Source: The Mason City Globe-Gazette, February 10, 1945 (photo included)
PLAN MEMORIAL FOR KLEMME HERO
Rites Will Be Sunday for Lt. Harold Wicks
Klemme -- Memorial services for 1st Lt. Harold A. Wicks will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Evangelical Reformed church in Klemme.
Lt. Wick's wife received a communication from the war department Friday which officially declared her husband
dead. He had been missing since Dec. 23, 1944.
At the time, Lt. Wicks was a crew member of a B-25 (Mitchell) bomber which participated in a mission. The plane was last seen at 4:52 a.m. when it departed from its base and was believed to have been lost between Biak and Leyte islands as a result of adverse weather conditions. No trace of the plane could be found.
Lt. Wicks was a pilot of a P-38 pursuit plane, his work being that of a photo reconnaissance pilot. He had volunteered to accompany the B-25 crew on the mission in which the plane was lost.
Lt. Wisk, who was 23 years old Sept 4, 1944, enlisted in the army air forces Nov. 15, 1942, and was presented his silver wings and commissioned a 2nd lieutenant at Williams Field, Chandler, Ariz., Oct. 1, 1943. He was then assigned to a tactical unit and went overseas in April, 1944.
He was promoted to 1st lieutenant Sept 28, 1944.
Lt Wisk is the son of Mr. adn Mrs. Albert Kehl of Klemme and a son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Buntenbach, also of Klemme. He is a graduate of Klemme high school. His wife has been living at the home of her parent sin Klemme.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, January 6, 1946 (photo included)
WILL DEDICATE GARNER AIRPORT
Wicks Field Named in Honor of Hero Airman
Garner --The Garner airport now known as Wicks Field, was named in honor of Lt. Harold Wicks, pilot of a P-38 pursuit plane who lost this life in World War II. The official dedication of the field will take place Tuesday the 2nd day of the centennial celebration.
The death of Lt. Wicks was officially announced by the war department Dec. 24, 1945, after being listed as missing in action following a B-25 bombing mission Dec. 23, 1944. Lt. Wicks, while a pilot of a P-38 pursuit plane, volunteered to accompany the B-25 crew on the mission in which the plane was lost.
Lt. Wicks was the son of Mrs. Albert Kehl and his widow is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Buntenbach.
In the first meeting of the stockholders of the Garner Airways, Inc., it was decided that the field should be named for the first pilot who gave his life in World war II.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, August 16, 1946
Harold Alfred Wicks was born Sept. 4, 1921 to Hans and Neva Parr Wicks. He died Nov. 23, 1944/FOD Dec. 24, 1945 and is memorialized at the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He was awarded the Air Medal.
Sources: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
