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Pages of History
On the evening of Saturday, April 28, 1945, radio reports of a German surrender brought crowds into the streets all over the country.
In Sioux City extra police were called up to patrol the downtown and all taverns were ordered to close. One patron ejected from a beer joint condemned the Germans for their lack of consideration: “Why couldn’t they have surrendered on Sunday?“ he complained.
The premature celebration was squelched when President Harry S. Truman went on the radio to deny that peace was at hand.
“Laurel did not join in the jag last Saturday night when peace rumors spread over the nation,“ said Editor Allison. “Rather, we kept close to the radio waiting for the official announcement. We remember the rumors of an armistice at the close of the last war and participated in one or two celebrations before the real one came on.“ The official announcement of Germany’s surrender came in the form of a radio address by President Truman at 8:35 on the morning of Tuesday, May 8. There were no raucus celebrations in any of the towns in Cedar County.
Following Truman‘s announcement, fire sirens were sounded in Hartington and Randolph and church bells were rung in Coleridge and Laurel. Students in Randolph were permitted to ring the school bell for a full half hour before school was dismissed. In most towns the business houses closed for the day. In Coleridge the taverns were ordered closed but other businesses remained open. Services of thanksgiving were held in nearly every church in the county that afternoon or evening.
Laurel businesses closed immediately after Truman‘s radio broadcast. At 3:30 p.m., a program was held in the city auditorium. The program opened with the presentation of colors by the American Legion. This was followed by an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the singing of the National Anthem. This was followed by several musical numbers by a high school group and a patriotic talk by Editor R.R. Allison.
The main feature of the program was a ceremony honoring Laurel‘s deceased veterans. Thirteen white candles were lighted by members of the Legion Auxiliary — one for each young man killed in action thus far in the war. A flower was then placed by each burning candle. As the candles burned, a moment of silence was observed. The ceremony concluded with taps played by Donovan Schuler.
Planning for the event had been made the previous November. Editor R.R. Alison was chairman of the planning committee and Clarence O. Ericson was master of ceremonies. “The help of all was what made the occasion the success it was,“ said Allison.
Mrs. William Book probably was too busy to attend the celebration. “A fine baby boy was born on V-E Day to Mr. and Mrs. William Book of Martinsburg in the Geneva Purcell home.” (The Purcell maternity house at 207 Bruce is currently owned by this writer.) Lonny Book, Laurel’s only V-E Day baby, passed away in September 2018. He and his brother Larry were co-owners of L&L Builders of Sioux City.
The end of the war in Europe was small comfort to parents who had sons fighting in Asia. The battle for Okinawa, which was still going on as people celebrated the victory in Europe, saw some of the most vicious fighting of the entire war. And men who had survived the fighting in Europe and were expecting to be sent home, were advised that they might be sent to Asia where more local boys would be killed or wounded.
The Advocate of May 2, 1945, reported that Patrick J. Hamilton of the Tara Hill community had been killed in action on Luzon. Born at Faith, SD, in 1919, Hamilton moved with his parents to a farm north of Dixon when he was three years old. After attending school at Saint Catherine’s Academy in Jackson, he farmed with his father until he enlisted in February 1943. Hamilton was sent overseas in July and participated in battles in the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, and New Georgia. On January 6, 1945, Hamilton landed on Luzon with the 25th Infantry Division and was there until his death on April 8. Memorial services were held in the Tara Hill Catholic Church on May 5.
Hamilton‘s body was returned to the United States in June 1948. Funeral services were held in Newcastle in August. He may have been buried in Newcastle initially, but his body was moved to Omaha’s Calvary Cemetery in 1952.
In other war-related news: Plans were announced for the Seventh War Loan drive. Cedar County’s quota was set at $592,000, the highest ever assigned since the beginning of the war, according to County Chairman Louis G. Riibe of Hartington. Laurel’s share was set at $36,000. By comparison, the total revenue for the Village of Laurel for the fiscal year was estimated at $32,187.
First Lt. Marlen French, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray French, was the bombardier on a B-24 bomber that operated over Germany.
Staff Sgt. Lorton Burton, nephew of Mrs. C.C. Beckley and Mrs. Bertha Burton of Laurel, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Burton of Hartington, was so badly wounded on Luzon that his right leg had to be amputated above the knee. Pfc. Ivel Nelson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Nelson of Laurel, also was fighting with the 32nd “Red Arrow“ Infantry Division on Luzon. Nelson was a veteran of five battles on islands in the South Pacific. T-4 George Sandrock, son of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Sandrock, wrote he had been wounded in the leg and was hospitalized in Italy.
Mrs. Ethel Rankin received a telegram stating her son Ivan had been wounded on April 17 and was in a hospital in England. This was the fifth time Rankin had been hospitalized since landing in France on D-Day.
Pfc. Herbert Guinn was hospitalized with a broken leg sustained in a motorcycle accident in Florence, Italy. Guinn was an army motorcycle policeman.
Lt. Edna Ericson was appointed head nurse in a new army hospital in Tripoli, North Africa. She had been overseas more than two years and “has been doing great work among the wounded,” said the Advocate.
