Illinois.

He entered the hospital almost immediately upon his arrival at the station and submitted to major surgery.

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June 1, 1944

Terril Record

Eldon (Sonny) cruse was born at Motley, MN. on May 9, 1920. He is the only son of Elwood and Hilda Cruse and the middle of 3 children. Arlene, his older sister is married to Aubrey Loeschen and lives in Spirit Lake. His younger sister Marian or as everyone now calls her, Mary is working in Luverne, MN.

Eldon graduated from Terril High school in 1937. He worked in the grocery stores here and for a while he worked at Flindt’s Clothing Store in Spencer.

He enlisted in the Navy in January of 1942 and now gets his mail out of San Francisco. He is a radio man on a patrol bomber in a flying squadron.

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August 31, 19??

Spencer Times

Sonny Cruse, A.R.M. 1-c, arrived in Spencer Monday from Des Moines, accompanied by his father, Elwood Cruse of that city, and is spending a 30 day furlough at the home of his grandparents, John & Hilda Cruse, and with other relatives and friends. This is his first visit home in 28 months. He has been stationed in the Aleutian Islands and flew from Attu to Seattle and then continued the journey by plane to Des Moines. Once in a while the men in the service get a break. At least, this is the opinion of Cruse and his pal, Don Sonius, who is at home after being in Aukland, New Guinea, for months and months. The boys have been comrades since they were mere kids. Neither knew the other was coming to Spencer at this time and the meeting was all the happier for the surprise involved. They are spending hours of the holiday together. At the end of the furlough, Cruse expects to return to the northern post.

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September 1944

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Eldon Cruse

Eldon (Sonny) Cruse was born at Motley, Minnesota May 9, 1920. He is the only son of Elwood and Hilda Cruse and the middle of three children Arlene being the older and married to Aubrey Loschen and living in Spirit Lake. Marian or as everyone now calls her, Mary is working in Luverne, Minnesota.

Eldon graduated from Terril high school in 1937. He worked in the grocery stores here and for awhile in Flindts clothing store in Spencer.

He enlisted in the Navy in January of 1942 and now gets his mail out of San Francisco. He is radio man on a patrol bomber in a flying squadron.

August 31, 1944

John Eldon (Sonny) Cruse, A.R. M. 1-c, arrived in Spencer Monday from Des Moines, accompanied by his father, Elwood Cruse of that city, and is spending a thirty days’ furlough at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Cruse, and with other relatives and friends. This is his first visit home form 28 months. He has been stationed in the Aleutian Islands and flew from Attu to Seattle and then continued the journey by plane to Des Moines. Once in a while the men in service get a break. At least this is the opinion of Cruse and his pal, Don Sonius, who is at home after being in Aukland, New Guinea, for months and months. The boys have been comrades since they were mere kids. Neither knew the other was coming to Spencer at the this time and the meeting was all the happier for the surprise involved. They are spending hours of the holiday together. At the end of the furlough, Cruse expects to return to the northern post. – Spencer Times

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Re: LeRoy (Bud) Cruse

Bud Cruse Writes

Camp Grant, Illinois

September 10, 1941 

Dear Pat:

“Well, I sure was glad to  hear from you.  I thought perhaps you weren’t going to write again.  It seems as if everyone kinda forgets you after you are gone a little while.  It sure is good to  hear any kind of news from home.  I sure was glad to  hear that you had good luck fishing.  I don’t know when I’ll get a chance to go fishing here or hunting either. When I go downtown all the gun displays and hunting things in the windows sort of makes me homesick.

“We are still doing a heck of a lot of marching here.  At first a 40-pound pack felt like a hundred but a guy can carry it six miles with only ten minutes rest and it isn’t so bad.

“This week we have an overnight hike.  We will go out in the morning and stay all day and night.  It ought to be a lot of fun if the weather is nice.  We are doing a lot of study now on disease of all kinds and how to bandage a wound no matter where it is or you are.  I’ve been awful busy lately and don’t seem to have a whole lot of time for anything.

“I suppose all the kids from Terril are either in the army or soon will be going.  It isn’t so pleasant losing a couple of the best years of your life but I still say so long as an emergency exists, I’m willing to stay.  After all, if this country is worth living in, it sure ought to be worth fighting for, if necessary.

“Sometimes a guy gets so he almost enjoys the army and then some damn non-com. climbs your frame for a while and when he ends up, your idea of the army is greatly decreased, but as a whole, it isn’t bad at all.  There are ups and downs but you find them any place you go.

“Well, this week we got our O. D. uniforms issued to us.  They will look a lot better than the ones we have now.

“I’ve been to Rockford three or four times.  It seems to be a nice town, but a lot of the people look down on the soldiers now, but they would sure change their minds if we ever get in war.  There are some roughnecks here but as a whole they are a fine bunch of fellows and there isn’t a one who wouldn’t go to bat for you and I’d do the same for any of the fellows I’ve met.

“Well Pat, I’m kinda run down, so will sign off.  Hope to hear from you again soon.

“My regards to everyone in Terril.  The town might not be so big, but in all my rambles it still is tops with me.  Well, so long to everyone.  Write if you find time.”

As ever,

Bud

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May 28, 1942

Ellington Field, Texas

Dear Mrs. Grow and all,

Well, I guess it is way past time I way writing you again. There are a lot of Terril people I didn’t get to see while I was home but time seemed to fly so fast. Then too they called me back about 5 days ahead of time. Since I’ve been in the Air Corps I’ve moved three times so I’ve been pretty busy. I haven’t kept up any of my correspondence. We are here at Ellingotn Field. There are about 270 of us just waiting around until we ran to class. They have so many boys there just isn’t room for them all. They give us a little drill each day and we do a lot of detail but we get out of it as much as possible. We Have to wait two more weeks and I’ve been here one week already so I’m not getting much accomplished. This course here lasts 9 weeks and then we go to advanced training which lasts 15 weeks more so I have a lot of studying to do before I do much. At that time I will be a second lieutenant if they don’t wash me out somewhere along the line. They really weed out a lot of them though and if a guy gets through he earns everything he gets. I know it will be hard for me but if I study I’ll get by. The food here is swell. It seems about 100 per cent better than the army and I couldn’t kick on that any.

I hear from Lee Moore quite often but we can’t seem to ever get together. Ellington Field is about 17 miles from Houston and about 30 miles from Galveston so we are pretty close to the Gulf of Mexico. It gets mighty hot in the day time but the nights are swell and generally a nice cool breeze is blowing. Iguess it comes from the Gulf.

There are many things I could tell you about but guess we aren’t supposed to tell how many men are at camp or what we are doing, so I’ll just bat the breeze and fill up this page.

I finally got the good old Terril Record again. I have moved so much my mail service is poor but guess I’ll get it all eventually.

If I don’t write so much forgive me because I’m going to be awful busy studying.

