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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 1944)
0 MONDAY, DECEMBER "4, 1944 THE ; JOURNAL, PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA PAGE FIVE This Page is q. regular feature of the Monday edition cf the Semi-Weekly THE SERVICE JOURNAL ;- Coi respondents and others having items for the SERVICE JOURNAL will please mark "Service" and place on separate sheet from oiher items. Service Editor Sgt. Taylor Honored Brothers Meet Overseas Writes from Pacific V CAMP BIANDING, Fla., Nov. 29 Sgt. Keith W. Taylor, son. of Mrs. Ray Taylor of Plattsmouth., Nebr., and a graduate of Plattsmouth High School, has been awarded the Bronze Star for his outstanding work as. a battalioa' intelligence , sergeant on Adak Inland during the cacpaign in the. Aleutians. , , Sgt. Taylor is now senior instruc tor in Company D, 23th Battalion, of the Infantry Replacement Train ing Center at Camp Bland in g, where he is giving rookies the benefit of his wide experience in intelligence scouting and patrolling work in, the Alaskan theater. In service nearly four years, Sgt. Taylor trained at Camp Robinson, Ark., with the 85th Division, which is now in France. After further training in Louisiana and in Cali fornia, he went 'to the Aleutians with a combat intelligence regiment: He bad amphibious training - oh Kodiak Island before landing on Adak Aug. 30,' 1942. On Adak, he became an authority -on the island's terrain' and an outstanding leader of intelligence patrols and parties. On his recommendation, outposts were established at several places on the islands, and his work was in valuable to many' units in that thea ter of war. Twice during severe winter storms, Sgt. Taylor voluntarily led searching parties to locate men lost in the frozen wastes of southern Adak. The newly -. decorated sergeant came back to the U. S. last winter as an air cadet but was transferred to- : the Ground Forces .. with . many other men of the Air Corps. Sgt.; Taylor's wife and ejht-year-old daughter; , are now living w'ith him at Starke, Fla., near ' Camp Blandmg. 1 Sgt. Lyle E. Hostetter had a' very pleasant surprise oa October 29th whea his brother, Pfc. John L. Hps tetter arrived to spend the day with him. at his camp somewhere in Eng land. ''. At one time they were within twenty miles of each other and nei ther knew they were so close. , Lyle told about his experiences in North Africa and Sicily. Both have been stationed in England for quite some time. He expects to get a fur lough soon which he plans to fepend with his brother. Pfc. John Hostetter is with the ordnance department and Sgt. Lyle with the 61st troop carrier group which was awarded the presidential citation. Other brothers in the' arm ed service are BM2c Ceceil Keith Hostetter,; somewhere in the south Pacific, and Cpl. Kenneth Hostetter. stationed" in " Panama. w 3 i "5 IS- i . OX o -?""0(": ..v.'A-.s-.W.v.- W;'S'.'viv.:.i'(0' X ir 'iTrjmiTMia-iim-Tim-imTnniimTirrrTiiiiiimii I Sgt. Keith W. Taylor and His Bronze Star Pfc. Mike Kerns, member of the Seventh Marines, who has been sta tioned in' the southwest Pacific for the past year and a half and parti cipated in many of the engage ments in that war front, writes home to hjs family:" "Dear Mom and Al : "How is everything at home? I made out O. K-;!at PeleHes, none had my name on them but a few came close. "I got the packages, one was the bracelet, was there anything els-e in with it, for it was broken into and that was all that was left. "How about sending more pic tures of the house and everybody? The other ones I lost. "I wTrote a letter asking you to see if you could find a watch. I want a good one, one that is , waterproof , shock proof and self -winding. If you can get it kt me know. I don't care what it costs, I'll send the money if you can get one. "I haven't heard from Helen for some time now. Have you seen her lately? If you see her tell her I'll write when I get a letter from her. "How is Lorraine? Is she making out OK? Tell her to write once in a while so I can get her correct ad dress, and I would like to know how the kid is making out. Have her send some pictures of her and the babies, also a picture of her. hus band so . I can see what he looks-like.