USA > Indiana > Lake County > History Of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (1944) > Part 5
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He enlisted in the navy on November 14, 1917, and was sent to Municipal Pier, now known as Navy Pier in Chicago, for training. On May 1, 1918, he was sent to New York and there went into the Transport Service aboard the F. J. Luckenbach; he was a Yeo- man first class.
FROSAME
802
Jerome A. Dalton
He crossed the ocean six times, each convoy having about 17 vessels. He entered the ports of St. Nazaire, Brest and Marseilles, and op- erated out of the ports of Boston and New York. Jerry, as everyone knows him, knows the life of a seaman-knows the dangers our troops are going through, going over that vast stretch of water. Yes, he has had many thrill- ing experiences, but far to modest to enter them all here. He was discharged on May 29, 1919, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and re- turned to his home in Hammond, Indiana.
On September 8, 1923, he was married to Sarah Mclaughlin, who was the daughter of Philip and Mary McLaughlin of Hammond. To this union there were born 5 children: 3 sons, Jerome Phillip, Thomas Edward, and John Francis; 2 daughters, Mary Ellen and Sarah Ann.
As soon as he returned from the navy he went to work for the Inland Steel Company in Indiana Harbor and was with them for 9 years. On May 1, 1924, he entered the Em- balming School at Indianapolis, Indiana, and graduated there the following year.
In April, 1925, he entered the funeral pro- fession at 5809 Calumet avenue in Hammond, and in 1939 he moved to his present location at 727 Carroll street. He is a member of the Lake County Funeral Directors Association, also State and National; he is also a member of the Indiana Embalmers Association. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and has received his 4th degree in that organiza- tion. He is a member of the Elks, the Amer- ican Legion Post No. 16 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Edward H. Larsen Post No. 802.
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ALFRED UHLE
Alfred Uhle
Alfred Uhle was born June 14, 1892, in Chicago, Illinois, and was the son of Jacob and Emma Uhle of Chicago. He was educated in the schools in Chicago, and was a photog- rapher before he entered the service.
He enlisted August 16, 1917, from Chicago, and was sent to General Camp No. 1, Wil- liamsbridge, New York, in the Medical Corp. After being there about two weeks, they em- barked for Halifax, Nova Scotia, for further training; from there they went to Liverpool, England, arriving there October 6, 1917, then to Folkstone on the Channel, then to Bol- ougne, France, arriving there October 7, 1917.
They established Base Hospital No. 12 at Amiens, France. He was an X-ray operator in the hospital unit, and he now has many inter- esting pictures in his vast collection which he took while he was in France. On account of being confined so much in the limits of the hospital, he was one of the volunteers to carry wounded from the front lines, serving most of the time with the British at Dunkirk, Viny Ridge and Ypres.
He was in the hospital from January 25, 1918, to October 10, 1918, with trench fever. He was first in the hospital at Etaples, France, then to Calais; the Germans bombed the hos- pital there and he was transferred to Dover, England, then London, then to Dartford in an American hospital there. He was discharged from this hospital about October 10, 1918, and was sent to a rest camp at Winchester, England. He met his brother, Rudolph, there
who was stationed in the U. S. Naval Air Force at Eastleigh, a few miles from this rest camp.
He arrived in Le Havre, France, Nov. 1, 1918, then to St. Agney Noyer, then to Paris and was in Paris when the Armistice was signed; he was in Paris about eight days. He was then ordered back to Base Hospital No. 12 at Amiens, and there they gave him a 30- day sick leave to go to Nice, France, arriving there December 31, 1918; he returned to Base No. 12 Feb. 4, 1919; from there he was sent to Brittany, then to Brest, where he embarked on the Leviathan on March 26, 1919, arriving ct Hoboken April 2, then to Camp Upton, Long Island, N. Y. The Historian, John W. Blume, was on the same boat with him and did not know it until the present time.
