Barber County Kansas
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Barber County Kansas |
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Sgt. Adam Goerlitz, 29, was killed in action on August 2, according to word received here last week by Miss Maene Warren, who left Saturday to be with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Goerlitz, in Bison, Kansas. The young man was employed by the Kansas Power & Light company here until his induction into the army on May 23, 1942, and had many friends in the community who will be grieved to hear of his death.According to the war department telegram, he was killed in the "North African area." It is supposed here that he was lost in the Sicilian campaign.
Adam was born in Pine Island, N. Y., on December 2, 1913 and moved to Rush county with his parents while he was a small boy. He attended the Otis grade school and high schools, graduating from high school in 1933. He was quite active in high school activities, being president of his class for three years and president of the student council for three years.
Following his graduation from high school, he taught school at East Brookdale, district No. 5, for two years and in 1936 he was employed at the AAA office in the courthouse in LaCrosse. In 1937 he was employed by the Kansas Power & Light Co., at Bison and Medicine Lodge. He worked for this company until he was inducted into the army on May 23, 1942.
He was never given a furlough after his induction and after five months of training was sent to an east coast embarkation port and landed in Africa in November, 1942. While going from his training camp to the east coast, he passed through Bison on the train and he waved from the train to his father who was working in the field nearby.
He had written his parents that he came through the African invasion and campaign uninjured and only last week his parents had a letter from him telling of his being in Sicily.
The telegram from the war department said that a letter would follow with more information about his death and this was received August 29, saying: "Killed in action on the 2nd day of August, in the North African area." The report received did not state the date and place of his burial.
As offering some degree of comfort, I wish I could now give you some additional information. Unfortunately, casualty reports of this nature, although brief, are complete and leave little to be added, accept the sacred memory that he gave his life heroically in the service of his country. Upon termination of the war, consideration will be given to the return of his remains to the U. S. and was signed, Adjutant General.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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