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Richard Bernard “Dick” Lang

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Birth	:	21 Dec 1918 Haverhill, Marshall County, Iowa, USA
Death	:	9 Jan 2004 Ames, Story County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Saint Patricks Cemetery, Nevada, Story County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.0233803, -93.4629364
Inscription	:	MARRIED SEPT. 17, 1941 PARENTS OF JUDITH - MARCIA - MICHAEL - PATRICK - LOUIS - JOHN - MARY - CATHERINE
Description	:	Richard (Dick) Bernard Lang was born December 18, 1918 at Haverhill, Iowa. He grew up on 3 different farms in the Haverhill area. He survived diphtheria at the age of 4 and appendicitis when he was 6. He attended grade school in Haverhill 4 miles from home, going on foot or with horse and buggy. They had no radio so didn't have much knowledge of events that were taking place outside of their own family. Most of their time was spent working on the farm. Entertainment was playing games with brothers and sisters and Sunday visits with relatives. When Dick... Read More	Richard (Dick) Bernard Lang was born December 18, 1918 at Haverhill, Iowa. He grew up on 3 different farms in the Haverhill area. He survived diphtheria at the age of 4 and appendicitis when he was 6. He attended grade school in Haverhill 4 miles from home, going on foot or with horse and buggy. They had no radio so didn't have much knowledge of events that were taking place outside of their own family. Most of their time was spent working on the farm. Entertainment was playing games with brothers and sisters and Sunday visits with relatives. When Dick was old enough for high school his father didn't want him to go but his mother insisted so he attended St. Mary's High School in Marshalltown. During mild weather, he rode horseback to the edge of town and put the horse in the barn at the farm of an acquaintance and walked to school. In winter, he stayed in town with another family. After graduating from high school in 1936, Dick enlisted in the National Guard in Marshalltown serving with the 168th infantry for 3 years. From 1936 to 1938 he worked at Mercy Hospital in Marshalltown earning $40 a month as a fireman. It was a hot dirty job shoveling coal into the big boilers that provided heat and energy for the building and taking all the ashes out in a wheel barrow. He also did laundry and janitorial work when he wasn't needed in the boiler room. While working at the hospital he met Margaret Carmody the woman who would one day become his wife. After leaving the hospital job Dick delivered furniture for Montgomery Wards for a while and then worked for a roofing company until September of 1939. It was another hot dirty job mopping hot tar onto roofs but provided long hours through the summer and the extra income was welcome. In September of 1939 Dick and 2 friends put their belongings in the back of a Model A Ford and drove to California. In California Dick enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps where he received $21 a month plus room and board. He was assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group Headquarters in the summer of 1940 and was selected to go to airplane mechanic school in Glendale, California. After graduating from the school he returned to the squadron at March Field. About mid 1941 the squadron was transferred to Albuquerque Air Base in New Mexico, which was later named Kirkland Field. They were the first Air Corps personnel to occupy the new base. The 19th Bombardment Group was selected for a six month maneuvers in the Philippine Islands. Dick and Margaret had talked of marriage but had not made definite plans. When they found out that Dick was being sent overseas they decided to get married before he left. Richard (Dick) Lang and Margaret Carmody, who was born March 29, 1916 at Zearing, Iowa, were married September 17, 1941 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There was no honeymoon trip as Dick had his daily military responsibilities. The newlywed couple were able to spend 10 evenings together before Dick shipped out expecting to return in 6 months. They would not see each other again for three and one half years. The scope of Dick's experiences during the War is far too wide to be detailed here but following is a very brief summary. His story was documented in more detail in the book LANG The WWII Story of an American Guerrilla on Mindanao, Philippine Islands written by Norman Rudi and published in 2003 only weeks before Dick's death. Dick Lang had been at Clark Field near Manilla in the Philippine Islands for only a few weeks when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and shortly after bombed Clark Field. After the attack on Clark Field Dick was sent to the Philippine Island of Mindanao. When the Philippines were surrendered to the Japanese Dick refused to surrender and took to the jungles to eventually join with other Americans and boost the war effort with sneak attacks and defensive maneuvers against the Japanese operating as a guerrilla fighter for the next 3 years. They devised a radio station and reported Japanese air activities to American forces. They survived on meager food and their lives were in jeopardy every day. Firm in the belief that General Douglas MacArthur would return, their goal was to hold on until that day, doing everything they could to weaken the enemy. When the fighting started Dick was a private and by the time he left the Philippine Islands he had been promoted to Lieutenant and was the commanding officer of a group of American and Philippine guerrilla fighters. He received many medals and awards for his service included 2 bronze stars. He was promoted to Captain after his return from the Philippines. Seven months after Dick had disappeared into the jungle on Mindanao Island his parents received the following message: THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES REGRETS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON PRIVATE FIRST CLASS RICHARD LANG IS MISSING IN ACTION IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. YOU WILL BE INFORMED IF ANY ADDITIONAL WORD IS RECEIVED. Margaret never gave up hope that Dick was alive and would return some day. Finally, over 2 years after receiving the message that Dick was missing in action, Margaret received a letter from another guerrilla officer who had returned from the Philippines and wrote, I have seen Dick Lang. He is alive and well. I cannot say where he is. That is all that the letter said but it was the most wonderful letter she had ever read, now there was more than hope someone had actually seen Dick alive! American forces returned to the Philippines in October of 1944 and Dick was able to join up with the regular army in January of 1945. He was assigned a desk job at headquarters until transportation could be arranged for his return home. It was during this time working at headquarters that he received his first wounds. While riding on the back of a truck driving on a makeshift road through the jungle, a large tree branch bounced off the cab of the truck striking him on the side of the face, knocking him off the truck. He suffered a broken nose, broken jaw, and considerable dental damage. Finally in late February 1945 Dick received orders to the United States. He traveled by boat to San Francisco and then by train to Ames, Iowa where he immediately boarded a bus to Des Moines where he stepped off of the bus and into the arms of Margaret. The years in the jungle had taken a toll on Dick's health and after 2 weeks of time with family and friends, Dick was sent to Schick Military Hospital in Clinton, Iowa for 2 months of treatment. After being released from treatment Dick and Margaret were able to enjoy 6 months of accumulated leave time and have a real honeymoon at last. Richard was next stationed at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio for about a year and also spent some time in Indianapolis, Indiana where he went to Finance Officer's School at Fort Benjamin Harris. He was discharged from the military in 1947. Children of Richard and Margaret Lang are: Judy, 1946; Marcia, 1947; Michael, 1949; Patrick, 1950; Louis, 1953; John, 1956; and Mary Catherine, born in 1958 who lived for only one day. After being discharged from the army Dick and Margaret moved onto Margaret's home farm, renting it from her father and settled into a life of farming and raising a family. They lived there on the farm that Margaret's great grandfather had purchased in 1883 until moving to Ames in 1979 where they lived out their retirement years. Richard died January 9, 2004 and Margaret died December 10, 2004. Both died in Ames, Iowa and are buried in St. Patrick cemetery in Nevada, Iowa.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Richard Bernard “Dick” Lang's memorial?
Richard Bernard “Dick” Lang's memorial is located at: Saint Patricks Cemetery, Nevada, Story County, USA.
When did Richard Bernard “Dick” Lang death?
Richard Bernard “Dick” Lang death on 9 Jan 2004 in Ames, Story County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Richard Bernard “Dick” Lang's memorial?
Latitude: 42.0233803
Longitude: -93.4629364

