The Drums Of War Chapter Eighteen THE SOLDIER’S OATH “I do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America, that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and articles of war.” A goodly proportion of the men who settled Holt County when the land was still open range were veterans of the Civil War. Since their time in the Army could be deducted from the time needed to prove up on a homestead, such veterans could obtain title to their lands much sooner than other men. Too, the bitter struggle between the states had left thousands of men uprooted and restless and many turned their faces to the frontier. There they found homes and, for the next half century and more, marched proudly in the annual Decoration Day parades and helped in many ways to shape the pattern of their county’s future. Most of these veterans were Union Army men, a few were Confederates, but all were Americans. The names of some are listed here, many others will be found in the family histories. James Divert Peter Phillips John Emerson R. D. Gager Thomas Hudson O. T. Jones George Milder Many Civil War hale and hearty w other young men Milo Pickering Ed Shultz Wallace Sprague Elza Wiley veterans were still hen their sons and took the soldier’s Veterans of the “War of the Rebellion”, members G.A.R. Ewing, Nebraska, January 5, 1899. M. L. Swain, Sth Wis. Vol., age 50; John a. Wild, 89th N.Y. Vol., age 55; David Brion, 171st Pa. Vol., age 74; John G. Closson, 61st Minn. Vol., age 70. oath and marched off to the Spanish American war. Among these were Fred Bitney, who had to advance his age from sixteen to eighteen in order to qualify. He was among the lads who actually reached Cuba and served until the end of the war in 1899. John Cihlar, who enlisted in the 130 Holt County Civil War Veterans at Chambers Cemetery about 1914. Courtesy Ida Lambert. Holt County Veterans. Fifth Annual reunion held at Atkinson August 4th, sth, 6th and 7th, 1891. Courtesy Ben and Dorothy Sanders. 131 cavalry at the beginning of the war, settled in the Niobrara country after the conflict ended and died in Holt County in 1942. Francis Neher of Atkinson was also a veteran of this war. The Berry family, long prominent in Holt County history, stated that some member of the family had served in every U. S. conflict down to the present: the Revolution, Indian, Civil, Mexican and Spanish American wars, both world wars, Korea and VietNam.
Soon after war was declared in 1917 a Navy recruiter from Omaha came to the post office in Atkinson and signed up four boys for the Navy, Atkinson’s first recruits. They were John Farley, Emil Dickau, Dave Anderson and George Dexter, all seventeen years old. After completing training at the Great Lakes Training Center, all were assigned to duty.
John Farley was sent to the Battleship Seattle, a transport carrying troops across the Atlantic. On March 8, 1918, John died of pneumonia on board ship and was buried at sea. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. George Farley. From there on Holt County’s Gold Star list is long and illustrious. For some of these servicemen no other information except the names is available. Where additional information is furnished, it is given below. CpI. Richard Erwin Albers, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Albers of Chambers, entered the Army in October, 1942, and left for overseas duty in March, 1943. He saw service in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, was wounded on the Anzio Beachhead and died the following day, February 24, 1944. He was buried in an American Cemetery at Nuttuna, near Rome, until his remains could be brought back to Chambers, where he was buried on his twenty-seventh birthday, July 26, 1948.
Gerald Lee Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Anderson of Atkinson, was killed in a jeep crash in England on April 22, 1968.
Charles Edward Barnes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Barnes, entered the service in February, 1948 and was killed July 15, 1952.
Lloyd Murray Barnes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Barnes of Atkinson, enlisted in February, 1942 and was killed in a plane crash April 19, 1949, at Barksdale Field, Shreveport, Louisiana. Walter E. Bailey, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Bailey of Stuart, entered the service in July, 1918. He went overseas in Sptember and died October 6 in the hospital at Rayac-Sur- L-lsle, Dordogne, France, only two and one-half months after leaving home. His body was returned for burial in Bedford, Iowa.
Arthur Calvin Bathel, of Stuart, Coxswain, served from June, 1940 until his death thirty-eight months later. He took part in the invasions of Africa, Sicily and Salerno, was awarded the Purple Heart, American Theatre, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre, European- African and Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbons. He was killed in action September 11, 1943 aboard the U.S.S. Savannah while covering the landing of troops at Serlano, Italy, when his ship was struck by the first aerial magnetic bomb dropped by a German plane. He was posthumously awarded a Good Conduct Medal.
Pfc. Patrick Henry Benze, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Benze of O’Neill, killed in action in VietNam.
Pfc. William J. Biglin, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Biglin of O’Neill, killed in action in World War II. John E. Binkerd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Benton Binkerd of Steel Creek, was inducted into Army service in March, 1944. After seventeen weeks of infantry training at Camp Roberts, California, he sailed for France in September and was with the 137th Infantry in the siege of Metz, under General Patton, until Sunday, November 12, when he was killed in action just before his thirty-fifth birthday. Joseph F. Bigler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bigler of Ray, died in World War I at Newport News, Virginia, in 1917.
S/Sgt. Lloyd G. Brady of Steel Creek attempted to enlist in the Naval Air Corps in the summer of 1942 but was rejected because of hay fever. In December he was called into the Army Air Corps and inducted at Fort Crook, Nebraska. After basic training at Miami Beach, Florida, he was sent to England. While on his ninth combat mission to Schweinfurt, Germany, his plane exploded over Brussels, Bel- guim on April 13, 1944. Listed as “missing in action,” he was later assumed dead and his Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster awarded to his widow on March 3rd, 1945.
When the Boys Came Marching Home in 1918 or 1919 two Civil War Veterans were still there to welcome them. Left to right. Roy Goree, Hardin Anspach, Nelson Van Every, Civil War Veteran, George W. Green, Civil War Veteran, Lloyd Conger,p.eSls Keyes, Jon Sobotka, Preston Riley, Leon McConnell, Leo Mossman, Joe Gallagher, Eugene Clark, Knowles Roe, Paul Bittner, Delbert Sholes, Ted Richardson, Lemuel Hoxsie and Ray Tucker. Courtesy Karl Keyes. 132 Jack Wolfe of O’Neill, a veteran of World War I, and his son, John Jr. who served in World War II.
Pvt. Bernard Bolin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Bolin of Page, was killed in infantry fighting on the Cherbourg Peninsula near Normandy, France. His body was later brought home and buried in the Page Cemetery.
