AMOS WILLIAM G. MISSELHORN

1963-64 American Legion Commander

BKR1 US NAVY
August 3, 1920 - December 18, 1984

Amos was inducted into the Navy in 1941 and took his basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois. He was a crew member on a troop transport ship that anchored at ports throughout the world. From 1942 to 1945, Amos logged these ports on the Naval ship U.S.S. Hermitage: Philadelphia, Norfolk, New York, Casablanca, Panama, Noumea, Brisbane, Sydney, Pago Pago, Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Wellington, Melbourne, Perth, Bombay, Melbourne, Bora Bora, Long Beach, Bora Bora, Perth, Bombay, Melbourne, Bora Bora, Long Beach, San Francisco, Noumea, Milue Bay, Noumea, San Francisco, Panama, New York, Liverpool, Belfast, New York, Liverpool, New York, Le Havre, New York, Le Havre and New York. Baker First Class Misselhorn was honorably discharged in 1945.

Funeral services for Amos William Misselhorn were held Friday, December 21, 1984, at 10:30 a.m., at the Sacred Heart Church in Manning. The celebrant was Reverend Monsignor Dean Walker With the Sacred Heart Choir providing the music. Interment was held in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Manning, with Military Honors. Casketbearers were: Leonard Petersen, Elmer Petersen, Jud Petersen, Clarence Eischeid, Norman Rothfolk, and Johnny Wanninger. Rosary was held Thursday Evening, December 20, 1984, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ohde Funeral Home in Manning.

Amos William, son of William and Marie Petersen Misselhorn, was born August 3, 1920: at Manning, Iowa. He attended Manning schools and was graduated from Manning High School in 1938. During high school he worked for Valentine's Bakery.

During World War II Amos served with the United States Navy and was honorably discharged as a Baker First Class. He was a crew member on a troop transport ship that anchored at ports throughout the world.

On May 6, 1953, Amos was united in marriage with Rita Wanninger at Sacred Heart Church in Manning. Three children were born to this union: Twyla, Kent, and Keith. Amos had served as Secretary of the Manning Chamber of Commerce for several years; and drove school bus in Manning for 18 years. He was manager of the Iowa State Liquor Store in Manning for 24 years, retiring July 31, 1982. Amos was a member of the Manning Fire Department for 22 years.

He was a former member of the American Legion, Emil Ewoldt Post 22 and currently held membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3517. Amos was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Manning.

Amos died unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 18, 1984, at St. Anthony Hospital, in Carroll, at the age of 64 years, 4 months, and 15 days. He was preceded in death by his father, and by his sister, Marian, in infancy. He is survived by his wife, Rita of Manning; three children: Twyla Misselhorn and her husband, Richard Kaplan of Chicago; Kent Misselhorn of Manning, and Keith Misselhorn and his wife, Shelley of Manning; two grandchildren: Jeremy and Jennifer Misselhorn: his mother, Marie Misselhorn of Manning; his sister, Elaine, Mrs. Fern Davis of Audubon; as well as other relatives and friends.
Ohde Funeral Home in Manning was in charge of arrangements.

Amos Misselhorn is buried in the Manning Catholic Cemetery.
Section B Row #4 north - south.

Log of Amos Misselhorn during WWII

1942 -- Philadelphia, Norfolk, New York, Casablanca, Panama, Noumea, Brisbane, Sydney, Pago Pago, Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Wellington, Melbourne, Perth, Bombay, Melbourne, Bora Bora, Long Beach, Bora Bora, Perth, Bombay, Melbourne, Bora Bora, Long Beach, San Francisco, Noumea, Milue Bay, Noumea, San Francisco, Panama, New York, Liverpool, Belfast, New York, Liverpool, New York, Le Havre, New York, Le Havre, New York.

Number	Went out	Came In
1	November 2, 1942	December 12, 1942
2	December 26, 1942	March 2, 1943
3	March 29, 1943	June 25, 1943
4	July 27, 1943	October 25, 1943
5	November 10, 1943	February 8, 1944
6	March 20, 1944	May 12, 1944
7	May 14, 1944	May 28, 1944
8	June 15, 1944	July 12, 1944
9	August 10, 1944	September 5,1944
10	September 28, 1944	October 25, 1944
11	February 5, 1945	March 5, 1945
12	March 15, 1945	April 11, 1945
13	April 24, 1945	May 23, 1945
14	May 30, 1945	June 17, 1945
15	June 21, 1945	July 10, 1945
16	July 14, 1945	August 2, 1945
17	October 16, 1945	November 6, 1945
18	November 11, 1945	December 18, 1945

Naval Ship the "Hermitage"

657 feet long, 10 decks, 132 feet high, 24,000 tons.

Hermitage was home

July 16 to 24, 1942

March 9 to 12, 1943

February 17 to 24, 1944

July 16 to 19, 1944

November 1 to 13, 1944

August 8 to 20, 1945

December 18, 1945

Manning Monitor articles ------ 1943

Asks Friends To Write
Amos Misselhorn, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Misselhorn, who recently served his basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station writes:
"I want to take this opportunity to say hello to all my friends in Manning, the best little town in the world. I am now stationed at the Navy Yards in Philadelphia and will be here until my ship is completed. I don't know how long this will take but I hope it will be' done soon so I can get out to sea and help put the heat on the Japs or on Hitler.