Best of regards to you all all my old friends. Hope this finds you all well and I’ll be counting the days until I can get back to that good old corn state again.

Thanks, I sure appreciate the Record.

As Ever

Bud Cruse

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July 2, 1942

Terril Boys with Flying Colors

LeRoy Cruse was born in Terril 27 years ago last April and this has always been his home. Besides his father and mother, Mike and Della Cruse there is a sister, Evelyn Cruse Tuel in the immediate family.

“Buddy” as he is known by everyone in and around Terril took his grade and high school course here and graduated with the class of 1933.

Since then he helped his father do carpenter work until about 18 months ago he went to North Carolina where he worked in Defense work.

He was inducted from here August 4, 1941 and sent to Camp Grant, Ill., where he served in the medical department. Last fall he was transferred to Fort Sam Houston, Texas and in April of this year was transferred to the Air Corps at Kelly Field, Texas, and is now at Ellington Field going to aviation school.

He has been home on several furloughs and was here in April of this year. “Bud” is a boy whom everyone likes and we are proud to start our series of pictures of the boys from Terril with one who sort of seems to “belong to us.”

He and Lee Moove and Geddy Taylor have had some get togethers lately which have meant much to all of them.

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August 1942

State men now in training in the current air-crew classes here today at the World’s largest multi-motor flying school.

From Des Moines comes two Navigators and one bombardier who will soon be doing their part in the big show.

Aviation Cadet Darrell A. Cole 19, also Aviation Cadet Donald C. MacDonald, 22.

The bombardier from Des Moines is Aviation Cadet Fred H. Lanning 20.

From Terril comes Aviation Cadet LeRoy D. Cruse, 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse. Is a graduate of Terril high school and worked as a carpenter, storekeeper and oil station operator in Terril before he began his training.

From Denison comes Aviation Cadet Walter J. Rath 23.

Form Missouri Vally comes Lieutenant William J. Chambers, 23.

Last of the group is Aviation Caset James McCarthy 21 of Osage.

At Ellington they are undergoing intensive training to fit them for posts on the finest combat precision team the air crew. The air crew consisting of pilot, navigator and bombardier, all receive their training at Ellinton.

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November 19, 1942

Boy in Service Writes to Grows

Dear Grow Family;

Well it has been quite some time since I got your nice letter so thought I would try to answer it this afternoon. We haven’t done much all week because it rained so much. The weather here isn’t so bad but it gets pretty darn cold at night. The wind seems to blow most of the time. When it is from the north we get smothered almost with red dust from Okla. When it is from the south we get full benefit of a slaughter house located on the outskirts of town but it isn’t anything to complain about. The food is very good and we have fine barracks that is much more than a lot of the fellows have. I see Ervin Ficken quite often, he is at the other end of the field. I guess he likes it pretty will. It is clouded over and misting this afternoon so we get to take it easy and that is always a pleasant thing in the army. I guess I’ll be leaving here the first of the week. I don’t know where it will be but I think to Las Vegas Nevada or maybe Harlingen Texas. It is right down on the border either place is all right but won’t be long wherever I go. There isn’t much news here and not much to talk about. I think if you all often and can hardly wait until I get to come home again but is hard to day when that will be. Hope this finds all of my friends well.

I remain as ever,

Bud Cruse

P.S. Thanks for the nice letter. I enjoyed it a lot, as I do the Record each week.

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November 26, 1942

Interesting Letter From Bud Cruse

Dearest Mother and Dad,

Well here it is Sunday. We had to get up as usual as we had a lot of tests to take before we start to school Monday. I guess we had a good breaking in as it was a regular desert dust storm. I have never seen anything like it. It is white sand and alkali here and when you look out from inside it looks just like one of those severe winter blizzards. A guy don’t seem to notice its bad tho, only it makes your hair awful stiff and there is dirt always in your ears but I don’t mind that. At least I’m out of Texas and that is worth a heck of a lot to me.

I guess I’ll go to the show tonight if nothing happens.

I don’t know what school consists of or how hard it is but guess I won’t have any trouble with it.

They had quite a show this afternoon. It was a magician. He sure was good. I don’t see how he did it.

I just got back from church. There were only 18 of us there and I guess there must be 2,000 on the field.

I can’t figure it out. Those guys sure have a hard job. I don’t see how they can talk to a bunch of fellows when we are all in here for the sole purpose of destruction of the other guy. I guess they have even a tougher job than we do. It sure must make them feel bad when they can only get 18 out of 2,000 to even come to church and maybe only get across to half of them what they are trying to say.

The wind has gone down and it is real pretty out now. This is a wonderful country when it is calm but not so pleasant when the wind blows. But I still like it better than Texas. I sure am glad to be out of that state. I don’t know why man ever settled there in the first place. The heat much have gone to his head and he never knew what he was doing or perhaps he had never seen any state like Iowa. There is no grass here and very few trees. There is an occasional willow along the creek coming out of the mountain. Is it very cold at home yet? It is hard to realize how the weather is there when one has been gone so long. I haven’t got much news. Will perhaps have more interesting news when we get started to school.

I sure hope I get to see boulder Dam while I am here but don’t know how often we get to town.

This place is pretty new and it seems like nothing is figured out very good as yet. I suppose even after my mail get here it will take quite a time to get to me.

Well I must sign off as I have to take a bath so will quit for now.

Lots of love

Bud

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March 13, 1943

Letter to Record From Bud Cruse

Denver, Colorado

Dear Grow Family,

Well, I really feel ashamed of my self. Have been putting off writing to you for quite some time. I got the nice card you sent. Also a lot more from Terril folks while I was laid up. Thanks to all of you. Guess it is like the saying you never miss the water until the well goes dry. You never realize how many friends you have until you are away. I still get the Record regular. I realize what a load it is to send to all and I certainly appreciate it a lot. I will soon be leaving here so you can hold it up a week or so. I guess I leave the 27th. I sure will be glad when I get done with school and back in the air again. I don’t know where I will go from here. Guess I’ll get home before I leave the States. At least I am sure but it will be awhile anyhow.

I hope everyone is well and you are getting some spring now. I hate Colorado. Is is so changeable, one day hot, then next cold. I’ve had a cold almost ever since I got here. A guy never knows how to dress. Maybe I shouldn’t kick, maybe the next place will be worse. A guy never knows when he is well off. It is one privilege a soldier has to moan all he wants in the barracks when no officers are around.

Well thanks again for the nice card and Record weekly.

As ever

Bud

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May 29, 1943

Bud Cruse Now in Dyersburg, Tenn.

Dear Grow Family and All:

Guess it is about time I was getting a line to you again. I took another long jump recently from California to Dyersburg, Tenn. It sure was a relief to get out of that desert. This is a new field and we are supposed to receive a couple months to training here. Don’t know how long for sure but when we finish here we will be ready. We are running behind on schedule as they don’t have enough ships here. We will be flying about 30,000 here I guess, and it gets awful cold up there. Have had several birds eye views of the recent flood area. The old river really went wild this time.

