Kaukauna Times – November 1944
By Lyle Hansen
November 1, 1944
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Wisconsin Marines got
together in the Marshall Islands recently. Staff Sergeant Alvin J. De Bruin of
Kaukauna second from the left.
Major John A. Sullivan,
26-year-old fighter pilot and squadron commander of Kaukauna has been awarded
another Oak Leaf Cluster to his Air Medal for meritorious service in aerial
fights over Europe.
On November 1, Nic. J.
Mertes completed twenty-five years of service with the Kaukauna Electrical and
Water Departments. He started as a meter tester on November 1, 1919, shortly
after returning from service in World War I.
The Kaukauna Galloping Ghost
bounced to a 20-0 over the Clintonville gridders at Clintonville Saturday
night.
November 3, 1944
Young women who are
joining the waves these days are mindful of many postwar advantages of having
been in a women's reserve of the Navy. The G.I. Bill of Rights will give
education advantage, civil service priorities and job advantage to those who
served in any branch of the armed forces and the women's as well as the men's
branches.
Mark Verhagen and Francis
Liethen were announced as co-captains of the 1945 Kaukauna High School football
team at the annual father–son banquet held at the high school gym Tuesday
evening. Liethen, a tackle, was one of the outstanding line men in the
conference this year in on every play. Verhagen led the league in scoring,
probably being the hardest running back in the conference. He played either
right or left half.
November 8, 1944
Pres. Franklin D.
Roosevelt was reelected before midnight last night when trends in the voting
gave him a substantial lead in 32 states. Thomas E Dewey led in 16 states.
Wisconsin went for Dewey by a margin of 28,000 votes. Dewey had 650,000 votes
to 622,000 for President Roosevelt.
A cable received by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hahnemann
from their son Pfc. Kenneth C. Hahnemann states he is well and safe. He
had been reported missing over Holland since September 18 according to a report
from the War Department.
Cadet Melvin M.
Courtney, 25 of Kaukauna, was killed in an airplane crash Sunday evening 6
miles north of Garden Army Airfield, Garden City, Kansas, where he was
stationed. Cadet Courtney, in service since January of last year, would have
been commissioned and received his wings in a few weeks.
Staff Sgt. Edwin J.
Dougherty has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action in a
recent campaign. Sgt. Dougherty entered the Army in October 1940 and went
overseas in April 1942.
The young people's
dance sponsored by the auxiliary of the electric city post 3319 had over 100
youths in attendance Friday evening. Refreshments were served during the dance.
November 17 is set as a
formal opening day for Service Hardware. Carl Anderson stated that moving from
the Dietzler building one door east to the Fechter building will give the store
greater space.
With six lettermen
returning to this year's basketball team coach Guy Krumm has picked his squad,
and his charges are working out every night on the hardwood courts in
preparation for the opening game of the season against Seymour November 14.
Fred Nack, guard Don Kuehl, center, Bill Landreman, forward, Jim Lehman,
forward, Pat Flanagan, center and Ken Dexhiemer, center.
November 10, 1944
Word has been received
by the parents of Lieut. Clifford Kalista that he was seriously wounded in
action in Belgium, October 25. Lieut. Kalista entered service in August 1943
and went to France September of this year.
Ed Mauel took high game
in the Businessmen’s league with a 252 and high series with a 627. George
Duprey hit the maples for a 259 game and 629 series in the Knights of Columbus
Bowling league.
Word has been received
by the parents of Marvin A. Trettin that he is in a hospital at Statton Island,
N. Y. Marvin had been wounded in England on November 9.
November 15, 1944
Wisconsin hunting gun
accidents so far this season resulted in 31 casualties, eight dead the rest
wounded. The record points out that 11 of the gun victims were less than 18
years of age.
Kaukauna industries and
their employees, businesses and professional men raised $4842.60 for the
Wisconsin war fund according to local drive chairman, Mayor L. F. Nelson.
Lieut. Elroy J. Peters
was awarded the air medal and Purple Heart recently. He was wounded in action
over Germany on August 9 serving with the Eight Air Force. He entered service
in January 1943 and went overseas in June 1944.
“Yes, I think our team
has a mighty good chance of getting the championship this year”, said Fred Nack
captain of the high school basketball team. “Besides my three years in high
school, I played basketball ever since I can remember. I’d rather play
basketball than sleep or even eat.” Fred will lead his team for the first time
this season in a non-conference game against Seymour.
November 17, 1944
Mrs. Robert Peterson
received word from the war Department that her husband Lieut. Robert Peterson
was seriously wounded in action in France, October 26. He has been awarded the
Purple Heart. He expects to be in a hospital for several months according to
word from him.
Two Weigman boys were
home on leave at the same time. S2c James J. Weigman visited his wife and son.
