Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Time Machine Trip to April 1944

 

Kaukauna Times April 1944

By Lyle Hansen


April 5, 1944

Three Kaukauna high school juniors will participate in the state forensics tournament to be held in Madison April 17 and 18, having won an A rating in the district meet at De Pere. The speakers are Lawrence Gerend oratory, Norman Janssen humorous and Betty Kieffer serious declamation.


Two Kaukauna young women, Mary Catherine Hatchell 22 and Madelyn M. Noie 22 have enlisted in the Marine Corps women’s reserve.

Thomas Mislinski purchased the Hotel Kaukauna from the First Reality investment company and took possession Saturday, April 1. He plans to renovate the hotel as soon as materials become available in the meantime will operate the hotel in its present condition. The hotel has been owned by First Reality for the past 20 years and has been operated under the part-time management of Julius J, Martin senior, for the last 12 years. It is Mislinski’s attention to offer the community an outstanding hotel and one that transcends will enjoy stopping.

L. F. Nelson was re-elected mayor in the spring election Tuesday by a margin of 105 more votes than George C Egan, his only opponent.

Karl Marzahl was renamed city clerk for a two-year term out polling Joseph T Sadlier in the two-way race. Two new members of the school board are Al. Hartzheim and Mrs. Russell Brenzel.

 

Charles Martin Van Camp, age 19 of Little Chute, died of injuries received in performance of his duty in United States Navy, according to word received from the War Department. The message stated that the burial would take place either at sea or in the locality where the death occurred. He attended St. John’s grade school and high school. He enlisted in the Navy August 13, 1942, his parents received a letter from him two weeks ago in which they concluded he was starting for overseas duty.

 

Flight officer John W Lindstrom, 22, 820 Grignon Street Kaukauna, has shot down three enemy planes, two Messerschmitt and a Focke-Wulf during a raid on a German aircraft parts factory in Austria. Pilot of a P-38, Officer Lindstrom, has been overseas since last July. He entered the service in January 1941 is a native of Kaukauna attending Park school and graduated from Kaukauna high school.

 

April 7, 1944

An appeal to all drivers to observe low speed limits on highways was issued by the war production board. Tests have proven that the life of a tire at 35 miles per hour is 50 percent longer than at 50 miles per hour. It is necessary to make your present tires last, while a steady flow of tires is maintained to the armed forces and essential transportation.

Corporal Robert Ebben, 21 son of Chris Ebben, Little Chute, died at Camp Gordon Johnson Fla., following an injury.  Corporal Ebben entered service February 22, 1943. He was a 1941 graduate of Little Chute High School.

City Engineer Frank Charlesworth was appointed supervisor of a Kaukauna victory garden project to be carried out this year by Mayor L.F. Nelson. Suggestion was made at the meeting that victory garden project be carried out for the public for the duration of the war with the city to list city – owned lots and property which would be available without charge to citizens for the purpose of planting victory gardens.

 

The boy scouts picked up over four tons of scrap material in the collection Saturday, according to Scoutmaster Wallace Mooney. The list includes 400 pounds of iron, 50 pounds of rags, 7000 pounds of paper and 600 pounds of tin cans.

 

April 12, 1944

Ben G Prugh, official of the Fox River route navigation company, has announced that his company will begin operations on Thursday the 26th consecutive year in which local navigation company’s boats had transferred supplies on the Fox River. Navigation will be open on the Fox River from De Pere to Portage.


April 14, 1944

Coach Fred Barribeau’s high school boxing team waded through five matches this year without a defeat the cause extended their undefeated team match to 50 over a period of eight seasons. This record is considered the best in Wisconsin high school circles. This was Barribeau’s first year as the high school boxing mentor. There is no doubt in the minds of local fight fans minds that he did a good job in developing a winning team. Four boxers have perfect records for the year and 18 members will receive letters for excellent work. Duane Buerth led the 1944 squad with five straight wins without a setback. He now has seven wins without a loss in a competition in the last two years. Jim Hopfensperger and Mark Verhagen chalked up four straight wins each and Bill Bennett added three wins to his credit this year without a loss. Jim Egan is this year's honorary captain.

