Serial Number 37662561; Enlisted Camp Dodge, Herrold, Iowa February 20, 1943
T-5 Willis Grimm, 21, went into service in February 1943. He left for overseas service in December 1943. He landed in England on New Year's Day, has been in France and Belgium and now is in Germany.
Memorial services for Willis Grimm of Missouri Valley were held Tuesday, May 21st at the
Jeff Grimm home in Missouri Valley at 7:00 p.m. Pastor Milton Giesler of the United Methodist Church officiated.
Willis Henry Grimm was born on May 30, 1923, the youngest of 10 children. He passed away May 19, 1985.
After spending much of his youth in the Manning area, Bill served in the U.S. Army as a
member of the 612th Engineer Company in World War II.
After the war he returned to Manning and married Muriel Eickman on October 23, 1951.
Five children were born to this union: Jeffrey Francis, Sally Ann, Kathy Jo, Amy Jane and
Chad Allen. From Manning they moved to Missouri Valley.
In Missouri Valley, as he had previously, Bill made a living as a meat cutter. At one time
even owning his own store, called "Grimm's Meat Market." After retiring Bill enjoyed
fishing, gardening, and just visiting with neighbors.
Along with his five children Bill is survived by two granddaughters, Currie and Kali
Liljedahl; one sister, Dolores Balukoff of Manning; 4 brothers, Ernest and Edwin Grimm
of Manning, Paul Grimm of Moline, Illinois, and George Grimm of North Carolina.
Manning Monitor article------ 1943
Willis Grimm Home on Furlough Willis Grimm Writes Willis Grimm sends us a change of address and thanks for the home paper. He also sends seasons greetings to all the boys in the service as well as the folks at home. Manning Monitor article------ 1944
Willis Grimm Writes from France
I would like to say hello to all the people back there. They are all doing a very good job
toward winning the war. They surely couldn't do more if they were here. Manning Monitor article s------ 1945
Thanks for Greetings and Gifts First of all, I wish to express my thanks to all my many friends who sent me gifts and greeting card's for the holiday season. I can't express what that means to me but I know it will never be forgotten. I would like to write each and every one of you to express my thanks but that is impossible just now. But I must say that such things certainly show what we are fighting for. So I thank you very much. I am now in Belgium, which is very nice. The people here will do anything for the Americans, and they are really clean and neat; but just now are a little scared of the Germans coming back. The worst place I was in was Germany. But not being able to be
friendly with the civilians is the worst of it. For it is nice to be friendly to people, for that is
about all the amusement there is. But the sign language sure is in use again. Lots of fun!
These isn't any more news to write about so I will close for this, time. I again want to thank
all and the Legion and Monitor for the paper. |