Donald died while on the S.S. Leopoldville in the English Channel. The ship was sunk by a German U-boat on Christmas Eve, 1944. The gov't kept the details a secret for 50 years. There is a memorial stone with his family in the Riverside Cemetery, Prophetstown, as well as two memorials listing all who lost on the SS Leopoldville at Ft. Benning, GA and in Titusville, FL. He is also mentioned in Allen Andrade's book: "Leopoldville: A Tragedy Too Long Secret."∼TAMPICO TORNADO
Thursday, April 26, 1945, Pg. 1;3
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DONALD P. DRONENBERG
Memorial services were held at the Methodist church in Prophetstown Sunday afternoon at 2:30 for T/Sgt. Donald P. Dronenberg who lost his life December 25, 1944, when the troop ship he was on was sunk in the English Channel.
Rev. Wm. Nelson, pastor of the church, used as his topic, "He Speaks to Us, Still." Organ music by V. R. Olmstead; a vocal duet by Dorothy Matthews and Martha Sibley and an anthem by the Angelus choif furnished the special music. The colors were advanced by the American Legion Post of Prophetstown in charge of the service.
The flag, a gift from the United States Government, was presented to T/Sgt. Dronenberg's mother by James Kirkham, Legion chaplain. A salute was fired by the firing squad outside of the church and Taps were sounded.
The altar was decorated with two large baskets of flowers; a large photograph of Donald in uniform and his service cap placed on a white wooden cross. [photo of T/Sgt. Dronenberg]
Donald P. Dronenberg was born in Fairfield Township, Bureau County, July 26, 1918. He attended the district schools there, graduated from the Tampico high school in 1936 and moved to Prophetstown with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Dronenberg in July, 1939. He was employed by the Eclipse Lawn Mower Co. before leaving for Camp Forest. He joined Company M in October 1939. He served as an instructor of infantry in several camps until he left Camp Rucker, Ala. last fall, shortly before leaving for overseas duty. He was a member of the 66th Division and had been in England over a month.
Donald Pershing Dronenberg made his first public confession of faith April 10, 1938, and was baptized shortly afterwards in the Tampico Church of Christ. Living near New Bedford, he attended the Christian church there frequently and also attended the Methodist church in Prophetstown, his newly adopted community. While at the various camps he always preferred to worship in some local church rather than in the camp chapel, for the church seemed more homelike and natural to him.
Besides his parents he leaves to mourn his departure, two sisters, Mrs. Donald Peterson of Princeton, Ill. and Mrs. John Peterson of Cristobal, Canal Zone; his maternal grandmother Mrs. Kate Brady of Rock Island; a nephew, Eldon Peterson of Princeton; and many friends.
∼On Christmas Eve 1944, the Belgium troopship Leopoldville, left the pier at Southampton, England with over 2,000 American soldiers assigned to the 66th Infantry Division and crossed the English Channel to France. Just 5 1/2 miles from its destination, Cherbourg, the Leopoldville was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-486. There were 763 American soldiers killed and the bodies of 493 were never recovered from the Channel's frigid 48 degree waters.
Thursday, April 26, 1945, Pg. 1;3
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DONALD P. DRONENBERG
Memorial services were held at the Methodist church in Prophetstown Sunday afternoon at 2:30 for T/Sgt. Donald P. Dronenberg who lost his life December 25, 1944, when the troop ship he was on was sunk in the English Channel.
Rev. Wm. Nelson, pastor of the church, used as his topic, "He Speaks to Us, Still." Organ music by V. R. Olmstead; a vocal duet by Dorothy Matthews and Martha Sibley and an anthem by the Angelus choif furnished the special music. The colors were advanced by the American Legion Post of Prophetstown in charge of the service.
The flag, a gift from the United States Government, was presented to T/Sgt. Dronenberg's mother by James Kirkham, Legion chaplain. A salute was fired by the firing squad outside of the church and Taps were sounded.
The altar was decorated with two large baskets of flowers; a large photograph of Donald in uniform and his service cap placed on a white wooden cross. [photo of T/Sgt. Dronenberg]
Donald P. Dronenberg was born in Fairfield Township, Bureau County, July 26, 1918. He attended the district schools there, graduated from the Tampico high school in 1936 and moved to Prophetstown with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Dronenberg in July, 1939. He was employed by the Eclipse Lawn Mower Co. before leaving for Camp Forest. He joined Company M in October 1939. He served as an instructor of infantry in several camps until he left Camp Rucker, Ala. last fall, shortly before leaving for overseas duty. He was a member of the 66th Division and had been in England over a month.
Donald Pershing Dronenberg made his first public confession of faith April 10, 1938, and was baptized shortly afterwards in the Tampico Church of Christ. Living near New Bedford, he attended the Christian church there frequently and also attended the Methodist church in Prophetstown, his newly adopted community. While at the various camps he always preferred to worship in some local church rather than in the camp chapel, for the church seemed more homelike and natural to him.
Besides his parents he leaves to mourn his departure, two sisters, Mrs. Donald Peterson of Princeton, Ill. and Mrs. John Peterson of Cristobal, Canal Zone; his maternal grandmother Mrs. Kate Brady of Rock Island; a nephew, Eldon Peterson of Princeton; and many friends.
∼On Christmas Eve 1944, the Belgium troopship Leopoldville, left the pier at Southampton, England with over 2,000 American soldiers assigned to the 66th Infantry Division and crossed the English Channel to France. Just 5 1/2 miles from its destination, Cherbourg, the Leopoldville was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-486. There were 763 American soldiers killed and the bodies of 493 were never recovered from the Channel's frigid 48 degree waters.
