My step-father, Bill Johnson, was in the same Cavalry National Guard unit as Fred. This troop of area boys trained at a horse arena on Richmond Avenue here on Ottumwa's south side.
The other fellows in their National Guard unit called Fred, "Hazzie." Fred played the trumpet and was quite good at it, playing in small bands in the Ottumwa area. He was made the bugler for his troop.
Fred also loved to have fun. According to Bill, while the troop was stationed at Camp Bowie, Fred quietly worked up a swing version of "Taps." He played his swing version one evening at dusk, over the camp's public address system, on his trumpet instead of his bugle. This earned him several weeks of KP duty. Fred was always up to something and spent a good deal of time doing KP duty. However, in the end, this fun-loving boy from Ottumwa bravely manned his station until the end, sacrificing his life for his country and earning the Silver Star and Purple Heart Awards.
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Obituary From Ottumwa Daily Courier, Wednesday, May 18, 1949, Page 26:
The body of Pvt. Fred E. Haselton, above, son of the late Fred Haselton of Ottumwa route 7, will arrive at the Burlington depot Thursday at 4 p.m. and will be taken to the Johnson funeral chapel where military services will be held Friday at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Charles A. Albin of the Church of the Brethren and members of the American Legion will be in charge. Burial will be in Shaul cemetery.
Born in Ottumwa, October 1, 1921, he attended public school here and was a member of the First Christian church. He enlisted in troop E of the 113th cavalry of the Iowa national guard (later redesignated as troop C of the 113th cavalry H-Mechanized) April 2, 1939. He was inducted into active military service January 13, 1941, and spent two years at Camp Bowie, Tex., and one year in Camp Polk, La., before going overseas in January, 1944.
Private Haselton was killed in action August 30, 1944, while serving with a mechanized unit north of Paris. He was 23 years old at the time of his death which occurred as the result of a direct hit on the armored car in which he was serving as gunner. Haselton's vehicle, lead car in the reconnaissance platoon, was caught in heavy fire from a concealed enemy antitank weapon. He remained at his post, firing into the enemy position until he was killed. He received the Silver Star and Purple Heart awards.
Surviving are his mother, Hattie; two sisters, Mrs. W.T. McElroy of Ottumwa, and Mrs. Maxine Carter of Muscatine; and a brother, Thomas Cason of Ottumwa route 3.
The other fellows in their National Guard unit called Fred, "Hazzie." Fred played the trumpet and was quite good at it, playing in small bands in the Ottumwa area. He was made the bugler for his troop.
Fred also loved to have fun. According to Bill, while the troop was stationed at Camp Bowie, Fred quietly worked up a swing version of "Taps." He played his swing version one evening at dusk, over the camp's public address system, on his trumpet instead of his bugle. This earned him several weeks of KP duty. Fred was always up to something and spent a good deal of time doing KP duty. However, in the end, this fun-loving boy from Ottumwa bravely manned his station until the end, sacrificing his life for his country and earning the Silver Star and Purple Heart Awards.
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Obituary From Ottumwa Daily Courier, Wednesday, May 18, 1949, Page 26:
The body of Pvt. Fred E. Haselton, above, son of the late Fred Haselton of Ottumwa route 7, will arrive at the Burlington depot Thursday at 4 p.m. and will be taken to the Johnson funeral chapel where military services will be held Friday at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Charles A. Albin of the Church of the Brethren and members of the American Legion will be in charge. Burial will be in Shaul cemetery.
Born in Ottumwa, October 1, 1921, he attended public school here and was a member of the First Christian church. He enlisted in troop E of the 113th cavalry of the Iowa national guard (later redesignated as troop C of the 113th cavalry H-Mechanized) April 2, 1939. He was inducted into active military service January 13, 1941, and spent two years at Camp Bowie, Tex., and one year in Camp Polk, La., before going overseas in January, 1944.
Private Haselton was killed in action August 30, 1944, while serving with a mechanized unit north of Paris. He was 23 years old at the time of his death which occurred as the result of a direct hit on the armored car in which he was serving as gunner. Haselton's vehicle, lead car in the reconnaissance platoon, was caught in heavy fire from a concealed enemy antitank weapon. He remained at his post, firing into the enemy position until he was killed. He received the Silver Star and Purple Heart awards.
Surviving are his mother, Hattie; two sisters, Mrs. W.T. McElroy of Ottumwa, and Mrs. Maxine Carter of Muscatine; and a brother, Thomas Cason of Ottumwa route 3.
My step-father, Bill Johnson, was in the same Cavalry National Guard unit as Fred. This troop of area boys trained at a horse arena on Richmond Avenue here on Ottumwa's south side.
