December 7, 1941
Ships Sunk
- Sotoyoma – YT-9 – Harbor Tug Boat
- Oglala – CM-4 – Minelayer
- West Virginia – BB48 – Battleship
- California -BB44 – Battleship
- Arizona – BB-39 – Battleship
- Oklahoma – BB-37 – Battleship
- Utah – AG-16 – Dreadnaught Battleship
The Courier Tribune
11 Dec 1941
page 1
Home Boys in Sea War Zone
Many are Worried
Twenty or More Nemaha County Seamen are with Pacific Fleet
Like every other county in the nation, the hearts of Nemaha mothers and fathers are troubled by lack of news of sons who are in the Pacific zone of hostilities. The Courier-Tribune yesterday had information of at least 20 who are on sea duty in the battle ares or on the west coast. The correct number may be nearer 30.
President Roosevelt explained in a radio address to the nation Tuesday night that battle information will be contingent upon two things. It will not be released until accuracy is checked. It will not be forthcoming if there is a possibility of giving aid and comfort to the enemy. It is clear that news in many cases will be long delayed.
Newspapers and radio are under a voluntary censorship. That is the reason why editors have deleted names of warcraft int he following article, with the exception of the Oklahoma and the West Virginia, said to have been destroyed or heavily damaged in Pearl Harbor.
Monday this paper printed a story from Goff that Billy Henry, formerly of that place, was aboard the Oklahoma. Today, our Bern correspondent reports that Galen Haffner, son of Alyce Haffner, was on the Oklahoma and that James Simon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Simon, was on the West Virginia.
As things stand now, it is estimated Nemaha county has approximately 285 men int he service. There are 78 men in the Navy, 61 in the Army; seven in the Marine COrps; two in Coast Guard, 72 in the National Guard and 65 in Selective Service.
Bennie Koelzer, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Koelzer of St. Benedict, is serving his second hitch in the Navy and is in his 5th year of duty. He is working as foreman in charge of diesel engine work at the Bremerton Washington Naval Station. He will likely be there till January.
Bennie Engelken, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Engelken, Seneca, is a sailor based on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Recently Bennie and Gene Henry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Henry, had a week-end together in Honolulu. Gene is also a sailor in the zone of hostilities.
Frank Fangman, son of Mrs. Joe Kramer, is aboard a USS Aircraft carrier which is now in Hawaiian waters and it is certain he is a busy young man these days. His mother had a letter from him the other day, written on Thanksgiving.
Richard Heideman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Heideman, and Leonard Koehler, son of Mr. and MRs. John Koehler, are in Frisco. Richard is a torpedoist. He just recently returned from South American waters. Leonard is in aviation. Both lads expected to be home on holiday leave but that’s doubtful now.
Leander Haug, son of Mrs. Barney Haug, south of Baileyville, is aboard and American submarine last reported int he Philippine area. Leander is a son of the late Barney Haug, who drowned in the Vermillion early last summer. “Bud” Haug Leander’s younger brother, was recently discharged from the Navy so that he could help his mother on the farm. He is now home.
Paul Gerber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Gerber, Seneca, returned from Hawaii six weeks ago and is now doing repair work on the Naval Station base at San Diego. He had been stationed aboard an Aircraft carrier. He writes that he may be transferred to sea duty soon.
John Adam, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Adam, Seneca, has enlisted int eh Army Air Corps as a mechanic and probably is home when this goes to press. He enlisted at Kansas City.
Lieut. Francis Carter is now in service with the North Atlantic patrol. Until a year ago he had been in aviation seven years but eye trouble made it necessary for him to resign and take service with the fleet. Presumably he is now ranging the seas from Atlantic ports to Iceland.
Capt. Arlie Higgins, son of Mrs. W. H. Higgins, Seneca, is stationed in the Philippines, now under attack by bombing and invasion.
Maurice J. Hammes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Allie Hammes, is either in Pearl Harbor or at sea on one of the fighting ships.
By Centralia Corespondent
When word first reached Centralia Sunday of teh treacherous attack by Japan upon Pearl Harbor and other Island possessions of the United States, the first thought that came to some as expressed by them was: “Isn’t it terrible? But then it doesn’t affect any in Centralia.”
We find, upon looking around that Centralia as well as every community in the United States was affected. Howard O’Conor, eldest son of Mrs. Bessie O’Conor, is stationed on a supply and repair ship at Pearl Harbor. Mrs. O’Conor is a widow and has one other son, Alvin, who has been selected to report in the selective draft for service in January.
Orville Edman, son of Mrs. Lenore Edman, another widow, is in the Heavy Artillery at Ft. Mills, 30 miles form Manila.
The last known of Harold Wiseman, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Wiseman, Axtell, was that he was stationed on a cruiser in Pearl Harbor. Centralia always has been his home. He graduated form C.H.S. and enlisted in the Navy from here. His parents have since moved to Axtell but are again returning to the Centralia community in the spring.
Another Centralia graduate in thee Navy from here is George Long, whose parents are now living at Goff. He was stationed in China and friends here think he is now in the Islands which have been attacked. This is not authentic.
Gerald Moore, son of Mrs. Ida Moore, Goff, nephew of the Misses Blanche, Anna and Lillie Dorman, and another graduate of C.H.S. is also stationed in Pearl Harbor. At last report he was on a destroyer.
We cannot all go to war but we can help our boys and our country by buying Defense stamps and bonds.