Pvt. Dorson Berwin Brainard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brainard of Stuart, entered Army service in February, 1942. He sailed from New York City in March 1943 and served in the African and European Theatres with the 89th Tank Destroyer Battalion, with the French Expeditionary Corps with the Fifth Army in the capture of Poggs- bonsi, San Gimignano, Castelfioren- tino and Siena. He was awarded American, African and European Theatre ribbons and the 894th was awarded the Croix de Guerre Avec Etoile de Vermeil in recognition of aid given French troops fighting on the Italian front. He had served twenty-eight months and seventeen days when he was killed in action July 8, 1944 in Italy. He is buried in the Stuart Cemetery.
S/Sgt. Floyd E. Burge, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Burge of O’Neill, killed in action in World War II. Archie Renee Butterfield, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Butterfield of Star, killed in action October 13, 1918, in France.
Captain James V. Carney, killed in action.
T/Sgt. Laddie Carey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Carey of Inman, killed in action.
Pvt. Harold Wayne Childers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Childers of Chambers, was fatally wounded while on voluntary patrol at Guadalcanal and died November 26, 1942. He had enlisted in March, 1941, with the 35th Division, 134th Infantry Regiment, and in April, 1942, was transferred to the 164th Infantry and sent to the Pacific area where his company was in combat maneuvers in New Caledonia. In September 1942 his regiment was transferred to the American Division at Guadalcanal in the Solomons, where he was killed.
Pvt. Calvin Dale Crandall, son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Crandall, also of Chambers, was inducted into the Army in April, 1943. He volunteered for overseas duty in August and was sent to Italy, where he served as first gunner of a machine gun squad in the Fifth Army, Company E, 168th Infantry. He was killed at Cassino on January 7, 1944, and his body was later returned to Chambers for burial. Bernie Dailey, killed in action in World War II.
Pvt. Donald Dailey of Steel Creek, grandson of Matilda Dailey, was killed in action in France while serving with the Seventh Infantry. S/Sgt. Dale A. Davis, killed in action.
S 2/c Henry K. Deerman, killed in action.
S/Sgt. Leo J. DeLong, killed in action.
CpI. Clayton J. Deseive, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Deseive of Atkinson, enlisted in May, 1943, and died in the service in March, 1945.
Howard Dexter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dexter of Atkinson, a Marine, died in the service of his country during World War II.
Pfc. Harold V. Eppenbach, killed in action.
Wilson H. Everetts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Russel Everetts of Atkinson, enlisted in the Navy (date not given) and died of a heart attack at the Chicago Naval Base.
Pfc. James I. Fox, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Fox of Emmet, killed in action.
Pfc. William L. Funk, killed in action.
Sgt. John M. Gallagher, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Gallagher of Inman, killed in action.
Pvt. Charles Paul Goldfuss, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Goldfuss, enlisted in June, 1944, and died on Iwo Jimo Island April 19, 1945.
Sgt. Tevis O. Green, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Green of Chambers, was inducted into the Army in October 1941, and was transferred to various U. S. camps until August 3, 1943, when he was killed in a truck accident at Camp Chaffee, near T/5 Virgil Butzke, son of Mrs. Emma Diehl, killed in action in Germany in December, 1944.
S/Sgt. Lynn T. Cameron, killed in action.
Seaman Second Class Gordon Carl Carlisle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Carlisle of Stuart, entered the service in September, 1941 and served in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Medal and World War II Victory Medal. He sailed around Africa via Capetown to the Suez Canal, Carlo, Egypt and return, then back to the United States on June 13, 1942, where he was killed in Philadelphia three days later. He is Crowd at O’Neill depot to see a contingent of boys off to World War I. Courtesy Ben and Dorothy Sanders.
buried in the Stuart Cemetery. 133 Greenwood, Arkansas. His funeral services were held in the Chambers highschool auditorium, with burial in the Chambers Cemetery.
Sgt. Robert M. Halladay, killed in action.
Pfc. John R. Hamilton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Hamilton of O’Neill, killed in action.
Lt. Michael Eugene Harty, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Harty of O’Neill, killed in action.
Sgt. Floyd E. Jareske, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jareske of O’Neill, killed in action.
Lt. Emery Jungman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Jungman of Atkinson, entered the service in January, 1943, and died near Fenetranple, France, on November 27, 1944.
George Karr of Atkinson lost his life in World War I.
John Ross Kennedy, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Kennedy of Page, died in the service in 1918 and is buried in the Page Cemetery.
Joseph Mack, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mack of Atkinson, was killed in a World War II plane crash.
Pvt. William H. Martfield of Battery 3, 338th Field Artillery, served with American Expeditionary Forces in France. He died in that country on October 14, 1918, just before his twenty-ninth birthday.
S/Sgt. Harlan LaVerne Mille, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence A. Mille of Chambers, enlisted in February, 1943. He arrived with his paratrooper outfit in New Guinea in May, 1944, where he was shot down by enemy fire while making an invasion on Leyte Island the following December 20. He was buried in the American Cemetery, Mahonig, Leyte, until his body could be moved to a National Cemetery in California.
Pvt. Robert Miller, killed in service during World War II.
Lt. Robert Murphy, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Lowell Murphy of Page, was a co-pilot on a B-17 and was killed during a raid on the Japanese from his New Guinea base. His body was brought home for burial in the Page Cemetery.
A l/c Richard F. McIntosh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd McIntosh of Page, joined Hq. 3 Air Force in February 1932 and was killed July 11, 1955, in Germany with the Secret Service. Pvt. Ted McKenzie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde McKenzie of Scott precinct, left his farm home December 1, 1942, for training at Leavenworth, Kansas. After desert training at Indio, California, and further training at Gap, Pennsylvania, he went overseas in September, 1943, and was stationed in England until D Day. He was then sent to France with the Third Armored Division and was killed in action August 4, 1944 at the age of twenty- five years. Memorial services were held for him in Lynch. His brother Clyde was in the Navy and his sister Lois saw service as a nurse.
Pfc. Lyle C. McKim, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle McKim of O’Neill, killed in action.
William Neher of Atkinson, a World War I Marine, died of service inflicted wounds.
Pvt. Dewey Newton, killed in action.
T/5 Ercielle R. Ninas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ninas of Stuart, entered Army service in May, 1942, and served in North Africa, Sicily and the invasion of France. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was killed in action August 2, 1944. Buried at LaCombe, France, he was later returned for burial in the Stuart Cemetery. Harvey Norton, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Norton of Stuart, was wounded in action while serving with the infantry in Europe in World War I. He was wounded on October 18, 1918, and died three days later. He is buried in the Stuart Cemetery. Capt. Ralph L. Oppen, killed in action.
