World War II truly was a conflict that touched every corner of American society. The Yankton area was certainly no exception.
Even before Japan's attack at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, this area was bracing for the worst. On Nov. 25, 1940, Yankton's local 147th Field Artillery National Guard unit was activated into duty, with local troops heading to Ft. Ord, Calif., for training.
Several members of the 147th enjoyed shore leave at Pearl Harbor just days before the Japanese assault.
Yankton solders were scattered throughout all fronts during the war, and the people on the home front did their share, too. There were various drives to collect resources for the war efforts. In July 1942, for example, the county collected more than 126,000 pounds of scrap rubber for a rubber drive.
For their soldiers, there are hundreds of tales of heroism and tragedy, of boredom and horror. Their stories could fill volumes. Many nurses from the area were also sent overseas to aid in the war effort.
The war was won in 1945, but not without cost. Fifty-three men and women from Yankton County died during the conflict. In 1998, a plaque was placed on the war memorial in Yankton's Fantle Memorial Park to honor those local soldiers and nurses who had died for their country during that war.
In late 1998, Yankton native Tom Brokaw wrote a best-selling book, "The Greatest Generation," which honored the exploits of the men and women who endured the hardships of World War II. Several people from Yankton were spotlighted in the book.
CENTURY EDITION
