Howard Damas Pumroy, World War II CasualtyPorter County Data on World War II Casualties . . . .

Howard Damas Pumroy
Platoon Sergeant, Parachute Corps, US Marine Corps
Date of Birth: December 3, 1914
Date of Death: August 7, 1942
Burial: Cornell Cemetery, Hebron, Porter County, Indiana
Cause of Death: Killed in Action (Gavutu, Solomon Islands)
Date of Enlistment: November 14, 1939
Hometown: Kouts

Newspaper Notices:

Young Kouts Marine Dies In Service
Howard Pumroy, Member of Marine Parachute Corps, Killed in Action.

Another Porter County man has paid the supreme sacrifice in the war against the axis powers.

Today Mr. and Mrs. George Pumroy, of Kouts, received a telegram from Washington stating their son, Howard L. Pumroy was killed in action.

The messaged dated Tuesday from N. T. Holcomb, major-general, United States Marine Corps, said the young man had died in action in performance of his duty in the service of his country.

In July 28 last the parents had received a message stating their son had arrived safely at his destination.

Recently Howard was given signal honors by the Marine Corps for his performance as a parachuter. He held the rank of platoon sergeant.

Pumroy is the first youth to be listed in the casualty lists from Kouts in the present war.

Born at Kouts on Dec. 3, 1914, he was graduated from the Kouts high school in 1931. On May 6, 1935, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served until May 6, 1939, when he was honorably discharged. On Nov. 14, 1939, he reenlisted.

Surviving besides his parents are three brothers, Edward, of Kouts; Neal of near Highland, Ind., and Lawrence of near Crown Point. An aunt, Mrs. George Dierking, resides in Valparaiso. He had often stayed at the Dierking home here.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 2, 1942; Volume 16, Page 1 Column 6


KOUTS

A cast of gloom as felt in Kouts Wednesday when a telegram was received by Mr. and Mrs. George Pumroy, stating that their son, Howard D. Pumroy, had been killed in action, while serving his country. This is the first casualty in Kouts. The parents and his three brothers have the sincere sympathy of the entire community. Howard was one of those boys who had many friend, well liked by everyone.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 8, 1942; Volume 16, Page 8 Column 6


Sgt. Howard Pumroy Service Planned

A memorial service for Sgt. Howard Pumroy, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Pumroy, of Kouts, will be held Sunday afternoon at two o'clock at the Christian church in Kouts. The service will be open to the general public. Pumroy was a member of a parachute troop corps of the U. S. Marines. He was killed in action somewhere in the Pacific, according to word received on Sept. 2 by his parents.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 11, 1942; Volume 16, Page 2 Column 1


KOUTS

Memorial services will be held in the Kouts Christian church Sunday, Sept. 13, at 2 o'clock for Sgt. Howard D. Pumroy, who was killed in action, while in the service of his country. Rev. Brewer, pastor of the Hebron Christian church, will conduct the services.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 11, 1942; Volume 16, Page 10 Column 5


Ten Porter County Men Dead Or Missing Since U. S. Went Into War Against Japan
(BY ENG ZIMMERMAN, Sr)

"Remember Pearl Harbor" Today Valparaiso and Porter county citizens remembers that event which transpired just a year ago today when a Japanese air squadron, more than 100 strong, roared out of a peaceful sky to deal destruction and death to American warships, air dromes and U. S. fighting men at Pearl Harbor.

With quietness and an air of solemnity, citizens recalled dastardly Japanese sneak attack and resolved to "Remember Pearl Harbor" as their battlecry to retaliate in full measure to the Japanese for their treachery in causing the unwarranted deaths of several thousand brave members of the U. S. fighting forces.

Not until yesterday was the full extent of the carnage at Pearl Harbor revealed to the public on the theory that such information would have proved valuable to the enemy.

Local Youth Wounded

Porter county had only one casualty at Pearl Harbor. He was Harold Lenburg, of Valparaiso, who was critically wounded in the onslaught. Lenburg spent considerable time in hospitals recovering from his wounds before he was able to return home. He is recipient of the Purple Heart award.

Since that eventful day a year ago in the Pacific, ten Porter county men have been included in the government's casualty lists as killed in action or missing.

First to answer the summons was Charles McKindred Proffitt, gunner on the U. S. destroyer Jacob Jones, which was torpedoes in the Atlantic in September.

