Pvt Dick Van Kalkeren in Combat on Iwo Jima
Pvt. Dick Van Kalkeren of the Suh Marine Division fights on Iwo Jima. He writes from an aboard ship after two stops, noting 25 letters received and hoping for more before resuming writing after initial combat. He trained at Camp Pendleton, California, and went overseas in July 1944 from Lynnville, Iowa.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pvt
Dick van Kalkeren
Fifth Marines
Iwo Jima
Suh Marine Division
Dick van Kale
Keren
Aldine Kame
van Kalkeren
Camp Pendleton
Oceanside
California
Lynnville
Iowa
Kalkeren
Lola Carter Serves With Waves At Crane Indiana
Lola Carter daughter of Mr L Carter of 1215 B Iowa and formerly of Pella serves in the U S Navy at the Security Office in Crane Indiana. Her father was a police officer for years and her mother, before marriage, was Josselink of Pella.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lola Carter
Crane
Indiana
Lola
Avenuerer
L. Carter
Iowa
Pella
U. S
NWA. D. Security
Crane, Indiana
Josselink of
Navy Recruit Henry J. Vander Voort in Training at Great Lakes
Henry J. Vander Voort son of Mr and Mrs William H Vander Voort of Leighton and husband of Gertrude Bandstra Vander Voort is serving with Company 42 at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. He entered the Navy on January 5. Mrs Vander Voort is living with her parents on a farm south of Pella.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Henry J. Vander Voort
William H. Vander Voort
Leighton
Gertrude Bandstra Vander Voort
Great Lakes
Henry
Navy
Vander Voort
Peter Bandstra
Pella
Reading Letters From Service Members In Wartime Notes
A compact wartime release from the OWL offers tips for writing home from service members. It covers keeping families informed, sharing news about friends in service, marriages, recollections, and light gossip. It also mentions including sports news and current events in letters.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
OWL
Tor
War Fort
PVT. LESTER A TERLOUW PRAISES LIBERATED COUNTRIES
Pvt. Lester A. Terlouw reports enlistment in mid August and basic in Texas. He sailed in January and serves in an Armored Infantry Battalion in Germany. He praises food, travel through France and Belgium, and kindness from locals. notes no mail received yet overseas.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lester A. Terlouw
Pvt
Army
Ing
Texas
Inermany
France
Belgium
Selways
The
Chronicle
Letter from the Home Front Urges Calm and Courage
The writer advises keeping worries to oneself and remaining hopeful and newsy despite difficult civilian hardships. The letter stresses that the serviceman bears heavier burdens and asks the reader to ensure the message would be suitable for reading in harsh battle conditions.
Vander Leest Wounded in Action Receives Bronze Star
S/Sgt. Gerald Vander Leest, Bronze Star recipient for bravery and veteran of three campaigns, wounded in action in Germany. The injury occurred in the back during battle after serving with the Ninth Army in France Belgium and Germany. He has written he received the Purple Heart and has been overseas since January 1944 with the 125th Reconnaissance Squadron.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Gerald Vander Leest
John Vander Leest
Gerald Ander Leest
Jerry Lee
Newton
Germany
Vander Leest
Ninth Army
France
Belgium
Pfc Abe Vander Beek Serving With First Army In Germany
Private Abe Vander Beek, from Kansas, serves with the First Army in Germany under General Hodges. He entered service at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, went overseas in 1944, landed in England, and has earned the Combat Infantryman Badge and the overseas service ribbon.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pfc
Abe Vander Beek
First Army
Germany
Abe Beek
Kanshoth S i
G Hodges
Pte
Vander Beek
Camp
Whee
Georgia
England
Letter From a Pacific Ship Describes Homeward Yearnings
Lt Verle Ver Dusht writes from sea describing how Chronicles bring home news to soldiers in forward Pacific battle areas. He notes lads miss friendships, simple courtesies, and the wish to settle, build a home, water a lawn, and return home after the war.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Verle Ver Dught
Pacific
Gi Verle Ver
Verle
Amon
Verle’s Letter Praises Pella in Warm Terms
Verle wrote a fine letter at a desk as the boat pitched, praising the old hometown. The note describes a well liked fellow in Pella and his good deeds and sentiments toward the town.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tess
Verle
Pella
Soldier Addresses William Van Hulzen VC
A brief wartime notice from San Pedro California records Corporal Raymond W TAS AJS addressing William Van Hulzen of the 620th CA Rn at MacArthur in Midland Texas. The entry notes Sad EF and Doofenhos MAAR as additional identifiers in the service roster.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wm. van Hulzen VC
MacArthur
San Pedro
California
AJS
Raymond W. Tas
Sad
Midland
Texas
Doofenhos Maar
Red Cross Campaign Urges Support for World War Aid
The American Red Cross campaigns for war relief, noting assistance to soldiers behind enemy lines and weekly food parcels for captives in Europe. It urges public donations of the $200,000,000 fund to keep Red Cross on the job helping fighting men.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Red Cross
Europe
Also Mentioned on This Page
Great Lakes Naval Trng
Seaman Henry J. Vander Voort
Pyt. Lester A. Ter Louw
Lake Prairie Township
Pella City
Summit Township
Polk Township
Pella National Bank
Marion County State Bank
Russell Dyer County
Patterson-Sargent Paints
van den Berg Electric and Paint Co
Pfe
Abe Vander Beck
RED Cross Campaign
Aza
de Vries
Des Moines
Blue Cross
United States Employment Service
United States Rubber Company
Des Moines Ordnance Plant
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!