Merlin E. Struve

1915 - 1984

Merlin was inducted into the Army Air Corps on February 4, 1943. He took basic training as a Private for one month, as a Corporal he took Airplane and Engine Mechanic training for twelve months. He took a sixteen-week course in airplane and engine mechanics at a technical school in Gulfport, Mississippi, and then a four-week course in B-17 operation and maintenance at Boeing Aircraft school, Seattle, Washington. He served as Airplane Crew Chief at Davis Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona for 23 months. He had the following duties: worked on B-24 and B-29 aircraft; supervised the maintenance, repair and inspection of military aircraft including operation efficiency; assigned duties and planned work for ground crew, mechanics, and technicians; inspected and completed modifications, repairs, and overhauls. Merlin was honorably discharged on February 8, 1946, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Merlin E. Struve graduated from Manning High school in 1933.
He is the son of John J. and Anna Struve.

Merlin was born February 11, 1915 and he lived with his parents on the farm east of Manning.
Upon graduation from high school, Merlin attended a mechanic school in Kansas City and worked for Manning Motor after graduation. In 1947 Merlin and his father John J. went into the automotive business.
On October 9, 1940 Merlin married Elaine Karsten, daughter of Henry and Emma Karsten. They have one daughter Frances and she married Robert A. Haack.

Merlin entered the Army on February 4, 1943 and was honorably discharged on February 8, 1946 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
He took Army Air Force Basic Training as a Private for 1 month, then as a Corporal he took Airplane and Engine Mechanic training for 12 months and he was Airplane Crew Chief for 23 months.
Army Air Force ---- Technical School, Gulfort, Mississippi. Sixteen week course in airplane and engine mechanics, 1943.
Army Air Force ---- Boeing Aircraft school, Seattle, Washington. Four week course in B-17, operation and maintenance, 1943.

As an Airplane Crew Chief his duties were:
Supervised the maintenance, repair and inspection of military aircraft.
Was responsible for operating efficiency of aircraft an its component parts.
Worked on B-24 and B-29 aircraft.
Was in charge of ground crew, mechanics and technicians as regards one particular craft.
Assigned duties and planned work.
Inspected and completed modifications, repairs and overhauls.

Merlin's civilian occupation prior to military service was as an Automobile Mechanic.
He went took Auto Mechanics training at McSweeney Trade School in Kansas City, Missouri in 1936 for 2 months.
After that he worked for the Manning Motor Company of Manning, Iowa for seven years. He performed a variety of mechanical repairs including grinding of valves; replacement of rings repairing of clutches and transmissions; replacing worn and defective parts. Merlin used hand tools and test instruments.
He also drove the wrecker for service calls, installed radios and batteries, checked incoming (new) automobiles and also did some work on tractors.

Picture painted in Arizona.

   

Manning Monitor article ------ 1943 Merlin Struve at Gulfport, Miss. Merlin Struve, son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Struve, who is in the Air Corps Technical School at Gulfport, Mississippi, writes, thanking the Legion and the Monitor for the home-town paper. He says, "I read it from cover to cover". Merlin is going to an airplane mechanic school. He has about 100 days left and says they sure keep busy. He likes it fine, however. Gulfport field is about 5 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. He says that it gets pretty hot during the day. The field is a new one and' when first there, the men at out of mess kits, but they now have trays. He sends best regards to all his friends back home. Manning Monitor article ------ 1944 Cpl, Merlin Struve Writes Cpl. Merlin Struve, stationed at Davis Monthan Field near Tuscon, Arizona, sends his thanks for the paper, saying, "It really helps keep a fellow caught up in the home town news." Some times in moving around it takes awhile to catch up but he writes, "it still is bet news of the home town-sure enjoy the Service Men's Column." He states that the field is located in the desert among the cactus and sand, and surrounded, by mountains. The weather is nice in the day time but cold at night. It isn't cold for Iowa but it did freeze a few nights, he writes. Merlin is in charge of a B-24 and it is his job to keep it flying. He concludes by sending best regards to the folks at home.

BORN FEBRUARY 11, 1915 NEAR MANNING, IOWA
DIED JUNE 3, 1984 UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER, OMAHA
AGE 69 YEARS, 3 MONTHS, AND 22 DAYS
SERVICES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1984, 2:00 PM OHDE FUNERAL HOME, MANNING, IOWA
OFFICIATING REVEREND DENNIS JOHNSON FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MANNING, IOWA
SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER REVEREND CARL SINNING
MUSIC CONNIE SIEPKER, ORGANIST
JUDY JOENS, VOCALIST
INTERMENT MANNING CITY CEMETERY
CASKETBEARERS: DARYL GENZEN, GEORGE GRAVES, ORREN RAMSEY,

MARVIN WIEMANN, JACK LORENZEN, GERHARDT VOGE
MILITARY HONORS MANNING, IOWA
AMERICAN LEGION POST 22
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 3517

THE FAMILY WISHES TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR KINDNESS EVIDENCED IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED, AND INVITES YOU TO JOIN THEM FOR LUNCH AND FELLOWSHIP AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOLLOWING THE CCMMITTAL SERVICE.

A LIGHT IS GONE
A LIGHT IS FROM OUR HOUSEHOLD GONE,
A VOICE WE LOVED IS STILLED,
A PLACE IS VACANT IN OUR HOME,
WHICH NEVER CAN BE FILLED.
WE HAVE TO MOURN THE LOSS OF ONE
WE DID OUR BEST TO SAVE,
BELOVED ON EARTH, REGRETTED STILL,
REMEMBERED IN THE GRAVE.
'TWAS HARD TO PART WITH ONE SO DEAR,
WE LITTLE THOUGHT THE TIME WAS NEAR,
FAREWELL, DEAR ONE, YOUR LIFE IS PAST,
OUR LOVE FOR YOU TILL THE END WILL LAST.

Merlin E. Struve

Merlin, son of John J. and Anna Marie (Joens) Struve, was born on February 11, 1915, near Manning. He was graduated from Manning High School in 1933 and he attended McSweeney School for Mechanics in Kansas City. During World War II he served with the United State Army Air Force.