DeForest Dye, a member of the Navy, was next reported missing in the Pacific in March. Then in May, Capt. Robert F. Ruge, of the Marine Corps, was reported missing. Ruge had been on Bataan and Corregidor just before U. S. forces on those points capitulated to the Japanese. Later he was promoted to the rank of major.

Hebron Youth Missing

Another Porter county man stationed at Corregidor, Joseph Twa, of Hebron, was also reported missing. In both the Ruge and Twa announcements it was not known whether they were killed or captured. No further word has been received.

Next to be added to the honor roll of Porter county was the name of Glen Owens, of Valparaiso. He was reported killed in action in the Pacific in June. His body was buried at sea.

Soon after the announcement of young Owens' death, came word that John Hales Bates of Hebron was missing from a carrier in the Pacific. He was a member of the U. S. air service.

Another man to pay the supreme sacrifice was Howard L. Pumroy, of Kouts. Pumroy was reported killed in the Solomons while fighting with the marines.

John Jacob Birky, student pilot of the Royal Canadian Air Force residing on Valparaiso RFD 3, was killed at Centralia, Ontario, in October when a plane which he was flying during night practice crashed. The body was brought to this city for memorial services.

Capt. William H. Chambers of the U. S. air force was reported missing in action since Oct. 19. He was believed to have been in Alaska region.

The latest casualty reported was Pvt. First Class Edward Smith of Valparaiso. He was reported killed in action in the South Pacific on Nov. 18.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; December 7, 1942; Volume 16, Page 1 Column 6


Purple Heart Posthumously To Howard Kniefel

Mr. and Mrs. William Kniefel, Kouts RFD 1, Wednesday received the Purple Heart which was awarded posthumously to their son, Howard Theodore Kniefel, of the glider division, who was killed in action in France on July 4, 1944. Young Kniefel landed in France on June 8. He is the second Kouts boy killed in action. Sgt. Howard Pumroy, member of the U. S. Marine Corps, was killed in action in the South Pacific in August, 1942.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; October 12, 1944; Volume 18, Page 1, Column 1


Body of Kouts War Casualty Is Returned Home

The body of Sgt. Howard D. Pumroy, of the U. S. marine corps, first Kouts man to be killed in World War II, arrived in Valparaiso Wednesday and was taken to the Kosanke Brothers funeral home in Kouts to await full military burial rites on Saturday.

The body was accompanied by Sgt. Johnson, of the Chicago distribution center of the American graves registration division.

Sgt. Pumroy, a son of Mr. and Mrs. George Pumroy, of Kouts, was killed in action late in 1942. Born Dec. 3, 1914, in Kouts, he was graduated from the Kouts high school in 1931. May 6, 1935, he enlisted in the marine corps and served until May 6, 1939, when he was honorably discharged. Nov. 14, 1939 he re-enlisted.

Surviving besides his parents are three brothers, Edward, Neal and Lawrence, Mrs. George Dierking, Valparaiso, is an aunt.

Sgt. Pumroy received signal honors for his performance as a parachuter. He held the rank of platoon sergeant.

Memorial services for Sgt. Pumroy will be held at 2 p. m., Saturday, June 5, at the Kosanke Brothers funeral home, Kouts, with the Rev. G. B. Gordon officiating. The William Radilyack Post 301, American Legion, will conducts its military service. Burial will be in the Cornell cemetery.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June 3, 1948; Volume 21, Number 279, Page 6, Column 4


KOUTS

Memorial services were held at the Kosanke funeral home Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock for Howard Pumroy, whose body was brought back from Gabuta Island last Wednesday with Sgt. Johnson as escort from the Chicago shipping center. There was a large attendance of relatives and friends. The Rev. G. B. Gordon offered a short prayer as completion of the memorial services were were held for him in 1942. With the William Redilyack American Legion Post 301 in charge, burial was in Cornell cemetery, west of Kouts. The legion gave the ritual with the firing squad. Taps were blown by James Kosanke with Gene Wise as the echo. Sgt. Johnson presented the flag to his mother, Mrs. George Pumroy. Pallbearers were Eldon Miller, Fred Krueger, Martin Wise, Victor Nueffer, Gene Denton and Lester Raynard.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June 3, 1948; Volume 21, Number 279, Page 6, Column 4


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Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook

 

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