12/25/1944
Harold Carlyle Campbell, son of Laura E. and Carlyle B. Campbell, was born in Omaha, Nebr., August. 11, 1924
He attended public school at Verdel, Nebr., at the age of five. He moved with his parents to Lynch, Nebr., where he was
baptized in the Methodist church in. May 1930. Two years later the family moved to a farm near Monowi, Nebr., where Harold, at the age of eight, won the township contest in, arithmetic and was second in the county spelling contest.
Five years of privation on that desolate farm brought him very close to God and nature., and to the last, he dreamed of returning. He used to go hunting many times but never with a gun. Here the character was built that was respected by all who knew him He graduated from the Knoxville high school in May 1943 and was made a member of the National Honor Society.
During his spare time from school, he was a projectionist at the Marion and Grand theaters and also worked for A. M. Black as an electrician’s helper.
He was a member of the First Methodist church here having joined on March 21, 1943. He also found time to teach a class in Sunday school.
Upon graduation in May 1943, he entered the armed service of his country and was placed in a medical unit at Camp Barkley, Texas. Passing various aptitude tests he was selected to attend the State University of Missouri where he completed his course in engineering with high honors. He was then transferred to Camp Rucker, Ala., and assigned to an infantry regiment, and given machine-gun training. In August he was made head machine gunner for the 66th Division.
His last furlough home was in August 1944, He was in England on December 5, 1944. The last letter received from him was written on December 21 in which he told of a wonderful trip to London in which he visited many historical places. This was four days before he was killed in action as the result of the destruction and sinking at sea of an American transport, carrying troops in the European theater of operations, on Christmas day, 1944.
Besides his parents, a brother, Robert; two sisters, Sheila Ann and Laura Louise, and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. F. H.
Cunningham, of Sioux City, and many friends, survive.
A memorial service was held at the Knoxville Methodist church Sunday evening, Feb. 4, 1945, in charge of the Rev. John F. Rex, pastor of the church.