Pfc. Robert Gene Peltzer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Peltzer of Chambers, left for Army duty in May, 1944, serving in the 354th Infantry of the 89th Division. In January 1945 the Division was shipped overseas. Making its way through France and Luxembourg into Germany, the 89th took part in the perilous Rhine River crossing and two days later, on March 28, 1945, Peltzer was killed by enemy fire near Hattenheim, Germany. He was buried in Germany, then in France, and finally brought home for burial in the Chambers Cemetery. PM Lawrence Phalin, killed in action.
Pvt. Harold L. Prop, killed in action. Sgt. Vyrgel H. Putnam, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Putnam of Chambers, lost his life on July 16, 1944, at St. Lo, France. He had first enlisted in the National Home Guard in 1940 and had been in active service most of the time, earning several medals. He went overseas with Co. 1 of the 134th Infantry the first of May, 1944, and had been in France only two weeks when he was killed. He is buried in France.
Lt. Wendall Rakow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luke Rakow of Page, flew a Mustang and was shot down during World War II while supporting ground troops in Northern France. He is buried in France.
Pfc. Charles H. Reimers, killed in action.
Robert R. Ridgeway, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Ridgeway of Scottville, lost his life on Leyte Island January 13, 1945. While with the 17th infantry his legs were so severely frozen that he had to spend six months in a hospital. He was then assigned to the 32nd Infantry and sent to the Hawaiian Islands before being sent on to Leyte. He was thirty years old.
Harry F. Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fillmore Roberts of Stuart, entered the service April 1, 1917. A private, he served twelve months with the medical detachment and met his death on May 20, 1918, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is buried in the Stuart Cemetery.
Emerick Rocke of Atkinson, killed in action in World War I.
Pfc. George Francis Schneider, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Schneider of Stuart, entered the service in March 1942. He went overseas from New York and served in the European Theatre for twenty-nine months. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medals, was wounded in action at St. Lo and died August 10, 1944. His body was returned home and buried in the Stuart Cemetery. Ivan W. Seger, son of Mrs. Eve Seger of Atkinson, entered the service in January, 1944. He had earned the rank of Army Tech. Mechanic by the time he met his death in Germany on April 29, 1945.
Pfc. Richard Sholes, killed in action. Pvt. Gaylor T. Simonson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Simonson of O’Neill, killed in action in World War I. Winfield Scott Sprague, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sprague, entered the service in June, 1942. He was killed while with Co. A, First Infantry, Sixth Division, in Louzon, Phillipine Islands. He had been wounded earlier and hospitalized. Upon recovery he returned to the front lines and was killed two hours later. Following the end of the war his body was moved to the U. S. National Cemetery in Hawaii and memorial services were held for him in Valentine, Nebraska. Except for the period of his hospitalization, he and his brother Otto were together throughout their service until Win-field’s death. Pvt. David Elmer Stewart, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Stewart of Chambers, joined the armed forces in October, 1942. On February 23, 1944, he met a gallant death by drowning while rescuing a buddy of his company during the terrible struggle for Guadalcanal. He was buried on the Island but later brought home to the Burwell Cemetery.
Pfc. Donald Stewart, killed in action.
Pvt. Robert Swanson, son of Mrs. Bridget Swanson of O’Neill, was killed in action in France.
Lt. Harold Duane Tegeler (JG) U. S. NR, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry 134 Tegeler of Page, was killed March 26, 1956, in a plane crash in the United States and is buried in the Page Cemetery.
T/5 Melvin Sanford Thorin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thorin of Chambers, was inducted into military service in April, 1942 and sent to Camp Roberts, California, where he was awarded an Expert Marksmanship Medal in rifle shooting. In March, 1944, he was assigned to the Sixth Armored Division of the U. S. Third Army under General Patton and saw active service all the way across Normandy and France into Belgium, where he died January 7, 1945 from wounds received in action there. Burial was in the Chambers Cemetery. Thomas Leo Troshynski, son of Mr. and Mrs. August Troshynski of Atkinson, enlisted in October 1948 and died at Biggs Air Force Base, El Paso, Texas. Louis Tushla, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Tushla of Atkinson, was the first Atkinson man to lose his life in World War II. He died December 7, 1941, in Pearl Harbor. His brother Harold, an airplane pilot, was killed in battle on the Mediterranean Sea, near Italy. Neither body was ever recovered. CpI. Francis B. Valla, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Valla of O’Neill, died of non-battle causes in World War II. Dale E. Waters, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Waters of Atkinson, trained with Co. E. Division 84, in World War I. He died at Camp Fremont, California, on Decembers, 1918. His brother, Howard Mayburn Waters, entered the service July 22, 1918. He was in France with Co. M, 333rd Infantry A. E. F. when he died on October 29 at Meuse, France. S/Sgt. Kenneth D. Whale, killed in action.
Frank Williams of Atkinson, killed in action.
Norman Wilson, stepson of Sam Brady of Atkinson, killed in action in World War II.
Pfc. Warren M. Woepel, killed in action.
Sgt. Maxwell Wolfe, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Wolfe of O’Neill, died of non-battle causes.
Burtis Wood of Atkinson, killed in action in World War II.
Sgt. Warren Wood, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wood of Page, was a member of the crew of a B-29 which was shot down while on its return to base in India after bombing Japanese held installations in China. All aboard were killed and later moved to a cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa, where all seven crew members were buried in three caskets. The burial place was centered as nearly as possible between the families of the deceased. Pvt. Richard C. Young and Captain Ermund L. Young, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Young of O’Neill, were both killed in action in World War II. Pvt. Harry H. Zahradnicek, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Zahradnicek of Atkinson, entered Army service in September, 1944. He went overseas from. San Francisco and served in the Pacific Theatre, taking part in engagements in the Phillipines for which he was awarded a Purple Heart. He was killed in action on Luzon May 3, 1945. Another of Holt County’s son who served his country long and well was Francis M. Brennan. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Brennan, pioneer Irish settlers, he was born in O’Neill in 1894, educated at St. Mary’s Academy and the O’Neill highschool. He transferred to Annapolis Preparatory School in 1912, then entered the Military Academy at West Point by appointment of Congressman Kinkaid. Following his graduation in 1917 he was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany. In 1922 in Brussels, Belguim, he married Miss Mary Devine of Providence, Rhode Island. When leaving Germany one of Colonel Francis M. Brennan Captain Brennan’s last acts was to lower the American flag at Fort Ehrenbreitstein and return it to the United States. A generation later, during another war, Francis Brennan’s son, Lt. Neil Brennan, and his group, stationed in Coblentz, watched the American flag again raised over Fort Ehrenbreitstein.
