Howard Thompson Fenker1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 12435, (1922 - 2002)
FatherClement Meade Fenker4,5,2 (28 May 1889 - 29 Sep 1952)
MotherMargaret Viola Thompson4,6,7 (2 Nov 1893 - 23 Mar 1931)

Key Events:

Birth: 23 Mar 1922, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio8,9,10
Marriage: Dec 1949, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Mary Lou Spangler (24 Nov 1926 - 19 Jun 2001)11,12,13
Death: 28 Oct 200214,15
ChartsDescendants of Hermann Hinrich Fennker
Descendants of Maximilian Friderich Wiemann and Anna Maria Margaretha Elisabeth Lüken
AncestryThe Fenker Family
The Wieman Family

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Howard Thompson Fenker was born on 23 Mar 1922 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio.8,9,10
     He appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the household of his parents, Clement Meade Fenker and Margaret Viola Thompson.4
     His father died on 23 Mar 1931, when Howard was 9 years old.16,17,18
     After the death of his mother, Howard was sent to live on the farm of his maternal grandfather, Dr. John Albert Thompson, in Mt. Carmel, Indiana, where he completed high school.19
     Howard appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Colerain Twp., Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the household of his father and stepmother, Marie Sullivan.5
     Howard registered for the draft for World War II on 27 Jun 1942, while living with his father at Mt. Healthy, Hamilton Co., Ohio, reporting he was employed by Allis Chalmers in Norwood.2

A Marine in the Pacific Theater in WWII --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---


     Howard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps 10 Nov 1942. According to family lore, he volunteered for military service, asking for "the hardest job you have" and was thus assigned to the Marines. He was initially assigned to Parris Island, South Carolina.20,21,22 By Jan 1943 he was assigned to Second Telephone Company, Signal Battalion, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as a private.23 By April he had been promoted to private first class, and assigned to the field artillery training battery at the Marine Corps schools at Quantico, Virginia.24
     The 1st Battalion, 14th Marines, a reserve artillery battalion, was activated on 1 May 1943 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Howard was assigned to Battery B of that Battalion by 1 Jul.25,26 The battalion was relocated to Camp Pendleton, California, in Aug 1943, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division.27 On 11 Jan 1944 his unit embarked from San Diego, California, on the U.S.S. Sumter, to Maui, Hawaii, then to the Marshal Islands.
     On 31 Jan 1944 they landed on Ennubirr Island and participated in the battle of Roi and Namur Islands, the Unites States first major victory in the Marshall Islands. Howard's role with the battalion was as a forward observer, to radio information to the artillerymen.28,29 Howard participated in the battle of Saipan Island, Marianas Islands, 1 Jul to 9 Jul, and the battle of Tinian Island 24 Jul to 31 Jul.30 He was aboard the U.S.S. Napa, anchored in Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii, in early Jan 1945, sailing out for ship-to-shore maneuvers off the coast of Maui several times. On 27 Jan 1945 they sailed for the Marshal Islands.31
     Howard participated in the infamous battle of Iwo Jima, which occurred from 19 Feb to 26 Mar 1945. The 1st Battalion, which he was part of, was engaged in that battle, but the unit's muster rolls for that period, which would provide details of Howard's participation, are not available.32,21,27
     By late March he was aboard the U.S.S. Grimes, bound for Hawaii. They disembarked with Battery B 5 May at Camp Maui.33 On 25 Oct 1945 Howard boarded the U.S.S. Rudyerd Bay at Kahului, Maui, with his unit and sailed for San Diego, California. They arrived 31 Oct and proceeded to Camp Pendleton. The battalion was deactivated 15 Nov 1945, and presumably Howard was discharged about that time, though no record of his discharge has been found.34,35

Returning to Civilian Life --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---


     He was a sales director for Russell R. Gannon Co., air conditioning equipment manufacturers by 1948. He was living at Mt. Healthy.36,37
     Howard married Mary Lou Spangler, daughter of Frances L. Spangler and Lula A. Jackson, in Dec 1949 in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.11,12,13
     He was a salesman selling aluminum wok ware by 1950. He reported in the 1950 census he had worked 48 hours the prior week and 52 weeks in 1949, earning $3,100 in wages or salary.38
     Howard and Mary appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, at 27 West Daniels, enumerated 14 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm and he had lived in a different house but the same county the year before.39
     About 1952 Howard and Mary were living at 3182 Werk Rd., Cincinnati, and they continued to live there until about 1956.40 He was then a foreman for Philip Carey, where he worked until he retired by 1956.41,42
     Howard and Mary later moved to Florida, but just when is unknown.43,44
     His wife died on 19 Jun 2001 in Florida.45,46,47
     Howard lived in Kentucky with his daughter after the death of his wife.48
     Howard died on 28 Oct 2002 at age 80.14,15

Children:
     Children with Mary Lou Spangler:

Howard and Mary's children are still living (Mar 2024).