Went to Memphis on a 48 hour pass. If I could stretch it another day I might get home, but that will have to wait a little longer.

It rains a lot here and when the sun comes out it really gets warm.

News is kinda scarce. Most of our flying is formation and pretty much routine. We tear guns apart all the time, and put them together again. I can do it with gloves on in the dark now. We will be making some cross country hops soon. I sure would like to come over Terril. Guess you know I’m a tail gunner on the B-17. It’s a swell position, and I really like it a lot.

I must sign off now and thanks again for the paper. It is regular again now.

As ever

Bud

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June 8, 1943

Bud Cruse is Transferred

Bud Cruse of Terril has been transferred from a camp in California to Dyersbury, Tenn. He is a tail gunner on a B-17.

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July 1943

Grand Island, August 10th LeRoy D. Cruse, son of Mike Cruse was promoted to the rank of Staff Sgt. Effective July 26th at the Grand Island Army Air Base in Nebraska. He attended the Army’s Armament school at Lowry Field, Colo., graduating March 24th 1943 and the Aerial Gunnery school at Las Vegas, Nev., graduating Dec. 25, 1942 and he is now stationed at the Grand Island base as a Tail Gunner on a B-17. He was last stationed in Dyersbury Army Air Base, Tenn., where he was in combat training. He arrived at this base a few weeks ago.

He attended Terril High school, graduating in 1933. He worked as a carpenter. He entered the army Aug. 4, 1941.

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August 1943

The Mike Cruse’s received a cablegram from “Bud” Thursday saying “Arrived safely, the country is beautiful, don not worry, “Bud.” Since then they have had an airmail letter and a V-Mail letter and tho he can’t say much they know he has landed safely in England and all is well with him. When he was home a short time ago he said he was rarin’ to get overseas after two years training. So his wish is fulfilled that far.

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August 22, 1943

Bud Cruse Writes From England

Dear Grows,

I arrived in England in good shape. I was really surprised to see everything in such good shape after four years of war. The English are indeed a wonderful race of people, however they do so many funny things. This is my second A.P.O. I don’t suppose I’ll ever get any mail if it keeps changing. The English money system had me all mixed up for awhile but it doesn’t bother me now. Almost everything is rationed but you can buy plenty of cigarettes yet, a carton a week. Maybe I’ll run into some of the other guys over here yet. I hope so. I can’t say much only the country is alright and very pretty. There are blackouts all the time here. It really is dark after night.

It sure doesn’t seem like I am this far from home and so close to the enemy.

As Ever,

Bud

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September 24, 1943

V-Mail Letter From Bud Cruse in England

Dear Grow Family,

Just a few lines to say hello. All the news that comes from home concerning Pat sure sounds good. It never did seem like he could be gone. Maybe in another year or so we will all be home again. I’m sure everyone hopes so.

England isn’t so bad. They are a lot like us. At any rate it could be a hell of a lot worse. I can’t say anything concerning my work here but you know about what is happening through the news broadcasts. I suppose it is getting cold at home now. It is starting the rainy season here now and winter will soon be here. Hope maybe I will run into someone I know over here yet. Seems like you find someone where ever you go.

Must close now. Best wishes to all.

Bud

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October 18, 1943

Dear Mom & Dad,

Haven’t heard from you for quite a while.  Have been on pass the last two days.

I saw Bud Cruse.  He was wounded in the leg, but not very bad.  He was in the hospital but wasn’t in very long.  He is up and around now and is O.K.  Sure was good to see him.

I guess he is just like everyone else, sure is in a hurry to get the war over and get back home.

We aren’t very far apart.  We can get to see each other whenever one of us can get a little time off.

When you see his folds, tell them not to worry about his leg, as he is O.K. and up walking on it. I guess he is supposed to get the purple heart.

Well, I’m out of space so will close.

Love,

Geddy

October 28, 1943

Bud Cruse Wounded in Action

Mike Cruse received the following telegram Sunday:

Mike Cruse,

Terril, Iowa

Am pleased to inform you report received States that your son, Staff Sergeant LeRoy D. Cruse was released from hospital fifteenth, October after having been slightly wounded in action October 10 in European area.

Ulio

The Adjutant General

Telegraph operator, Bergie Anderson checked back to Washington Monday and got the same message excepting it said “seriously” wounded.

However the letter from Geddy Taylor to his folks, dated Oct. 18 reports Bud as getting along O.K. The letter appears below:

March 9, 1944

Staff Sgt. LeRoy Cruse Awarded Oak Leaf Cluster

An Eighth AAF Bomber Station, England – Staff Sgt. LeRoy D. Cruse of Terril tail gunner on a Flying Fortress, has been awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal from “meritorious achievement” on ten bomber combat missions over enemy Europe, it was announced recently by Col. Eugen A. Romig of Byesville, Ohio commanding officer at this station.

The citation accompanying the award read in part: “The courage, coolness and skill displayed by this enlisted man upon these occasions reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.”

Sgt. Cruse, 28 years old, who previously was decorated with the Purple Heart for wounds received in action, entered the service August 4, 1941. A construction worker in civilian life, he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse of Terril.

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May 11, 1944

AN EIGHTH AAF BOMBER

BASE ENGLAND – Staff Sgt. LeRoy D. Cruse, Terril, Iowa, tail gunner on a Flying Fortress, has been decorated with a second Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal for “meritorious achievement” on 15 bomber combat missions over enemy occupied Europe.

The citation accompanying the award read in part: “The courage, coolness and skill displayed by this enlisted man on these occasions reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.”

Sgt. Cruse, 29 years old, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse, of Terril. Before entering the service on August 4, 1941 he did construction work for his father, a contractor.

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June 1, 1944

Third Oak Leaf Cluster Awarded to LeRoy Cruse

An Eighth AAF Bomber Station, England – A third Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal has been awarded Staff Sgt. LeRoy D. Cruse of Terril, air gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, for “meritorious achievement” on bomber attacks on enemy Europe.

The citation accompanying the award read in part: “The courage, coolness and skill displayed by this enlisted man upon these occasions reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.”

Sgt. Cruse, 29 years old, a veteran of more than a score of combat missions, has been decorated previously with the Purple Heart for wounds received in action. He was a construction worker before entering the service August 4, 1941. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse.

LeRoy Cruse Reported Missing in Action

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse got a telegram from the War Department June 22 that their son LeRoy, a tail gunner, was missing in action over France as of May 28. A few days later they got a letter from a boy who was in the plane right behind them telling them that an engine was shot out of Bud’s plane and the plane was going down slowly. It was not afire and they had hopes that the crew would have time to parachute to safety. No other word has come and it is safe to say that all are hoping, with his parents and other relatives, that the next work will be good word.

