Duane R. Bartels

1923 - 1988

The two sailor sons of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels, who had not seen each other for more than three years met in the Bartels home Tuesday. Seaman Duane Bartels came from Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in the morning and Coxswain Warren Bartels from New York in the afternoon. Coxswain Bartels will report to New York for sea duty in 12 days. He has been in the service for 30 months, spending 16 months In the Pacific and a year in the Atlantic.
Seaman Bartels has a 15-day leave from the hospital at Glenwood Springs. He has been in service for more than three years. Three years ago this July, he was injured by shrapnel at Salerno.
Carroll Daily Times Herald, June 9, 1945

Manning Monitor articles ------ 1943

Likes The Navy
Duane R. Bartels, son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels stated in a recent letter to his parents that he likes the navy fine and likes training at Great Lakes.
He states that the motto at Great Lakes is "Keep Clean and Keep Smiling."
His address is 43rd Reg., 25th Batt., Co. 104, U.S.N.T.S., Great Lakes, Ill.

In Plenty of Excitement
Duane Bartels, S 2-c writes from somewhere at sea-dated July 12. He sends regards home and asks for his brother, Warren's address. He says: "We have been on quite a big expedition for the last couple of days. If you will notice the date you probably know what I mean. I saw a lot of excitement and came out without a scratch.
Boy! The excitement isn't any too pleasant but I am ready to go back for more because the sooner we get it over, the sooner I can come home."

In closing he says, "keep your letters coming."
I'll wait until I get back and tell you all about them. The trains are another relic. They remind you of the old trains displayed at fairs, but they get along with them O.K.
They usually have so many Arabs hanging on them---no fancy streamliners like home."
He closes by sending regards to all.

Duane Bartels Injured In Action
Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels have received a letter from a Red Cross nurse stating that their son, Duane, a seaman, had been injured and that he was receiving excellent care in an American base hospital.
The letter stated that Duane was in good spirits and was a son to be proud of. The extent or nature of the injury was not stated but said that he would soon be well.

Duane participated in the first invasion of Sicily and in a major battle since that time. His parents had received a letter from him dated July 20.

Duane Bartels Injured In Africa
Duane Bartels, son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels, was injured in battle, probably in the Sicilian campaign and is now in a station hospital. He is in the Navy. He writes as follows:
Dear Mom and Dad: I know you are wondering why I have not written and I told the Red Cross to let you know I had been hurt. I am getting along just fine. I imagine it will be quite awhile before I am ready to go again, although my injury was not very serious.
I am at an army hospital and they take very good care of me. The place is also cool and that helps a lot. When I first came in it was pretty lonesome but I am getting used to it now.
How is everything at home? I hope just fine. I sure will be glad when I get back. Has Warren been assigned to a ship or did he make a trade school.

Please excuse this horrible writing because I am writing it lying on my back. I sure hope you can read it.
Well folks, there isn't much more to write but I do wish to assure you I am getting along just fine. Here is hoping you are O.K.
Love, your son, Duane.
(Those wishing to write to Duane may get his address from his parents.)

Bartels Hear From Sons
Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels received two nice Christmas gifts the past week in the form of two telephone calls from their sons in the Navy. Duane called from New, York where he is recovering from wounds received in the African war theatre.
He expects to be home for Christmas.

Warren called from California stating that he was again back in port following an ocean voyage.
Mr. and Mrs. Bartels were of course glad to hear their sons' voices and to learn they were both in good health.

Duane Bartels, Injured In Sicily, Visits Parents
Duane Bartel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels will spend Christmas in his home here.
He has been in Manning the past week.
Duane will return to the naval hospital on Long Island, N. Y, for further treatment and to recuperate from injuries suffered in the invasion of Sicily. Duane is using a couple of crutches to get, around now but says that he will be back in there in a few months.

Bartels, a former Manning High athlete, was injured last summer when the allied forces were driving into Sicely. He had just left an early morning watch when the alarm was given that enemy planes were coming over.
He rushed on deck to take his station and was injured severely when the first wave of planes went over.
For two and a half hours the attack continued. During that time Duane administered what first aid to himself he could and waited for medical attention. He was struck in the thigh and groin by a piece of shell.
His condition was critical for some time, but thanks to expert medical attention and the presence of supplies, he was brought back to health.
For many weeks he was in a hospital station overseas and later in the naval hospital in New York.

Duane Bartels Sends Father A Birthday Gift
Last week, Mr. Grover Bartels celebrated his birthday. One of his most treasured gifts was a pencil portrait of his son Duane, now in an army hospital in northern Africa, recovering from a broken hip, suffered August 1st when he was injured by enemy aircraft.
Duane is in the U. S Navy.
The portrait was drawn by Frenchman, a patient in the same hospital with "Tommy."

Manning Monitor articles ------ 1944

Duane Bartels Receives The Purple Heart
Duane Bartels. S2/c, son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels of Manning, was awarded the Purple Heart medal Saturday, May 20, at the U. S. Naval hospital at Norman, Oklahoma.
The Purple Heart is a medal awarded for wounds received in action against an authorized enemy.
Duane was wounded during an air raid at Palermo, Sicily, while at his station as a gunner on a 20 mm gun on a PC 627 sub-chaser. The action occurred August 1, 1943.