From Camp Upton, Comrade Uhle was sent to Camp Grant at Rockford, Illinois, and dis- charged there April 22, 1919, and returned to Chicago. On May 8, 1919, he came to Ham- mond, Indiana, and started in the same busi- ness, Photographic Studio, and is still in the same business at 5451 Hohman avenue. He has done all of the photographic work for the members of this Post for this book, and the wide experience that he has had in this work, makes him second to none in this business.
He was married to Miss Hazel Fowler, who was the daughter of Ray and Manie Fowler of Hammond, February 24, 1926, and to this union was born one son, Gordon K., and one daughter, Charlotte J., both having their birthdays on April 29; Gordon being 14 on April 29, 1944, and Charlotte, 12. Comrade Uhle's serial number while in the service was 7,167.
FATHER AND SON
Everett M. Todd was born June 14, 1894, at Tuscola, Illinois, and was the son of Rufus and Lillie Todd. The year of 1895 they moved to Lakefield, Minnesota; in 1900 they moved to Crowley, Louisiana, and in 1905, they moved back to Tuscola, Illinois. In 1919 his parents moved to Hammond, Indiana. He re-
Pago Forty-three
802
VEW
Everett M. Todd
ceived most of his education in the schools at Tuscola, Illinois.
In 1910 he left school and entered a plumb- ing shop and learned the plumbing and heat- ing trade. In 1914, up to 1917, he took a roving spell and traveled over most of the United States. In June, 1917, he enlisted in the United States Army at Spokane, Washington, and entered the service at Fort Sam Wright of that place. From there he was sent to the 6th Field Artillery at Douglas, Arizona. The 6th Division was comprised of the 6th, 10th and 11th Field Artilleries. Comrade Todd was assigned to the 11th, in which he served for 15 months.
When the 6th Division was sent overseas, Everett was in the Hospital at El Paso, Texas, and as soon as he was released from the hospi- tal, he was sent to Camp Merritt, New Jersey, where he was transferred to the 7th Division and sent to France in September, 1918.
His trip across the ocean was made on the U. S. S. Lenape, an old banana boat 90 feet wide and 110 feet long, and mind you, it was a mighty bumpy 13 days crossing that stretch of water. He came back on the Leviathan and made it back in six days of smooth riding.
He served in the Veterinary detachment
and was sent to the front. As soon as they arrived at the front, they changed over to Motorized Artillery and the Veterinarian De- tachment was given special duties. They re- mained on the Moselle River and the Toul Sector until June, 1919, when they were sent back to the United States, and he was dis- charged at Camp Grant at Rockford, Illinois, June 30th, 1919.
In 1921 he was married to Miss Eda Parad- zick in Los Angeles, California; she was the daughter of Otto and Martha Paradzick of Los Angeles. To this union there was born a son, Eugene Walter, and a daughter, Eda Irene.
His present trade is plumbing and is em- ployed at the American Steel Foundries; his Social Security No. is 346-01-0479, his serial number in the war was 1039877, and his pres- ent address is 514 Mulberry street, Hammond, Indiana. He served five years as Secretary of the Plumbers' Local Union No. 307 of Ham- mond.
EUGENE TODD
Eugene Todd
Eugene Todd was born February 1, 1922 in Hammond, Indiana, and graduated from
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Hammond High School in 1940. He is the son of Everett M. and Eda Todd who reside at the present time at 514 Mulberry street, Ham- mond, Indiana. He has one sister Eda Irene who is a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Edward H. Larsen Post No. 802.
Just before he was inducted into the service he was attending Tri State College in Angola, Indiana. He was inducted December 1, 1942 and was sent to Camp Perry, Ohio, then to Camp Crowder, Missouri for his basic train- ing, then he was sent to Midland Radio School in Kansas City, Missouri and graduated May 15, 1943, and was sent to New Orleans in a replacement center. Shortly after he was sent there he was sent to his Port of Embarkation which was New York and arrived in England, October 16, 1943. His serial number is 3553- 6033 and is in the 9th Air Force Command.
Eugene was the first Commander of the Sons of the Veterans of Foreign Wars after it was organized by the Larsen Post.