On his return to America, Captain Brennan spent five years at the University of Florida on R. O. T. C. duty, and later attended Advanced Infantry courses at Fort Benning, Georgia. He graduated in 1931 from Command and General Staff school at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; from tank school at Fort Meade, Maryland in 1932 and from the Army War College in 1933. After serving out the year of 1934 at Fort Howard, Maryland, he was an instructor for the next four years at Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth. From 1938 to 1940 he served as commanding Officer of the 3rd Batallion, 29th Infantry at Fort Benning. In 1940 he 135 served on the General Staff of the First Armored Division, in 1941 on the General Staff of the Armored Corps and in 1942 on the General Staff of Armored Forces.
Ill health forced him to retire in 1942, at which time he returned to his home in O’Neill with his wife and five children. His health seemed to improve for a short time, but on January 8, 1943, he suffered a stroke which resulted in his death within a few hours at the early age of forty-eight years. It can be stated, without reservation, that Colonel Francis Brennan gave his life for his country. His sons, John and Neil, served in the European Theatre during World War II. John, after being wounded in France, was given a disability discharge. Lt. Neil was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star Medal for action in Normandy, Rhineland, Northern France and Ar-dennes. A third son, Herbert, followed in his father’s footsteps and graduated from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in June, 1947, just thirty years after the elder Brennan’s graduation. As Major Herbert O. Brennan he now serves on Staff and Planning at the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs.
Other Holt County boys who served their country with honor, although the supreme sacrifice was not required of them, are listed below. Three, Ivan, Leo and Marvin, are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Charley Hall of Scott precinct. Ivan, the eldest, and Leo each spent twenty years in the service (branch not indicated), while Marvin gave eight years of his life to Uncle Sam.
The Ross family of the Scott area also had three sons and a daughter in the service during World War II. Norman, Donald and Robert had all enlisted by February, 1943, so their sister, Dorothy June, enlisted in the WAVES in July. The data submitted does not state whether or not all First Class Petty Officer Marvin J. Wiley.
served overseas.
A brother-sister service trio is James, Marvin and Judith Wiley. Their parents, Mr. and Mrs. James E. Wiley, operated the Dorsey post office for many years. James, born in Dorsey in 1903, enlisted in the Army in 1929 and served at Fort Riley, Kansas, until 1932, where he was sent to Hawaii for four years. He spent the next six years at March Airfield in the states as a member of the Air Corps, then three years in India and eight years at John F. Knight Camp Air Terminal in California. In 1952 he left for duty in Korea with the U. S. National Civil Command. In 1954, after twenty-five years in the service, he returned to the United States and retired. He now lives in San Bernardino, California. Marvin J. Wiley, born in 1912, graduated from highschool in 1932. In 1937, when the Nebraska State Troopers Patrol was organized, he joined that branch of the service but was given leave of absence to enlist in the Navy in 1942. He served all of his four years at various Navy posts and headquarters, including the Navy Shore Patrol at El Paso, Texas, and was discharged as a First Class Petty Officer in 1946.
Judith L. Wiley, a 1933 graduate of Lynch highschool, was living in Omaha when she enlisted in the WAVES in 1942 and reported for training at the U. S. Naval School at Cedar Falls, Iowa. After more than a year spent at various U. S. bases, she was sent overseas for service at Pearl Harbor and was discharged in November, 1945. Three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Thompson saw service in the armed forces at the same time. Ivan, a paratrooper, from 1951 to 1953; Leo, in the Air Force from 1949 to 1953; and Franklin, in the Navy, from 1950 to 1953.
Donald Sprague, a third son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sprague, served in the Army in the Aleutian Islands while his brothers, Otto and Winfield were in the Phillipines, where Winfield was killed.
Of the three Mellor brothers, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Jess Mellor, George served in the Navy, Benton and Murray in the Army.
Fred Krugman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Krugman of Scott precinct, served in the Army from April, 1941 to January, 1946. His brother Harold enlisted in 1950 and did most of his duty in England before being discharged in 1952. A third brother, Edwin, served his stint in the Navy. Another Navy man, Clyde McKenzie, also of Scott, served at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. His brother Ted was killed in action in France. Their sister Lois was a Navy nurse.
There were numerous Holt County brother teams in the service in World War II. Pfc. William Conard, son of Mrs. George Conard of O’Neill, spent thirty-three months in the European Theatre of war, serving in a Tank Destroyer Battalion. His brother David served with the Fifteenth Air Force. CpI. William Derickson and Tech. Sgt. Albert J. Derickson, sons of Mr. and Mrs. William Derickson of Star, enlisted in the Army in 1941. In 1943, after a two years separation, both boys came home on furlough at the same time; Albert from Germany, William from another overseas base. William was awarded several medals for bravery.
S/Sgt. Robert J. White and his brother William G., sons of Mr. and Mrs. Tom White, served in the Infantry in France and Germany.
John and Don Wrede and Ben and Wayne Kranig are other brother teams who answered their country’s call to arms.
The Suverkrubbe boys, Henry and Harvey, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Suverkrubbe of Steel Creek, served in the Army. Harold and Kenneth Berg- land, sons of Mr; and Mrs. Lee Berg-lund, served in the armed forces; Harold in the Army from 1942 to 1946, Kenneth in the Navy from 1946 to 1948.
The Alder boys, Elmer and Tom, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Alder of Steel Creek, also served; Elmer in India for a time. Still another Alder, William E. of Dorsey, served in the European Army of Occupation in World War II, as did CpI. John D. Alder, a member of the 788th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion. It is noted that CpI. Alder returned to the United States “with a remarkable record for the past eight months of combat duty.” A Roy Alder served in World War I and Harold Alder served in World War II. No other information about these men is available.
Glen and Robert Hiscocks, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hiscocks of Scott, are also World War II veterans. Adolph Jr. (Pepper) and Robert Kreiziger, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Kreiziger of Tonic, both served in the first world war. Their younger brother Avoid (Ed) served in the second world war. All three are now dead and are the only veterans buried in the Miller Cemetery.
Raymond and Joseph Noble, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Noble, are veterans of World War II. Raymond was in the Army from June, 1945 until February 1947. Joseph served in the Navy from July, 1944 until June, 1946. Chancie Hull, son of Mr. and Mrs. Halsey Hull of Scott, trained at Camp Fannin, Texas, in Co. D, 61st Battalion, 13th Training Regiment, where he 136 was awarded an Expert Rifleman badge for superior Marksmanship. Five sons of Mr. and Mrs. James Davidson of O’Neill served their country in two World Wars— John and Clyde in the Army and Ralph in the Navy in World War I while Frank and Owen both served in the Navy in World War II.
CpI. Marvin Drobny, son of Paul Drobny, a veteran of World War I, and Mrs. Drobny, saw service in Africa, Sicily, England and France and came home with seven battle stars.