A.O.M. 2c Leo Weigman visited his wife. The boys are the sons of Mr. and Mrs.
Carl Weigman. When they leave, they will enter the Pacific area.
A very small crowd saw
the Kaukauna High School cagers down the Seymour five 29-16 on the local floor
Tuesday evening. The first game of the season for both teams the Kaws decidedly
controlled the ball but while towering over their smaller opponents they did
not use their height advantage on offense or defense for rebounds. The ball
handling while not polished was fairly good and will have to improve incoming
games.
November 21, 1944
First Lieut. Francis J.
Schneider who is serving with the twelfth air force B-26 Marauder group has
been awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm by the French government for
precision attacks on bridges in support of the French ground forces in Italy.
Staff Sgt. Gordon Reed
spent part of his 21-day furlough with relatives and friends in Kaukauna. He
recently returned from overseas where he has completed 50 missions as a nose
gunner on a B–24 operating in the Mediterranean area. He has received the
Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak leaf clusters. Sgt. Reed entered service
in November 1942 and left for overseas early this year.
Patrick F. Burns has
completed 25 years’ service with the Wisconsin Telephone Company. Mr. Burns
started work at the company in Green Bay in April 1918 as an apprentice.
Call them inspired,
hot, lucky, or what have you, those Kaukauna High School cagers had what it
took to beat Appleton here Saturday night. They downed the Terrors by the final
score of 29 to 24.
November 23, 1944
A 21year old Kaukauna
girl has become nationally known. She is Yeoman third-class Margaret O’Connor
who was chosen from 1,000 spars as the “typical Spar” and led the grand march
at the ball celebrating the spar’s second anniversary at the Astor Hotel in New
York Monday evening.
Lieut. Kenneth J. Busse
has been seeing a lot of the world since he left New York in August according
to letter he sent home. He is still flying P-38’s in the Air Force and says,
“He truly loves this life, lots of excitement". He did not mention the
fact, but the war Department has announced that he has been awarded the air
medal for action in three major battles in the European theater. Lieut. Busse
has two brothers serving in the armed forces in Europe. Pfc. Bernard is in
France and staff Sgt. Victor has been overseas since October 1943.
Approximately 22 firms
in the aluminum ware industry are getting ready to resume production of household
kitchen utensils. A few have already gone into production. In addition, there
are numerous companies now in war production that are planning to enter the
aluminum field for the first time.
Bill Landreman says
that under our team captain we have an excellent chance of taking the
conference championship this season. Bill, a senior plays forward on this
year's squad and is the smallest man on the varsity, standing 5'9" and
weighing 135 pounds.
Coach Guy Krumm stated;
“After a comparatively slow first half the Kaws really poured it on the
Brillion quant Tuesday night and walked away with a 40 to 17 victory. Bob La
Plante, the Ghost forward, was the high scorer with 14 points.
Mr. and Mrs. H.
Leatherbury of Kaukauna were at Truax Field, Madison, last Friday where they
were presented with the air medal and one oak leaf cluster awarded to their
son, Staff Sergeant John H. Leatherbury, who is a prisoner of war in
Germany.
November 29, 1944
Flight officer Robert
J. Voet was awarded the air medal at an airstrip in France for his part in a
gigantic airborne invasion of South France and Holland. “Quite a bit of flak
and ground fire was encountered on the way, but I landed on a fairly good field
with no damage to the glider, except for a couple of holes in the nose
section.”
Private Leo J. King,
Kaukauna, was a member of the 1st Battalion of the 168th
regiment which received the Distinguished Unit citation for seizing and holding
several important German positions in Italy.
“Look out for the shell
with your initials on it,” Long has been a grim warning among soldiers, but
Pfc. Raymond Zehms, Green Bay, not only escaped injury, but also has the piece
of metal with his initials on it as a souvenir. Zehms is a bazooka man with an
antitank company on the front in Germany. Early in November a shell burst
nearby, injuring one of his officers and narrowly missing him. A large chunk of
shrapnel landed a few feet away; picking it up, Ray found it bore the letters
“RZ.”
Notes from the Armed Forces
Pvt. Willard Delcore
writes home from a fox hole somewhere in France. He entered the service in
February 1942 and has been overseas about a year. “I am in good health, and everything
is fine. I even went back a few miles from the front and saw a movie.”
Richard Watson 18 of
Kaukauna is receiving his initial navel training at Great Lakes, Illinois.
David Flanagan,
co-captain of this year’s football championship team, left Monday morning for
Milwaukee to report for duty with the armed forces.
Corporal Michael Milton
is spending a two-week furlough with his family before returning to Camp Ellis,
Ill.
Leroy Balza has been
ordered to report for service in the air corps at Ft. Sheridan. He graduated
with the class of 1944.
