Clifford William Van der Veen

16047909

Clifford Van der Veen was born February 8, 1922 in the township of Melrose, Jackson County, Wisconsin, to father Neil Van der Veen and mother Erna Mohring Van der Veen.

On the 1930 US Census for Sparta, Monroe County, Clifford was 8 years old and living in a rented house with his parents and siblings. Neil Vanderveen was 37, born in the Netherlands in 1893 and immigrated 1911 and was a naturalized citizen. He was the head of the household and was married. Neil was a laborer and the industry was “Street.” His mother tongue was Dutch. Wife Erna (35) was born in Wisconsin in 1895 to parents both born in Germany. Other siblings included Raymond (9), Marion (6), and Doris Jane was a baby.

In the 1940 US census, “Glifford Vanderveen” is 18 and was born in Wisconsin in 1922. He is living in Adrian Township in Monroe County in Wisconsin and it looks like it’s County Road A. He is employed as a farmhand on a dairy farm and made $0 in wages. He is living with William (31) and Sylvia Roeske (26) and their 5-year-old son Arlin. They are renting the farm. This census was taken on May 7, 1940. Clifford has an 8th grade education.

Clifford enlisted in the US Army on January 6, 1942. He was single and had 1 year of High School education. His occupation was “semi-skilled chauffers and drivers, bus, taxi, truck and tractor.” His initial rank was Private.

An undated and unsourced newspaper clipping in the family records, with photos of Raymond and his bother Clifford reads “Staff Sgt. Clifford Vanderveen, Sparta, Wis. Now at Duncan Field, San Antonio.”

Clifford married Minnie Alice Campbell in Guadalupe County in Texas on August 14, 1942. She was from La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Clifford registered for the draft on November 20, 1945. According to his draft record he was “recently discharged from the US Army.” His residence was Sparta, Monroe County, Wisconsin and he lists his mother Erna Vanderveen as his “next of kin.” She was living in Delafield, Wisconsin.

From the Thursday, November 22, 1945 La Crosse Tribune, there is an article titled “Several Sparta Men Back After Receiving Recent Discharges” (p16). The article states:

“Clifford W. Vanderveen, 405 South K Street, was also discharged at Camp McCoy Nov. 16. As truck master with the 483rd quartermaster truck company Vanderveen also has stars for the battles of Southern Philippines and Luzon. He went overseas April 23, 1943 and returned Sept. 25, 1945.”

From the Waukesha Daily Freeman on July 12, 1947, there is an article on page 4 that states: “A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Vander Veen, Delafield.”

From the Sunday, February 10, 1952 La Crosse Tribune (p 11), there is an article titled “Airman Serves at Clark Field.” The article states, as follows:

“Clark AFB, Philippine Islands, (Special) – To the increasing number of airmen from Wisconsin, who now are serving an overseas tour of duty in the Philippines, has been recently added Sgt. Clifford W. Vanderveen, husband of Mrs. Minnie A. Vanderveen, La Crosse and son of Mrs. Erna Vanderveen of P. O. Box 172, Delafield, Wis.

Sgt. Vanderveen joined the military service for the first time in January 1942. He is currently serving his second tour of duty in the Philippines, having been stationed here during World War II.

He joined the Air Force in January 1951 and now is assigned to the 24th Motor Vehicle Squadron, 6208th Depot Wing, on Clark Air Force Base, located 60 miles north of Manila.

Sgt. and Mrs. Vanderveen have a daughter, Linda Faye, 5.”

From the Friday, Feb. 15, 1952 p3 Waukesha Daily Freeman :

“Sgt. Clifford W. Vanderveen son of Mrs. Erna Vanderveen of Delafiled, is now assigned to the 24th motor vehicle squadron, 6208th depot wing on Clark air force base, 60 miles north of Manila, in the Philippines. This is his second tour of duty in the Philippines, having been stationed there during World war II. He entered the military service for the first time January 1942, and joined the air force in January, 1951.”