News of this was held up because his mother was very ill at the time and it was not thought wise to advise her of the word “missing in action.” Before she came home from Sioux City, however, she found out about it and is taking it very bravely. The only other child, Evelyn, Mrs. Kenneth Tuel of Colorado Springs, Colo., was with her mother for a couple weeks but has returned to her work.

Mrs. Cruse is slowly recuperating from her two major operations.

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July 12, 1944

Sgt. Leroy Cruse of Terril Reported Missing In Action

Special to the Messenger:

Sgt. Leroy Cruse, tail gunner on a Flying Fortress, is missing in action over France, according to word received from a flier in a plane behind Sgt. Cruse’s.  He reported he saw the local sergeant’s plane descending slowly with the possibility that the crew may have parachuted to safety.

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September 28, 1944

LeRoy D. Cruse Killed in Action

Word was received here by Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse Monday, September 25 that their son was killed in action over Germany May 28, 1944.

LeRoy was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse and was born in Terril April 26, 1915. He attended the local school and graduated in 1933. After that he helped Mike in carpenter work until he entered the service August 4, 1041. He was sent to Camp Grant, Illinois, where he served in the Medical department.

In April, 1942 he joined the Air Corps and after his training in the states, he was sent overseas, arriving a tail gunner on a B-17 with the 8th Air Force. He was reported missing over Germany May 28.

Since that time, family and friends have been hoping that he would be heard from, as a prisoner, or would have landed in one of the occupied countries and be safe.

The word received Monday comes as a very great shock to his parents. Mrs. Cruse has been far from well and was in a hospital in Sioux City at the time the word came that he was missing. She just came home from Rochester Saturday. Mike has been in constant attendance on Della, being with her both at Sioux City and Rochester. Of the immediate family there is but one sister, Mrs. Evelyn Tuel of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

LeRoy or “Buddy” as he was more familiarly known, was a clean cut boy who has grown up in our town and whom we all knew and loved. There are none of us but can look back and have a pleasant memory of some association with “Buddy Cruse.” He was one of the first from here to enter the service and while in the states was home a few times on a furlough. Every time he was home, he tried to see all his friends.

Words can not help, and we can not see to write more any way. May God keep all parents and families during this time and give us strength and knowledge to understand the meaning if these things.

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October 12, 1944

Memorial Services Were Held Sunday For LeRoy D. Cruse

Memorial services were held at the Methodist church Sunday afternoon for LeRoy Desmond Cruse who was killed in action over Germany May 28. When word came on that date, all of us at home hoped for the best, but the final word came from the war department on September 25.

LeRoy Desmond Cruse only son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse was born in Terril April 26, 1915 and spent all his life here up to the time he entered the service of his country in August, 1941. Ager his preliminary training in the medical department he joined the army air corps in April 1942 and was sent overseas in August 1943. He was a tail gunner on a B-17, a very hazardous position.

The services Sunday were in charge of the Terril and Arnolds Park American Legion and were conducted by Rev. Nelson of the Methodist church. Mrs. Mabel Krieger presided at the piano and the three Hewitt girls, now Mrs. Everett Maas and Mrs. Andy Reinken and Eva Hewitt sang. The two latter were classmates of LeRoy when he graduated in 1933. The services Sunday depicted the sympathy for the loved ones here and the love for the boy who has fulfilled his mission for “greater love hath no man than this, that a man give his life for his friends.”

Mrs. Cruse was presented with the American flag by the Legion. A memorial was given by the friends of LeRoy as there was so little which could be done to express the feelings of all.

The United States Women, an organization of wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of the service men of this war, attended in a body to show their sympathy and respect to those who are here to mourn.

Those from away here to attend the services were:

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Staples and son, Dick. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Frerk, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Snelling, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Staples, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Staples, Mr. and Mrs. John Galles, Mrs. Leona Timmerman, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Koob, all of Slayton, Minn. and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Mundel of Wyndmere, N. Dak.. Frank Cruse of Winthrop, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Smith of Sioux City, Elwood Cruse of Des Moines, John Eldon Cruse, U.S. Navy, Mr. and Mrs. Audrey Loeschen and Terry of Spirit Lake, Hilda Cruse of Ruthven. A WAC was also in attendance. Kenneth Tuel came from Indiantown Gap, PA. came Sunday morning to be with his wife and her family.

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Prayer of A White Cross

The Following poem, credited to M. H. Dailey, was sent by Mr. and Mrs. Francis Johnson to be read at the memorial service for LeRoy Cruse October 8.

Perhaps, dear God – You will not heed my prayer

For I am but a humble cross of white, A cross which stands upon and guards with care.

The grave of one who waged the gallant fight

Give strength, I pray you, to his friends and kin

When, they receive the news that he is gone,

And in their hearts implant, deep down within.

New faith and hope – that they may carry on.

And let this lad who sleeps in Normandy,

Upon a strange and distant strand

Be someday told that all the world is free,

And war at last is driven from the land,

That he, whose grave I guard with jealous pride,

May know the peace for which he fought and died.

_ M.H. Dailey

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October 1944

Memorial Services Were Held at Terril For LeRoy D. Cruse

Memorial services were held at the Methodist church Sunday afternoon Oct. 8 for LeRoy Desmond Cruse who was killed in action over Germany May 28. Final word was received on September 25th.

LeRoy Desmond Cruse, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse was born in Terril April 26, 1915 and spent all his life there up to the time he entered the service of his country in August, 1941. After his preliminary training in the medical department he joined the army air corps in April 1942 and was sent overseas in August 1943. He was a tail gunner on a B-17, a very hazardous position.

The services were in charge of the Terril and Arnolds Park American Legion and were conducted by Rev. Nelson of the Methodist church. Mrs. Mabel Krieger presided at the piano and the three Hewitt girls, now Mrs. Everett Maas and Mrs. Andy Reinken and Eva Hewitt sang. The two latter were classmates of LeRoy when he graduated in 1933.

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November 9, 1944

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse received the following letter Tuesday from Henry L. Stimson, notifying them that their son, LeRoy D. Cruse, had been posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. It would be sent in a few days. LeRoy had already received the Army Air Force Medal and four Oak Leaf clusters for bravery.

The Secretary of War

Washington

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October 31, 1944

My Dear Mr. Cruse:

The President has requested me to inform you that that Purple Heart has been awarded posthumously to your son, Staff Sgt. LeRoy D. Cruse, Air Corps, who sacrificed his life in defense of his country.

The medal, which you will receive shortly, is of slight intrinsic value, but rich with the tradition for which Americans are so gallantly giving their lives. The father of our country, whose profile and coat of arms adorn the medal, speaks from it across the centuries to the men who fight today for the proud freedom he founded.