Family Members:

Parent

Sylvester Herman Lang Jr.

(1887 - 1975)

Anna M Oetker Lang

(1893 - 1982)

Spouse

Margaret Clista Carmody Lang

(1916 - 2004)

Siblings

Claretta Agnes Lang Turner

(1914 - 2001)

(unknow - unknow)

Bernadetta Lang

(1920 - 1922)

Gerald Lang

(1925 - 1925)

Mary Alice Lang Bates

(1928 - 2005)

Children

Marcia R. Lang Cox

(1948 - 2002)

Mary Catherine Lang

(1958 - 1958)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Saint Patricks Cemetery
Nevada, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0233803, -93.4629364

2. Nevada Municipal Cemetery
Nevada, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0215683, -93.4610672

3. Evergreen Memory Gardens
Nevada, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0424995, -93.4682999

4. Knoll Cemetery
Nevada, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0489006, -93.4869003

5. Pleasant Run Cemetery
Nevada, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9864006, -93.4060974

6. Mound Cemetery
Nevada, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9899520, -93.3691480

7. Murphy Cemetery
Richland Township, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0569000, -93.3672028

8. Bloomington Cemetery
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0466573, -93.5852182

9. Woodland Cemetery
Iowa Center, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9324989, -93.4064026

10. Oak Hill Cemetery
Richland Township, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0891991, -93.3550034

11. Ames Municipal Cemetery
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0301208, -93.6061249

12. Pleasant Grove Cemetery
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1063740, -93.5614370

13. McMichael Cemetery
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0852203, -93.5915833

14. Arrasmith Cemetery
Franklin Township, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0855600, -93.5913900

15. Story Memorial Gardens
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9933014, -93.6112976

16. Saint James Cemetery
Colo, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0088997, -93.3099976

17. First Christian Church Columbarium
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0270500, -93.6174100

18. Colo Cemetery
Colo, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0181808, -93.3083420

19. Walnut Grove Cemetery
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9468994, -93.5903015

20. Cambridge Cemetery
Cambridge, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9067600, -93.5424400

21. Sheffield Cemetery
Howard Township, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1369020, -93.5585790

22. Saint Thomas Aquinas Columbarium
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0224370, -93.6450840

23. Maxwell Cemetery
Maxwell, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8950500, -93.3996900

24. Born Cemetery
Franklin Township, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1222277, -93.5905220