JOHN K. FISCHER
802
John K. Fischer
Born at Kenosha, Wisconsin, on July 15, 1892. He was the son of Mathew and Kath- erine Fischer of Kenosha, Wis. At the age of 14 started to work in Simmons bed factory, having received a sixth grade schooling. Left home as a man of the world at the age of sixteen, but after a few months, found out it was rather nice to put his feet back under the table at home. Having attained the age of eighteen, he again left home to go into the
harvest fields in Canada and the Dakotas. He returned home as what was considered a rather prosperous young man, having more than two hundred dollars in his pockets.
At the age of twenty-one he enlisted in the U. S. Army. Stationed in the Philippines in 1913, he had the distinction of serving under our present Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, who at that time was First Lt. in Company F of the Thirteenth Infantry.
Returned to the U. S. in 1915 in time to see World's Fair at San Francisco.
Re-enlisting in the army shortly after the outbreak of the war, he was sent to France in July, 1918. While on active duty in September of the same year he was gassed, but he re- turned to the front a short time later, and was serving in the Argonne sector at the time of the Armistice.
He was sent home aboard a hospital ship on Christmas day 1918, and was honorably dis- charged on February first of the following year.
Returning to work at the iron foundry in Kenosha, he was unable to resume work as a moulder due to his gassed condition, but was employed as a timekeeper, shipping clerk and finally as labor foreman.
Leaving the foundry in 1922, he attended the Wisconsin School of Mines as a vocational student and here earned quite a reputation as a football player.
He married Nora K. Huss in 1923, who was the daughter of Max and Honora Huss of Darlington, Wis.
Two years later he left the school to go to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he became chief operator at the Tulsa plant of the Ozark Chemical Company.
Arriving in Hammond during the depres- sion of '29, he obtained employment on the construction of the Stauffer Chemical Plant, where he is now employed as plant manager.
In 1931 he joined the Edward H. Larsen Post 802 of the V. F. W. and has served it in
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the office of Trustee for the past seven years.
He has a family of four children. Three sons, John, Max and Robert and a daughter. Geneva.
Comrade Fischer has served as Trustee of the Larsen Post continuously since 1937, and is still serving as Trustee. It was he who fought the stormy battles on the floor when too much money was being spent, and to him goes the greater portion of the credit for the home the Post now owns, with not a dollar against it, and better than $14,000.00 in the treasury, this being a record for anyone to be proud of.
FATHER AND SON
Harry Wikel, who was born October 20, 1900 in Peru, Indiana, and was educated in the schools of that city. He was the son of William and Martha Wikel, and has one brother now living in Chicago, Illinois.
Harry enlisted in the United States Army, June 11, 1918, and was sent to Jefferson Bar-
Harry Wikel
racks near St. Louis, Missouri. He sailed from the United States October 3, 1918, and landed
in Brest, France on October 20th, and im- mediately proceeded to a Camp at Garches about eight miles from Paris, France. There he was placed in the 16th Battalion, Anti Air Craft Bn. and was there until the Armistice was signed.
William Wikel
He returned to the United States from Brest, France on Feb. 28, 1919 and landed in New York, March 11, and went to Camp Merritt, New Jersey, from there he was trans- ferred to Columbus Barracks at Columbus, Ohio, where he received his discharge on April 10, 1919.
Immediately after he was discharged he re- turned to Chicago where he had been working prior to his entry into the service. In 1921 he was married to Miss Florence Thatcher, the daughter of Oliver and Emma Thatcher of Danville, Illinois and to this union were born two sons: Emmerson who is still at home and William who is now serving in the United States Army.
William is 20 years old and enlisted Decem- ber 7, 1942. He was born October 3, 1923 at Danville, Illinois. And was educated in the schools in Chicago and Hammond, Indiana. He is stationed at Neah Bay, Washington in
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the 748th Military Police Company. He spent a very pleasant furlough with his parents November 4, 1943 for a period of 15 days.