Lt. (JG) Freeman L. Knight, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fora Knight of Steel Creek, was a Navy pilot. He and his shipmates had been in Pearl Harbor for repairs in September before the sneak attack in December.
Irvin Slack, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Slack, served in the infantry during World War II. Albert Staffer joined the Navy in February, 1942, and was discharged in December, 1945.
T/Sgt. Joseph Clayton Witherwax, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Witherwax of Scott, was inducted into the Airforce in 1942 and spent forty-six months in the service, the last six in Japan.
Gerald T. Hansen, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Hansen, also of Scott, spent thirty-six months in the Pacific and was awarded the Pacific Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and World War II Victory Medal.
CpI. Bill Pinkerman served in Germany, but in which war is not indicated. Virgil Pinkerman served in World War II.
Robert Sholes of Steel Creek served under General Patton in the 35th Wagon Wheel Division, 3rd Army, in Europe for sixteen months and was wounded before his thirty-three months tour of duty was finished. CpI. Tech. Foster Ferrand, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Ferrand of Dorsey, entered the service in July, 1942, trained at Camp Carson, Colorado, and served as a hospital attendant at Fitzsimmons in Denver.
Arthur D. Bessert, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Bessert of Redbird, was promoted to the rank of Sargeant at the Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School at Stockton Field, California during World War II.
Alfred E. Truax trained with the famed 37th Infantry Division at Camp Polk and was assigned to Co. “L,” 47th Infantry Regiment of the Buckeye Division in 1955.
Howard W. Wells, son of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Wells, was inducted into the Army in July, 1941, and served with the 145th Engineers Combat Battalion in the Normandy Invasion, the Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. He was discharged in October, 1945. CpI. Frederick E. Ridgely of Scott served eleven months in Europe in World War II.
CpI. Irvin D. Nightengale, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Nightengale of Steel Creek, served with the Ninth Air Force in France. His group received the Presidential Citation for outstanding work.
Gordon Barta of Steel Creek served thirty-four months with the 108th General Hospital Unit in England and France. Other Holt County men who served in World War II include Paul Zakrzewski, Bill Hansen, Raymond Revell, Lester Derickson (Communications), Marshall Friend and Willis Butterfield (Marines), Jack Dailey (Navy), Estel Thomas, Bill Dufek (Navy) and Byron Grenier.
Robert E. Wiley ‘of Dorsey enlisted in April, 1918, and spent a year overseas with Co. H, 255th Infantry, 89th Division.
August Fred Treinies of Page spent two years in the 91st Division, part of the time overseas, and was discharged in 1919. His daughter, Vera M., joined the Womans Marine Corps in February, 1945. She was stationed in New River, North Carolina, Quantico, Virginia and Arlington, Virginia, until her term of service expired.
Donald Ridgeway, whose brother Robert lost his life on Leyte Island, served in the U. S. Navy.
Wilber E. Phelps, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Phelps of Steel Creek, served most of his World War I enlistment in France. David C. Binkerd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Benton Binkerd of Steel Creek, went overseas with the first convoy to Ireland for a three and one-half years tour in the service. His brother John lost his life in France in the second World War.
Edward A. McGreyor served in the infantry in World War I and in the Navy in World War II.
Edward Derickson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Derickson of Steel Creek, enlisted in the Army in the summer of 1918 and was discharged in the spring of 1919.
Guy Johnson of Steel Creek precinct served in the Army in the first World War with the Medical Corps and the Infantry. The day before his orders called for him to be sent from California to Siberia the Armistice was signed and the orders cancelled. Charley Schollmeyer, an Infantryman, is also a veteran of World War I. Eldon Sedivy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Sedivy of Scott, served with the 77th Infantry Division in World War II. His son Dale was inducted into the Navy in December, 1969. Dale was called home in the fall of 1972, just before ending his term of service, due to his father having suffered a corn picker accident.
Albert Staffer served in the navy from February, 1942 until December 1945. His son James served from March, 1965 until July, 1968.
Numerous sons of Holt County have seen service in the armed forces during the various police activities conducted by the United States since the end of World War II. The only quartet listed was made up of the four sons of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle McKim of O’Neill. These boys saw service in the Navy in the years from 1951 to 1971. Kenneth served three years and Leslie four years. Keith, too, served four years, 1960-64, then entered the Special Forces (Green Berets), where he served until 1971, when he received a medical discharge. His decorations include the Air Medal for Meritorious Achievement in Vietnam, the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Silver Star. He made sergeant while in Vietnam and completed his service in Fort Carson, Colorado.
The fourth brother, Corporal Lyle, was killed in a jeep accident in Korea on January 8, 1953, just after he had been relieved of front line duty and only two weeks before he was scheduled to come home. His body was returned to O’Neill, where all business houses closed for the hour of his funeral, flags were flown at half- mast and six of his friends, all Korean war veterans, bore his coffin to its grave. American Legion men met the early morning train that brought his flag draped casket home, escorted it to Biglin’s mortuary and “gave their departed comrade full military rites at the grave.” Brother teams and trios of this period include the three Ruzickas, Marvin, Leonard and Frankie; the three Pickerings, Monty, Victor and Capt. V. P. O’Neil was born in Atkins- son in 1918. He attended Omaha University in Omaha prior to entering the Navy as an Aviation Cadet, completed flight training in May, 1941, and was commissioned an Ensign in the Naval Reserve. During World War II he served in the Solomons Campaign and in a fighter squadron aboard the U.S.S. Ticonderoga in attacks against Japan. In addition to numerous campaign medals, he holds the Distinguished Flying Cross with a gold star and the Air Medal with five gold stars. 137 Quentin; two Hughes, two Pinkermans and two Binkerds.
The Ruzickas are all veterans of the Korean war. Leonard was a “medic.” No other information was given. Quentin Pickering, too, served in Korea, his brothers in Vietnam, where Victor was in the Air Force. Dan and Delmer Pinkerman are Vietnam veterans. James and Nyle Binkerd, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Hurley Binkerd, are veterans of one of these later wars but no dates are given.
An Otto Ruzicka and an Oral Pickering are shown as having served in World War I, the latter as a “medic,” the former in the infantry. Although the information given does not say so, it is interesting to speculate that Otto might have been the father of the three Ruzickas and Oral of the Pickering brothers. And that Virgil Pinker-man, World War II veteran, might have been the father of Dan and Delmar Pinkerman.