Honored at Hospital
The following appears in the hospital Gauzette, published at the Naval Hospital at Norman, Oklahoma, and received by Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels of Manning.
So PROUDLY We Hail:
To talk with this week's candidate for "So Proudly We Hail," we had to trek to Ward 25 where he is recuperating from an operation for wounds received in Sicily. He is D. R. Bartels, S 2/c, U. S. N. R., whom you will probably remember as being the recipient of the Purple Heart some weeks ago.

This husky, quiet, good-humored lad was born and raised in the little town of Manning, Iowa. He enlisted in the navy in January of 1943, and took "boot" training at Great Lakes. He spent less time on shore than a good many fellows being sent directly from "boot camp" to Norfolk, Va., where he boarded a P. C. Boat.

His craft saw plenty of action mostly while convoying supplies from Africa to Sicily. In fact they did convoy duty all over the Mediterranean.
They were with the initial task force in the invasion of Sicily. It was at Palermo during an air raid that Bartels was wounded. His ship suffered a hit and fragments tore into his thigh breaking the bone.
Transferred to an army hospital at Oran, he spent a month and a half convalescing before his return to the States. He spent several months at the U, S. Naval hospital, St. Albans, N. Y. He was sent here February 29 of this year for further treatment.
He grinned and said, "I hope this one (operation) does it." Besides the Purple Heart he has ribbons for the African and American theatres of war.
Considering the thousands of patients who are in the hospital the selection of Bartels for candidate of So Proudly We Hail is a great honor.

Manning Monitor articles ------ 1945

Duane Bartels Going To School
Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels have received a letter from G. E. Wadsack, registrar at the University of Oklahoma, at Norman, OklaI homa where their son Duane R. Bartels, S 2-c has been attending school.
Duane was transferred the day before Christmas to Glenwood Springs, Colo. He had taken his semester tests three weeks before the completion of the semester.

Mr. Wadsack says that Duane had completed both of his courses satisfactorily at the University of Oklahoma and has received credit in intermediate algebra and freshman English. He received a grade of "C" in Mathematics and a grade of "B" in English. Those grades are above the average required for graduation.

They also state, "We are happy to have had your son with us and if he does not choose some college near home under the provision of the G. I. Bills of Rights, we would like to see him come back to Oklahoma."

Duane has spent a great deal of time in various government hospitals here and overseas but he has never given up. He no longer needs a cane or crutches and is improving steadily in every way.
With his parents, the people of Manning are proud of him and the record he has made.

Duane Bartels, S2/c, arrived in Manning Tuesday morning to spend a 15-day hospital leave in the home of his parents, Mr and Mrs. Grower Bartels and family. Duane is receiving treatments in the naval hospital at Glenwood Springs, Colo., recovering from wounds suffered Aug. 1, 1943, in a strafing raid at Sicily a few days after that island was invaded.
His brother, Coxswain Warren Bartels, is also expected home this week on leave from his duties onboard a troop transport.

More Education for Discharged Veteran
Duane Bartels, son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bartels, who has been in the navy two and one-half years; was given a medical discharge at the hospital at Glenwood Springs; Colo. July 13, and arrived home on Monday evening.

Duane reported his term of service, "to be exact" was two years, five months, 25 days, three hours, five minutes and 20 seconds.

Wounded in the battle effecting a satisfactory landing on Sicily, Duane has been hospitalized at several points and stated today he would always feel the effects of the injury he sustained when his ship was struck.

His plans for the future call for a continuation of his education and tentatively he hopes to return to Oklahoma university at Norman, to further studies under the G. I. bill of rights.

DUANE RALPH BARTELS
Manning Monitor May 12, 1988

Funeral services for Duane Ralph Bartels, 65, were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 20 at the Memorial Drive Christian Church with Rev. Doug Skinner and Rev. Zena McAdams officiating. Burial was in the Memorial Oaks Cemetery with Glenn Hager, Linus Dinges, Phillip Lane, Jim Wilkerson, Ray LaGarde and Roger Dungan as casketbearers.

Duane Bartels, son of Grover and Emma Bartels, was born March 3, 1923 in Manning, Iowa. He married Betty Lou Alexander in Marysville, Kansas, on December 23, 1946.

Duane attended school in Manning and graduated with the class of 1939.

Duane was a member and past Deacon and Elder of Memorial Drive Christian Church, and was also a member of the Landman's Association. He died April 16, 1988 in a Houston hospital.

Survivors include his wife, Betty L. Bartels of Katy, Texas; son and daughter-in-law, Thomas D. and Eleanor Bartels of Houston, Texas; daughter, Pamela Bartels Miller of Katy, Texas; grandchildren Melissa, Jennifer, Amy and Alex Bartels of Houston, Texas; and a brother, Warren Bartels of Moranhill, California.

Cards may be sent to Mrs. Betty Bartels, 3122 Brant, Katy, Texas 77449.