Harry Wikel is a Past Master of Pyramid Lodge A. F. & A. M. in Chicago, Hammond Chapter No. 117 Royal Arch Masons, Ham- mond Council No. 90 Royal and Select Mas- ters, Hammond Commandery No. 41 Knight Templars, Orak Shrine, and a Patron of the Pyramid Chapter Eastern Star. At the present time he is custodian of the Masonic Temple in Hammond. Mrs. Wikel is a member of the Ladies' Auxiliary No. 802, Veterans of For- eign Wars in Hammond, Indiana. Also Past Matron, Eastern Star Pyramid Lodge No. 600, Chicago, Illinois.
FATHER AND SON
William Krokoski, Sr.
William Krokoski, Jr.
William Krokoski, Sr. was born January 11, 1897 in Ashley Penn. He is the son of Joseph and Mary Krokoski of Luzerne, Penn.
His first enlistment in the United States Army was August 29, 1908 at Fort Slocum,
New York, he enlisted for a period of three years. He was discharged at Fort Sam Hou- ston, Texas, September 11, 1911. He was a private in the 17th Infantry, Company C.
He again enlisted October 14, 1913 at Columbus Barracks at Columbus, Ohio, and was placed in the Areo Squadron Air Service, United States Army to serve for a period of seven years. He sailed for England September 18, 1917 and returned to the United States July 19, 1919 and was honorably discharged June 4, 1920 from the Regular Army Re- serve, his serial number was 25,176.
He was married January 13, 1918 in Ox- ford, England to Miss Cecile Whiting, who was the daughter of William J. and Mary Whiting, to this union were born one son William C. who is now serving in the United States Army Air Corps in Madison, Wisconsin. William, Sr., is quite a poet and you will find some very good numbers in this book.
He has been a very active member of this Post, has served on many committees, attended many conventions, is a member of the Degree team, and is Chaplain of the Post at the present time.
William C. Krokoski, Jr., was born in Ox- ford, England, November 7, 1919, and is the son of William and Cecile Krokoski. William, Sr. returned to the United States on July 19, 1919 and Mrs. Krokoski and William, Jr. re- turned a year later. William, Jr. was educated in Washington, Lafayette and Tech high school in Hammond, Indiana.
He was inducted in the United States Army Air Corps November 14, 1943. He is in the 45th Academic Squadron in Truax Field at Madison, Wisconsin. He holds the rating of a Corporal and his serial number is 35566178.
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FATHER, SON, DAUGHTER
Edward Hitzeman was born in Dyer, In- diana, May 26, 1896. He entered the United States Army October 4, 1917, and was sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; he was there about a month and was transferred to Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and remained there until he was sent to France.
802
Edwin Hitzeman World War No. 1
He sailed for France October 6, 1918, and was in Company D, 152nd Infantry, 30th Division. His serial number while in the serv- ice was 1,568,274. He returned to the United States April 13, 1919, and was honorably dis- charged from the army on April 24, 1919.
Sgt. Raymond E. Hitzeman World War No. 2
Edwin was the son of Fred and Sophia Hitzeman of Dyer, Indiana. When he received his discharge, he returned to his home and
spent several days with his parents; he then went to Andover, South Dakota, where he met Miss Clara Keup, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Keup of Andover. They were married May 26, 1920, and to this union were born one son, Raymond, now serving in World War No. 2, and one daughter, Lillian. His wife, Clara, passed away in September, 1922. Edwin Hitzeman passed away on November 12, 1943 at Edward Hines Hospital.
Sgt. Raymond E. Hitzeman was born De- cember 12, 1920, in Morristown, South Da- kota, and is the son of Edwin and Clara Hitzeman. At the age of two he moved with his father and sister to Hammond, Indiana.
He graduated from the LaFayette school in Hammond in 1934, and the Hammond high school in June, 1938. In October, 1938, he joined the CCC and spent 6 months in Utah. After he returned to Hammond he was em- ployed as a grocery clerk for awhile and then decided he would like to be a "Printer's Devil" in a print shop.