Lt. John Lee Baker, a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy of O’Neill, joined the Air Force in October, 1948 and began flying jets while still a cadet. In November 1949 he was sent overseas with the 51st fighter group, initially stationed in Okinawa. At the outbreak of Korean hostilities the group was moved to Japan. John’s job was to harass the enemy and have an occasional go at Red aircraft— MIGS. Lt. Baker was a flight leader and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with six clusters, two – Korean Battle Satas and an Occupational Medal. By May 18, 1951, when he came home on furlough, he had racked up 102 strafing and bombing missions against Korea and the Chinese Reds. After a thirty day leave the twenty-three-year-old officer was sent to Luke Field, Arizona, to help process and train jet pilots for overseas duty. Claude A. Cole of Steel Creek was inducted into the Navy in August, 1952 at Omaha. He served at various U. S. Training centers and Navy Air Stations and at Pearl Harbor before his discharge in August, 1956. S. P. 3, Bruce T. McElhaney graduated from O’Neill, then attended Wayne State College until 1954, when he volunteered for duty in the Army. After basic training in Texas he spent the remainder of his two years service in Germany with the 290th A.F.A. B.N. Bruce and another Holt County lad, Gary Wilson, were drivers of 155 M.M. Howitzers mounted on M 41 tank chassis.
Albert Lee Kruse, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Kruse of Steel Creek, entered the service in May, 1954, and was sent to Germany. He trained with a unit of the 86th Armed Division and had been promoted to Spec. 4 by the date of his discharge in 1956. Dennis Spangler joined the Nebraska National Guard in March, 1966, and was promoted to Sgt. First Class E 7 in November, 1970.
Lt. Bruce Schollmeyer, son of Herman Schollmeyer of Page, and Mrs. Willa Schollmeyer, received his Silver Wings as a jet pilot at Webb Air Force Base, Texas, in October 1968 and was assigned to fly missions into Vietnam, Japan and Okinawa. He made Captain in 1961 as a pilot landing cargo and combat personnel at more than seventy bases. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Aerial Achievement in Vietnam in 1972. Timothy Wells was also the son of a World War II veteran, his father, William Wells, having served in the 385th Infantry Regiment, 76th Division in Europe. Timothy was still in the service in 1973.
Other veterans of the Vietnam conflict were Duane Boelter, Eugene Hrbek, William Brady and Alvin Carson, the last a Navy man. Larry Witt and William Halstad also saw service in that war.
Gene Gillogly, Orvill Robinson, Raymond Landsberry, Robert Nighten-gale, all served their country in some capacity but no dates or other information are given. Also listed as “Boys who served in the Armed Forces” are the four Wells brothers, the only Holt County quartette named. They are Robert, Albert Lee, Wilmer and Donald Wells.
Stanley Lambert of Ewing had the unhappy distinction of being a POW from Holt County. Stanley, a rifleman in Co. 1, 275th Infantry Regiment of the 70th Division, arrived with his unit on the Rhine River near Strasbourg, France, in December 1944. During the night of January 1, 1945, Stanley and several other members of his outfit were taken prisoner after a sharp skirmish somewhere up toward the front lines. At twenty years of age, he was the oldest of the small group of prisoners from his unit.
Thrown in with a much larger group of prisoners, they were marched under guard for several days to a railroad, where they were jammed into freight cars. Without food or water the men, hungry, thirsty and sick, were hauled by rail through the bitter cold for three days. Their first prison camp was at Ludwigsburg. There they had plenty of water, some food, showers and fairly clean quarters in which to sleep.
A few days later they were shipped to a very large POW camp south of Berlin. Two weeks later they were moved again, to a camp near Dresden where they did forced labor, digging ditches. Dysentery, lice, severe malnutrition and yellow jaundice took their toll of the prisoners in the weeks that followed. Many died and the rest were mere skeletons when Germany fell before the advancing United States and Russian armies.
On May 7, 1945, after four and one-half months as German prisoners of war, the Americans were liberated. Stanley’s weight had dropped from 170 pounds to 120 pounds. Late in June, 1945, he stepped off the bus, just at dusk, and walked the final mile and a half to his farm home. His parents didn’t know he was coming and, in the early darkness of the summer eveing he stopped in the old farmyard. He could hear his mother playing the piano in the living room and through the window he could see his father reading the Saturday Evening Post. His home was still there and he was content.
On the pleasant side of European service men’s distinctions was the experience of Tech. Sgt. Albert J. Derickson, who took unto himself a war bride in England on August 21, 1945. The bride, Menna Meyler, the only child of Mr. H. F. Meyler of Carmarthen, England, had served with the Navy, Army Air Forces Institute of England.
The single ring ceremony was performed at the village church at Broadway, Langhorne Carmarthen, South Wales. The bride wore a white gown and a lace edged floor length veil. The groom wore his regulation Army uniform. The wedding breakfast was served in a Langhorne hotel and a reception followed at the bride’s home. In the early evening the couple left for a honeymoon in London. Albert met his bride shortly after he landed in England in March, 1944. After the wedding he was stationed in Germany for a time. The information states, “He is expected home on discharge soon but his wife will not be able to come until she can obtain a passport, which will take some time.” After the National Guard was “federalized” into the U. S. Army during the early months of World War I, O’Neill organized the local Home Guards Company. The following letter from E. H. Whelan, O’Neill attorney, explains the purpose and plan of Company A, O’Neill Home Guards. January 10th, 1918 “Hon. Keith Neville, Governor of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebr.
Dear Governor Neville: Having secured the proper blanks, I now take pleasure in sending you enclosed herewith the Certificate of Election of Officers of the O’Neill Home Guard Company, also application for license to bear arms. Am also 138 enclosing the initial muster roll of the Company. These men are all effec-tives and all are very prompt and regular in their attendance at drills. We have a Company Fund of $400.00 and have ordered rifles from Hirsch Co. of St. Louis, and uniforms from Zimmerman’s of New York.
Thanking you for your kindness and courtesy in this matter, I remain Yours very respectfully, E. H. Whelan Captain Elect INITIAL MUSTER ROLL (Company A) O’Neill Home Guards Of the County of Holt, State of Nebraska, on the 9th day of January, 1918.
Edward H. Whelan, Captain James A. Brown, 1st Lieut.
David H. Clauson, 2nd Lieut.
Henry D. Grady, 1 st Sergt.
Bernard Mullen, Sergt.
William J. Hammond, Sergt.
Samuel Arnold, Sergt.
Jesse G. Miller, Corp.
Claude P. Hancock, Corp.
George R. Morrison, Corp.
Frank E. Warren, Corp.
