Veterans N-Z

Pottawattamie Area Early Deaths after Separation from World War II Service (33 dead)
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† (vet.) Niemann, Alvin Vernon, SN 37-126-344, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 6 Mar 1910 Co. Bluffs; s/o Fredrick C. Niemann & Emma Meister of Avoca, Pott. Co.; entered service 1 Jun 1942 from Avoca; returned to US from North Africa because of illness; separated 6 Aug 1943 at Deshon Gen. Hospital, Butler, Butler Co., PA; bur. Graceland Cem., Avoca.
medical detachment, 156th Inf. Regt.; d. 14 Mar 1944, VA Hospital, Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE; perforated gastric ulcer.

† (vet.) O'Brien, William Joseph, SN 37-472-762, US Army, Harrison & Pott. Cos.

b. 12 Jun 1924 rural Missouri Valley, La Grange Twp., Harrison Co.; s/o William J. O'Brien & Jessie Powers (d. 1928); family moved from Harrison Co. to Council Bluffs area in early 1930s; entered service 9 Feb 1943 from Co. Bluffs; sep. 2 Apr 1946; m. Vivian H. Barclay 1947; bur. Wyuka Cem., Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE.
overseas service in European Theater; 1955th Labor Supervision Co.; Quartermaster Corps.
after separation: reenlisted 12 Jun 1946 & served in Fort Riley, KS w/ Troop C, 91st Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Sqdn.; sep. 19 Nov 1947; d. 21 Feb 1950 Veterans Hospital, Lincoln, NE, testicular cancer.

† (vet.) O’Connell, John Ambrose, SN 37-464-476, US Army, Mills & Pott. Cos.

b. 6 Sep 1910 Norwalk Twp., rural Underwood, Pott. Co.; s/o John O’Connell & Emma M. Hannifan (d. 1928); raised in Pott. Co.; after mother's death, moved to Omaha w/ father; m. Elsie Edmundson 1931 in Omaha; moved from Omaha to Glenwood, Mills Co. in late 1930s; entered service Nov 1942 from Glenwood; separated Oct 1945; bur. Glenwood Cem.
Co. B, 31st Armored Bn., 4th Armored Div.; d. 2 Aug 1946 Glenwood, Mills Co; coronary artery disease.

† (vet.) Parks, Ward Merritt, SN 941-02-35, US Navy, Pott. & Harrison Cos.

b. 21 May 1921 Carson, Pott. Co.; s/o Samuel T. Parks (d. 1936) & Olive M. Debolt (d. 1926); Ward moved to Washington Twp., Harrison Co. in late 1930s; m. Phyllis I. Chapman of Persia, Harrison Co. Dec 1941; worked for Curtis-Wright in Columbus, OH Dec 1941 - Jan 1944; entered service 20 Jan 1944 from Persia at Columbus, OH; sep. 4 Feb 1946; returned to Persia & became a power company lineman; bur. Valley View Cem., Persia.
served in West Pacific on LSM-246, LSM-219 & LST-880; ; d. 14 Jul 1947 rural Henderson, Mills Co.; electrocuted when head made contact with a high-voltage wire.

† (vet.) Petersen, John Thomas Grant, SN 316-38-73, US Navy, Pott. Co.

b. 28 May 1916 Nashville, Washington Co., NE; s/o Oswald S. Petersen & Minnie I. Shipley; moved to Co. Bluffs as a small child; married Marjorie _____; entered service 13 Apr 1942 from Co. Bluffs; released 16 Nov 1945; bur. Mt. Hope Cem., Omaha.
previous Navy service 1938-41; on fleet oiler USS Kankakee (AO-39) 1942 & 1943; at US Navy Advanced Base 140, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Nov 1943; on attact transport USS Cecil (APA-96); d. 6 Jan 1946 Corona, Riverside Co., CA; auto accident.

† (vet) Philson, James Harold, SN 37-035-976, US Army, Shelby Co.

b. 1 Apr 1917 Harlan, Shelby Co.; s/o James Harold Philson Sr. & Cecil L. Sunderland; family moved from Jackson Twp., Shelby Co. to Harlan in late 1920s and to California in late 1930s, James Harold remained in Harlan; entered service 12 Mar 1941 from Harlan; sep. 26 Oct 1945; m. Norma I. Frerichs Feb 1947; bur. Harlan Cem.
served in Medical Corps at 22nd General Hospital; d. 17 Dec 1947 Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Omaha; metastised lung & brain cancer.

