Merlin Hass
1989-90 American Legion commander

Willis "Whitey" Lohmeier, Merlin Hass at Pearl Harbor
Merlin was the 1989-90 American Legion Commander


Merlin Hass lived in Manning and was married in 1956 to Verna Singsank. He is the son of Julius and Lena (Clausen) Hass, and grandson of Claus and Anna (Meeves) Hass and Henry and Dorathea (Rasmussen) Clausen.
Merlin joined the Marines in 1951 at the age of nineteen before attending boot camp in San Diego, California. After completing security training he was assigned to Marine Security Detachment on the battleship USS - Iowa. His first deployment, departing California, was to Pearl Harbor.
Following Hawaii, his military tours took him to Korea for one year and into Japan. Merlin, at this time, met up with Willis "Whitey" Lohmeier, also from Manning, Iowa.
Merlin returned to Pearl Harbor and briefly in California before tours to the Panama Canal, Rio De Janeiro, and Haiti. He then headed to the eastern US coast, Virginia, before being re-assigned to the US Naval Retraining Command in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. As a sergeant Merlin was put in charge of the Prison Control Center housing 3200 US prisoners.

On May 20, 1954, Sergeant Merlin Hass was honorably discharged from the USMC. Merlin joined the civilian work force and later retired in 1996. Merlin still resides in Manning with his wife Verna. They have three children, Jon, Joanie (Al) Lueders, and David; with seven grandkids (two married with one great-grandson).

Veterans Remember....
By: Jeannea Sybesma
Manning Monitor
November 11, 1999

Now it's time to move on to the year 1951, the height of the Korean War, a war that the United States and nineteen other nations fought in. For Merlin Hass it was time to heed the call to join the United States Marine Corps and serve his country.

Merlin was stationed in San Diego, California where he was attached to the USS Iowa battleship along with 2,700 sailors.

Merlin's job was mostly guard duty. The Iowa was sent to Korea to launch the one and a half ton bombs day and night. Merlin was in Korea for about a year and a half.

Though Merlin was never technically on Korean land, he told a story about his Captain who was also a helicopter pilot, Captain Camel. An Air Force plane went down behind enemy lines and they wanted to know who would take it the captain or the lieutenant. Captain Camel took the mission without hesitation. He took a .45 pistol and the helicopter behind enemy lines in the fog and at night and rescued the pilot.

"He was an amazing man," Merlin commented, "He once told me when I was a private first class, 'PFC you do what I tell you and if I'm not around to tell you, you do what you think and feel you should do and I'll put stripes on your shoulder. "'

Merlin thinks everyone should do eighteen months in the military, Merlin said, "It makes a better person out of you and kids nowadays can really benefit from the time they spend serving this country. These days so many young people don't have the patriotic pride of the generations before them. Serving our country can really make you aware of how important the military is to the United States and the pride you can achieve in serving your country."

One of the most memorable experiences for Merlin while in the military happened not during war-time but when he was transferred to the USS Missouri and went through the Panama Canal.

"It was a beautiful sight and it was really interesting to see, only about five to six inches on each side of the ship," commented Merlin. It took the ship, which is approximately a block wide by three blocks long, about three days to pass through the canal.


Merlin Hass
Merlin Arnold Hass, age 89, of Manning, passed away on Monday, August 24, 2020, at Accura Healthcare of Manning
Mass of the Christian Burial Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Manning Wednesday, August 26, 2020 11:00 AM
Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to the Mass.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manning with Fr. Randy Schon as Celebrant. Music for the service will be by Ann Muhlbauer. Casket bearers will be Merlin's grandchildren: Adam Hass, Eric Hass, Alex Hass, Christie Lueders, Danny Lueders, Ricky Lueders, Kody Lueders. Honorary casket bearers will be his great-grandchildren: Raelle and Delaney Hass, Leena, Cayden, Parker, Drew, and Tate Lueders. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery near Manning with military honors by the Manning VFW and the US Marine Corps.

Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to the Mass. Those in attendance at the Mass are required to wear face covering and are asked to abide by Covid-19 social distancing guidelines.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com

Merlin, son of Julius and Lena (Clausen) Hass, was born August 9, 1931, near Aspinwall in Crawford County, Iowa. He was baptized in June of 1933 and confirmed in February of 1949. Merlin grew up near Aspinwall and attended a country school in Iowa Township through the eighth grade. He then attended Manning High School through the tenth grade, having to quit due to the death of his father. He then farmed with his mother.

From May of 1951 through May of 1954, Merlin served with the U.S. Marine Corps. He was sent to Korea and attained the rank of Sergeant. Upon his honorable discharge, Merlin returned to Iowa.

On June 25, 1956, Merlin was united in marriage with Verna Singsank at Sacred Heart Church in Manning. The couple made their home in Manning with three children born to this union. Merlin worked for the Green Bay Lumberyard, Manning Creamery, Well's Blue Bunny and then at Rasmussen Lumber for eleven years until his retirement in 1990.

Merlin was a member of Sacred Heart Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Throughout the years, he enjoyed woodworking and spending time with his family and grandchildren.

Merlin is survived by his three children: son Jon (Sharon) Hass of Hampton, Iowa; daughter Joanie (Al) Lueders of Westside, Iowa; and son David (Kim) Hass of Westside, Iowa; eight grandchildren: Adam Hass, Eric (Jess) Hass, Alex (Courtney) Hass, Christie (Jay) Lueders, Danny (Paige) Lueders, Ricky (Marjie) Lueders, Kody (Eryn) Lueders, and Zach Simons. Great-grandkids: Raelle and Delaney Hass; Leena, Cayden, Parker, Drew, and Tate Lueders. One Brother, Lester, Harlan, Iowa. Sister-In-Laws: Jean Singsank, Manning, Iowa, Connie Singsank, Manning, Iowa, Laurel (Earl) Vogl, Carroll, Iowa A, Cleo (Gary) Hansen, Overland Park, Kansas. Nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his wife Verna in June 2013. His parents, three brothers: Hank (Zita) Hass, Melvin (Vernetta) Hass, and Marvin (Florence) Hass; two sisters LaVerne (Earl) Schmidt, and Helen (Ray) Schuldt; two brothers-in-laws: Earl Singsank, and Glen Singsank; and three sisters-in-laws: Viola Hass, Margaret (Russ) Popp, and Della (Don) Berg.