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World War II
March 15, 1945
HARTINGTON—First Sgt. Ben A. Miller of Hartington became the 36th man in the 134th Infantry to receive a battlefield commission to second lieutenant, the army press department has announced. He received his commission Feb. 22 in Germany.
The commission, scheduled for an earlier date, was delayed when Sgt. Miller was wounded in the Vire river campaign late last July.
Lt. Miller, holder of the Purple Heart, has been a member of the 134th during the past 8½ years. He wears three battle stars.
March 15, 1945
HARTINGTON— Lt. Howard Mengshol, son of Mr. and Mrs. Art Mengshol of Hartington, was seriously wounded in Germany Feb. 23, according to a war department message received here Friday.
The Mengshols received a letter from their son this week in which he reported that he is getting along satisfactorily. He is in an army hospital in France. He wrote that he had been hit by a shell fragment.
Lt. Mengshol has been in the army nearly two years and has been overseas since December. He was attached to an artillery unit as a forward observer.
March 15, 1945
HARTINGTON— Two Cedar county soldiers had a harrowing experience near Marvie, Belgium last Dec. 30 as they were attempting to salvage equipment and arms from an American ¾-ton vehicle, according to an army press release received by The News this week.
At the time the Heinies were thrusting a powerful counterattack at the 134th’s forces. But T/Sgt. Lester H. McMann of Hartington, Sgt. Harold A. Hansen of Laurel and Pfc. Eugene L. LeNeue of Atwater, Minn., voluntarily braved the hail of enemy fire to go forward and remove the needed equipment with the hope of recapturing these supplies for reuse.
Crawling up to the vehicle, they removed the supplies plus two wheels and tires. Suddenly, the vehicle dropped on the hands of Sgt. McMann, pinning him down.
The Heinies saw their opportunity and machine-gunned this position from a ridge overlooking the Yanks’ scene of “requisition.” Hansen and LeNeue lifted the ¾-ton vehicle so McMann could free his injured hands. The boys then withdrew with their “loot,” leaving the transportation vehicle valueless to the enemy.
March 15, 1945
HARTINGTON—Residents of Cedar county had subscribed approximately two-thirds of the county’s Red Cross War Fund quota as the drive entered its second week, Otto Wiley, county drive chairman, reports.
Reports compiled up to Tuesday showed donations totaling more than $4,500. The county’s quota is $6,800.
Wiley said branch chairmen at Hartington, Laurel, Magnet, Wynot, Coleridge, Belden, Randolph and Fordyce had reported their communities over the top. Collections at these places were as follows: Hartington, $1,400; Randolph, $900; Laurel, $925; Coleridge, $600; Belden, $300; Fordyce, $200; Wynot, $175, and Magnet, $144.
“The drive is still in progress in these communities and they expect the largest ever subscription in the history of Red Cross war fund drives,” Wiley declared.
The chairman said several rural school districts have reported donations in excess of quotas. Bad road conditions have slowed up the drive in rural areas and prevented many solicitors.