Nothing the War Department can do or say will in any sense repair the loss of your loved one. He had gone, however, in honor and the goodly company of patriots. Let me, in communicating to you the country’s deep sympathy, also express to you its gratitude for his valor and devotion.

Please believe me,

Sincerely yours,

Henry L. Stimson

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May 9, 1946

Mike Cruses Receive Letter From War Department

The following letter was received by Mike Cruse the first of the week.

War Department

Washington, D.C.

Mr. Mike Cruse

Terril, Iowa

I am writing to you concerning your son, Staff Sergeant LeRoy D. Cruse.

The grief you have suffered since receiving the sad announcement of your son’s death is most understandable and realizing that anxiety you have been occasioned by the absence of more definite information regarding him, I know you will be interested in a message recently received in the War Department form the Commanding General of the European Theater concerning developments which may occur at future War Crimes Trials. The message states that the case of the United States versus “Richard Wegmann” is being prepared for trial in connection with evidence which indicates that a person believed to be Sergeant Cruse was taken prisoner in the vicinity of Elm, Germany, on or about 28 May 1944 and that he was shot later the same day by a German national believed to be the defendant in this case. I regret that more detailed information is not available at this time however, I wish to assure you that you will be promptly notified upon receipt of any additional reports pertaining to the case of your son.

I am indeed sorry that to date the conditions of warfare have denied you complete knowledge of the circumstances attending the fate of you son and it is my hope that complete information concerning him will eventually become available. My deepest sympathy is with you in the loss you have been called upon to bear.

Edward F. Witsell

Major General

The adjutant General

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January 27, 1949

Military Rites to be Held for Sgt. Cruse

Military rites will be observed in funeral services Friday afternoon here for Sgt. LeRoy Cruse whose body is being returned from Germany.

Services will be conducted at two o’clock in the Terril Methodist church and burial will be in the Terril cemetery under the direction of the Cobb Warner Funeral home.

Sgt. Cruse was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse of Terril. A sister Mrs. Kenneth Tuel, is a Spencer resident.

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February 3, 1949

Military Rites Held For LeRoy Cruse

Military services were held Monday afternoon at the Methodist church in Terril for LeRoy Cruse, whose remains were brought back from overseas for burial. Rev. Hutchings had charged of the services at the church and the American Legion paid tribute to a departed comrade at the graveside service.

LeRoy Cruse was born April 26, 1915. He spent all his life in Terril up to the time he entered the service of his country in August, 1941. He graduated from the Terril school with the class of 1933.

LeRoy was one of the first from this community to enter the service. After preliminary training in the medical department, he joined the Army Air Corps in April 1942. He was sent overseas in August, 1943, and was killed in action over Germany May 28, 1944. Sgt. Cruse was a tail gunner on a B-17 with the 8th Air Force and was on his 27th mission.

LeRoy was baptized March 15, 1925 and received in membership in the Methodist church.

He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cruse and one sister Mrs. Kenneth (Evelyn) Tuel of Spencer.

Pall bearers were Howard Hewitt and Ralph Layman of Spencer, Paul Namtvedt of Spirit Lake, Gerald Taylor, Weldon Lewis and George Sands.

Relatives from a distance here for the services were Mr. and Mrs. Joe Stoples, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Staples, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Paul, Mrs. Fred Staples, Mrs. Henry Koob and Mrs. Walter Frerk of Slayton, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cruse and Mr. and Mrs. Glen Cruse of Winthrop, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Bert Knowlton of Luverne, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Smith of Sioux City Mr. and Mrs. John Cruse and Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Tuel of Spencer and Elwood Cruse of Spirit Lake.

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Re: Marvin Cuklanz

July 19, 1945

Marvin Cuklanz, youngest child of Mrs. Marie Cuklanz, was born Sept. 17, 1920 near Mallard. In the spring of 1925 he moved with his parents to Terril.

He was married to Arlene Roy December 25, 1943. He was inducted into the army April 2, 1945. He is now in training at Camp J.T. Robinson, Arkansas.

He has three brothers, Carl, Fred and Arthur all of Terril, and three sisters, Paula, Mrs. Clarence Johnson of Ruthven, Olga, Mrs. Harry Luehring of Terril, Leona, Mrs. Alfred Enerson of Esterville.

Marvin and Arthur have farmed the home place since 1941.

Mrs. Cuklanz and their son, born June 5, are residing here while Marvin is in service.

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Born Tuesday evening, June 5, in a Spirit Lake hospital, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Cuklanz. Marvin was inducted in the service a few months ago and is located at Camp J.T. Robinson, Arkansas.

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August 23, 1945

Marvin Cuklanz Honored

As Marvin Cuklanz was having his furlough, his brothers and sisters gave him a picnic dinner and lunch at the home of his mother Sunday, August 19. The following were present: Rev. and Mrs. Schultz and family, Mr. and Mrs. Detlef Rosaker of Ruthven, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Brunshire and Ester, Mrs. Louise Wojahn, Eillard, Normadine and Opaldine and Mrs. Will Cuklanz of Emmetsburg, Mr. and Mrs. Vern Perrin of Rolfe, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Enerson and Lillian, Pvt. and Mrs. Roy Enerson, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Enerson and Paul of Estherville, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Cooklin of Spirit Lake, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Schnelle and family of Wallingford, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Baedle and Henry Jr., the Carl Cuklanz, Fred Cuklanz and Harry Luehring families, Pvt. and Mrs. Marvin Cuklanz and son, his mother and bother, Arthur all of Terril and the Clarence Johnson family of Ruthven.

These birthday anniversaries were also celebrated at this time: George Culkanz and Joseph Cooklin, Aug. 19, Mrs. Leona Enerson, Aug. 25; Arthur Cuklanz, Sept. 4; Ervin Johnson, Sept. 7; Marvin Cuklanz, Sept. 17.

Chas. Rendt sent out some very beautiful flowers.

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Re: Robert Cushing

September 5, 1946

Pvt. Robert Cushing, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Cushing, 1552 North Greenview Ave., left yesterday for Camp Kilmer, N.J., after spending a 15-day furlough at home. He came here from Fort McClellan, Ala.

Two former school friends of Pvt. Cushing flew here last Sunday to visit him. They are Gale Norman, Estherville, IA., an ex-serviceman, who flew the plane here, and Blaine Peterson, Terril, Iowa.

Pvt. Cushing resided in Iowa before he came to Rockford about 10 years ago. Rockford Morning Star.

Blaine Peterson returned to Terril last Thursday and Leonard Higley, Bob Strube and Vernon Cushing returned to Terril Friday after spending more than a week at Rockford.

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Re: Forest Cushman

October 1945

Pfc. Forest Cushman has received an honorable discharge from the army after 4 ½ years in service. He has served almost two years in the European theatre. He has five battle stars and a good conduct medal. He was discharged at Ft. Sheridan, Illinois.

