Saturday, December 18, 2010

Sunday's Obituary - SGT Lester J. Uelmen

"New Fane Soldier Dead, Barton B-24 Gunner Missing

A telegram from the war department conveyed the sad news to Mrs. Betty Uelmen of New Fane Monday morning that her husband, Sgt. lester J. Uelmen, 25, was killed in action Jan. 13, near Strasbourg, Germany.  The dead sergeant is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Uelmen of New Fane.

Sgt. Uelmen entered the army Dec. 4, 1942, and had basic training at Camp Chaffee, Ark.  From there he went to Camp Campbell, Ky., and then to a port of embarkation on the east coast.  He arrived at a port in France on Oct. 27, 1944.  Moving through France with an infantry division of the seventh army, he was killed in his first combat.  his last letter, written to his wife, was dated Jan. 9, in Germany.

Sgt. Uelmen worked at the Kewaskum creamery prior to entering the army.  He was married to the former Betty Krueger of New Fane on Oct. 12, 1940.  his wife resides with her parents, the William Kruegers, at New Fane.  He is further survived by his parents and two brothers, Pvt. Elmer, with the third army in France and Lawrence of New Fane."

There was no publication information with the clipping which was passed on to me.  The newspaper was almost certainly from Wisconsin and the story would have been published after January 13, 1945.