-. Who knows, I may run onto him out here for I see quite a few sailors "Well Mom things seem to be go ing OK with me' out here. I sure would like to be home for Christmas for this will ' be the third one that I have been away from home. Maybe I can make the next one, who knows, at least I hope so. If I don't get back soon you won't know me. I do look quite -a bit older than when you last saw me. This life will make you old in a short time out here. "Well, Mom here is wishing you a Merry Christmas, . We drank our Christmas last night, boy what a ' time we had. "I guess this is it for now so write soon, for it seems I don't get all of my letters", so keep them com ing. "Love, Your. Son, Mike." MURRAY BOYS Pvt. Charles McKinstry writes his parents from northern New Guinea that some parts ' of the Island are beautiful, while there are a lot of jungles, too, ' They are having an abundance of rain there at the pres ent time. Charles is an engineer in the Air Corps, and has l)een across the waters for about a year and a half. - r- : ; '- . Mrs. Lyal Choat in a recent letter from her husband learn3 that he has been promoted to Captain. CapL Choat is with the Third" Army and . issomewhere in Franpe. Mrs. Choat and the boys are making their home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Parr Young while the husband and fath er is overseas. Pfc. Bob Long, who is now home on furlough after being in the army for more than three years, was married Saturday to Miss Helen Si kora. The relatives from this place attended the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Finney were in Nehawka Wednesday evening to visit with Mr. Finneys daughter,; Mrs. Bill Burk and family who had just arrived from Delaware, Ohio. Mr. Burke who is in the Navy, ex pects to soon be sent overseas, and while he is gone Mrs. Burke and the little daughter will make their home with relatives this county. , Mrs. Edward Ossenkop and the chil dren have gone to Plattsmouth where they will reside for the dur ation as Mr.; Ossenkop is in the er- vice and overseas. . Relatives here have received word that - Kenneth Spangler was ; killed . in action in France in August. Keiir neth was the son of Mr. and Mrsl Roy Spangler, and was born near Murray, moving with his parents 'to Moville, Iowa, when a small lad. He w-as a grandson of Mr and Mrs. John Spangler, who were reisdents of this community for a great many years. -" ; Memorial services for Kenneth will be held at the .V. B.; church in Mo ;H!e, Sunday,1 pecember Srd.- ;,;. v : ; LeRoy Toplift wa$ in Omaha 4 last sweek where he -enlisted in the Army of Uncle Sam and passed kis phy sical examination. He is now at home awaiting his call into the service. NEHAWKA BOYS Pvt. Dean Nutzman, Tinker Field Okla., near Oklahoma City was able to enjoy a three day pass' and visit with his parents for a Thanksgiv ing dinner on Thursday, Nov. 23 Another son, Flight Officer Ned Nutzman, from the Lincoln Air Base, spent Sunday with them. Chief Gunners Mate Emil Nixon has been transferred from Norfolk, Va., to the naval base at Bremerton, Wash. His wife and two small sons of Nebraska City plan to join him as soon as traveling facilities are available. Emil has been assigned to a new ship which has not been commissioned yet. He expects to be in Washington for several weeks Cpl. Leonard Harris of Camp Hood, Texas and Lt. Paul Sand of the Geneva Air Base were Thanks giving day (Nov. 23) dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. F O Sand and family. Additional guests were Mrs. Matilda Bishoff and Matilda and Mrs. Laura Sand of Nebraska City. Deane Bixler, recently from the Martin bomber plant, husband of our recent Home Ec teacher, re cently enlisted and is a cadet at Stockton, Calif. Mrs. Bixler has secured a position as bookkeeper of an electric firm there. Donald Cox, '17-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Cox, recently passed the navy examinations and will leave Thursday this week for training at. the Great Lakes Base. His father, employed at, the Nebras ka Ordnance plant, was with the family here Sunday for ' a Turkey dinner honoring Donald. EAGLE BOYS Receives Service Award 15th AAF IN ITALY M-Sgt. Elmer W. Cogdill of Union, Neb., a member of the 460th Bombard ment Group, is now entitled to wear the Distinguished Unit Badge. At an impressive ceremony at its base somewhere in Italy, Maj. Gen. N. F Twining, 15th Army Air Force, pinned the streamers of a Dis tingnished Unit on the standard of tht .460th Bombardment Group for its ''outstanding performance of duty in armed conflict with the en emy." ' The citation which accompanied the