In December, 1939, he was elected Com- mander of the Sons of the V. F. W. in the Larsen Post. He served as Commander until he entered the service. His father, Edwin, is a member of 802 and his sister, Lillian, is a member of the Ladies' Auxiliary of 802.
On September 10, 1940, he was sworn in the United States Air Corps, and spent about two months at Chanute Field, Illinois. On November 7, 1940, he was transferred to Scott Field, Illinois, where he attended radio classes in the Air Corps Technical School. When he had completed this course he was promoted to instructor in the radio school which was on July 3, 1941.
On December 20, 1941, he was made a Cor- poral and on this same date he was married to Evaline Brindley of Centralia, Illinois. On July 1, 1942, he was made a Sergeant and on August 1, 1942, he was made a Staff Sergeant, and on August 21, 1942, he was transferred to the 654th Technical School Squadron (SP), Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
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LILLIAN C. HITZEMAN
OLE MATSON
Lillian C. Hitzeman, Sgt. 1/C was born September 19, 1922, in Andover, South Dakota. Shortly after her birth they moved to Hammond, Indiana, where she was edu- cated in the schools there. She graduated from Lafayette school in 1936 and Hammond high school in 1940.
Lillian C. Hitzeman
Lillian enlisted in the Navy Feb. 16, 1943 and entered active service March 25 in Hun- ters College in New York City. She received a rating there of Seaman 2/C. In April, 1943, she was transferred to the Naval Air technical training center at Memphis, Tenn. She graduated there September 25, 1943 as Sea- man 1/C aviation machinist mate.
Immediately after her graduation at Mem- phis, she received a 7 day leave to come home. On October 6, she reported to the Livermore Naval Air Station at Livermore, California.
On October 26, 1943, she made her first parachute jump, and since then she has made 5 more jumps. The lowest jump she made at about 1,500 feet and the highest at about 10,000 feet.
She was called to the bedside of her father who was in Hines Hospital at Hines, Illinois, and he passed away on November 12, 1943. She made this trip by plane and also returned to Livermore by plane.
Ole Matson
Ole Matson was born in Bergen, Norway, March 2, 1895; he was the son of Oline and Andrew Matson of Bergen, Norway.
He enlisted in the United States Army in Superior, Wisconsin, July 6, 1917, and went to Camp McArthur at Waco, Texas, and from there he went to Camp Upton on Long Island, N. Y.
He sailed on December 17, 1917, and landed in Liverpool, England, and was sent to Camp Winchester, where they stayed for three days and then went to Brest, France.
He was in the Headquarters Troop of the 32nd Division, known as the Wisconsin Divi- sion. He served in Alsace May 18-July 21, 1918; Aisne-Marne, July 29-August 7; Oise- Aisne, August 26-September 6; Meuse-Ar- gonne, September 26-Nevember 11; Army of Occupation, December 13-April 20, 1919.
He received a Divisional Citation, G. D. 41 Headquarters, 32nd Division, April 30, 1919.
He sailed from Brest for the States April 20, 1919, on the George Washington and landed at Hoboken, N. J., and went from there to Camp Upton, Long Island, and from there he went to Camp Grant, Illinois, and was discharged May 20, 1919.
He returned to the home of his parents in Superior, Wisconsin, and went to work for
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the Soo Line Ore Docks in Superior; he worked there for 9 years.
He was married to Mabel Irene Kindel, daughter of Eva May and Emil Kindel of Superior, Wisconsin. He moved to Hammond in 1932, and at present is Custodian of the Veterans of Foreign Wars club rooms at 536 Sibley street. His serial number in the army was 259,001 and his present address is 666 Douglas avenue, Hammond, Indiana. He be- came a member of the Larsen Post in 1942.
Headquarters Thirty-Second Division, American Expeditionary Forces.
Rengsdorf, Germany, 20 Apr. 1919. General Orders No. 41.
