Karl Ufer

July 14, 1938 Davenport Times-Tribune

The Emmanuel Lutheran church was filled to capacity Sunday when Rev. Meu of Sprague installed the Rev. Karl Ufer of Minneapolis, Minn, as the new pastor to fill the vacancy made when Rev. A. R. M. Kettner was transferred to Tacoma, the first of March.

July 25, 1940 Davenport Times-Tribune

Rev. Karl Ufer, pastor of the Emmanuel Lutheran church here, and Rev. Robert Oestreich, past of the Lutheran church at Wilbur left on a vacation trip Monday for Toledo, Ohio. Roger Mahrt accompanied them as far as Chicago where he will visit relatives.

August 29, 1940 Davenport Times-Tribune

...Karl Ufer and Roger Mahrt returned.

April 30, 1942 Davenport Times-Tribune

Last Tuesday Pastor Karl Ufer left for Fort Benjamin Harrison Indiana to enroll in the Army Chaplains School.

June 18, 1942 Davenport Times-Tribune

Chaplain Karl Ufer, who was formerly minister of the Reardan Lutheran Church, came last Tuesday from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana where he attended training school there. He is on his way to Camp Carson, Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he will be chaplain in the army.

July 16, 1942 Davenport Times-Tribune

Hear from Chaplain

The Times-Tribune is in receipt of a letter from Chaplain Karl Ufer of the United States Army, station at Camp Carson in Colorado, in which he reports his has been assigned to an artillery unit there. Chaplain Ufer was pastor of the Lutheran church in Reardan for several years before entering the army as a chaplain early in the spring. He reports that as he was driving through Camp Carson, July 26, to conduct a service for Lutheran men in the infantry. Private George Spilker of Davenport, stationed at the camp, noticed his car and later came to his office for a visit. George had known Chaplain Ufer through Luther League visits between Reardan and Davenport. Spilker informed the Chaplain that when he was getting a hair cut a few days previously, Private Milton Green of Davenport walked by the shop, and Spilker jumped out of his chair and hailed his friend like a long-lost brother. Chaplain Ufer urged any Lincoln county men sent to Camp Carson to look him up on their arrival.

September 3, 1942 Davenport Times-Tribune

Rev. Karl Ufer, chaplain in the army at Colorado Springs, Colorado, will speak at the Lutheran church Friday evening at 9 o'clock.

January 14, 1943 Davenport Times-Tribune

Word was received that the engagement of Miss Phyllis Anderson and Chaplain Karl Ufer, the former pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran church, has been announced. Chaplain Ufer is stationed at Camp Carson, Colo., and Miss Anderson is teaching at the public school in Prosser.

February 4, 1943 Davenport Times-Tribune

Chaplain Karl Ufer, with the U.S. army at Colorado Springs, Colo., and Miss Phyllis Anderson of Pomeroy, who recently announced their engagement, visited friends here from Wednesday until Saturday. Miss Anderson is a home economics teacher in the Pomeroy schools. She formerly taught here.

July 8, 1943 Davenport Times-Tribune

Chaplain First Lieutenant Karl A. Ufer, formerly of Reardan, now serving overseas with the United States forces, has been giving an army post office change of address.

August 7, 1943 Personal Collection

photostat letter from Karl Ufer in Australia

"Pop" was probably Roy Plaster. Grandma was Maria Koeller, Irma Plaster's mother. Roy (her son) and Helen Koeller lived in the Buckman place 1 mile west of Reardan just north of the highway. The "twins" are Phyllis and Doris Plaster.

October 14, 1943 Davenport Times-Tribune

Ufer Initiated Into Shellbacks

Relates Story of Pollywog Treatment Crossing Equator

First Lieutenant Chaplain Karl A. Ufer, former Reardan Lutheran pastor, who enlisted in the army in April, 1942, has sent the Times-Tribune the following letter in explanation of the picture which is at the top center of page one in this paper.

The above picture is a scene from a traditional initiation from Pollywog to Shellback given every man on his first trip across the equator. First Lieutenant Chaplain Karl A. Ufer, former Reardan Lutheran pastor, who recently underwent the ceremony on his way to Australia, sent the picture to the Times-Tribune and elsewhere in this week's paper will be found his full description of the treatment involved in order to become a Shellback.

