Krick, Herman W.

HERMAN W. KRICK

PRIVATE
U.S. ARMY

Herman W. Krick was born on the 6th of August 1913 to George Winfred Krick and Melinda E. Gause Krick. At this point in time he had one older sister, Dorothy A. Krick. After Herman, George and Melinda had six more children; Hubert E. Krick. (B. 19 Aug 1916), Helen Ione Krick (B. 31 Mar. 1919), Doyle H. Krick (B. 11 Oct. 1925), Eileen Krick (B. 30 Jun. 1930), Roger LeRoy Krick (Unknown), and Larry A. Krick (B. 4 Feb. 1946). Herman attended grammar school and held a job with a construction company before being drafted on the 27th of Jan. 1941. Herman, with draft registration #32, and 27 other young men from Decatur were some of the first draftees sent off to Fort Benjamin Harrison from Adams County. Brothers Hubert and Doyle both also later served in the U.S. Army in WWII.

While conducting training at March Field in California, Private Krick was killed in a crash while two other men and himself were delivering motorcycles to a San Francisco base. The motorcycles, according to news reports, "required urgent delivery in order to make it aboard an army transport bound for overseas". During the crowded holiday weekend, Krick was cut-off by another vehicle making a left hand turn in front of him. Despite swerving, he was forced to turn back striking the vehicle and throwing him from the motorcycle. The accident fractured his skull and crushed his chest. He later died at the San Jose Hospital from these injuries. He was pronounced dead on the 31st of Aug. 1941. He was 28 when he died and was the very first Adam's County selective service trainee to lose his life in army service. Herman's body was escorted home by several other military men from Adams County, IN. A funeral with military rites was held at the Black Funeral Home and Private Krick was interred in the Decatur Cemetery. 

For his service, Private Krick earned the American Defense Ribbon, and the WWII Victory Medal. 

Information researched and collected by Trenton Kirchner, 2014. 

SOURCES

“Decatur Daily Democrat 9 September 1941 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana’s Digital Historic Newspaper Program.” Newspapers.library.in.gov, newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=DCDD19410909.1.1&srpos=6&e=------194-en-20-DCDD-1--txt-txIN-herman+krick----1941--. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Indiana Historical Bureau, comp. Gold Star Honor Roll: Adams County. Bloomington: Indiana War History Commission, 1949. Print. Vol. 1 of Indiana in World War II.

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