Muscatine County

Lt. Iris McCullough Hetzler

 

 

Farewell is Compliment to Nurse

Miss Iris McCullough, Muscatine young woman, is leaving May 12 for Camp Riley, in Kansas, to begin her duties as an army nurse with the rank of second lieutenant, was honored at an interesting farewell party Sunday.
The event held at the American Legion home, with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John McCullough and her sister, Miss Dorothy McCullough as hostesses, was attended by 74 relatives and friends.

Appointments for the dinner served at 1 o'clock, were in the patriotic motif with streamers of red, white and blue adorning the room and bouquets of spring flowers arranged on the serving tables. Favors also accentuated the patriotic colors. The hours following the dinner were spent informally. A collection of gifts was presented the honoree.

Miss McCullough, who was graduated from St. Luke's hospital in Davenport last September, has been engaged in private duty nursing since that time.

Source: Muscatine Journal News-Tribune, May 4, 1942 (photo included)

REACHES ENGLAND -- Second Lieutenant Iris M. Hetzler, who has been in service in the United States Army Nurses Corps since May 12, 1942, has arrived somewhere in England, according to word received by her husband, Kenneth Hetzler of Moscow township. Lt. Hetzler, the former Iris McCullough, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John M. McCullough, 903 Colver street.

Lt. Hetzler began her training at Ft. Riley, Kan., and spent more than a year in service at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colo. She is a graduate of the school of nursing at St. Luke's hospital, Davenport.

Source: Muscatine Journal News-Tribune, April 10, 1944 (photo included)

PROMOTED IN RANK

Iris M. Hetzler, the former Miss Iris McCullough, who is serving as an Army nurse at the 217th general hospital in Paris, has been promoted from the rank of second lieutenant to first lieutenant, her husband, Kenneth Hetzler, has just been informed.

Lt. Hetzler has been on overseas duty for more than a year.

Source: Muscatine Journal News-Tribune, March 12, 1945

Lt. Iris Hetzler Confirms Stories of Nazi Cruelty

Corroboration of the stories concerning the cruel treatment of prisoners of war in Germany is given in a letter received by Mr. and Mrs. John McCullough, 903 Colver street, from their daughter First Lt. Iris M. Hetzler, stationed in a hospital in Paris.

The letter, written on May 3, read in part: "Was certainly pleased that you were upset about the treatment of prisoners in Germany. So many, many people think that's all just so much talk. It's really too bad that most of these prisoners aren't sent directly home to their families. Maybe if they saw how badly the POWs looked it would bring home to them the fact that there was absolutely no limit to the horrible things the Germans could and did do.

"Many of my patients have been telling me that in the three weeks they've been here they have gained from 20 to 40 pounds. They don't look like the same peopel."

Lt. Hetzler's husband Kenneth lives on a farm near Muscatine.

Source: Muscatine Journal News-Tribune, May 23, 1945

Iris Mabel McCullough Hetzler was born July 1, 1920 to John M. and Mabel Catherine McCullough. She died Aug. 29, 2014 and is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, Muscatine, IA.

1st Lt. McCullough served in World War II in England and France with the U.S. Army Nurse Corps 217th General Hospital. She was married to John Kenneth Hetzler.

Source: ancestry.com