The other fellows in their National Guard unit called Fred, "Hazzie." Fred played the trumpet and was quite good at it, playing in small bands in the Ottumwa area. He was made the bugler for his troop.
Fred also loved to have fun. According to Bill, while the troop was stationed at Camp Bowie, Fred quietly worked up a swing version of "Taps." He played his swing version one evening at dusk, over the camp's public address system, on his trumpet instead of his bugle. This earned him several weeks of KP duty. Fred was always up to something and spent a good deal of time doing KP duty. However, in the end, this fun-loving boy from Ottumwa bravely manned his station until the end, sacrificing his life for his country and earning the Silver Star and Purple Heart Awards.
---------------
Obituary From Ottumwa Daily Courier, Wednesday, May 18, 1949, Page 26:
The body of Pvt. Fred E. Haselton, above, son of the late Fred Haselton of Ottumwa route 7, will arrive at the Burlington depot Thursday at 4 p.m. and will be taken to the Johnson funeral chapel where military services will be held Friday at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Charles A. Albin of the Church of the Brethren and members of the American Legion will be in charge. Burial will be in Shaul cemetery.
Born in Ottumwa, October 1, 1921, he attended public school here and was a member of the First Christian church. He enlisted in troop E of the 113th cavalry of the Iowa national guard (later redesignated as troop C of the 113th cavalry H-Mechanized) April 2, 1939. He was inducted into active military service January 13, 1941, and spent two years at Camp Bowie, Tex., and one year in Camp Polk, La., before going overseas in January, 1944.
Private Haselton was killed in action August 30, 1944, while serving with a mechanized unit north of Paris. He was 23 years old at the time of his death which occurred as the result of a direct hit on the armored car in which he was serving as gunner. Haselton's vehicle, lead car in the reconnaissance platoon, was caught in heavy fire from a concealed enemy antitank weapon. He remained at his post, firing into the enemy position until he was killed. He received the Silver Star and Purple Heart awards.
Surviving are his mother, Hattie; two sisters, Mrs. W.T. McElroy of Ottumwa, and Mrs. Maxine Carter of Muscatine; and a brother, Thomas Cason of Ottumwa route 3.
The other fellows in their National Guard unit called Fred, "Hazzie." Fred played the trumpet and was quite good at it, playing in small bands in the Ottumwa area. He was made the bugler for his troop.
Fred also loved to have fun. According to Bill, while the troop was stationed at Camp Bowie, Fred quietly worked up a swing version of "Taps." He played his swing version one evening at dusk, over the camp's public address system, on his trumpet instead of his bugle. This earned him several weeks of KP duty. Fred was always up to something and spent a good deal of time doing KP duty. However, in the end, this fun-loving boy from Ottumwa bravely manned his station until the end, sacrificing his life for his country and earning the Silver Star and Purple Heart Awards.
---------------
Obituary From Ottumwa Daily Courier, Wednesday, May 18, 1949, Page 26:
The body of Pvt. Fred E. Haselton, above, son of the late Fred Haselton of Ottumwa route 7, will arrive at the Burlington depot Thursday at 4 p.m. and will be taken to the Johnson funeral chapel where military services will be held Friday at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Charles A. Albin of the Church of the Brethren and members of the American Legion will be in charge. Burial will be in Shaul cemetery.
Born in Ottumwa, October 1, 1921, he attended public school here and was a member of the First Christian church. He enlisted in troop E of the 113th cavalry of the Iowa national guard (later redesignated as troop C of the 113th cavalry H-Mechanized) April 2, 1939. He was inducted into active military service January 13, 1941, and spent two years at Camp Bowie, Tex., and one year in Camp Polk, La., before going overseas in January, 1944.
Private Haselton was killed in action August 30, 1944, while serving with a mechanized unit north of Paris. He was 23 years old at the time of his death which occurred as the result of a direct hit on the armored car in which he was serving as gunner. Haselton's vehicle, lead car in the reconnaissance platoon, was caught in heavy fire from a concealed enemy antitank weapon. He remained at his post, firing into the enemy position until he was killed. He received the Silver Star and Purple Heart awards.
Surviving are his mother, Hattie; two sisters, Mrs. W.T. McElroy of Ottumwa, and Mrs. Maxine Carter of Muscatine; and a brother, Thomas Cason of Ottumwa route 3.
Inscription
FRED E HASELTON
IOWA
PVT 125 CAV RCN SQ
WORLD WAR II
OCT. 1, 1921 - AUG. 30, 1944