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Re: Roger Cushman

March 8, 1945

Pfc. Roger Cushman Killed in Germany

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Cushman of near Lake Center received a telegram from the War Department Sunday telling them their son, Pfc. Roger Cushman, was killed in Germany February 20. He was in the 5th division with Patton’s army. Roger, who was 20 years old the 19th of January was inducted into service in May of 1944 and went overseas the last of October. He took his training at Ft. Hood, Texas. There is a brother, Forest, serving with the army in France. Another brother, Dale lives south of town. One sister, Mrs. Alvin Moat lives at Spencer and another sister, Mrs. Martin Berry lives at Spirit Lake.

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April 1945

Memorial services were held at the Terril Methodist Church on March 25th with the Rev. Smith of Langdon and Rev. Nelson of Terril in charge. The American Legion served as color bearers.

Pvt. First Class Roger Elwood Cushman, youngest of five children of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Cushman, was born January 19, 1925 and was killed in action in Germany on February 20, 1945. He attended school at Lake Center. He took great interest in baseball and basketball and was also a 4-H club member. He spent his entire life at home on the farm with his parents until he was inducted into the army on May 9th 1944. He had his training at Camp Hood, Texas until September 20 when he came home on furlough. He reported back to Camp Meade, Maryland on October 5.

Roger was sent overseas October 20 and served under General George Patton with the Red Diamond Infantry Division.

He leaves to mourn his death his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Cushman a brother, Forrest, with General Hodges First Army, Darrell of near Dickens, two sisters, Mrs. Marguerite Barry of Spirit Lake and Mrs. Alma Moats of Spencer, and aged grandmother, Mrs. Sarah Cushman of Estherville and a host of relatives and friends.

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Re: John Dallman

May 16, 1943

May 16, 1943 

Dear Grows,

Just a few lines to let you know where, what, and how I am. I’ve been planning on writing and telling you I received the paper but we’ve been so busy I haven’t had time. I really appreciate the paper. It helps keep a fellow up on the hometown gossip. I like to know what is going on even if I am 2400 miles from home.

I’m in Camp Roberts, California. About 250 other boys from Iowa were shipped out here at the same time. We’re taking 13 weeks of basic training and boy, it’s rugged. We’ve got about five weeks left. They really make men or kill us here.

Well, I guess that’s about all this time. I’ve got to get my stuff ready for another week. Thanks again for the paper.

Pvt. John Dallman

****

P.f.c. John Dallman is spending a short furlough at the John Dallman Sr. home.  He is now in the Glider division at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

****

December 2, 1943

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Pvt. John A. Dallman, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Dallman, Sr. was born in Sioux Rapids November 24, 1924.

He has one sister, Donna Jean and a brother, Richard, at home.

He entered the Terril high school in the fall of 1937 and graduated in May, 1941. In the fall of ’41 he entered Waldorf College as engineering student.

He spent his summers working for farmers around Terril.

In March 1943 he was called into service. From Des Moines he went to Camp Roberts, California. After receiving his basic training, he was sent to Ft. Bragg, N.C. and was placed in the Glider Inf. On the first of Sept. he left for parts unknown. He arrived in England the middle of October.

****

December 6, 1943

Dear Grows,

Guess it’s about time I dropped you a couple of lines to let you know I’m still living. I’m in England now and it isn’t such a bad place. Looks pretty good for all that it has been thru.

I’m still receiving the paper and I’m sure glad to get it. Helps me keep up on the home town gossip. I didn’t hardly look at it when I was home, but I surely study it through now. I see you heard from Pat. glad to hear it. Tell him hello for me. I see there are quite a few of the boys over here. Guess I’ll have to try to find them.

I’m feeling pretty good. Got a bad cold, but think I’ll survive. Have to close now.

One of the hometown boys,

Johnnie

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April 27, 1944

A V-Mail letter from 1st Lt. H.G. Boles Jr. of the Public Relations Office says:

Public Relations Section, E.T.O., United States Army – A good conduct medal has been awarded to: Dallman, John A., Pvt.; for exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity. An efficiency rating and conduct of excellent, for a period of one year, is a requisite for this award.

Howard G. Boles Jr.

1st Lieut. Infantry,

Public Relations Officer

****

December 20, 1945

John Dallman came home Tuesday evening, having been in the states about a week. He has been in the European theater for the past two years.

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Re:  Bill Davis

Sunday aft., July 7, 1946

Letter from A Soldier

Infantry

Dear Mrs. Grow,

I find that I have some spare time so I am writing a few lines. It’s plenty hot down here. We have plenty to keep us occupied is why I haven’t written sooner.

Our training is rugged. Every day we have 1 hour of p.t. In that we have weight lifting, hurdle jumping, etc. We run about a mile without stopping, that is what most of the men fall short on.

Every morning except Sunday we get up about 4:00 a.m. and have formation. After formation we police up the area, then we go to training. We work until 11:30 and go back to work about 1:00. The afternoons are the hottest hours we have.

Last week we went on the firing range. We had practice fire for Monday and Tuesday forenoons, then we fired for our record. We also worked in the pits pulling targets. Wednesday afternoon we pulled targets for the ones that didn’t qualify. Thursday the Fourth, we had two inspections. I guess they wanted to keep us in camp. I was lucky enough to get a pass into Anniston. That town is just like Terril, pretty dead.

We only have about 30 days of training left to go and then we’ll be on our way home. It will sure seem good to get back there and see everybody just as they were when we left. Days are passing slow but the weeks are going fast. It doesn’t seem that we have been here a month but we have.

The army isn’t so bad, you just have to get used to it. I’m beginning to think it isn’t too rough, but still I don’t want to stay any longer than my 18 months. The army is better when you have someone you know to talk to. Jack Arthur, Duane Johnson, Wayne Krieger and Bob Cushing are in this camp. Jack is in a different company but still we see him about every night. Down here is a good place to make friends. The boys in our hut are very friendly and easy to get along with. They will do anything for one another. It makes it easier for a person to stay in the army and not go over the hill.

Well, I can’t think of anything more to say so I’ll close for now. Drop a few lines and let me know how things are up there.

Sincerely yours

Bill Davis

Re: Cecil E. Davis

April 29, 19??

Sgt. Cecil Davis Home

Sgt. and Mrs. Cecil Davis of Camp Adair at Corvalis, Oregon came Saturday night for a week’s furlough with home folks. This is his first visit in nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Davis, Sgt. and Mrs. Cecil Davis and Mrs. Everett Davis visited at the Herb Simpson home at Spirit Lake Monday evening. Ed’s and Cecil’s were at Walter Davis for dinner and visited at Everetts in the afternoon. They expect to crowd all they can in this week and will have a family dinner Thursday evening.

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July 30, 1942

Terril Boy with Flying Colors

Staff Sgt. Cecil E. Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Davis of Terril, joined the Army in 1942 and has since then traveled extensively, having spent 2 years in China, and 3 years in Hawaii.