Citations

  1. [S1830] Clement M. Fenker household, 1930 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows name as Howard Fenker.
  2. [S10459] Howard Thompson Fenker, Selective Service Registration Card, World War II, Fifth Registration.
  3. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Howard Thompson Fenker, Soc. Sec. No. 286-18-0329.
  4. [S1830] Clement M. Fenker household, 1930 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
  5. [S7380] Clement M. Fenker household, 1940 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
  6. [S448] Interview, Marian Ruth Fenker, 9 Jul 2002.
  7. [S465] Fenker letter to Marion Fenker, Sep 2002.
  8. [S1830] Clement M. Fenker household, 1930 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows age 8 and state.
  9. [S10459] Howard Thompson Fenker, Selective Service Registration Card, World War II, Fifth Registration, shows date, city, and state.
  10. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Howard Thompson Fenker, Soc. Sec. No. 286-18-0329, shows date, city, county and state.
  11. [S13360] "Court News," The Lawrenceburg Press, 8 Dec 1949, shows license issued to Howard Fenker and Mary Lou Spangler.
  12. [S13359] Howard T. Fenker household, 1950 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows married.
  13. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1953, pg 347, shows Marylu as his wife. Directories from 1948 to 1952 are not available, or only parts not including Fenker exist.
  14. [S1000] "Social Security Death Index," Ancestry.com, record for Howard T. Fenker, Soc. Sec. No. 286-18-0329, shows date and last residence as 42728 Columbia, Adair, Kentucky.
  15. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Howard Thompson Fenker, Soc. Sec. No. 286-18-0329, shows date.
  16. [S311] Margaret Viola Fenker, Certificate of Death, shows date, address, town as Norwood, county, and state.
  17. [S751] Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, online burial records, record for Margaret Viola Fenker, 25 Mar 1931, shows date, Pleasant Ridge, city as Cincinnati, and state.
  18. [S465] Fenker letter to Marion Fenker, Sep 2002, shows she died on his ninth birthday in 1931.
  19. [S10495] Interview, Mike Cors, 22 Jul 2021.
  20. [S10460] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps, shows enlistment date.
  21. [S250] Interview, Emilou Fenker Frazier, 3 & 5 Jul 2000.
  22. [S10462] "Our Boys With the Colors," The Brookville Democrat, 10 Dec 1942, shows him stationed at Parris Island.
  23. [S10460] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps.
  24. [S10463] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps.
  25. [S10464] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps.
  26. [S1265] Wikipedia, online, "1st Battalion, 14th Marines," viewed Jul 2021, shows description and activation of battalion.
  27. [S1265] Wikipedia, online, "1st Battalion, 14th Marines," viewed Jul 2021.
  28. [S10461] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps, including footnote B.
  29. [S10495] Interview, Mike Cors, 22 Jul 2021, said he a forward observer during the war.
  30. [S10465] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps, including footnote B.
  31. [S10466] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps, including footnote A.
  32. [S10495] Interview, Mike Cors, 22 Jul 2021, said he was in battle of Iwo Jima, based on conversations with him.
  33. [S10467] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps.
  34. [S10468] Howard T. Fenker, Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Recapitualtion notes.
  35. [S1265] Wikipedia, online, "1st Battalion, 14th Marines," viewed Jul 2021, shows battallion deactivated.
  36. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1948, pg 377, and pg 425.
  37. [S13359] Howard T. Fenker household, 1950 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows occupation as salesman and industry as aluminum work ware.
  38. [S13359] Howard T. Fenker household, 1950 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows occupation as salesman and industry as aluminum wok ware.
  39. [S13359] Howard T. Fenker household, 1950 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
  40. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1953, pg 347; 1956, pg 371.
  41. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1956, pg 371.
  42. [S10495] Interview, Mike Cors, 22 Jul 2021, said he worked there until he retired.
  43. [S463] Interview, Marian Ruth Fenker, 20 Aug 2002, said they had lived in Florida.
  44. [S10495] Interview, Mike Cors, 22 Jul 2021, said he moved to Florida after he retired.
  45. [S1000] "Social Security Death Index," Ancestry.com, record for Mary Lou Fenker, Soc. Sec. No. 286-20-1863, shows date and last residence as 34731, Fruitland Park, Lake, FL.
  46. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Mary Lou Spangler, Soc. Sec. No. 286-20-1863, shows date.
  47. [S465] Fenker letter to Marion Fenker, Sep 2002, shows died a year and 1/2 ago.
  48. [S463] Interview, Marian Ruth Fenker, 20 Aug 2002.