Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-12-20
How a Missing American Soldier
Was Found for His German
Mother.
Her Christmas Made Happy when
Overseas Director Larlrin
Gables News.
Hans Wedemann Happiest Platoon
Sergeant Today in Camp
jackson.
ON DUTY AT CAMP JACKSON.

The happiest Platoon Sergeant in
the Forty-eighth Infantry at Camp
Jackson, s. c., today is Hans Wede-
mann. Two months ago the news
papers told the story OF how the
Knights of Columbus had been re-
quested to find Sergt. Wedemann
when his mother wrote a letter ap-
pealing to the Casey" organization
from her little home on the Eims
Cuttelerstrasse, Hamburg, Germany.
Mrs. Wedemann told how she had
not heard from her boy, who was an
American soldier stationed in the
Canal Zone, for several years. Among
the many thousand persons attracted
by the story was Miss Isabel Becker,
OF Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. Miss
Becker, after reading the sad plight
or the German woman, correspondent
with q soldier whom she knew was
stationed at Panama and requested
him to find out il Sergt. Wedemann
was still located there. After a
short delay, due to the long distance
mails have to travel to the Canal
Zone, Miss Becker received an an
swer to her reply. The letter stated
that Wedemann had been trans
ferred to Company NJ, Forty-eighth
Infantry, at Camp Jackson. She
turned the information over to the
knights OF Columbus Committee on
War Activities and the soldier was
located.
Il sure do appreciate the interest
OF the newspapers in assisting the
Knights of Columbus to locate me-"
said Wedemann, who has been adj
vanced from a private to Sergeant
with the Forty-eighth Infantry.
Back in 1917 l was informed by
one OF my friends who lived In Swe-
den that my poor mother had died
during the war. l had written to
her several times, but the mail al
ways came back. 1t 10 going to be
happy Christmas for her and me.
A few weeks ago a lady In Brook
lyn miss Becker) wrote to me
about the newspapers printing a
letter from my mother and 1 imme-
diately sent her word of my where
abouts. l have been in the army all
during the war and I expect to be
discharged on May 81, after seven
years of service. What am I going
to do? Well, I'm so happy / really
don't know just now First 1 am
going to speed across the ocean and
get my mother and bring her to this
wonderful country, where l feel she
will always be contented. Did /
want to go to Europe? You bet I
did. 1t was only a trick of fate
which kept me in the States. You
see l was among the fellows of the
old regulars who had been kept on
this side to train the fellows who
went overseas and did the Job In
such a thorough fashion. Goodness,
I'm so happy. How can ever thank
the newspapers-how can l ever re-
pay the Knights of Columbus for
bringing my dear mother and my
self together once more? And that
lady in Brooklyn. shall pray for
her the rest of my life.'
After locating Sergt. Wedemann,
P. Larkin, Overseas Direc-
tor of the knights, sent the follow
Ing cablegram from his Office to
Mrs. Wedemann: II want to wish
you a very happy Christmas and a
prosperous New Year and inform
you that Hans is now located with
Company X, Forty~eIghth Infantry,
Camp Jackson, South Carolina, u.
s. A. He is well and happy and is
writing you nice long letter to-
day."