† (vet.) Pitt, Sidney Bird, SN 17-164-679, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 20 Dec 1901 rural Persia, Cass T., Harrison Co.; s/o Milton B. Bird & Caroline J. Gilson; family moved to Crescent, Pott. Co. in the early 1920s and parents retired to Logan, Harrison Co. in the 1940s; left Crescent farm ~1941 to begin farming in the Glenwood, Mills Co. area; entered service 6 Nov 1942 from Glenwood.; sep. 8 May 1944, resumed farming in Glenwood; bur. Crescent Cem.
957th Two-Engine Flying Training Sqdn., Hobbs Army Air Base, NM; d. 8 Jul 1948 rural Glenwood; tractor overturned.

† (vet.) Ranger, Roger Raymond, SN 860-22-75, US Navy, Cass Co.

b. 22 Jul 1906 Fall River, Columbia Co., WI s/o Arthur W. Ranger (d. 1941) & Nina I. Garlick; m. Lona I. Cart Jun 1927 in Creston, Union Co., six children; entered service 13 Feb 1944 from Atlantic, Cass Co.; sep. 15 Dec 1944; d. 7 Dec 1946 in hospital, Omaha; poliomyelitis; bur. Atlantic Cem.
no foreign service; details of service unknown.

† (vet.) Rannells, Charles Henry Jr., SN unknown, US Army, Crawford Co.

b. 30 Mar 1913 rural Dunlap, Boyer Twp., Crawford Co.; s/o Charles H. Rannells & Winifred Huie; m. Helen C. Fitzgerald of Iowa City 28 Dec 1939 in Pittsburg, PA, one child; entered service at unknown date; bur. Pleasant Hill Cem., Dunlap, Harrison Co.
physician assigned to Camp Barkley, Abilene, TX; released from service Apr 1942; d. 23 Sep 1942 in Evanston, IL from asthma.

† (vet.) Rasmussen, Clarence Frank, SN 321-561, US Marine Corps, Carroll Co. & Charleston Co., SC.

b. 25 Apr 1917 rural Marne, Cass Co.; s/o Frank R. Rasmussen & Eva M. Irwin (d. 1934); family moved to Carroll, Carroll Co. before 1920; m. Katherine J. Cottoneg 1934, div. 1942; entered service 1942 from Atlantic, Cass Co.; released 26 Sep 1945; m. Lois C. Spires in Charleston, SC 1945, one child; bur. Bethany Cem., Charleston.
served with Marine Barracks Detachment, Navy Ammunition Depot, Oahu, HI; d. 16 Aug 1946 off Monck's Pt., Berkeley Co., SC; drowned while fishing in a small boat.

† (vet.) Rathbone, Philip Harmon, SN 37-676-926, US Army, Montgomery & Polk Cos.

b. 21 Aug 1907 Red Oak, Montgomery Co. s/o Mortimer H. Rathbone (d. 1921) & Anna L. Muhs; m. Martha M. Holt Jun 1929 in Nodaway Co., MO; moved to Des Moines in early 1930s; entered service 20 Aug 1943 from Des Moines; sep. 21 Dec 1943 on certificate of disability; d. 12 Mar 1948 VA Hospital, Des Moines; nephritis; bur. Villisca Cem.
no foreign service; 335th Military Police Escort & Guard Co.

† (vet.) Rhoads, Howard Leroy, SN 37-656-865, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.

b. 1 Nov 1922 Anita, Cass Co.; s/o Cornelius D. Rhoads & Gladys D. Wheatley (div.); entered service 20 Jan 1943 from Rt. 4, Red Oak; sep. 19 Apr 1944; lived in Red Oak area nine years; bur. Evergreen Cem., Red Oak.
overseas service Mar 1943-Mar 1944 in Pacific; HQ, Station 3, Pacific Wing, Air Transport Command.
after separation: chauffeur for Nelson Dairy, Red Oak; d.12 Nov 1948 Red Oak; coronary trombosis.

† (vet.) Robinson, Glen Earl, SN 620-34-83, US Naval Aviation, Audubon Co.

b. 26 Jul 1921 Audubon, Audubon Co.; entered service 21 Feb 1942 from Audubon; sep. 24 Dec 1945; bur. Maple Grove Cem., Audubon.
served in the blimp section of Naval Aviation.
after separation: United Airlines mechanic; caught underneath a mobile crane in which he was riding overturned; d. of injuries 13 Sep 1947 in hospital, San Mateo, San Mateo Co., CA.

