Harold Erkman

This article by Penny Shreve appeared in the Wayne County Press a couple years ago in the Memorial Day section.

Harold Erkman was 27 when he died during World War II, leaving behind a little girl.

His daughter is Trixie Lathrop of Wayne City.  She never knew either of her parents.  Her dad was reported missing in February of 1944 when she was three; her mother, the former Iva Colclasure, died three months after Trixie was born, of complications related to childbirth.

Harold was in the service twice, the first time attaining the rank of Sergeant.  But as the story is told, he was reduced to a Private after he reportedly got in a fight with a superior officer.

"He was a rebel," Trixie says.  "That was the story I was told."

Harold got out of the service, worked at Caterpillar in Peoria, and married Iva in April of 1939.  Trixie came along in 1940, and Iva died shortly thereafter.  Then when Trixie was a toddler, World War II erupted.  Harold knew he would be called back into the service, so he got things in order and reported to duty.

Harold permitted his aunt to adopt Trixie; she was adopted and raised by Anna and Lonnie Wheeler. [Okay here's the real deal:  Trixie was adopted by Harold's father, her grandfather Henry.  Henry was between wives at the time and asked his sister Anna and her husband Lonnie to take Trixie.]

Although specifics about Harold's death are unclear, it is believed that he was assigned in Northern Africa, and his group worked its way through Italy.  It is believed that Harold died in the assault on Monte Casino Abbey, south of Rome.

"He was reported missing Feb. 11, 1944, but I don't know when they reported him killed in action," said Trixie.  "Luke Leach was over there and was his best friend.  He said (of Harold's death) 12 guys went out to take a machine gun nest and only one came back."

Harold was buried in a cemetery in Italy, but later the bodies of those soldiers were exhumed and brought home for burial.  Trixie was eight years old and remembers when her dad's body was returned for burial in Thomason Cemetery.  

It's hard for Trixie to imagine what her dad went through, having lost his wife, then having to give up his only child before going back into the service.

"It would just kill me to have to give up one of my kids," she said. "But I'm grateful that he had the foresight to take care of his child before he left."