Private Howard Osborne
Drowned While On Duty
When Row-boat Capsizes

Army Corporal Escorts Body
To Madelia--Full Military Funeral Thursday

Escorted by Corporal Leonard Wheel, the body of Howard Osborne, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Osborne, of Madelia, was brought home from Fort Church, Rhode Island,, last Monday.

Howard, who was a member of the 10th Coast Artillery, was accidentally drowned while on duty.

He and a corporal had been engaged at target practice on a small lake near the Fort. They were in a small boat and while the corporal shot at another boat, supposedly manned by an imaginary enemy, Howard was recording his hits and misses. They had completed their tests and Howard was rowing the boat back to shore when it suddenly capsized and the two men were thrown into the water. Howard wearing a heavy steel helmet and a heavy cartridge belt, went down, but the corporal caught him and held his head above water for about ten minutes until help arrived. All efforts to revive the Madelia boy were futile.

Howard Osborne was born in Madelia on January 7, 1920 and grew to manhood here. Practically all his life prior to his enlistment in the army, was spent in this vicinity. After his enlistment he was sent to Fort Eustis, Virginia, and for the past year has been stationed at Fort Church, where Corporal Wheel says he was held in very high regard by officers and men.

Funeral services were held at Mater Dolorosa Catholic church at 9:30 o'clock Thursday, forenoon, and the body was laid to rest in Calvary cemetery. Full military honors were accorded the deceased soldier by Madelia Post No. 19, American Legion.

Private Osborne is survived by his parents, six brothers and three sisters. One brother, John stationed at Camp Blanding, Florida, reached Madelia in time for the funeral. Another soldier brother, Clem, who is stationed in California, was on maneuvers and could not be located.

Printed in the Madelia Times Messenger Friday, October 30, 1942

Private Howard Osborne
Drowned While On Duty
When Row-boat Capsizes

Army Corporal Escorts Body
To Madelia--Full Military Funeral Thursday

Escorted by Corporal Leonard Wheel, the body of Howard Osborne, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Osborne, of Madelia, was brought home from Fort Church, Rhode Island,, last Monday.

Howard, who was a member of the 10th Coast Artillery, was accidentally drowned while on duty.

He and a corporal had been engaged at target practice on a small lake near the Fort. They were in a small boat and while the corporal shot at another boat, supposedly manned by an imaginary enemy, Howard was recording his hits and misses. They had completed their tests and Howard was rowing the boat back to shore when it suddenly capsized and the two men were thrown into the water. Howard wearing a heavy steel helmet and a heavy cartridge belt, went down, but the corporal caught him and held his head above water for about ten minutes until help arrived. All efforts to revive the Madelia boy were futile.

Howard Osborne was born in Madelia on January 7, 1920 and grew to manhood here. Practically all his life prior to his enlistment in the army, was spent in this vicinity. After his enlistment he was sent to Fort Eustis, Virginia, and for the past year has been stationed at Fort Church, where Corporal Wheel says he was held in very high regard by officers and men.

Funeral services were held at Mater Dolorosa Catholic church at 9:30 o'clock Thursday, forenoon, and the body was laid to rest in Calvary cemetery. Full military honors were accorded the deceased soldier by Madelia Post No. 19, American Legion.

Private Osborne is survived by his parents, six brothers and three sisters. One brother, John stationed at Camp Blanding, Florida, reached Madelia in time for the funeral. Another soldier brother, Clem, who is stationed in California, was on maneuvers and could not be located.

Printed in the Madelia Times Messenger Friday, October 30, 1942