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Aug. 16, 1945
RANDOLPH - It was a wintry day with only intermittent, feeble sunshine that Sunday almost four years ago when Randolph residents first heard the news that came over their radios announcing that the Japs had launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
Despite the months of preparation for war and the men who had been called to enter selective service training, Randolph was stunned by the news of the attack, and there was a quick and sober realization of a long and bloody struggle ahead, and a knowledge that the war must now be carried through to a successful and triumphant conclusion.
The second reaction in the gloomy days immediately following when this great nation began to gird itself for war, was for the safety of Randolph men in Hawaii or stationed on ships in Pearl Harbor. The next week the community was plunged into sorrow by the war department’s erroneous announcement that Dwight Van Slyke, boatswain’s mate second class, stationed on the USS California was lost at Pearl Harbor. Later the news proved to be false.
Feeling of stark unreality seemed to grip Randolph those first weeks of World War II but soon Randolph along with other small communities began to organize for war. Local residents became members of defense committees, rationing and commodities boards, Red Cross classes were organized, defense schools opened. Enlistments of Randolph men began, mounted to 20 within two weeks. Clocks went on a war-time basis.
In the early summer reports began to come of the first Randolph men to arrive overseas. Sgt. Ralph Brindley was reported missing in action in the Philippines; Duane Phillips, S2c, was on the USS Sims lost in the Coral Sea. Lt. William P. Dwyer, a bomber pilot, participated in the first direct blow delivered against Italy by the United States.
There were scrap rubber and scrap metal drives. Ten men from the families of Henry Broer, sr., and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Daws were in the service. Duane Phillips was listed missing in action. Acclaim was given in international news dispatches to one of Randolph’s first war heroes, Sgt. Alfred Brower, who commanded a tank crew in a counterattack on Nazi Marshal Rommel’s armored forces in Egypt, in the first organized American attack against the Germans.
Large numbers of men left Randolph monthly to enter service.
Bombers from the Sioux City training base, began trips over Randolph to increase the war time atmosphere.
Survivor of the sinking of his ship, the Wasp, S1c Bob Byergo, visited in Randolph. Randolph men participated in the invasion of North Africa on November 8, 1943, and in the sea, air and land battle for Guadalcanal. Tilton Weber, S1c, was the first Randolph man to return home after participating in the invasion of North Africa.
—1943—
As 1943 opened Randolph was in the routine of a war-time world. Businessmen and farmers were beginning to feel a labor shortage; consumer’s goods became scarce, restrictions and rationing were imposed on foodstuffs, gasoline, tires, highway travel.
Randolphans staged a meat-buying spree before rationing began but they exceeded their Red Cross and War Fund drive quotas, bought bonds and prepared themselves as best they could for a long war.
Censorship restrictions on mail and on the local newspaper were imposed. Capt. Wm. P. Dwyer was the first Randolph man to be decorated, being awarded the DFC and air medal. Robert Perrin, S1c of Carroll, was reported missing in the Atlantic.
Now with the fighting increasing in fury, and increasing numbers of Randolph men on those farflung fronts and in training in the states, an almost imperceptible air of dread expectancy began to creep into this community.
Casualties were reported all around and the period of anxious waiting that was to last two years had begun.
It was a beautiful summer day in Randolph July 9, 1943, when the tragic message of Randolph’s first war death arrived with the word that Aviation Cadet Thomas J. Abts, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Abts was instantly killed in the crash of a twin-engined training plane at Altus, Okla. The body was brought to Randolph and military rites were held for the first Randolph man to give his life in his country’s service in World War II.
Yeoman 3c Gene Kaiser, previously a survivor of the sinking of the USS Benham, survived the sinking of the USS Helena; Sgt. Ralph Brindley was a prisoner of the Japs; Sgt. Willard R. Hight, was killed in action in Sicily on July 29.
Aviation Cadet Earl C. Holmes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Holmes, died Oct. 6 in an airplane accident while on routine training flight at Blytheville, Ark. to become Randolph’s second war casualty. Military rites were in Randolph. Jack Jones, ARM3c, of Magnet was reported missing in flight in the Pacific; Silver Star medal was awarded to S/Sgt. Robert Otterpohl.
—1944—
As 1944 dawned, Randolph men were stationed all over the world, from Australia to Alaska.
On March 12, Pfc. Alvin J. Kessler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kessler was reported missing in action in Italy since the period of February 9; Cedar county’s largest induction call was 60 for April; Robert Perrin, S1c, was listed as dead; Sgt. Kenneth Harper, flier from Belden, was missing over Austria. Tension in Randolph was at high pitch as invasion of Europe was impending.