† (vet.) Rohlfs, Frederick Theodore, SN O-339452, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 3 Nov 1913 Avoca, Pott. Co.; s/o Hans G. Rohlfs (d. 1933) & Emmaline E. Bleich of Avoca; m. Thelma J. Lewis 1939, two children; entered service 30 Jun 1941 from Afton, Union Co.; released from active duty 16 May 1943; bur. Graceland Cem., Avoca.
Co. E, 27th QM Regt.; d. 24 Jun 1944 near Lorimer, Union Co.; auto accident.

† (vet.) Schmitz, William Peter, SN 940-455, US Marine Corps, Shelby Co.

b. 6 Oct 1922 Panama, Shelby Co.; s/o Peter Schmitz and Catherine Windeshausen; entered service 28 Feb 1944 from Panama; sep. 23 Mar 1946; m. Frances Frederick 1946; bur. St. Marys Cem., Panama.
unit unknown; left US Sep 1944 and returned Mar 1945; leg amputated in US Naval Hospital, Long Beach, CA; d. 25 Sep 1946 at home in Panama, Shelby Co.; osteosarcoma.

† (vet.) Schrader, James William Orville, SN 37-437-515, US Army, Cass Co.

b. 30 Oct 1910 Cass Co. s/o Frederick D. Schrader & Malinda Drenner; entered service 9 Oct 1942 from Cumberland, Cass Co.; sep. 13 Nov 1945; bur. St. Johns UCC Cem., Lyman, Cass Co.
foreign service Nov 1942 - Nov 1945; Medical Detachment, 21st Inf. Regt., 24th Inf. Div.; division served in Hollandia area of New Guinea, on Leyte, Philippines, & on Mindanao, Philippines; d. 20 Nov 1946 near Pomeroy, Calhoun Co.; coronary thrombosis while working on road construction.

† (vet.) Shaw, Dale Burman, SN 37-144-050, US Army, Madison Co., NE

b. 24 Dec 1917 Stanton, near Norfolk, Madison Co., NE; s/o Robert R. Shaw (d. 1944) & Florence M. Kesselruth; family lived in Warnerville, S of Norfolk; Dale worked as a farmhand in rural Pott. Co. beginning in 1940; entered service 11 Feb 1942 from rural Co. Bluffs; sep. 3 Feb 1945, medical discarge; bur. Hillcrest Cem., Norfolk, Madison Co., NE.
overseas service 22 Jun 1942-25 Dec 1944 in Southwest Pacific Area; Co. I, 186th Inf. Regt., 41st Inf. Div.
after separation: generally was hospitalized; d. 28 Oct 1948 University Hospital, Omaha; testicular cancer.

† (vet.) Smith, Jack F., SN 37-189-684, US Army, Mills Co.

b. NE Kansas 1909; s/o Charles F. "Frank" Smith & Margaret F. Medsker; family moved to Co. Bluffs area in late 1910s and to Glenwood, Mills Co. in 1920s; m. Esther P. Boyce 1928, one child, div.; m. Mary A. Buffington 1933, div; m. Nellie E. Storer 1944; entered service 26 Mar 1942 from Glenwood; sep. 4 Sep 1943; bur. Glenwood Cem.
overseas service 26 May 1942 - 23 Sep 1943; Battery B, 89th FA Bn., 25th Inf. Div.; d. 1 Jan 1948 in VA Hospital, Lincoln, NE; hemorrhage of gastric & duodenal ulcers.
Notes: Given birthdate of 10 Sep 1910 is incorrect as Jack is 7 months in the May 1910 census.

† (vet.) Sobbing, Ivan Albert, SN 37-422-359, US Army, Mills Co.

b. 24 Nov 1921 Hopkins, Nodaway Co., MO; s/o Joseph W. Sobbing & Myrtle M. Ridenour; family moved to Ross Twp., Taylor Co. in early 1920s, returned to Nodaway Co. in early 1930s, and then moved to Emerson, Mills Co. in 1941; entered service 15 Jul 1943 from Rt. 3, Shenandoah, Page Co.; m. Arlene M. Walborn Jul 1945 in Lebanon Co., PA, two children; separated from service 6 Nov 1945; moved to rural Emerson, Mills Co. after separation; bur. Shearer Cem., Braddyville, Page. Co.
overseas service Aug 1944 - Jun 1945 w/ Co. L, 377th Inf. Regt., 95th Inf. Div., Third & Ninth Armies, ETO; d. 21 Aug 1948 in hospital, Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; neck broken in collision W of Red Oak on Highway 34, father also died.