By Bern Correspondent
Parents, relatives and friends of Bern boys in the war are greatly concerned these days in regard to their safety. James Simon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Simon, was on the West Virginia; John and Benny Streit, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Streit, were on a battleship; Galen Haffner, son of Alyce Haffner, was on the Oklahoma; Alvin Gugelman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gugelman, and Harry Bieri, son of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Bieri, Seneca were on Atlantic patrol; Ira and George Bieri, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Bieri, are also in the war zone. Duane Simon is attending school in San Diego. Bob Baugh, who recently re-enlisted and is stationed on the Atlantic coast, was to come home soon on furlough. Paul Wittwer is also on the east coast.
John Milton Crandall, son of John Crandall and the late Ethel Hart Crandall, is believed to have been at Pearl Harbor; Kenneth Crandall, his brother, with the coast guard at Baltimore, was recalled from a visit at Goff.
Richard Becker, air corps, at Sheppard field, Texas, was home with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ed J. Becker, Seneca, and was called back to duty by wire.
Street report is that Cyril Wassenberg, employed at Honolulu, cabled relatives of safety of himself and wife.
The Sabetha Herald
10 Dec 1941
page 1
Many Local Men are in Naval War Zone
Many young men of this area are in the Navy, some assigned to ships that have been int he thick of the Naval war zones that became active Sunday.
Melvin Grimm, son of Mrs. Nora Grimm, is attached to a ship that has been stationed at Pearl Harbor, so vigorously attacked Sunday at Honolulu.
George and Ira Bieri, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Bieri, formerly of near Oneida now located at Lansing, Kas. are on the USS Detroit stationed at Pearl Harbor. these boys are nephews of Mrs. Henry Imthurn of Sabetha.
Lt. Horace Moulton is on the US Flagship Enterprise which has been based at Pearl Harbor. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Moulton of Sabetha. The Moultons have had no word of their son.
Floyd Perkins, son of George Perkins, who works for Watson Bros. in Sabetha is with the Marines at Pearl Harbor.
Loyd Dirst, former Sabetha boy and nephew of Mrs. James Drolet of Sabetha, is with the Marines stationed at Midway Island, which has been reported captured by the Japanese. The report so far is unconfirmed but it is considered possible it is correct.
Yeoman Roy Pendergrass, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Pendergrass of Sabetha, is on the US Aircraft Carrier Saratoga, based at Pearl Harbor.
George Fritch of Morrill, Former Sabetha Herald employee, has been assigned to the battleship Idaho on the east coast.
Landon Howery, son of Maurice Howery of MOrrill, is on the battleship West Virginia, reported sunk or disabled in the Pacific.
Milo Marion, son of A. A. Marion, of Morrill, has been on customs office duty in Honolulu.
Dale Fike, former Sabetha boy, is on the Chaumont, a Naval vessel, type not known here.
B. R. Shelhorn of Dawson is with the Marines.
Two nephews of Mrs. A. H. Engle of Sabetha, James and Duane Simon, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Simon, formerly of Bern, now of Belleville, are with the battleship West Virginia at Pearl Harbor.
Delbert Phillips, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Phillips and brother of Mrs. Joe Bockenstette of Sabetha is stationed at Pearl Harbor.
Mrs. Emery Cox of Bern, correspondent for The Sabetha Herald in that community reports the following about boys in the Navy: from that vicinity:
The Nipponese attack int he Pacific has struck “close home,” to Bern and community residents. Parents, relatives, friends are anxiously waiting to hear from Bern boys in the war. James Simon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Simon is on the USS West Virginia, one of the ships reported sunk. John and Ben Streit sons of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Streit, are on the USS Tennessee right in the conflict. Galen Haffner, son of Alyce Havner on the USS Oklahoma; Alvin Gugelman, son of Mr. and Mrs Fred Gugelman, and Harry Bieri, younger son of Sheriff and Mrs Pete Bieri of Seneca are on the destroyer USS Hammon; Ira and George Bieri, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathon Bieri are also stationed in the war zone. Mrs J D Sheik’s nephew, Norman Dilworth in the army is stationed at Camp Ord, Calif, near one of the islands that has been attacked. Bob Baugh on the USS Beaver, stationed on the east coast, has just finished his time of enlistment and has “shipped over,” navy term for re-enlisted and ws to have been on his way home on Wednesday for a furlough when the war broke. Now he will likely be retained according to reports, Duane Simon, second son of Mr and Mrs Joe Simon is also in the Navy and is now going to school in San Diego. Paul Wittwer, elder son of Mr. and Mrs J S Wittwer is in the Navy and is now stationed along the Atlantic coast. Business men of Bern displayed their patriotism by putting out flags Monday.
The Seneca Courier-Tribune reports the following on Navy men from Seneca and south Nemaha county. This is from the Monday paper.
George Ward of the Goff Advance in Seneca Monday, said that Billy Henery, Goff, son of Bill Henery now of Havensville, is listed locally as a soldier aboard the Oklahoma, attached by Japanese at Pearl Harbor Sunday.
There is no accurate count of local boys who are in Hawaiian or Pacific waters. Three civilians, Cyrl J. Wassenberg, Fred Koelzer and Andrew Herold, are employed at or near Honolulu. Others believed to be in the Pacific fleet include Benny Koelzer, Frank Fangman, Art Sisco, Dwight Rickman, Richard Heideman, Leander Haug. Goff also lists Tommy Reed, Walter Furst, Harley Johnson, Kenneth Crandall, Gerald Moore and Jack Meeker.
Wm. Power. northwest of Baileyville, is on the USS Pensacola, Pearl Harbor.
Larkin Rucker, grandson of Mrs. W. G. Rucker, Seneca is with a crew of painters on Midway Island, reported bombed.
