Funeral Notices
Jesup – Funeral services for Ernest C. Cole, 52, who died Monday at his home here, will be at 2:30 p. m. Monday at the Jesup Methodist church; burial in Cedar Crest cemetery; a son, Marine Pvt. David Cole, is en route here from Camp Pendleton, Cal.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Friday, February 23, 1945, Page 7
Jesup Marine Is Killed on Okinawa
Jesup, Ia. – Mrs. E. O. Cole received word Monday that her son, Pvt. David M. Cole, USMCR, was killed in action June 20, 1945, at Okinawa island, after eight months and two days in the service of his country.
Private Cole enlisted in the marines Sept. 12, 1944, and left for active service Oct. 18, 1944, arriving overseas in May, 1945. A member of the replacement draft, he served with the first marine division on Guam prior to landing on Okinawa, May 26.
The last letter received by his mother was written June 14, and revealed he had been in combat for 15 days.
He was born Sept. 24, 1926, at Oran, son of Ernest O. and Ethel Trumbauer Cole. He moved with his parents to Jesup, where he attended the consolidated school and was president of his graduating class in 1944. Following graduation he attended the American National Red Cross Aquatic school at Excelsior, Minn., and served as life guard and swimming instructor at Independence, Ia., municipal beach before leaving for the service.
He was a member of the Jesup Methodist church and a member of the boy scouts, being the first local scout to receive the First class scout award.
He was preceded in death by his father, Feb. 19, 1945. He leaves his mother and one brother, Quartermaster Third Class Leonard W., now on duty in the Pacific.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Tuesday, July 24, 1945, Page 5
Memorial Rites for David Cole Sunday at Jesup
Jesup, Ia. – Memorial services will be Sunday at 2:30 p. m. at the Jesup Methodist church for Pvt. Dave Cole 18-year-old marine who was killed on Okinawa June 20. He had been in service eight months and two days.
He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Ethel Cole, and a brother, Leonard W. Cole, quartermaster third class, somewhere aboard ship.
The family requests no flowers.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Saturday, August 03, 1945, Page 15
Notes About N. E. Iowans
in the Service
Jesup – Mrs. Ethel Cole has received the Purple Heart certificate awarded posthumously to her son, Pvt. David M. Cole, U. S. marine corps reserve, for wound received in action resulting in his death June 20, 1945. The Purple Heart will be forwarded to her within the next two months. Mrs. Cole is also entitled to receive the Asiatic-Pacific campaign medal for her son’s service in that area. In a letter written by Lt. Ward Wilcox, David’s company commander, it was revealed that he was assigned to duty as a rifleman in the second platoon of this company of the First marine division on May 28, 1945. As David’s platoon stormed Hill 81, near the town of Makobe, Unown, Okinawa, on June 20, 1945, he was struck in the head by an enemy sniper’s bullet and died instantly. He was buried with full military honors in the First marine division cemetery near Yontan airfield on Okinawa.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Thursday, September 06, 1945, Page 21
