Their Story
Luverne Westin Sederstrom was born on August 24, 1915, to Ivan Leonard and Hattie Emma Schmidt Sederstrom in Arlington, South Dakota. He eventually became a resident of Davenport, Iowa. He met his wife Lois and they got married there. Lois and Luverne had three children together, Karen, Larry, and Ivan.1
Luverne joined the Army on April 10, 1941, Private First Class. He was sent to Camp Claiborne in Louisiana and then to Camp Dix in New Jersey.2 He became a bodyguard for Dwight Eisenhower.3 In February of 1942, he was sent to Ireland and then in November of 1942, he was sent to North Africa with the 168th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. PFC Sederstrom was captured and became a prisoner of war on February 17, 1943. He remained a prisoner of war for two years.4 He was able to send a letter to his wife that he was captured that said he would only be allowed to send a letter once a month.5 He was discharged in October 1945.6
During World War II, prisoners of war were sent to a camp depending on their rank. Before being sent to a camp they had to pass through a German Durchgangslager. This was where they were questioned and interrogated by German soldiers about their name, rank, and serial number. Most camps were surrounded by barbed wire and had German soldiers guarding it to prevent prisoners from escaping. Most prisoners were treated poorly. They often lived in wooden barracks with bunk beds. Most prisoners were given two meals a day which consisted of thin soup and black bread. Prisoners looked forward to Red Cross food packages that would arrive for them. The package would have things like butter, chocolate, biscuits, dried fruits and vegetables, and condensed milk. Prisoners would improvise and build things like brick stoves and cook items in empty milk tins. Some men at camps were forced to do labor work. However, each camp was different, but hunger, boredom, and exhaustion was a common theme among prisoners.7
After the Army he remained in Davenport and worked for Amoco as a truck driver for thirty years. He retired in 1971 to Mission, Texas. In Mission he became the president of Emeis Little League and was an active member at Elks and Moose Lodge. Luverne was also known to love to travel around the world.8
Luverne passed away at Manor Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on January 29, 1998. He was buried at the Rock Island Arsenal in the National Cemetery for his service during World War II.9
References
1 Schave, Paula. “Luverne W “Bud Sederstrom.” Find a Grave. February 25, 2000.
2 Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa). “Two Missing.” March 12, 1943.
3 Schave, Paula. “Luverne W “Bud Sederstrom.” Find a Grave. February 25, 2000.
4 Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa). “Two Missing.” March 12, 1943.
5 The Daily Times (Davenport, Iowa). “Held Prisoners of War by Nazis.” April 28, 1943.
6 U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 – Ancestry.com
7 History on the Net. “German POW Camps in World War Two.” Accessed 15 July, 2022.
8 Schave, Paula. “Luverne W “Bud Sederstrom.” Find a Grave. February 25, 2000.
9 Schave, Paula. “Luverne W “Bud Sederstrom.” Find a Grave. February 25, 2000.