NEW WWII HISTORY PROJECT—Enjoy the news items telling about the lives & happenings with NW Iowa WWII soldiers. The stories cover mostly Plymouth County boys, but from time to time other military personnel from other counties appear in the issues.

Think of the sadness of the good-byes as young men & some women went off to war. There was much JOY when these same young folks were able to visit during furloughs. Then there was the long days, weeks and months as family & friends waited to hear from their soldier who was facing the enemy in battle in a far away place.  Some of these young people never came home.  Family & friends waited to hear—when the final news was not good, there was much grieving.

Most of the returning soldiers had been gone a very long time, some as long as two years or more away from their home and families.  This project creates a means for those of us who came later to view what was happening (to some degree.) My Dad is one of the Plymouth County boys who was drafted at the age of 19.  He was 20 when he was shipped overseas to Africa. He was part of the Anzio Invasion. Dad was gone from Iowa in Africa, Italy, France, & Germany from January 1944 until the end of October 1945.  Our family was blessed—Dad was spared and he did return home to Plymouth County! 

I dedicate these web pages to ALL of the soldiers who served their country during WWII.  They left their homeland to serve their country, preserving freedom, peace and prosperity for the generations that followed!  “Thanks, to ALL who served"—and "Thanks, Dad!”

~Written by the Plymouth County Coordinator, Linda Ewin Ziemann, August/Sept. 2009