He has a wife and 2 children and 2 bothers Everett and Walter living on farms near Terril, and one sister, Mrs. Herb Simpson of Spirit Lake.

Before joining the Army he farmed with his parents.

It has been 8 years since Cecil has been home, although his parents have visited him several times.

He is a graduate mechanic and is stationed at Camp Barkeley Texas.

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Re: Clem  J. Detterman

August 27, 1942

Clem Detterman left Monday afternoon for Carroll County from where he will go to the army Clem has been around here more or less for the past 5 years. He is a very good paperhanger and painter. He’s hung around the Grow home and the office a lot, gone fishing, minnow seining, crawdadding with George and Bernard and has gotten to be one of “our boys.” He came down Monday to bid “mother” good bye as you know Clem has no mother and we sort of take them all or most all under our ample wing. In other words he’s going to be another one of about 40 of the boys from Terril whom we shall miss.

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December 30, 1942

Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Grows,

Will drop you a few lines hoping that they will find all of you in the best of health. I left Camp Crowder on the 12th of December. Traveled west in a Pullman car, not bad for a buck private. Passed through Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming and now am stationed in Utah up in the mountains. This is very nice country but I will take good old Iowa the land of the tall corn. Had quite a bit of rain last week but now we are having nice weather. No snow down here but we can see the snow on the mountain tops from here. The mountains are a pretty sight especially at sunrise on a clear dry day.

Hope you folks had a very Merry Christmas. We had a very good Christmas dinner, turkey, creamed peas, mashed potatoes, pineapple and ice cream. I ate too much that day.

Will close wishing all of the folks a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Your Friend

Clem Determan

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Re: Darial H. Determan

April 5, 1945

Leo Determans received a telegram from their son Darrel, who left for Ft. Snelling Monday that he is in the navy now. Marvin Cuklanz also left for induction Monday.

April 26, 1945

Great Lakes, Illinois – Darial H. Determan, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. L.G. Determan, Terril, Iowa is receiving his initial Naval indoctrination at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois.

His recruit training consists of instruction in seamanship, military drill and general Naval procedure. During this period a series of aptitude tests will be taken by the recruit to determine whether he will be assigned to a Naval Service school, to a shore station or to immediate duty at sea.

When his recruit training is completed, the seaman will receive a period of leave.

September 13, 1945

Drial Detterman was born north of Terril, August 29, 1923. He graduated from Terril school where he attended all his school life in 1941. He is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Detterman and has one sister, Ione.

Darial left for service in April of 1945. He took his boot training at Great Lakes and then went to Norman, Oklahoma. He left there August 28 for Shoemaker, Calif., where he is now stationed.

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Re: Calvin C. Dodge

November 25, 1943

The Des Moines Army Aviation Cadet Examining Board today announces that Calvin C. Dodge, age 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Orville E. Dodge of Terril, has successfully qualified for training as an aviation cadet with the Army Air Forces.

A letter has been furnished him requesting his assignment to the Air Corps. After volunteering for induction through his local draft board he will be sent to a Basic Training Center for processing. Part of his preparatory work will include five months of study at a selected college. Upon completion of this pre-aviation cadet training, it will be determined as to which classification he is best suited for – pilot, bombardier, or navigator. Then primary air crew training begins, followed by basic and advanced. The training course has a value of $28,000.

Upon graduation, he will be commissioned a second lieutenant or appointed a flight officer. The pay in either case is $291 for those who are single, and $327 for married men. A uniform allowance of $250 is made.

Information regarding Aviation Cadet training may be had from the VFW Post, any Civil Air Patrol unit or by writing to the Army Aviation Cadet Examiner Board, 320 Old Federal Building, Des Moines.

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June 22, 1944

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Calvin C. Dodge was born on the farm that his parents are farming near Terril, on January 21, 1925. He is the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Orville Dodge. He spent most of his life on the same place helping his father with the farming. He has one sister, Mrs. Albert McBain of Terril, and one brother, Floyd, at home.

Calvin graduated with the class of 1942 at Terril. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was called into service December 18, 1943. He was first stationed at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., and then at Seamore Johnson Field, North Carolina. He went overseas about the first of April and is stationed Somewhere in England.

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November 12, 1944

Calvin Dodge Writes to his Folks from France

Dear Folks,

I’ve been out taking a tour of the country today so I’m not too ambitious. I nearly froze to death all day. Even with my long John’s on I got cold. I guess I’m a sissy any more.

This morning we started out and went to Napoleon’s palace. What a joint that was, two thousand rooms in the whole place. It was the most elaborate joint I ever saw. One floor had thirteen different kinds of wood. It was all inlaid and designed. The walls and ceiling were all painted with famous people, fights, etc. I saw Nepoleon’s bed and throne as well as his wives.

We had dinner after that and how much do you suppose that cost us. One hundred seventeen francs. ($2.34) I nearly passed out. Luckily I had that much. It was a pretty good meal but oh brother, I couldn’t understand when the waitress when she said how much. So I just got to a hundred, I thought “Sister, I’m just paying for a meal, not buying the joint.” But I kept on and when I got a hundred and twenty she stopped me and gave me three francs back.

In the afternoon we went to Versailles. It wasn’t as nice because the paintings in the palace of Versailles were taken down. I don’t know if the Germans took them or if they were afraid they would be bombed, and took them down themselves. I was in the room where the treaty was signed ending the last war. It was 26 years and one day ago. I surely wish they would hurry up and get this war’s treaty signed.

We stopped in to the Red Cross in Versailles and had coffee and doughnuts before we came back.

Sis ain’t just a kiddin’ about me looking like I was going to put on a sweater under my blouse and I’ll be darned, I couldn’t get it buttoned. I guess I’ll have to get a new blouse when I get back to the States. I don’t know how much I weigh now because I can’t read the French scale at all.

Love, Calvin

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November 27, 1944

Letter From Calvin Dodge

Somewhere in France

Dear Grows,

Last April my mother was in your office and took out a subscription to the Terril Record to be sent to me. In the eight month time, I have received six copies. I know that mail service is bad, but I doubt whether it is that bad. Would you kindly look into the matter and see that the paper is sent each week, because what little news I can get from home I greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Cpl. Calvin C. Dodge

Editor’s Note – We are very sorry that Cpl. Calvin C. Dodge has not received the Record. It has been mailed EVERY week since his mother took out the subscription. We mail the Records late Wednesday nights. If they do not reach their destination we can not go with them and take them to the boys, much as we would like to.

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November 30, 1944

A Ninth Air Force Service Command Unit, France: Calvin C. Dodge, son of Mr. and Mrs. Orville Dodge, Terril, Iowa, has been promoted to Corporal, Dodge is attached to a unit of the Ninth Air Force Service Command, which supplies and maintains combat organizations.