 

Two sisters Dorothy 22 and Virginia 20 daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Clark Phillips, Sarah Street have enlisted in the United States Coast Guard reserve.

 

The boys overseas, serving in the Armed Forces have been sent 200,000 cigarettes, according to E.G. Haas financial officer of Kaukauna Post 41 American Legion.

 

April 19, 1944

The gift department was opened recently by Toonen Drug Store at 186 West Wisconsin Avenue. The Drug Store now occupies all of what was formerly known as the Wendt Building and in which the Aloys Hopfensperger Meat Market operated for many years.

 

April 26, 1944

W. S. Mulford, who owned the store which carried his name in this city for 44 years passed away at the home of his daughter in Grosse Pointe Michigan on Friday, April 14 at the age of 85 years. In 1888, when Mr. Mulford opened his store in Kaukauna, he started business in the building now occupied by the Paschen restaurant. About three years later he purchased the building now housing the Berens clothing store, in which he operated his store until 1932.

 

April 28, 1944

The A&P Company announced the opening of a new store in the Elks Building on Second   Street Thursday evening. The business will be under the management of Irving G. Van Zummeren.

 

An effort is being made to have the names of all servicemen from here listed on the honor roll board before Mother’s Day May 14, according to Karl Marzahl, city clerk. Please make sure that the name of your service man is furnished to the city clerk at once, as the work of painting the names will begin the first week in May.

 

 

Notes from the Armed Forces

 

Lester E. Spice - inducted in the Army.

George M. Hopfensperger - inducted in the Army.

John P. Grafmeier - inducted in the Navy.

Donald A. Locy - inducted in the Navy

Clifford R. Johnson - inducted in the Navy

Carl D. Wuyts - inducted in the Navy

 

Corporal Robert Brewster has arrived overseas according to his family and friends. Brewster is in the U.S. Marine corps. Corp. Brewster is now stationed in New Guinea.

 

Seaman First Class Herbert Plutchak graduated form the Naval Air Technical Training Center at Memphis, Tenn.

 

Third Class Petty Officer Ralph Walsh is confined to the navy hospital at Brooklyn N.Y. following an appendicitis operation.

 

Corporal R. A. Wenzel was honored at the university, New Haven, Conn., by the war department for his ability of providing desirable results having completed the required period of service in military service.

 

E. L. Archibald, former advertising manager of the Kaukauna Times, has received his commissions as ensign in the navy. 

 

Private Wallace W. Wolff of Kaukauna has received a citation for good conduct according to a report released by the war department. Pvt. Wolff is serving in the armed forces in Europe.

 

Corporal Jack Niesz has been transferred to Florida.

 

Private Edward A. Klahorst, Kaukauna, who was a military policeman in Hawaiian Islands, has been transferred to Camp Patrick Henry, Va.   

  

Corporal Wayne “Bud” Wagnitz, Camp Haan, Calif., Writes home he expected to be moved shortly, as he has completed his training course. He says he hates to leave this beautiful place in California.

 

Lt. Junior Grade Bryon C. Mayer left Monday for New York after spending a furlough with his wife and parents in Kaukauna.

 

Private Rudolph E. Skalmusky has been transferred to Camp Campbell, Ky.  

 

Private Melvyn Sager writes home that he is now working in the engineer corps. He is now located at Fort Belvoir, Va. 

 

Robert Martzahl writes home that he had enjoyed an eight-day furlough in England and visited many interesting places.    

 

Seabee Kenneth Balgie has recently been transferred to Rhode Island, according to word received by his wife.

 

Seaman first class Melvin Verhagen returned to Mare Island Calif., after spending a 30-day leave with his parents in Kaukauna.

 

Corporal Margaret Schneider of the Wac is enjoying a 15-day furlough with her parents.

 

Private Robert B. Kessler, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Kessler, died of a heart attack, April 20 in the south Pacific. He had recently been home on leave and had gone overseas only two weeks ago.

 

Sergeant Paul W. Green has arrived safely overseas. Paul is a waist gunner on a B-17 flying fortress.

 

Private Dean Lemke returned to Camp Livingston, La., after spending a 10-day furlough with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Lemke Kaukauna.











 

 

 

 

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