Decatur County

Cpl. Lloyd C. Helton

 

 

 

PFC. LOWELL R. SPICER, CPL. LLOYD C. HELTON,
CPL. JOHN W. SCOTT

Fighting along the Arno river in Italy with the 133d infantry regiment of the fifth army that has proved a nightmare to battered German troops throughout the fifth army’s Italian campaign.

Includes: Staff Sgt. William S. Flummer, of route three Lineville, who is squad leader; Clarence P. Bright, route three, Lineville, a gunner; Corporal Lloyd C. Helton, a switchboard operator; Pfc. Lowell R. Spicer, machine gunner; Corporal John W. Scott, a wireman of Leon. These Yanks have been overseas nearly three years.

The 133d infantry regiment of the famous 34th “Red Bull” division has piled up more hours in actual combat than many American divisions have time overseas. The veteran fifth army regiment first blazed its guns at a cocky enemy in the boney mountains ranges of Tunisia and defeated the Krauts in the famous battle for Hill 09. Backed from Tunisia to the Arno, the defeated-written faces of retreating German troops are still haunted by the Red Bulls who have gored the enemy at Cassion, Anzio and in crushing drives above Rome.

Source: Decatur County Auxiliary Scrapbook -
Submission by Decatur County Historical Museum, Leon IA, Sara Rose Joan LeFleur, June of 2016

Lloyd Charles Helton was born Mar. 20, 1918 to Ivan L. and Esther M. Graham Helton. He died Feb. 28, 2006 and is buried in Monument Cemetery, Monument, CO.

Lloyd served with the U.S. Army in World War II.

Obituary: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Mar. 2, 2006

Lloyd C. Helton, 87, of Webster City, died Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2006 at the Southfield Wellness Community. A Gathering will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Foster Chapel, with sharing of memories by family and friends. Burial will be at a later date at the Monument Cemetery at Monument, Colorado. Military rites will be conducted by American Legion Post # 191 of Webster City.

Lloyd Charles Helton, son of Ivan and Esther Graham Helton, was born March 20, 1918, the oldest of nine children, at Mercer, MO. He received his education at Mercer and Princeton, MO. He spent some of his younger years in the Davis City, area. In his youth, he was a Golden Gloves Champion Boxer. During W.W. II, he served with the Iowa National Guard-U.S. Army-Headquarters Company-3rd battalion-133rd Infantry (Red Bull) Division in the European, African and Middle Eastern Theatres of Action. He received 3 bronze stars and was honorably discharged in 1945. Following his discharge, he was married to Vilna France Sly on May 14, 1945 at Olathe, KS. The couple farmed near Leon for 10 years, then Hansel for 8 years. The family moved to Webster City in 1964 and he worked at Christeson Auto Sales and Service for 16 years. They retired in 1982 and moved to Colorado. He worked part-time at the Foreign Auto Body at Denver, Co. Mrs. Helton died January 14, 1984. He returned to Webster City in 1985. Since July of 2003, he had resided at Southfield.

Lloyd is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Sandra and William Lavender of Webster City; Rita and Mark Modglin of Arvada, CO; Carmen and Gregory Poland of Platteville, CO; Sue and Richard Spinks of Thornton, CO; sons and daughters-in-law, Billy Joe and Carlotta Helton of Evans, CO; Jerry and Shelly Helton of Eldora; Rich Helton of Wheatridge, CO; 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters, Bonnie Ogeland and Jean Hatcher, both of Webster City; several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Charles Roy Helton; brothers, Francis, Howard and Orval Helton; sisters, Betty Norem, Shirley Jessen and Lois Simpson.

Source: ancestry.com