WHAT'S THIS?
Vol. II, No. 2
HEARTBEATS IN SWINGTIME
Once again the boys from Skokie -
including their band - will be our guests
on Wednesday, February 9, for a Valentine
Dance at Rand Park Field House from 8 to
11 p.m. Since the band must leave at 11,
be there by 8 so you won’t miss any of the
fun.
The program will include violin numbers
by Doris Neve, a toe dance by Jo Ann
Schiller (Virginia and Art’s young daughter),
two numbers by June Rold’s pupils - and the
peak of the evening will be a rhumba by
Mary Bynum and Wally Derer.
So - spread the news to your friends -
and remember that donations will be accepted
at the door to defray expenses.
BOMB WAKE ISLAND!
Navy bombers which raided Wake Island
on January 30 and 31 dropped more than
20 tons of bombs on runway and ground
installations, starting large fires.
That’s the way the road to Tokio [Tokyo] must be
paved - and all of us with the memories
of Bataan bitterly fresh want to ’’Let
’em have it!"
V/e all know the most direct way
we can help is through War Bonds. WDCA
members have an opportunity to serve by
selling War Bonds in the booth at Walgreens,
which we are staffing each afternoon and
evening until February 15.
If you haven’t already volunteered -
or even if you have - see Fannie Sladek to
get a shift when you can help make it con-
venient for Des Plaines folks to ’’Back the
Attack;"
(continued from pg. 1, col.2)
Both boys attended Maine Township High
School and before entering active service
John was employed by Minneapolis Honeywell
Corporation and Don was employed by the
Great American Insurance Company.
4
February 3, 1944
LAUER BOYS- TYPICAL LEATHERNECKS
Staff Sergeant John G. Lauer and
Sergeant Don 0. Lauer are two of the
many Des Plaines hoys now serving in the
United States Marine Corps overseas,
after two years of inactive service in
the Marine Corps Reserves, they were
called into active duty in November of
1940 and were sent to the Marine Base at
San Diego, California. They were stationed there until after Pearl Harbor.
In February, 1942, John left for over-
seas duty in a Marine Raider Battalion.
He participated in raids on Makin, Mid-
way, and Guadalcanal among, others, under
the leadership of Col. Carlson and Capt.
James Roosevelt. Upon his recent pro-
motion to Staff Sergeant he was trans-
ferred to Headquarters Company of the
Second Marine Raiders, At the present
time he is still stationed somewhere in
the Southwest Pacific theatre.
Don left the States in June 1942
and landed with the Marines in their
original landing; on August 7 at Tulagi,
and shortly thereafter was transferred
to Guadalcanal where he served cn ac-
tive duty as a machine gunner until
January 30, 1943. He contracted malaria
fever and was among these sent to Well-
ington, New Zealand for medical treat-
ment. while in the hospital there it
was discovered that he had sustained an
injury to his shoulder which required
surgical attention, but due to the
malaria fever it was impossible for an
operation to be performed. . He, there-
fore, was returned to the States in July
1943 and was granted a 30-day furlough
which he spent with his sister, Mary
Kay Lauer of Des Plaines. In September,
1943, he returned to the Naval Hospital
in San Diego where the necessary opera-
tion was performed. ..bout the end of
November he returned to active duty and
shortly thereafter left again for duty
in the Pacific area.
(continued on page 1, column 1)