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June 27, 1946

Calvin Dodge arrived home Friday. He was discharged at Fr. Sheridan, Illinois. He landed in the states about two weeks ago.

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Re: Flavis Dodge

June 10, 1943

Terril

Flavis Dodge came home last week for a 22 day furlough, to visit his mother, Mrs. Walter Dodge, at the M.M Moulton home in Spencer.

The Dodge family has for years lived a mile east of Langdon and Flavis graduated from Lake Center some years ago. He has been in the service for about two years and has not been home in 18 months. He is stationed on an island 10 miles by 40 miles in the Aleutians. His mother, who has been in poor health for some time has been at the Moulton home to be closer to medical attention. She is the former Vina Anderson, of 5 miles west of Terril.

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July 1, 1943

Flavis Dodge, who has been visiting with relatives here and in Langdon coming especially to see his mother, Mrs. W. H. Dodge, who is seriously ill in the home of her sister, Mrs. M.M. Moulton, West 4th, returned last week to Alaska. He is stationed with the United States army air corps and has been stationed in Kodiak and other Alaskan posts. The trip back to Alaska will duplicate his coming to Spencer, a plane trip from Seattle to Alasla, following the coastal route, and the remainder of the trip by train. He commented very little concerning his work but said, “I know all about those lonely Aleutians!” Asked if he had seen any Japs he said “No, I only hope I will!” Dodge is a former 4-H club member in Clay county winning many outstanding honors in this work. – Spencer Times

Scd. Lieut. Flavius A. Dodge

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July 27, 1944

Scd. Lieut. Flavius A. Dodge

Dodge Served in Far Northwest

Scd. Lieut. Flavius A. Dodge, now a communications officer at Malden Field, Mo., is a veteran of the occupations of Amchitka and Kiska and other northwest outposts. He is the son of W. H. Dodge of near Langdon.

An interview recently published in the Malden newspaper has been sent to relatives and friends here: “Lieut. Dodge, who embarked for Alaska two days before Pearl Harbor and two months after he had enlisted in the Army in February, 1941, was a weatherman before he returned to the States in September 1943, to attend OCS at Miami Beach, Fla., and wound up here as communications officer. As such, he saw plenty of action in the northernmost fight against the Japs.

“His first year in the far northwest 1942, he spent setting up weather stations in Alaska from whence he proceeded at the turn of the year to Adak island, where he helped prepare for the occupation of Amchitka was pretty easy, Lieut. Dodge said for when the Japs discovered that the Americans had landed in force and meant business, they cleared out but returned frequently by air to bomb and straf Yank troops. One of their favorite tricks was to bomb and straf chow lines, he said. He was never touched himself, but he saw plenty of his buddies fall under the 20mm. fire and had ration tins blown up within a 100 foot distance.

“As soon as the island had been cleared and flying strips had been installed the yanks started operations against Kiska, bombing and strafing in preparation for the actual occupation. Though the Japs had deserted the island before the Yanks landed, they used to put up some pretty terrific ack-ack fire, worse than that encountered in Europe, according to former European theatre pilots, who had been transferred to the Alaskan theatre, Lieut. Dodge said.

“The flying weather was pretty bad, he added. Sometimes pilots would return from missions to find visibility so poor over their home fields that they couldn’t land and had to circle around waiting for openings, so long that they’d run out of gas and have to make crash landings.

“The food wasn’t so hot, either. It was five months before they had fresh meat, and during that period the only undehydrated food they had was peas. Mostly there was Spam, Vienna sausage and dehydrated South American beef. The medics used to chlorinate the water so that when coffee was made from it, it would turn out a sickly green in color. Powdered milk added to green coffee makes for a pretty repulsive concoction.

“Housing? Just ordinary tents anchored deep in the ground. Half the time you’d wake up in the morning to find your sleeping bag covered with snow.

“And they were always alert for a major Jap attack. One never came because the intelligence service was so good that the Yanks were able to nip every move in the bud.

“He never actually set foot on Kiska, Lieut. Dodge said, but he was on one of the ships that participated in the invasion. The boys who went in were a sick lot when the Japs had cleared out.

“On the island the Yanks found a monument the Japs had erected to a Canadian pilot they’d shot down unusual evidence that they occasionally honor even the enemy dead.” – Spencer Daily Reporter-

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Re: Irven Doss

October 12, 1944

Terril Boys in the Army and the Navy

Irven Doss was born December 23, 1922 near Corning, Iowa. When only a small child, he was left without a home. Under the supervision of the Iowa Children’s Home Society, he received his education at Bondurant school.

In April 1941, he decided he was interested in farming and wished to seek a farm home. It was at this time he came to make his home with Mr. and Mrs. Glen Finch and Robert.

He enjoyed living with them and called it his real home. Irven was a good clean boy and was liked by those that made his acquaintance.

He was called to enter service in Jan. 1944. He received his basic training stationed at Camp Beal, California.

Irven has a half sister, Ann Dewee who lives at Corning.

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May 23, 1946

T5 Irvin Doss was in town Tuesday with Glen Finch calling on friends. Irvin made his home entering service. He has been in the India – Burma theater for the past 18 months. He has reenlisted for three years and will leave soon for the European theater.

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Re: King Drennen

Sept 20, 1945,

Mr. and Mrs. Homer Drennen of Ruthven received a telegram from the War Department Saturday evening, stating that their son, King Drennen who had been a prisoner of the Japanese since early in “42 was released and had been taken to Guam and was then on shipboard headed for the United States.  This is, of course, a great relief to the parents and other relatives and friends.  Earlier in his imprisonment he was at Osaka.  The family were not notified from what camp he was released since the fall of Japan.  Homer Drennen is linotype operator on the Spencer Times.

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Sept. 20, 1945

Homer Drennen of Ruthven called us Saturday night and told us that their boy had been released from the Nip prison camp and had been taken to Guam and was on a ship headed for the United States.  He had been at Osaka at one time but the telegram did not tell where he was from now.

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Oct. 4, 1945

Announcement at the last scrap paper drive

King Drennen of Ruthven, for 3 ½ years a prisoner of the Japs, got home September 25.

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Oct. 4, 1945

King Drennen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Drennen of Ruthven and a prisoner of the Japs for 3 ½ years, got home to Ruthven last Tuesday, September 25. The Drennens first heard of his release on September 15. He was reported then to be headed from Guam to the states. It didn’t take so long after he once got started. Ruthven school dismissed and the whole town turned out to meet King and his parents who had met him at Mason City. Mr. Krukow was at Ruthven when the crowd started to gather and he told us about it last Thursday.

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Oct. 4, 1945  Milford

Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Lee, and daughter, Darlene, Bob Hagerton and King Drennen of Ruthven, relatives of Elmer Meyer, attended the barn dance Friday night.  King Drennen had just returned from overseas the day before.  He had been in the army four years and was in a Jap prison camp for 39 months.