Capt. Rollie Halfman
left for Washington D. C. after a two-week furlough with his family in
Kaukauna.
Staff Sgt. Paul W. Green, 27, of
Kaukauna, has arrived at Army air force station in Miami Beach, Florida, for
reassignment processing after completing a tour of duty outside the United
States. Sgt. Greene was a mechanic and gunner in the European theater.
Donald Biselx, MM
second class, Coast Guard, arrived home to spend a leave with his wife and
parents after which he will return to his assignment at Cleveland, Ohio.
Roy Deering, apprentice
seaman, is spending a short leave with his parents. Seaman Deering has just
completed boot training at the Naval training Center at Great Lakes. He is a
1944 graduate of Kaukauna High School.
Albert DeWitt, Seaman
first class, graduated from advanced naval training school at Treasure Island
California, as a welder. He will now go to a deep-sea diving school.
PFC, Lawrence Kappell
has returned to Vaughn General Hospital at Hines Ill., after spending a
five-day furlough with his wife and children.
Lieut. Elroy J. Peters
has been decorated with the air medal recently by the commanding general of the
eighth Air Force which is stationed in England.
Marine Pvt. Gerald J.
Klister graduated from the Browning automatic M1 section at the training
command at Camp Pendleton Oceanside California.
Sgt. Jerome Parman and
his wife arrived here for a 14-day furlough from Fort Worth Texas to visit his
family.
Lieut. Valbur Borger
has called his wife to let her know that he has arrived safely in England.
Lieut. Frank Hermsen
Jr., Little Chute, has completed 35 missions over Europe as a bombardier on a
B-17 flying Fortress and is currently visiting his wife and parents.
Tech. Sgt. John J.
Kramer, 21 Kaukauna, a veteran of 30 missions has arrived at Scott Field Army
Air Force training command.
Flight officer Donald
J. Rohlinger, 19 Kaukauna, has graduated from flight training school at
Ellington Field, Texas.
Cpl. Jerome J. Belongea a veteran of 30
months in the Middle East as a military policeman has been assigned to duty
with the Provost Marshal's office in Miami, Florida.
Gunnery Sgt. Gene Nagan
has arrived safely at his foreign destination and is now stationed in
Holland.
Inducted into Navy:
Richard J. Brown,
Kaukauna
John H. Helein,
Kaukauna
Donovan Moreland,
Little Chute
Raymond Van Asten,
Little Chute
Joseph Cappaert,
Kimberly
Inducted in the Army:
Earl B. Arnoldussen,
Kaukauna
Robert A Kerscher,
Kaukauna
Robert Krueger,
Kaukauna
Seaman Gerald Derus
left for the naval training base at Mt. Pleasant, Michigan after spending a
seven-day leave with his parents.
Marine Pvt. Roger J.
Voet has graduated from the infantry Browning automatic rifle school at Camp
Pendleton, Oceanside, California. Before entering service in May 1944, private
Voet was employed by the Kaukauna Hardware Company.
Pfc. Rudolph Schneider
arrived home from his station in Nebraska to spend a 15-day furlough with his
parents.
Staff Sgt. Irwin Dougherty
arrived in California Friday after having been wounded in combat in New Guinea
on August 1. He had been in service for four years. He is now on his way home
to spend a 30-day furlough with his parents.
Tech. Third Grade
Marvin Siebers arrived in France recently. He entered service in November 1941.
Seaman Jack Leddy
arrived home to spend a few days with his parents. He has made 10 trips across
the Atlantic with a task force on a destroyer escort.
Lieut. Michael J.
Gerharz has been promoted to Captain. He is with the 78th Medical
battalion.
Lieut. Robert L. Lang
is now located in France according to word received by his parents. He is
serving in an infantry division.
Pfc. Carl H. Holtz, 20,
has been awarded the combat infantry badge for service and combat against the
Japanese.
James Lang has been
promoted to the rank of Lieut. in the Navy. Lt. Lang is currently serving at
Algiers, Louisiana.
Keith W. Ploetz, 18,
and Eugene J. Kersten, 17, are receiving their initial Navy induction training
at Great Lakes Illinois.
Captain Donald Grebe,
who is stationed at Camp Steward, Savannah, Ga., arrived here spending a 10-day
leave with his wife, son and mother.
Staff Sergeant Melvin
Arps was home for a week spending time with his family. He had been wounded in
France June 16 and has been in a hospital in Maywood, Ill.
Corporal Russel
Gerrits, a radio operator in field artillery at Fort Bragg, N.C., spent a
15-day furlough with his parents.
Donald Kobs has been
promoted to sergeant in the 40th infantry division. He has been in the Army
since September 1941 and has been overseas since August 1944.
1944 Lincoln-Zephyr
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