presentation of the streamers, read in part, "On July 25, the 460th Bombardment Group was assigned the task of attacking and destroy ing the Zwolfaxing Airdrome instal lations at Vienna, Austria, which were being used for the assembly of ME-109's . .Throughout the day and night prior to the attack, the ground crews worked untiringly and enthusiastically to have their aircraft at the peak of mechanical perfection to insure the success of this vital operation.'' On July 26th, this Group of B-24 Liberator bombers took off as lead Group of a Wing formation and set course for the target. Attacked by thirty enemy fighters, the gunners threw up such a curtain of lead that the attack was broken off. Adverse weather conditions forced the bomb ers to bomb at a lower altitude than usual, subjecting them to intense and heavy anti-aircraft fire Al though three bombers were lost, two so badly crippled they had to leave the formation and others bad ly damaged, the gallant crews press ed the attack -and inflicted grave damage to the objective, depriving the enemy of one of his most im portant fighter assembly and re pair bases. Captain and Mrs. Sumner West and daughter Arlene Anne,' are ex pected to arrive on Wednesday of tome folks AVOCA BOYS Mr. and Mrs. Albert Carr en tertained at a dinner Tuesday even ing in honor of AS Tom Hallstrom, of Farragut, Idaho. Other guests were Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hallstrom Corrine and Jack. AS Tom Hallstrom, of Farragut, adho, is spending: a leave with his areEts, ' Mr. ana Mrs. Elmcx Hall trom, Corrine' and Jack. Cpl. Etuart Maseman, son of Mr. tnd Mrs. Henry Maseman, left Fri day evening for Lake diaries, La., tfter spending a furlough wiih Surprises Mother . Thanksgiving day was a very hap py one for Mrs. Marie Koehnke, a 2 it brought her son, Tech. Sgt. Fran cis Koehnke, here for a visit with the mother, who is at the heme of her sister, Mrs. Rose Bookmeyer. Sgt. Koehnke had called the moth er that he was back in the states, but it was a surprise when he ar rived in Plattsmouth Wednesday evening, to join the mother and aunt. Tech. Sgt. Koehnke has just re turned from six months spent over seas with the 8th air froce in Eng land. He was reported as missing in action in one of the recent air bat tles but was able to rejoin his air command. He is now home for thirty days and will report at the close of his furlough to Santa Monica, Calif., for further assignment. He has served two and a half years in the air service. The Koehnke family are former residents of Plattsmouth as well as Hay Springs, Nebraska, but' Mrs. Koehnke has recently bt-en mak'ng her home at Bakersfield, California until returning here. The visit was an added pleasure as it was the birthday anniversary of Mrs. Koehnke. Home from the Coast Wednesday evening Bronson Timm, SClc, arrived heme from the west coast where he has been sta tioned for some time. He has been located in California at one of the large naval training center?,, com ing there from the east coast where he was located at Norfolk, Virgin ia and later on Long I.-land. The visit home was very pleasant to all of the family and made a most happy Thanksgiving for all. In honor of the visiting sailor a group of the friends staged a din ner party last evening at Naeve's south of this city. tm -yatyriy ( v vv n. 0 22 4 1 4-i iL."ix-i:. EXPLOSIVES IGNITE ENTIRE TP.AIN An oil car derailed st To!ar, N.M., caught fire and ignited a carload of explosives which exploded firing the entire train and demolishing part of the town. One person was killed and several injured. Concussion from the blast was felt in Portales, K. M., 50-rr,::cs away. The above photo pictures the burning train. (NEA Teiephoto.) To Visit Family Captain W. E. Eaton, who hes been stationed at Camp Elliott, III., arived home Saturday morning to enjoy a visit here with Mrs. Eaton and the children over the week end. Captain Eaton is feeling in the best of condition and enjoys the camp life after his long service in the medical corps in the southwest Pacific. Captain Eaton was in the Pacific in the early stages of the war. Home on Furlough Sgt. Donald Neat-hood arrived Saturday from the south for a visit with his mother, Mr:'. Anna Near hood, and the many old time friends in the community. Sgt. Nearhcod who has been lo cated at Tucson, Arizona, in the air service, ha? been transferred to the training station at Koswell, New Mexico, where he now is receiving