Dierken remains mystery
With few available records to identify the men for whom this American Legion was chartered, post adjutant and secretary Chuck Hetrick is trying to fill in the blanks.
To date, he has verified few statistics for Lloyd D. Dierken, with more progress for Charles Vincent Ritzert. Listed as both Charles Vincent and Vincent Charles in newspapers and other records, the soldier was killed in action on the firing line with Co. G of the 125th Infantry.
The 31-year-old soldier was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Ritzert of Donegal Township. According to microfilm of a local newspaper society page, he also was survived by his siblings "Mrs. Cecelia Geagin of Eau Claire; Augusta, Margaret, Frances, Clarence and Florence, all of Chicora; Regina and Neova at home; and Mrs. Helena Burk of Sugar Creek."According to another article, "he had been in France five months and according to the last letter received by his mother on July 25, he had just been sent to a rest camp after 90 days in the trenches."