Privates Paul Adams Robert Baker Paul Beha William Biglin Ed. E. Bowden Hugh J. Boyle Wilfred J. Boyle George N. Brelim Neil P. Brennan Cyril Brown George W. Bruce Edward Burge L. A. Burgess John L. Chureler (?) Patrick Connolly William E. Cooper Francis Cronin Gilbert W. Crocker Charles M. Daly Clarence Faulhaber Bernard Fitzsimmons William J. Froelich Charles Gatz Charles L. Harding John Harrington Ernest D. Henry Paul L. Henry ‘Emmet Hickey Patrick V. Hickey Harry Jordan Leonard Kirwin Michael Kirwin Arnold Longstaff Byron Madison William Martin Fay Miles Charles P. Nixon Jerome O’Connell Edward O’Connell Herman Debser James L. O’Fallon L. C. Peters Alvin Plummer M. E. Pettibone Charles Reka Arthur Roberts George Smith William B. Stannard James Fred Stillwell William Swigart Lee Taylor Michael Timlin Casper Uhl George Vifquain Jack Evans Vincent Anselm Whelan Edmund D. V. Whelan Christie Yantzi Clarence Zimmerman Harold Zimmerman All of the seventy-one members were enrolled between November 20, 1917, and January 8, 1918, with most of them signing up on November 27. Their ages ranged from sixteen to forty-seven.
Another Holt County casualty of World War II was Miss Jennie Adams. Born at Page in 1896, she moved to Chambers with her parents in 1901. She graduated from the O’Neill high-school with the class of 1915, attended Wesleyan University and graduated from Baily Training School for Nurses at Lincoln, then took a course at Western Reserve University of Nursing in Cleveland. In April 1923 she sailed on the Empress of Asia from Vancouver, B. C., bound for the Philippines as a missionary nurse. Jennie was Superintendent of Nurses at Emmanuel Hospital, Capiz, Panay, until the Japanese took the hospital in April, 1942. The missionaries fled to the hills, where they were captured December 19, 1943. The next day, with ten other missionaries, five adults and three children, she was executed by the Japanese military. The dead were buried in a common grave at the site of the execution. The spot is now marked by a large cross. Jennie had enjoyed four furloughs home, crossing the Atlantic once and the Pacific several times, before that grim day when she faced the firing squad. Her last visit home was in the spring of 1940. As the boys began to return from the battlefields of World War I they almost immediately began to get together to share their experiences and refight their battles, even as the old soldiers of the GAR had long been doing. Out of these gatherings came the American Legion Posts of the veterans of that first World War. The towns of Holt County were in the forefront of such organizations. Both the Simonson Post No. 93 of O’Neill and the Farley Post No. 86 of Atkinson were chartered on October 21, 1919. Both had sixteen charter members. The O’Neill post was named in honor of Gaylor T. Simon-son, the first home town soldier to lose his life in World War I. He was killed in France on September 1, 1918. When his body was brought home for burial in the O’Neill family plot in mid-May, 1921, Post No. 93 was given his name.
Charter members of Post No. 93 were as follows: Leo Francis Carney Luther Clark O’Neill Home Guards (Co. B), January 10, 1918. From the collection of John J. Harrington, O’Neill, Nebraka. 139 Julius D. Cronin Francis Sougey John Davidson Francis Martin Walter L Brennan Edward M. Gallagher Pat B. Harty Frank H. Murray Frank D. Harnish Oscar A. Hagensick Clarence F. Pine H. G. Radaker E. H. Whelan Edmund D. Whelan With the return of the Gl’s after World War II the membership increased rapidly, and has continued to increase with the return of the Korean and Vietnam veterans until it now numbers nearly four hundred. In 1946 James B. Ryan donated to the post, in memory of his sons who had served in World War II, a lot located on Douglas Street between Sixth and Seventh Streets. Here the post erected a quonset building forty by one hundred feet in size to serve as a Post home and a community center. Many big name bands appeared here to provide music for dancing. In 1970 the Legion remodeled the dance hall into one of northern Nebraska’s most elegant supper clubs, which has since been under the successful management of Fritz Belzer. Since its inception the Post has sponsored and supported the Junior and Midget Legion Baseball Programs. Under Manager Fred Appleby the O’Neill teams have won district, area and state championships. Each year the Post has sponsored a boy from each highschool to Cornhusker Boy’s State; and every year hosts the County Government Day for Junior students of the County high schools. Annually it sponsors Memorial Day and Veterans Day programs; and the Post Firing Squad under the leadership of James Earley has assisted with all military burials. Many other worthwhile causes have been sponsored or supported by this post, which also makes annual contributions to the state Veterans Homes and Hospitals. In 1973 only three of the original Charter Members survive: Leo Carney, Julius D. Cronin and Edward M. Gallagher. They are still active members of Post No. 93. Following are the names of the Past Commanders of the Post: 1919-20 E. H. Whelan 1920-21 Clear Golden 1921-22 Frank O’Connell 1922-23 Cecil W. Conklin 1923-24 George M. Harrington 1924-25 Pat B. Harty 1925-26 Edward M. Gallagher 1926-27 Gerald E. Miles 1927-28 Roy M. Sauers 1928-29 Richard Jordan 1929-30 John Lansworth 1930-31 C. D. Wood 1931-32 Leo F. Carney 1932-33 Joel Parker 1933-34 Levi Yantzi 1934-35 Cecil W. Conklin 1935-36 Roy W. Carroll 1936-37 Charles Reka 1937-38 John Davidson 1938-39 R. Emmet Moore 1939-40 Wm. Gatz 1940-41 Al J. Sauser 1941-44 Paul Beha 1944-45 Wm. W. Griffin 1945-46 John M. Grutsch 1946 48 Glea H. Wade 1948-49 John R. Gallagher 1949-50 Gordon Harper 1950-51 Virgil L. Laursen 1951-52 John Stuifbergen 1952-53 Al W. Carroll 1953-54 John C. Watson 1954-55 Elgin Ray 1955-56 Verne Reynoldson 1956-57 H. D. Gildersleeve 1957-58 George Janousek 1958-59 Archie Bright 1959-60 James Earley 1960-61 Virgil Tomlinson 1961-62 Melvin Ruzicka 1962-63 Harold Mlinar 1963-64 Wayne Fox 1964-65 Fred Appleby 1965-66 E. Darel Bright 1966-67 Edwin “Bud” Krugman 1967-68 E. A. Pavel 1968-69 Richard McLain 1969-70 Lavern Caskey 1970-71 Keith Kounovsky 1971-72 George Janousek 1972-73 L. A. Badura 1973-74 Ronald Clark 1974-75 Emil Adamson, Jr.
