University of Wisconsin River Falls - Meletean Yearbook (River Falls, WI)

Page 14 text:

Pfc. RICHARD M. R. HYLKEMA Richard M. R. Hylkema, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Hylke-ma of Turtle Lake, graduated from River Falls in 1934 in the three-year group. He entered the Army in December, 1943, serving in the Infantry. He was sent overseas and fought in France, Belgium, and Holland with the Timberwolf Division. He was killed in November, 1944, in Holland close to the birth place of his parents. Pfc. Hylkema wore the European Theater ribbon with two battle stars and received the Purple Heart. Two sisters, Mary (deceased) and Gertrude, and a brother, Bernard, were also students at River Falls. Sergeant RUPERT ISAACSON Rupert Isaacson was in the Agriculture department from 1938 to 1941. He was active in athletics, playing on the football team during the three years. He was inducted in June. 1941, and served in the Field Artillery. He went overseas in September, 1944, and fought in southern France where he was killed in action against the enemy November 22, 1944. Sergeant Isaacson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Isaacson of Nye. Lieutenant GORDON JACKMAN Gordon Wayne Jackman of River Falls left with the National Guard in October, 1940, after attending college one year. He was chosen for officers training and was graduated as a lieutenant in the Field Artillery. He went overseas in September, 1944, and served in the European theater as forward observer in a Field Artillery unit. He lost his life at Krinkelt, Belgium, in the Battle of the Belgian Bulge in action against the enemy, while with extraordinary heroism he protected the withdrawal of a friendly infantry battalion until his position was overrun. He was cited for bravery and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Lieutenant Jackman was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Will Jackman. Two brothers were also in the service, Lynn in Italy and Duane in the United States. In December, 1942, he married Lois Webb, a graduate of River Falls in the class of 1942.

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Technical Sergeant EUGENE GOSSEN Eugene Gossen, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Gossen of Bessemer, Michigan, graduated from the River Falls Teachers College with the degree of B.E. in 1937. He taught in the River Falls High School until his induction in February, 1942. He served in the Army Air Forces in the 394th Bombardment Squadron in the Asiatic-Pacific Area. Shortly after his arrival at his base in the Pacific he was killed in a crash landing with live bombs which exploded. He received the Purple Heart and Citation of Honor. Sergeant Gossen was much interested in Boy Scouting and the River Falls Scout home has been named the Eugene Gossen Lodge in his honor. In June, 1943, he married Marian Tracy, also a student of the college. Lieutenant HOWARD E. HINES Howard E. Hines enlisted in the Army Air Forces September 29, 1942, after attending college one year, 1940, and became a pilot of a B-24 Liberator in England, where he engaged in combat over Germany with the 445th Bombardment group. He had completed more than twenty-eight heavy bombardment missions over Germany, had been shot down twice, but had each time brought his plane back to England. On April 22, 1945, he was killed in a plane crash near Honington, England, while on a non-combat mission. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters. Lieutenant Hines was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Hines of Ellsworth. A brother. T 5 Willard L Hines, served in the Pacific in Okinawa. In 1941 he married Frances A. Brookshaw of Ellsworth. Lieutenant WALTER GUINN Walter Guinn attended the Teachers College from 1933 to 1936, majoring in history and the social studies. He was especially active in YMCA and in the men's chorus and a cappella choir. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces in January, 1942, and was commissioned lieutenant. He met his death December 29. 1943, at Deming Field, New Mexico, where imperfect ventilation and heating facilities in their trailer home caused his death by asphyxiation, together with that of his wife, Genevieve Kondrasuk Guinn, and their five-year-old son.

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Lieutenant DONALD E. JOHNSON Donald E. Johnson also left River Falls with the National Guard in October, 1940, after spending two years in college. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the Field Artillery. He left the United Stotes for foreign service in June, 1943, and fought in France, where he was mortally wounded at Vire, August 10, 1944, dying August II. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Johnson of River Falls. In August, 1943, he married Dorothy J. Parrish of Ellsworth, a former student at River Falls. Private ROY JOHNSON Roy Johnson attended the college from 1931-1933, taking the Principals course. At the time of his induction he was assistant field supervisor of Warner Brothers Motion Pictures, working out of the Minneapolis office. He enlisted in the Army February 15, 1945, and was sent overseas from the West Coast just before peace was declared. He was on his way to the South Pacific when he died aboard ship of illness—cerebro-spinal fever meningococcic. He is survived by his mother. Mrs. Flora Johnson, his little daughters and one brother, Private Louis Johnson, with the armv in T«v . His wife. LaVonne Ringdahl Johnson, died in 1940 Staff Sergeant VOYLE JOHNSON Voyle Johnson attended River Falls Teachers College two years, 1938-1940, before entering the service. January. 1940. He went into the Army Air Forces and was sent to the Philippines, where he fought in the Battle of Bataan. He was reported missing in action in May. 1942, and no further word was received until July, 1944, when he was declared officially dead and awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. At the end of the war it was learned that he had died June 2, 1942, in a Japanese prisoner of war camp—Camp O'Donnell in the Philippines. He is survived by his father, Axel Johnson, of Grantsburg and one brother and three sisters.