I would appreciate it very much if some of you home-town folks would write to me as I am kept quite busy. Whoever writes to me can rest assured that I will answer, any letter that I may be lucky! enough to receive. I do hope lots of you will write as I will enjoy every letter. We have some very nice living quarters here and we now sleep in bunks instead of hammocks. Our ship will also have bunks.

"Our food is extra good and we have some very good picture shows that we may attend any night we wish to go. Several of my buddies and I are still together and are on the same ship so you can imagine the fun we do have now. We attend the shows and also buddy all over. "I guess I must close for this time so I want to wish you Manning people lots of luck and health.
Yours truly,
Amos W. Misselhorn, S2-c.,
R. S. Bldg. 655, Navy Yards,
Philadelphia, Pa.

Misselhorn Now on Ship
Amos Misselhorn writes that he is now attached to the U. S. S. Hermitage, a transport.
He says that to date the United States has never lost a transport:

Back Home From Sea
Following is a letter received this week by Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Misselhorn from their son Amos just returned from a trip at sea.

He writes: Dear Mom and Dad "How are you two?
I sincerely hope you are fine. I am still O.K. and I really feel great to be back in the good old United States again.

"I have really seen plenty of new places and beautiful scenery. I never realized nature was really so grand.
"I have been in Samoa, Honolulu, New Caledonia, Australia and have also gone through the Panama Canal. Boy these places are swell and are really pretty.
"Honolulu is nice. They have a good climate and the people are very nice and friendly . I really enjoyed myself.

"The people in Australia are also very nice. The Australian soldiers are nice chaps to talk to and the girls are very friendly and easy to get along with.
"The thing of interest and which was also amusing was the automobiles in Australia. Some of them were run by burning charcoal. The steering wheel is on the right side and they drive on the left side of the street or road.

"I have also experienced the crossing of the Equator and the International Date Line. "We had a very good initiation when we crossed the Equator. Each man had to face the Judge where he was given a sentence and from there on it was really terrific. We were painted, given salt tablets and washed them down with epsom salt, shocked by electricity, put in stocks, given a supposed-tobe haircut, slapped in the face with a mixture of flour and water and then dumped into a pool of nice cool salt water Our trouble was just beginning. After we got out of the pool we had to slide down a plank on our stomach and really had a paddling. From the plank we had to crawl through three large tubs that had onions, fish, etc in them. We were also getting paddled while going thru. After that we were Shellbacks. Boy I sure am glad I am no longer a Pollywog and have to go through all that again.

Crossing the International Date Line was amusing. On crossing it the first time I went to bed on Saturday night and got up on Monday morning. Coming back I went to bed on Monday night and got up on Monday morning.
I have a very nice suntan. Our trip was swell to get plenty of sunshine and fresh air. As a matter of fact I slept on topside or out in the open several nights in January and also some of February. I was thinking of how cold it was at home and how much snow you might have.
Well I guess I had better close as we have corn bread, cake and pumpkin pie to bake tomorrow and I had better have a little sleep.
Give my regards to all the Manning folks.
Note: Amos was scheduled to arrive home last night for a furlough.

Eats Turkey While at Sea
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Misselhorn had a letter from their son Amos, saying: "I have been out on the deep blue sea. I didn't get sea sick boy it sure was swell. We are still at sea, but at the time I am writing we are anchored. I am working in the bakery. Baking some swell things----hot biscuits, pies, cake, bread, etc. My hours vary. I work 10 out of 48. I will be able to get some mail one of these days so I hope I will get some letters to read. Had a swell dinner today. Turkey with all the trimmings. Hope my favorite "Cards" will be winner. Will enclose a poem.
My address: A. W. Misselhorn S2C, U. S. S. Hermitage, S Division, c-o Postmaster, New York City, N. Y.

A Sailor's Dream

We'll fight in any part of the world
Wherever we find the foe.
To Singapore or to Berlin,
Or to Iceland we will go.

We don't care where they send us.
We'll show them how to fight.
And we'll battle to a finish.
For a cause we know is right.

But it was decided.
Each one of us could voice
A wish as to who we'd rather fight.
The Japs would be my choice.

Cause I've always dreamed of an Island,
Down on the other side.
Where the palm trees sway in the moonlight
And the boats sail in with the tide.

There are thousands of these islands
That speckle the Indian Sea.
And I've always felt that somehow
There must be one for me.

And when the war is over,
And freedom reigns once more.
I'd build a little schooner,
And sail to my island's shore.

I'd take my darling with me.
and we'd live, work and play.
And be charmed by the beauty around us.
And wish never to sail away.
But before all this can happen.
We've got to rule the sea.
Cause the Japs have their eyes on these islands
And we've got to keep them Free.

More Manning Monitor Articles on Amos