Dwayne Lavern Blackman

   General Notes:

In about 1929, Dad was working in the field with his father and was climbing up the spokes of the wheel to get into the wagon when the horse moved and he fell. He was stepped on by the horse and almost died. His Dad grabbed him and ran to the house, and then drove him to the Doctor. Since then he has always had a scar on the left side of his neck and a small speech impediment or lisp.
In the winter of 1937, spring of 1938, Dad missed school while working Pa Mervards farm after he broke his leg. later in 1938 he worked for a man named Bill Agen in Glenwood, until the summer of 1939. Mr. Agen was a judge and had a farm, he bought Dwayne clothes and shoes to wear to school in the eighth grade. Dad then went into the 3 C camp in the fall of 1939.
His brother Bob was in the same 3 C camp in 1937, and Richard in the fall of 1940. Dwayne worked making levees and also was a guard at night and cooked with someone named Sid Barns. There was a man named Lusfenwant that was a dentist in the Hospital at the camp.
Dad was on leave, walking down 16th Ave. near home when he heard about Pearl Harbor on some-ones radio.
When Dad was at Faid Pass, he didn't want to go back to camp when his relief came. He was settled in for the night and because of that, a friend named Wilber Chany stayed with him. They were both captured the next day, along with many others.
February 17th was always a day he would remember. He joined the Army on February 17, 1941, shipped out overseas on February 17, 1942, and was captured in Northern Africa on February 17, 1943.
This was related to me by both Dad and Uncle Richard Blackman. (Jeff Blackman)
Old newspaper clipping said He was reported missing in action in Feburary 0f 1943. Also says he was inturned at Stalag 5B on June 6, 1943, and released June of 1945.

   Marriage Information:

Dwayne married Eleanore Elizabeth Catherine Koch, daughter of Roy Jerome Koch and Mary Ann Kipp, on 10 Jul 1946 in Reno, Nevada. (Eleanore Elizabeth Catherine Koch was born on 28 Apr 1920 in Sidney, Montana, died on 14 Dec 1997 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattame County, Iowa and was buried on 17 Dec 1997 in Imogene, Fremont County, Iowa.)