The Atkinson post was named for John W. Farley, eighteen-year old sailor, who died of pneumonia on March 8, 1918, while serving on the U.S. Battleship Seattle, the first Atkinson man to lose his life in World War I. The charter members were: Dr. Neal McKee Zane E. Dickerson Simonson Post No. 93 of O’Neill. Clay Johnson Collection. Gaylor T. Simonson, first O’Neill soldier to lose his life in World War I. Guy L. White Harold Dickerson Frank Brady J. F. McNickels Arthur G. Miller Harry Miller Oliver W. Holmes Willard Linville Eugene Hickok R. E. Babcock Sam M. Bailin George E. Linville Dewey Feezer When Louis Tushla became the first casualty of World War II at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the name of the Post was changed to Farley-Tushla.
American Legion Post No. 115 of 140 Stuart was named the Norton-Carlisle Post in honor of Harvey Norton, the first hometown boy to give his life for his country when he died of battle wounds on October 21, 1919; and Gordon Carl Carlisle, the first Stuart man to make the supreme sacrifice in the second World War.
In Ewing about twenty-five World War I Veterans, at the behest of Connie Schaffer, met at the city hall in September 1940 to organize Sanders Post No. 214. About forty-five ex-service men resided in the area. The following officers were elected: Commander R. B. Crellin Vice Commander Earl Billings Adjutant and Finance Officer Lyle Dierks Service Officer Connie Schaffer Child Welfare Chairman Harold Harris Membership Chairman Ray Butler Post Chaplain Thomas Jacobsen Community Service Chairman Coe Butler Employment Chairman John Schiff- bauer Americanism Chairman E. V. Ruby Color Guard, Joe Sturbaum and L. A. Wintermote All American Legion Posts follow similar service and patriotic programs, as do their Auxiliaries.
Following the granting of a charter to Simonson Post No. 93 of O’Neill, an Auxiliary Unit was organized in O’Neill on February 11, 1921. Its officers were Mrs. Margaret Stannard, President; Mrs. Martina Dishner, Vice- President; Miss Beatrice Cronin, Secretary and Miss Anna O’Donnell, Treasurer. Auxiliary members must be the wives, mothers, daughters or sisters of men who had served in the U. S. Armed Forces.
After a few years the Unit surrendered its charter and the Post was without an Auxiliary Unit until 1942 when Post Commander Paul Beha called a meeting of eligible ladies and a new charter was secured on March 31, 1942, with the following Charter Members: Lillie B. Lewis Gertrude Streeter Linus V. Brennan Marsha Salmans Rachel Salmans Grace Borg Edith J. Davidson Genevieve Flood Alice Fritton Hildred Higgins Membership in the unit has ranged from forty during the year of institution to more than three hundred in later years. The Unit has cooperated with and supported the programs of its Legion Post, working long and diligently with bazaars and food sales and serving many dinners and banquets to raise money to assist with the construction and equipment of the Post Home. The ladies have participated in patriotic parades and programs throughout the years and made many a contribution to area civic and improvement projects. The Unit has supported a Girls State Representative each year, alternating between the two high schools of the town, participated in County Government Day and contributed to the Veterans Hospitals and Homes. Poppy Day is observed each year when the little red poppies are sold to further the Veterans Rehabilitation Programs. This Auxiliary completed a survey and recorded all veterans’ graves in O’Neill Cemeteries. All orphans of veterans and the service records of their fathers have been tabulated to aid in securing veterans’ benefits for the dependants. A special chapter of the Auxiliary History has been devoted to recording achievements of outstanding service men and women. This includes Madeline Ullom, Dr. Nadine Coyne, Dona Shellhase and Colonel Francis Brennan.
The Auxiliary organized a Junior Auxiliary group and sponsored its program, and from its numbers Patricia McKenzie went on to serve as Junior Chairman of the Department of Nebraska.
Unit members who have served the Auxiliary as President are: 1941-43 Edith J. Davidson 1943-44 Grace Borg 1944-48 Edith J. Davidson 1948-49 Viola Ruzicka 1949-50 Grace Moss 1950-51 Dorothy Enright 1951-53 Grace Borg 1953-54 Evelyn Laursen 1954-55 Anita Ellston 1955-56 Mary Lowery 1956-57 Rae Ann Whited 1957-58 Jean Riege 1958-59 Mary Reynoldson 1959-60 Mary Jurgensmeier 1960-61 Marie Bright 1961-62 Elaine McKenzie 1962-63 Nell Harding 1963-64 Doris Sindelar 1964-65 Trudy Heese 1965-66 Martha Collen 1966-67 Nell Harding 1967-69 Lucille Klingler 1969-70 Maureen Laible 1970-71 Nell Harding-Carroll 1971-72 Jean Pospichal 1972-73 Anita Ellston-Curran 1973-74 Josephine Bright The Auxiliary to Sanders Post No. 214 of Ewing was organized at the same time as the Post. Mrs. Everett Ruby was elected temporary chairman and Mrs. Harold Harris temporary secretary. The first permanent officers of the Unit were Mrs. Lyle Dierks, President; Mrs. Coe Butler, Vice-President; Mrs. Harold Harris, Secretary; Mrs. R. G. Rockey, Treasurer and Mrs. Ray Crellin, Chaplain. Appointed officers were Miss Elsie Chase, Historian; Mrs. Earl Billings, Sergeant-at-Arms; Mrs. Conrad Schaf-fer and Mrs. Eugenia Wintermote, Color Bearers; Mrs. Edwin Welke, Miss Hazel Ruby and Mrs. Everett Ruby, Delegates at large.
At first the meetings were held in the homes of the members or in the Public Library until a building was purchased for a permanent home for the Post and its Auxiliary. This Auxiliary, like the others, has helped supply Christmas gifts to the Veterans Hospitals, has furnished carpet rags to the hospitals for the veterans’ use in making rugs to sell, has contributed hospital supplies, donated to the Red Cross and helped fund nurses’ scholarships.
During World War I Mrs. Tom Crowe and her granddaughter, Mary Osborn, spent several days on the road, gathering donations to help the Red Cross. She would accept anything anyone cared to give in the way of a benefit. Then she and Mrs. Anna Carson, Mrs. Will Pickering and others gave a program at the Dorsey Hall. The proceeds went to the Red Cross. They held an auction sale of the many items they had managed to collect. For this event the Dorsey Ladies Aid Society made and contributed a friendship quilt and someone donated a “fancy bred rooster.” The rooster was sold over and over until he had brought in about $100. All for the benefit of the Red Cross.
In 1973 the county had two living Red Cross Forty Year Award Members— J. W. Walters of Chambers and Mrs. P. W. McGinnis of Emmet. Both had received pins and certificates in 1955.
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