"This finds me safely in Australia. The snapshot is a scene from our initiation from Pollywogs to ShellBacks as we crossed the equator. The one initiate is before the king (Neptune), the other dolefully awaits his hearing. On the right throne there is Mrs. or Queen Neptune (she's a he). The empty seat is for Davy Jones. At the Queen's elbow is the Royal Baby.

"The initiates arrive on hands and knees because after a thorough dosing during which the nozzle of a fire hose is inserted between the skin and trousers (underwear forbidden), he has come in abject humility on hands and knees through rows of swinging paddles and blunt edged, but electrified pitchforks.

"If in his eagerness to detach his posterior end from the fork ends, he skids past the king. This insult is rewarded or punished by starting to run the gauntlet all over. Before the King he "salaams" and the King inquires, "What's the charge?"

"Failing to invent one immediately results in starting over. Rank, Chaplains, and Docs are spotted ahead of time and nothing will prevent then from starting over. If you can read the "Kiss here" on the baby's stomach, it is an indication of exactly what is to come. He who hesitates is grasped firmly by the neck and shocked sharply and severely in the rear until he complies.

"Then off to the operation table at the right. The broad smile of the man on the extreme right is understood when one sees the victims hoisted on a table and stretched out for quartering. Medicine (black salt water licorice) give one the nausea of seasickness he has been fighting throughout the trip so far. A large scimitar that is also electrified does the quartering. It is readily felt through the saturated clothing.

"The ceremony ends with a trip through a tunnel assisted by a stream of water from the fire hose and concluded with a final paddling as one emerges from the other end, no longer a Pollywog, but a triumphant, though weary, Shellback. And hold on to the certificate given you lest the next time you cross the equator the process be repeated and you now being allowed on the giving end instead of the receiving end.

March 8, 1945 Davenport Times-Tribune

Former Reardan Couple Married

Miss Phyllis Anderson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anton J. Anderson of Keene, N. D., became the bride of Captain Chaplain Karl A. Ufer, army of the U.S. Chaplains Corps, and son of Mrs. Clara H. Ufer of Toledo, Ohio, at a ceremony Sunday afternoon, February 11, in Seattle. Chaplain Ufer is a former minister of the Emmanuel Lutheran church at Reardan, before entering the army in May 1942.

The wedding was solemnized in the University Lutheran church by the Rev. L. H. Steinhoff, pastor, and assisted by the Rev. Robert Oestrich of Cashmere, a former classmate of the groom and formerly minister of St. Paul's Lutheran church of Wilbur.

Mrs. Ufer, who is a graduate of the University of Washington has been teaching home economics in the Puyallup high school, but has taught formerly at Reardan and Prosser. Chaplain Ufer is a graduate of Capital University of Columbus, Ohio and received his B. D. at Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa.

He has just returned from 22 months overseas, which included duty in Hawaii, Australia, New Guinea, and most recently for two months with the infantry in the Philippines. He took part in two major campaigns while overseas and was awarded the Silver Star in the Philippine campaign for gallantry in action.

April 26, 1945 Davenport Times-Tribune

Captain Chaplain Karl Ufer of the U.S. army, located at Missoula, Mont., spoke of his experiences in the army at the Lutheran church Sunday night. He was a former pastor of the Lutheran church here. He served in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. He was accompanied by his wife, a former home economics teacher in the Reardan schools. Following his talk, a reception was held for them in the church parlors by the congregation. They were Sunday night guest of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wendlandt.

September 6, 1945 Davenport Times-Tribune

Captain and Mrs. Karl Ufer of Missoula, Mont., were guests Saturday night and Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wendlandt. Capt. Ufer is a chaplain in the army and is being transferred to a hospital near Tacoma. Capt. Ufer spent nearly three years in the Pacific. Mrs. Ufer was the former Phyllis Anderson, who taught home economics in the Reardan High School.

January 17, 1946 Davenport Times-Tribune

Karl A. Ufer, former Reardan minister, who for the past 4 years has served in the ASF, will revert to inactive status on 26 April, 1946, it was announced today by Lt. Col. Harvey D. Taylor commanding the Separation Center at Fort Lewis. Maj. Karl A. Ufer will return to Dallas, Oregon, where he will resume his profession of the ministry.