† (vet.) Spidell, George William, SN 321-58-95, US Navy, Fremont Co.

b. 23 Jan 1924 Payne Jct., Fremont Co., IA; s/o Harry A. Spidell & Mary H. Rumery (d. 1929); raised in grandparents' households in Fremont Co.; entered service 29 Jan 1941 at age 17 years 6 days from Catholic Soldiers Orphans Home, Davenport, IA; sep. 1 Apr 1947; m. Ruby May Farr in Western Australia Nov 1943, two children; bur. Hamburg Cem., Fremont Co.
served on the Gearing (DD-710); Cabrilla (SS-278); Greene (DD-711); Hardhead (SS-365); Mero (SS-378); Holland (AS-3); & Kenneth D. Bailey (DD-713); d. 1 Sep 1948 in hospital, Hamburg; forearm crushed in auto accident & died from shock of amputation.

† (vet.) Springer, Emmett William, SN 39-571-270, US Army, Montgomery Co.

b. 5 Jan 1924 Red Oak, Montgomery Co. s/o Jesse L. Springer & Edna Martin; entered service 23 Apr 1943 from Red Oak at Arlington, CA, service credited to Los Angeles Co., CA; sep. 2 Dec 1945; d. 14 Sep 1947 in hospital, Red Oak; skull fracture from auto accident in Emerson, Mills Co.; bur. Evergreen Cem., Red Oak.
foreign service Nov 1943 - Nov 1945; Co. C, 234th Engineer Bn., 1115 Engineer Grp., XIX Corps; participated in Operation Grenade, the Feb 1945 Roer River crossing in North Rhine-Westphalia.

† (vet.) Sternberg, Herbert Nicholas, SN 37-442-985, US Army, Shelby Co.

b. 16 Feb 1904 or 11 Mar 1905 Omaha, NE; foster son of Louis J. Sternberg & Johanna R. Loehr of Defiance, Shelby Co.; in Marine Corps in San Diego 1930, farmhand in Montana 1935 & 1940; entered service 7 Nov 1942 from Defiance; released from active service 11 Jun 1943; burial unknown.
Co. E, 5th Inf. Regt., no overseas duty; d. 19 Mar 1944 Omaha; unknown service-related causes.

† (vet.) Still, Harold Keith, SN 940394, US Marine Corps, Montgomery Co.

b. 13 Feb 1920 Villisca, Montgomery Co.; s/o James A. Still & Etta M. Cohoon; m. Mae Walker 1940, one child, div.; m. Dorothy M. Roberts 1945, one child; entered service 24 Feb 1944 from Villisca; sep. 11 Jul 1946; bur. Villisca Cem.
no overseas service;
after separation: brakeman for the South Omaha Terminal Railroad; d. 31 Dec 1950 South Omaha of injuries from a work-related accident.

† (vet.) Strowig, Donald Jack, SN 37-470-435, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 30 Jun 1923 Creston, Union Co.; s/o Harry M. Strowig & Hazel T. Klauer, Kansas natives; came to Co. Bluffs as small child; entered service 23 Jan 1943 from Co. Bluffs; released 28 Nov 1945 on total disability; bur. Memorial Park Cem., Co. Bluffs.
unknown anti-aircraft artillery unit, Palau Islands; d. 17 Jun 1946 Mercy Hospital, Co. Bluffs; nephritis & pericarditis.

† (vet.) Thompson, Oral Ray, SN 37-470-458, US Army, Pott. Co.

b. 28 Feb 1922 Co. Bluffs; s/o Andrew George Thompson & Lettie Tubbs (d. 1924); m. Florence L. Mowrey of Co. Bluffs 1942, two children; entered service 16 Jan 1943 from Co. Bluffs; sep. 8 Nov 1945; bur. Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
served in motor pool of Air Force unit at Miami, FL & from Feb-Sep 1945 with 4528 QM Truck Co., ETO; d. 28 Jul 1948 Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; internal injuries after a dirt grader overturned near Red Oak.

† (vet.) Trimmer, Joseph Andrew, SN 37-447-784, US Army, Cass Co.

b. 4 Nov 1909 Lincoln Twp., Cass Co. s/o Joseph H. Trimmer & Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" Hunter; family lived in or near Anita, Cass Co.; entered service 14 Dec 1942 from Anita; sep. 15 May 1945; d. 5 Feb 1948 Anita; cardiac dilation from myocarditis due to acute alcoholism; bur. Evergreen Cem., Anita.
foreign service Dec 1943 - Oct 1944; served in Italy with 350th Inf. Regt., 88th Inf. Div., Fifth Army.

