Private First Class
United States Marine Corps
Glenn Edward Schwerdtfeger, son of Harold L. and Margaret A. Schwerdtfeger, was born in West Liberty, Iowa on 27 November 1924.
As a child, Glenn’s hobbies included putting together wooden airplanes and building matchstick houses.
A 1942 graduate of Saint Ambrose Academy, Glenn was a carrier for the Davenport Morning Democrat in West Liberty and Bettendorf for seven years. In addition to his paper route, Glenn cleaned the classrooms after school. Both jobs helped pay for his at Saint Ambrose Academy. Until he was able to buy a car, Glenn would ride his bicycle from home to Saint Ambrose Academy. Finally, the big day came when he bought a 1937 Nash Lafayette, his pride and joy.
After his high school graduation, Glenn worked at Bettendorf’s Ordnance Steel Foundry Company. His last job before joining the United States Marine Corps was with the Kohrs Packing plant in Davenport.
On 27 May 1943, Glenn was inducted in the United States Marine Corps. He took his basic training at San Diego, California where he was awarded a medal for rifle and bayonet training and another as an expert rifleman, tho he had never handled a weapon before enlisting. He received additional training at Camp Elliott, California before going overseas in December 1943. After being stationed on Guadalcanal for a while, he was assigned to Company K, 9th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. They would eventually take part in the invasion of Iwo Jima.
Glenn’s parents received a War Department telegram informing that Glenn was Killed-In-Action on Iwo Jima on 1 March 1945.
Glenn was survived by his parents; three sisters, Mary Claire Krell, Nyline Elizabeth Six, and Margaret Alice (Peggy) Sexton; and four brothers, George Louis, Harold Louis Jr., Andrew James, Allen Jerome, and Roger Lyle.
Private First Class Glenn Edward Schwerdtfeger, United States Marine Corps, is buried in West Liberty’s Mount Calvary Cemetery.
Source of Information:
1. Updated family information from Peggy Sexton in an e-mail dated 13 January 2004. Peggy is Glenn’s sister.
2. Davenport Democrat and Times, 12 April 1945, page 1.
3. National Archives, World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel for the State of Iowa.
4. National World War II Memorial veteran’s registry; http://www.wwiimemorial.com/.
5. Updated information from Peggy Sexton in an e-mail dated 21 February 2004.
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