Francis Zerwas left - Leroy Zerwas right
LeRoy was born on February 2, 1909. He graduated from Manning High School in 1927. LeRoy married Rita Dinges of Carroll, on September 6, 1932. Shortly after WW II was declared against Japan in December 1941, at the age of 33, LeRoy enlisted in the US Navy as a Seabee. The 60th U.S. Naval Construction Battalion (known as the 60th Seabees) was established in 1941 for the specific purpose of building and defending airstrips in the Southwest Pacific during World War II. The battalion recruited its members primarily from the Midwest, seeking mature individuals with established construction skills. The average age of the volunteer Seabee was 37.
On August 11, 1942, the Naval Construction Training Center, known as Camp Endicott, was commissioned at Davisville, Rhode Island. In October of 1942 LeRoy reported to Camp Endicott for boot camp training. In a matter of months, fully combat-ready members of the 60th Battalion Seabees found themselves en route to the Pacific. After boot camp the newly trained Seabees traveled to Port Hueneme, California. On March 23, 1943, they set sail on the U.S.S. President Monroe for New Farm Wharf, Brisbane "Australia." It became obvious that this was not a pleasure cruise as 2500 men were jammed into this ship intended for 1000 people. Another living change to LeRoy's life was his introduction to the Navy issued "sea bag." The issued sea bag was a big ole' one strap canvas bag issued for the purpose to carrying all of his belongings. Now, the Army and Air Force got foot lockers, but sailors carried their one sea bag. Every fleet sailor carried one set of dress blues, port & starboard, undress blues, and whites, a couple of white hats, boots, shoes, a watch cap, assorted skivvies, a pea coat, and three sets of bleached-out dungarees. In addition to the 2500 sailors looking for sleeping and living space, there were 2500 sea bags some-how stacked aboard the MONROE. After a short stay in Brisbane Australia, the Seabees moved up the Australian coast to Townsville for the purpose of "staging" for their destination, the Woodlark Islands.
Native stretcher bearers rest in the shade of a coconut grove as they and the wounded American soldiers they are carrying from the front lines at Buna, New Guinea take the opportunity to relax. The wounded are on their way to makeshift hospitals in the rear.
Additional air strips were constructed by the SeaBees at Finschhafen, New Guinea, and Owi Island, Dutch New Guinea.
In October 1945, after nearly 3 years in the South Pacific area, EM1c (CB) USNR, LeRoy Zerwas was honorably discharged and returned to Manning, where he continued on in the telephone business with his brothers. In 1958 LeRoy and Rita purchased the Westside Telephone Company and moved to Westside, where they worked until retirement.
His wife Rita passed away February 1975 and LeRoy passed away January 1998. They are survived by their four children Richard, Arthur, Larry, and Mary Reed.
Back: Arthur, LeRoy, Larry
Front: Mary, Rita, LeRoy
Bob Hope - USO show
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Manning Monitor article------ 1943
Dick Zerwas In South Pacific The cablegram which "Dick" sent did not state the exact location or name of the port where he landed; but nevertheless it is in the south Pacific and gave every assurance that he is well and encountered no danger during the trip. He is in the Seabee branch of the Navy. L. J. Zerwas Writes LeRoy Zerwas, formerly of Manning, now in the U. S. Navy, writes from his station in Rhode Island, expressing his thanks for the home I paper, adding, "it is really a treat, to read the home news every I week."
He says that the camp is new and that 6 months ago it was only Woods. Now they have
accommodations for 25,000 men and increasing every day.
Manning Monitor article------ 1944
Dick Zerwas Writes Letter From New Guinea Dear Friends: It has been quite some time since my last letter to the home town paper. You can bet I never miss a word in any of the copies, from the first to the last sheet. Gee, they can still put out some excellent basketball teams back there. Some mighty nice games this season.
So far, Harold Hoffmann is the only Manning boy I have seen over here, but talked to Don
Brady by phone one evening and plan on going up to see him the first day I have off.
This New Guinea climate seems to agree with me all right as I feel I fine and eat good,
and plenty of it. L. J. Zerwas Expecting Furlough Dear Sir; It has been some time since my last letter to you and want to tell you first of all to hold the paper till you receive my change of address which I hope will be the U.S.A. permanently. Yes will be seeing you some time after the first of the year.
Donald Struve and Marvin Goetzinger are both on this island and LaMorn Miller is near
by but never had a chance to look her up. I am very eager to have that 30-day leave at
home at which time can have a little bull session and talk about old times. Be seeing you
soon. LeRoy Zerwas Home on Leave Seabee LeRoy (Dick) Zerwas, E.M. 1-c, is here on a 30-day sick; leave with his wife and three sons and also visiting his mother, Mrs. Phil Zerwas, and his brothers, Eugene and Robert. Dick has been in the service two years and three months, 23 months of which was spent in the Southwest Pacific. He was injured in a tropical storm in New Guinea and after landing in California, spent three weeks in the Naval Hospital at Farragut, Idaho. He will report back to the hospital at the conclusion of his leave. Seabee LeRoy (Dick) Zerwas, who has served in the South Pacific for nearly two years, is now stationed at Providence, R. I., after spending a furlough here with his wife and sons, and other relatives. |
Mass of the Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 29, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.
Visitation will begin at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 28, at Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll. Rosary will be recited at 3 p.m. and there will be a Christian wake service at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Mr. Zerwas is survived by his four children, Richard Zerwas and his wife, Donna, of Detroit, Michigan, Arthur Zerwas and his wife, Mary, of Westside, Larry Zerwas and his wife, Carol, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, and Mary Reed and her husband, Bill, of Bellevue, Nebraska; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; one brother, Francis Zerwas, and his wife, Rita, of Manning; two sisters, Sister Mary Agnese, FSPA, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Sister Mary Philip, FSPA, of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; and one brother-in-law, Leonard Dinges, of San Diego, California.
LEROY J. "DICK" ZERWAS
LeRoy (Dick) Zerwas died Monday, January 26, 1998, at St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 88. Dick was born on February 2, 1909, at Manning, Iowa, the son of Phillip and Agnes Mary (Brunnier) Zerwas. He married Rita Dinges on September 6, 1932, in Carroll, Iowa. Dick entered the United States Navy in October 1942 and served during World War II. He served with the Seabeas in the South Pacific and was honorably discharged in October 1945. Following their marriage Dick and Rita made their home in Manning. He and his brother's owned and managed the Manning Telephone Co. In 1959 the family moved to Westside where Dick owned and managed the Westside Independent Telephone Co. until his retirement in 1978. For the past four years he has made his home with his daughter Mary Reed in Bellevue, Nebraska.
He is survived by his children, Richard (Donna) Zerwas, Arthur (Mary) Zerwas, Larry (Carol) Zerwas, and Mary (Bill) Reed; 13 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; brother, Francis (Rita) Zerwas; sisters, Sister Mary Agnese, F.S.P.A. and Sister Mary Philip, F.S.P.A.; sister-in-laws, Mary Bengfort and Esther Clark; and brother-in-law, Leonard Dinges. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Rita, in 1975; and brothers, Robert and Eugene Zerwas.