special training in flying the B-29 planes. this week and will enjoy Nebraska's Thanksgiving holiday- with the for mers parents; Mr. and Mrs! Clyde West. Captain West is rtationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and the family reside at Lebanon, Mo. . - Tech. Sgt. Fred Root completed a 15-day furlough spent -with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Root and other relatives- and left last Saturday for Geiger Field, Wash. Lt. Marvin Rudolph recently came" from Miami Beach, Fla., and spent a few days with his parents, Mr.tail Mrs. .Join Rudolph. He is now attending Instructors ; school at "Midland, Texas. J Calls from West Coast Mrs. Henry Lud-ig received word that their son,' S. Sgt. Herman udv.ig, previously reported miss ng had ' been billed in action in iermany. ' Saturday etening Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Hobbs were very pleased to receive a. call from their son, Myn ard Hobbs, " "Slci 'from San Francis co. The young sailor stated that he was in fine shape and asked to be remembered to all of his friends in the city and vicinity s Mynard, a graduate of the class of 1943 of the.lo.cal high schoo', has been in the armed ' service - since shortly after, leaving -school and has been in. the Pacific theatre of war the greater part of the time. Home from Iceland Learn Son Wounded M Mr. and Mrs. John L.' Hadraba of this , city' have received word from the war department that their son, Pvt. Jack Hadraba, had been wound ed in action in France, on November 15th. - ' . They were also in receipt of a letter from the son himself who is recuperating from the wounds. Jack states that he has been awarded the Purple Heart for his services. . Pvt. Olin Morris has been, sent to Camp Hood, Texas, for his basic training. ... Returns to Duty Sunday Cpl. Kenneth Wohlfarth, who has been here for the week end visiting his mother, Mrs. Paul Wohlfarth, departed for his military station at Camp Crowder, Missouri He was accompanied as far as Kan sas City, Missouri, by his cousin, Pvt. Bill Cloidt, who has been here for a visit with ' his father, A. W. Cloidt, and his wife, who came here from California to be with the hus band during his furlough. Pvt Cloidt is enroute to Fort George Meade, Maryland, where he will await fur ther orders. i f f5 H: , 9 . Ux 9 Sift'- v : " J? if h : y-T v , 4 :4 3 Si Receives Promotion ARMY WHIPS NAVY, 23 TO 7 Army whipped Navy in the ytrd line and returns it to Arrr.y's 20 yard line. This action game played at Baltimore with a final score of 23 to 7. Edgar was in the 1st quarter. (NEA Teiephoto.) Kenna, Army back is shewn taking the punt on his own 15- THE TRIAL OF MOTHERHOOD Friday evening Mr. and Mrs. Frank ' Kalasek, Sr.,1 of this city were greatly ' thrilled to receive a tele phone message from their son, Frank Kalasek, Jr, United States army, that he was cow at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, for a few days stay and, expected to be home in Platts mouth on next Tucay. Cpl. Kalasek has twenty three months in the armed Lcrvice and oS these eighteen were spent in Iceland from where he sailed back to the states. This i3 the first fur lough that he has had since enter; ihg the Service. x-" The long service of Cpl. Kalasek in 'the far north 'has given him a fine, experience into the lives and custom of the people of tbU little tnowa land. . t Mr. and Mrs. Guy Wiles have received a letter from their son, Lieutenant Stephen A. Wiles, that he had ust been nromoted to first hutenant from the grade of eecondl lieutenant, a very fine promotion for this young Nebraska soldier. Lieutenant Wiles is now in India where he is serving with the TJ. S. Engineers and states that they are very busy and plenty of hard work for their members. He states also that the weather is getting cooler where he is stationed and that the men have been issued their winter clothing.. ' - In British Hospital , Mr. and Mrs. John Benedict of this city have received word from i their son. Pvt. Robert Benedict, that he is now in a hospital in England recovering from the effects of a wound received in battle in Belgium early in the Allied invasion of that country. The wounded soldier was convey ed from Belgium to England by plane and placed in the hospital. He writes that he is getting along very well. He is suffering from a wound in the shoulder. X. f u.-.-. .r--, I.. - v.x . mm fc-',-- - 1 " cur 3'-' i - J .til "--N. i Ann s - 1 m . . Hi