The Division Commander takes pleasure in citing in orders the following members of co- mmand for the acts of gallantry in action in- dicated after their names;
Pvt. OLE MATSON, Hq. Tp, 32nd Division
"For bravery in the Meuse-Argonne offen- sive. For several days and nights Private Mat- son acted as mounted courier, riding along shell swept trails and through gassed woods and valleys to deliver important messages. Al- though suffering from the effects of gas he did not seek relief until the officer he was ser- ving with was wounded."
By command of Major General Lassiter; R. M. Beck, Jr., Chief of Staff,
Official EDWARD D. ARNOLD, Major, A.G.D., U.S.A. Division Adjutant
CHARLES S. COTTRELL
Charles S. Cottrell
Charles S. Cottrell was born July 3, 1876 in Remmington, Indiana. He was the son of
Commodore P. and Carolina Cottrell. He was educated in the public schools in Lafayette, Indiana.
He enlisted in the United States Army from LaFayette, Indiana, July 19, 1899 and em- barked from San Francisco, California and went direct to Manila in the Philippine Islands, arriving there December, 1899. His head- quarters was in Bambao in the Mindanao Island.
He returned to the States and was dis- charged from the Army in June, 1901 in San Francisco, California. He returned to his home in LaFayette where he spent several years.
He was married to Miss Emma Paseka, De- cember 25, 1901. She was the daughter of Frank and Anna Paseka of Kansas City, Mis- souri. He has two step children, one son Sid- ney Cottrell of Detroit, Michigan and one daughter, Mrs. Dora Mueller of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a member of the Edward H. Larsen Post and Mrs. Cottrell is a member of the Ladies' Auxiliary.
VICTOR SMITH
Victor Smith
Victor Smith, born March 18, 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, and educated in the schools there. He entered the United States Army from Chicago, October 5, 1917, and was sent to Camp Grant at Rockford, Illinois.
He was soon promoted to a Corporal in
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Company M, 342nd Infantry, 86th Division. From there he was transferred to Company A, 132nd Infantry, 33rd Division at Camp Logan, Texas. From there he was sent to Camp Upton on Long Island, New York, and sailed for France May 24, 1918 on the U. S. S. Mount Vernon, formerly the Crown Princess Cecil a German vessel interned in this country before we entered the war. This vessel was torpedoed on one of its return trips, but was not sunk.
They arrived in Brest, France, May 30, 1918 (Memorial Day). They remained in Brest several days and were attached to the British Expeditionary Forces and served with the Australian troops on the Vaden Line from June 23 to August 23, 1918, Amiens Sector, July 4, 1918, Verdun Sector, September 8 to September 25, 1918, Argonne-Meuse Offen- sive, September 26 to October 20, 1918.
From there they went to the Army of Occupation arriving in Luxenburg December 7 . and remained there until April 12, 1919, when they sailed for Hoboken on the U. S. S. Mount Vernon again - back to Camp Upton and then to Camp Grant where he received his discharge on May 30, 1919 (Memorial Day). His serial number was 2060364.
He returned to Chicago and went to work for the Transo Envelope Company, and is still employed by this same company. His so- cial security number is 344-05-9979.
He was married to Miss Virginia Colberg, who is the daughter of Frank and Agnes Col- berg. To this union was born a daughter, Al- lene Virginia Smith. At the present time they reside in Calumet City, Illinois.
He became a member of the Edward H. Larsen Post in 1931. In 1933 he organized the Joseph S. Lietzan Post No. 2871, he was the first commander of that Post and a few years later he was re-elected Commander of this Post again. He also served as Quartermaster and also Adjutant of this Post. His wife was President of the Ladies' Auxiliary of this Post for the years of 1940-1941.
He returned to the Larsen Post in 1941 and served the Post as Chaplain. He was appointed
as District inspector twice and elected Dept. Chaplain at the State Encampment at Ander- son, Indiana in 1942, and was also a member of the ritual degree team. He was a member of the Hammond Lodge No. 485 B. P. O. Elks and also a member of Victory Post No. 168, American Legion.
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