Iowa WWII Veterans Bonus application for Everett R. Van Der Werf  who was then living in Torrance, CA.

Everett left the U.S. for overseas duty

He listed his service organizations at that time as having been listed service units as Co B, 168th Infantry, 34th Division; 508th PIR; Co F, and the 133rd Infantry, 34th Division.

Returning to the U.S on 14  September 1945, , he was discharged a week later.

When he subsequently joined the air Force is unknown but it may have come as the consequence of a recall of recently discharged personnel when the action in Korea fired up.

[courtesy of Duke Fuller]

 Grave marker for Everett R. Van Der Werf in the Churchyard, Map 2, Lot 1282, Space 4 of the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress (Orange county), California.

Everett enlisted in the Army at Des Moines, IA on 10 February 1941.  He already held the rank of Corporal in the National Guard but had to accept the lesser rank of Pfc when he went on active duty.

Pfc Van Der Werf was transferred from Hq 82nd Airborne Division, Leicester England Service Company, 508th PIR on 12 September 1944.

On 8 December 1944 he was transferred to Company B, just 10 days prior to the regiment being called up for the Battle of The Bulge.  On 20 December 1944 Pfc Van Der Werf was wounded in action and evacuated to a field hospital. He rejoined the company on 25 February 1945.

Based on his grave marker inscription he later transitioned to the newly formed Air Force and served during the Korean Conflict/

His military decorations include the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge awarded for action during the campaign, 18 Dec 1944 to 20 Feb 1945.