Harry Bieri
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
13 Jun 1940
page 2
Word of Reuben Bieri form High Authority
(last paragraph)
Harry Bieri, other navy son of the Bieri’s, formerly stationed on the east coast, was transferred to San Diego a month ago and is on the U.S.S. Hammann.
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
29 Jul 1940
His Ship Back from London
“Harry Bieri, a brother, is with the fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, at present.”
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
23 Jan 1941
page 3
More Nemaha county boys whom national defense measures are taking far form home: Alvin Gugelman and Donald Crofoot of Bern, Harry Bieri of Seneca. They are stationed on the U.S.S. Hammann, which left San Diego Jan. 14, for the Hawaiian Islands.
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
5 May 1941
page 5
Harry Bieri who is stationed on the U.S.S. Hamman at Mare Island, California, came home Friday evening to visit a couple of weeks with his parents, Sheriff and Mrs. Pete Bieri. Mr. Bieri met him in Omaha.
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas
19 Jun 1941
page 1
Navy in Quick Moves, His Addresses Show
Sheriff Pete Bieri had The Courier Tribune sent to Harry Bieri, on the U.S.S. Hamman, a light cruiser, to San Diego address three weeks ago. The address was changed this week to New York City, from which the navy mail is distributed along the east coast. Harry had written form Philadelphia. His letter home stated he was not able to say where his vessel was going or for how long but that he would drop postcards, so the censor would have not trouble. This indication of censorship is the first that has appeared that mail form Uncle Sam’s forces is being inspected. It is a war move.
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
6 Nov 1941
page 1
Reuben Bieri Rates in Class of 44
“Harry Bieri, Reuben’s brother is on sea duty in one of Uncle Sam’s newest cruisers. This boat is equipped with the most modern devices to combat submarines and there is no doubt but Harry is in the thick of the sea war against German raiders. His ship has instruments which are capable of tracing the course of subs and of determining the depth to which they are submerged. Sheriff Bieri believes the U.S. Navy men are delivering mighty wallops at the German subs though of course he has no proof of it.
The Courier-Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
12 March 1942
page 5
Bern
Mrs. Pete Bieri, Seneca, sent word to Mrs. Fred Gugelman that Alvin Gugelman is O.K. He is on the U.S. destroyer Hammann with Harry Bieri, who wrote both are well.
Courier-Tribune (Seneca, Kansas0
22 Jun 1942
page 1
Report Harry Bieri Is Killed in Action
Was on Destroyer in the Pacific
Served int he Navy over 10 years
Telegram to his parents
Sheriff Mrs. Pete Bieri of Seneca
Harry Bieri, the son of Sheriff and Mrs. Pete Bieri, is first youth from Seneca and Bern communities to lose his life in World War II.
Mr. and Mrs. Bieri received a telegram Saturday morning from the Navy department at Washington, stating that Harry had been killed in action in the performance of duty and in the service of his country.
Harry ranked as a chief fire controlman on a destroyer. It had been in the Pacific since about the first of the year. Where the action took place in which Harry was lost, or the date, were not given in the telegram. There was also no word about the ship. The navy asked that to prevent possible aid to our enemies, that the name of the ship not be divulged.
If the ship was sunk, there has yet been no news release concerning it.
Chief Fire Controlman, Bieri was born Jule 29, 1913. He wold have been 29 years old Sunday. He had been in the navy 10 years last April, joining the year following his graduation from Bern high school.
Both sons of Mr. and Mrs. Bieri have followed the navy. Reuben, the older son is on the Massachusetts, recently commissioned battleship. Both sons have advanced step by step to be chief fire controlmen. Harry made this rating a year ago in June.
Their sisters are Opal, who is Mrs. Wayne Hullett, Leadville, Colo., and Ann, Mrs. Melvin Raab, Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The telegram to the parent leaves indefinite whether or not the body may be expected home in the near future. Evidently the wording of this part of the telegram is a form which could be used wherever the scene of action in which a sailor lost his life. It states that if not possible to send the body home, it will be interred temporarily in the locality where the action took place.
Mrs. Edwin Buehler, Red Cross chairman, is attempting to get more information for the parents.
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
25 Jun 1942
page 1
A Service for Harry Bieri
At the Home, Sunday Afternoon
A memorial service for Harry Bieri, U.S. Navy, Seneca’s first loss of the second world war, will be held at the residence of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Bieri, Sunday afternoon at 2:30. Tribute will be paid by the Rev. Charles A. Richard and Earle W. Taylor post of the American Legion will participate. A Masonic quartet will furnish the music.
Nothing more has been learned since the first telegram from the navy telling of Harry’s death, except that Mrs. Buehler, service chairman of the Red Cross, seeking further information for the family, received a telegram stating that navy regulations require local interment of persons lost in action, pending cessation of hostilities. Harry’s body is not expected home, then, until the war is over. Plans were made for the memorial service after this word was received.
Mr. and Mrs. Bieri had not heard yesterday from their older son, Ruben, to whom they sent a telegram telling of Harry’s death. It is presumed he is on the sea, and perhaps while his ship could receive messages, it could not risk making its position known by returning messages.
The Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
29 Jun 1942
page 1
In Tribute to Harry Bieri
He Gave His life for His Friends
The first memorial service of the community in this world war, was held yesterday for Harry Bieri, U.S. navy, the son of Sheriff and Mrs. Pete Bieri.
In the scripture reading by the Rev. W. H. Nelson of the Evangelical church of Bern, to which Harry belonged, was the verse from the 13th chapter of John, “Greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends.”
The verse formed the theme of the address by Rev. Charles A. Richard, Seneca. Asking who Harry’s friends were, rev. Richard declared they were not only the members of his family and every citizen of the United States but every person, everywhere, who loves liberty, freedom and justice. They shall have these things, stated the pastor, because our boys are not making this
sacrifice in vain. HE envisioned a world order in which all peoples shall have the liberties that have been cherished in America through the years.
Quoting form Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, the pastor asked for dedication to the task that lies before us.
The memorial service was in charge of Earl W. Taylor post of the American Legion, whose commander, George Springer, Jr., with Mrs. George Buser, president of the Auxiliary, took part in the service. Rev. Alex Eckert, Legion chaplain, gave prayer and benediction. A male quartet, D. Edward Taylor, Charles Jermane, Gordon Tate and Clifford Baldwin, with Mrs. Tate, accompanist sang, “Come Ye Disconsolate” “Benediction,” and “Now the Day Is Over.”
Courier-Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
13 Jul 1942
page 1
Was on Ship with Harry Bieri
Bern Sailor is Home on Furlough
Alvin Gugelman, fireman 1st class, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gugelman of northeast of Bern, is home on a 15-day furlough.
Alvin was on the same ship as Harry Bieri, whose death in action was recently reported by the navy to his parents, Sheriff and Mrs. Pete Bieri of Seneca. the ship was lost. Alvin will be able to give the family some definite word of their son’s death.
Beyond that, at the present time at least, little is available because of censorship. The navy has not yet made any announcement in regard to the vessel. Hope of this newspaper is that announcement will be made while Alvin is home so that more of the story can be given.
A clean-cut young sailor, Gugelman has been with the navy two and a half years. He is a graduate of Bern high school joined the navy the year following his graduation.
Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas)
16 July 1942
page 1
His Death in Great Battle
Turned Jap Fleet
Navy Releases Story of Midway and Loss of the Destroyer Hammann
The Courier Tribune
23 Jul 1942
page 1
Learned Harry Bieri Was Buried at Sea
Men Killed by Explosion of the Hammann
Sheriff and Mrs. Pete Bieri, Seneca, who returned Sunday from a trip to South Carolina, have learned some of the circumstances of the death of their son, Harry V Bieri, fire controlman of the U.S. navy, who lost his life in the sinking of the U.S. Destroyer Hammann. The Hammann was lost int he battle of Midway, on June 5.
Harry Bieri was buried at sea, with the traditional rites of the U.S. Navy.
The Hammann was hit hard by two torpedoes. She went down in about two minutes.
Only some four or five men actually lost their lives with the ship. The others quickly abandoned the sinking vessel, grabbing their life belts and jumping to the sea. Rafts were cut loose from the side of the ship.
The major tragedy came after the ship had slid beneath the surface. Either depth bombs carried on the ship or her powder magazine exploded after she was no longer in view and it was this explosion from beneath that caught a number of men who were in the sea, killing or injuring them. Bieri was picked up and given medical treatment aboard another ship but his injury was fatal. He lived for some 12 hours after the sinking of the destroyer.
The only ship losses that the navy has reported from the battle of Midway are the loss of the Hammann and that the Aircraft Carrier Yorktown was put out of action.
The major action of the battle was over and some 20 Jap ships had been sunk when the torpedoes struck from a distant sub. It may have been several miles away.
The aircraft carrier had suffered some disablement. The Hammann was standing by and lines from its generators and perhaps fuel lines had been attached to the carrier. A few hours more and the Yorktown would have been under its own power and the two ships would have been proceeding separately.
Then came the torpedoes, spite of precautions.
Torpedoes can be seen coming and had the Hammann been free she would have had time to dodge. Standing by the carrier, however with lines to it, she had no chance to maneuver and caught the full force of two of the deadly torpedoes. It was tragic for the Hammann to be caught without chance after she had gone through two major battles, the Midway just ending, and earlier in the Coral sea.
In that earlier battle, too, the Hammann gave aid to an aircraft carrier. Items in daily newspapers have disclosed that the Hammann was one of the ships that picked up men from the carrier Lexington, when it was lost. The Hammann crowded some 450 to 500 men and took them to an undisclosed port. Frank Fangman, Seneca, who was on the Lexington, and was rescued, is believed to have been picked up the the Hammann.
Harry Bieri was buried at sea. His name is included on the ‘Tablets of Missing at Honolulu Memorial”
The family placed a tombstone in the cemetery at Bern, Kansas.