† (vet.) Vittitoe, Lloyd Albert, SN 37-735-050, US Army, Harrison Co.

b. 26 Sep 1920 Modale, Harrison Co.; s/o George W. Vittitoe & Winnie McAlexander; m. Elizabeth Jean Sublet 1939, two children; entered service 20 Jul 1944 from Modale; bur. Magnolia Cem., Harrison Co.
Overseas service with Co. B, 315th Inf. Regt., 79th Inf. Div. in the ETO; sep. 15 Feb 1946; d. 7 Aug 1949 rural Herman, Washington Co., NE; accidental gunshot wound.

† (vet.) Watts, Rolland Leo, SN 988681. US Marine Corps, Harrison Co.

b. 24 Jun 1920 Mondamin, Harrison Co. s/o LeRoy Watts (d. 1944) & Geneva L. Hough; m. Darlene R. Baldwin Jun 1940 in Onawa, Monona Co., three children; entered service 23 Jun 1944 from Mondamin; sep. 17 Feb 1946; mechanic at Sears Roebuck in Omaha; d. 6 Dec 1948 Omaha; tire blew up fracturing skull & causing brain concussion; bur. Crescent Cem., Crescent, Pott. Co.
foreign service Dec 1944 - Feb 1946; served in Pacific w/ Fleet Marine Force, perhaps with 2nd Marine Division; service on Tolland-class attack cargo ship USS Southampton (AKA-66).

† (vet.) Williams, Russell LeRoy, SN 20-706-848, US Army, Montgomery Co.

b. 28 Jul 1921 Red Oak, Montgomery Co. s/o John T. Williams (d. 1930) & Maude E. Crockett; entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Red Oak; sep. 23 Nov 1945; family moved to Portland, OR area 1946; d. 24 Sep 1947 in VA hospital, Vancouver, Clark Co., WA; d. from tuberculosis after one-year hospitalization; bur. River View Cem., Portland.
foreign service Apr 1942- Nov 1945; served in Italy w/ Co. M, 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div.

† (vet.) Wilson, Douglas William, SN 316-42-33, US Navy, Pott. Co.

b. 23 Dec 1916 Kansas City, MO; adopted by grandparents John O. Wilson & Dessa M. Knight of Co. Bluffs; m. Inez Irma Madison 1940 (div. 1943); entered service 14 Oct 1940 from Co. Bluffs (prior naval service for three years); sep. 20 Dec 1943; bur. Fairview Cem., Co. Bluffs.
served on USS Reuben James (DE-153) in early 1943; hospitalized in Philadelphia; sep. 20 Dec 1943 to return home on a stretcher via train; became ill and hospitalized in Hines Veterans Hospital, Proviso, Cook Co. IL; d. 28 Dec 1943; unknown service-connected causes.
Note: The original Reuben James (DD-245) was sunk by the German submarine U-552 on 31 Oct 1941 before the United States entered WW II.

† (vet.) Witt, Carl William, SN 37-445-283, US Army Air Force, Monona Co.

b. 2 Mar 1900 Avoca, Pott. Co.; s/o Henry J. Witt & Rosa Luth; family moved to Mapleton, Monona Co. before 1915; m. Echo L. Stephenson 1923, one child, div.; entered service 19 Nov 1942 from Mapleton; sep. 26 Feb 1943; bur. Mt. Hope Cem., Mapleton.
no overseas service; stateside served in an Infantry Replacement Training Center.
after separation: house painter living in Norfolk, NE; d. 16 Jun 1949 Wagner, Charles Mix Co., SD; natural causes.

† (vet.) Wright, Walter Winfield, SN 2-173-114, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.

b. 15 Jan 1892 Davenport, Scott Co. s/o John C. Wright (d. 1905) & Jane "Jennie" Fulton of rural Marne, Brighton Twp., Cass Co.; m. Edna M. Jacobsen of Atlantic 1918, one child who died as an infant; moved from Atlantic to Omaha in 1920s & returned to Atlantic in late 1930s; entered service 4 Sep 1942; sep. 20 Feb 1943; d. 3 Jun 1943 in Atlantic from coronary occlusion; bur. Atlantic Cem.
WWI veteran; in WWII served with Army Air Force HQ & HQ Sqdn.

† (vet.) Yergey, John Maurice Jr., SN 37-485-859, US Army, Woodbury Co.

b. 6 Nov 1907 Co. Bluffs; s/o John M. Yergey Sr. & Charlotte M. Smith; m. Marjorie L. Young 1929; entered service 9 Oct 1943 from Sioux City, Woodbury Co.; no overseas service, separated 24 Jan 1945; bur. Westlawn-Hillcrest Cem., Omaha.
Battery B, 618th Field Artillery Bn.; d. 28 Sep 1945 at Vermillion, SD; neck broken in 75 foot fall from grain elevator; salesman for Montgomery Ward estimating paint requirements.

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