Donald died while on the S.S. Leopoldville in the English Channel. The ship was sunk by a German U-boat on Christmas Eve, 1944. The gov't kept the details a secret for 50 years. There is a memorial stone with his family in the Riverside Cemetery, Prophetstown, as well as two memorials listing all who lost on the SS Leopoldville at Ft. Benning, GA and in Titusville, FL. He is also mentioned in Allen Andrade's book: "Leopoldville: A Tragedy Too Long Secret."∼TAMPICO TORNADO
Thursday, April 26, 1945, Pg. 1;3
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DONALD P. DRONENBERG
Memorial services were held at the Methodist church in Prophetstown Sunday afternoon at 2:30 for T/Sgt. Donald P. Dronenberg who lost his life December 25, 1944, when the troop ship he was on was sunk in the English Channel.
Rev. Wm. Nelson, pastor of the church, used as his topic, "He Speaks to Us, Still." Organ music by V. R. Olmstead; a vocal duet by Dorothy Matthews and Martha Sibley and an anthem by the Angelus choif furnished the special music. The colors were advanced by the American Legion Post of Prophetstown in charge of the service.
The flag, a gift from the United States Government, was presented to T/Sgt. Dronenberg's mother by James Kirkham, Legion chaplain. A salute was fired by the firing squad outside of the church and Taps were sounded.
The altar was decorated with two large baskets of flowers; a large photograph of Donald in uniform and his service cap placed on a white wooden cross. [photo of T/Sgt. Dronenberg]
Donald P. Dronenberg was born in Fairfield Township, Bureau County, July 26, 1918. He attended the district schools there, graduated from the Tampico high school in 1936 and moved to Prophetstown with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Dronenberg in July, 1939. He was employed by the Eclipse Lawn Mower Co. before leaving for Camp Forest. He joined Company M in October 1939. He served as an instructor of infantry in several camps until he left Camp Rucker, Ala. last fall, shortly before leaving for overseas duty. He was a member of the 66th Division and had been in England over a month.
Donald Pershing Dronenberg made his first public confession of faith April 10, 1938, and was baptized shortly afterwards in the Tampico Church of Christ. Living near New Bedford, he attended the Christian church there frequently and also attended the Methodist church in Prophetstown, his newly adopted community. While at the various camps he always preferred to worship in some local church rather than in the camp chapel, for the church seemed more homelike and natural to him.
Besides his parents he leaves to mourn his departure, two sisters, Mrs. Donald Peterson of Princeton, Ill. and Mrs. John Peterson of Cristobal, Canal Zone; his maternal grandmother Mrs. Kate Brady of Rock Island; a nephew, Eldon Peterson of Princeton; and many friends.
∼On Christmas Eve 1944, the Belgium troopship Leopoldville, left the pier at Southampton, England with over 2,000 American soldiers assigned to the 66th Infantry Division and crossed the English Channel to France. Just 5 1/2 miles from its destination, Cherbourg, the Leopoldville was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-486. There were 763 American soldiers killed and the bodies of 493 were never recovered from the Channel's frigid 48 degree waters.
Thursday, April 26, 1945, Pg. 1;3
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DONALD P. DRONENBERG
Memorial services were held at the Methodist church in Prophetstown Sunday afternoon at 2:30 for T/Sgt. Donald P. Dronenberg who lost his life December 25, 1944, when the troop ship he was on was sunk in the English Channel.
Rev. Wm. Nelson, pastor of the church, used as his topic, "He Speaks to Us, Still." Organ music by V. R. Olmstead; a vocal duet by Dorothy Matthews and Martha Sibley and an anthem by the Angelus choif furnished the special music. The colors were advanced by the American Legion Post of Prophetstown in charge of the service.
The flag, a gift from the United States Government, was presented to T/Sgt. Dronenberg's mother by James Kirkham, Legion chaplain. A salute was fired by the firing squad outside of the church and Taps were sounded.
The altar was decorated with two large baskets of flowers; a large photograph of Donald in uniform and his service cap placed on a white wooden cross. [photo of T/Sgt. Dronenberg]
Donald P. Dronenberg was born in Fairfield Township, Bureau County, July 26, 1918. He attended the district schools there, graduated from the Tampico high school in 1936 and moved to Prophetstown with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Dronenberg in July, 1939. He was employed by the Eclipse Lawn Mower Co. before leaving for Camp Forest. He joined Company M in October 1939. He served as an instructor of infantry in several camps until he left Camp Rucker, Ala. last fall, shortly before leaving for overseas duty. He was a member of the 66th Division and had been in England over a month.
Donald Pershing Dronenberg made his first public confession of faith April 10, 1938, and was baptized shortly afterwards in the Tampico Church of Christ. Living near New Bedford, he attended the Christian church there frequently and also attended the Methodist church in Prophetstown, his newly adopted community. While at the various camps he always preferred to worship in some local church rather than in the camp chapel, for the church seemed more homelike and natural to him.
Besides his parents he leaves to mourn his departure, two sisters, Mrs. Donald Peterson of Princeton, Ill. and Mrs. John Peterson of Cristobal, Canal Zone; his maternal grandmother Mrs. Kate Brady of Rock Island; a nephew, Eldon Peterson of Princeton; and many friends.
∼On Christmas Eve 1944, the Belgium troopship Leopoldville, left the pier at Southampton, England with over 2,000 American soldiers assigned to the 66th Infantry Division and crossed the English Channel to France. Just 5 1/2 miles from its destination, Cherbourg, the Leopoldville was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-486. There were 763 American soldiers killed and the bodies of 493 were never recovered from the Channel's frigid 48 degree waters.
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