From the Friday, September 19, 1952, Waukesha Daily Freeman (p 3):

“S-Sgt. Clifford W. Vander Veeen, son of Mrs. Erna Vander Veen, of Delafield, was joined recently by his wife, the former Minnie A. Campbell, of La Crosse, and their five-year-old daughter, Linda Kaye, at his station with the U. S. air force on Clark air force base in the Philippines.

Along with other dependents of American military personnel on duty in the Philippines, Mrs. Vander Veen and little Linda arrived in the islands aboard USNS David C. Shanks.

Sgt. Vander Veen, who is on his second tour of duty in the Philippines, currently performs automotive inspector duties for the 24th motor vehicle squadron, 24th air depot wing. He first served in the islands with the Leyte and Manila battle campaigns in 1944-45. He was employed by the Waukesha Motor Company before joining the service in January of 1942.

The Vander Veens will be living in the housing area for military dependents on Clark AFB during their stay in the Philippines.”

From the Sunday, September 21, 1952 La Crosse Tribune, (p17) there is an article titled “Local Woman, Child at Clark Base in Pacific.” The article states as follows:

“Clark, AFB, The Philippines (Special) – Latest additions to the American military dependents community in Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines were Mrs. Clifford W. Vander Veen, of La Crosse, and her 5 year-old daughter Linda Kaye.

Mrs. Vander Veen, the former Minnie A. Campbell, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lambert Campbell, 1221 S. 4th Str.

Mrs. Vander Veen, with little Linda Kaye, traveled from the U.S. to the Philippines aboard the USNS David C. Shanks to join her husband, S. Sgt. Vander Veen, who has been stationed on the Philippine base for the past eight months.

Now on his second tour of duty in the Philippines, Sgt. Vander Veen performs automotive inspector duties for the 24th Motor Vehicle Squadron, 24th Air Depot Wing. He first served in the islands with the liberation forces during the Leyte and Manila battle campaigns in 1944-1945.

The sergeant is the son of Mrs. Erna Vander Veen, Delafield, Wis.”

From the Department of Veteran’s Affairs BIRLS File it states that Clifford “Vander Veen” was in the Airforce. His first enlistment date was January 6, 1942 and his first release date was November 16, 1945. His second enlistment date was January 5, 1951 and his second release date was August 31, 1968.

Clifford died on March 24, 2000. His military gravestone panel shows that he was a “MSgt” {Master Sergeant} in the US Air Force and served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam wars. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain View, Idaho.

His wife Minnie died September 24, 2014 and is also buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain View, Idaho. They were survived by their daughter.

Thank you, Master Sergeant Clifford William Van der Veen, for your service to this country. We honor you and remember you.

Note: Historian Krista Finstad Hanson is Clifford’s first cousin, two times removed.

Sources:

Birth Record: Jackson County, Wisconsin, vol 13 #463

1930 US Census

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9S7-XQP?treeref=LRBT-BY2

1940 US census

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7V6-8HV?treeref=LRBT-T51

1942 WWII Enlistment record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=8939&h=2016359&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=2238

1945 WWII Draft Record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2238&h=199100381&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=LXU426&_phstart=successSource

Thu., Nov. 22, 1945 p16 La Crosse Tribune, “Several Sparta Men Back After Receiving Recent Discharges”

July 12, 1947, Waukesha Daily Freeman

Sunday, Feb., 10 1952 p11 La Crosse Tribune, “Airman Serves at Clark Field”

Friday, Feb. 15, 1952 p3 Waukesha Daily Freeman

Friday, September 19, 1952, Waukesha Daily Freeman (p 3)

https://basic.newspapers.com/image/24757071/?terms=%22Clifford%2BW.%2BVander%2Bveen%22

Sunday, September 21, 1952 La Crosse Tribune, (p17): “Local Woman, Child at Clark Base in Pacific

https://basic.newspapers.com/image/511942249/?terms=%22Clifford%2BVander%2Bveen%22

2000 US SS Death Index

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JPYS-2Z9

Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death file

https://search.ancestryinstitution.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2441&h=6822031&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=LXU455&_phstart=successSource

FindAGrave

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67092291/clifford-w-vander_veen

Clifford Vander Veen (1922)