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Technical Sergeant · U.S. Army · 57th Station Hospital

Garlie Dale Sailors

March 8, 1923 — July 2, 1971

School superintendent. Coach. Principal. Mason. WWII veteran. The eleventh of fifteen children, born in Rosalie, Nebraska. Your grandfather.

Born
March 8, 1923 [1]
Rosalie, Thurston Co, NE
Died
July 2, 1971 [1]
Hendricks, Lincoln Co, MN · Age 48
Buried
Dakota City Cemetery [1]
East Addition, S. Driveway, Space 105
Married
Argean Alice Alderson [2]
May 22, 1946 · Wayne, NE
Military
T/Sgt, 57th Station Hospital [1]
WWII · North Africa [8]
Heritage
1/32 Omaha Tribe [1]
Through Mary Ann Peters Sailors
Parents
Garl & Elsie Keyser Sailors [4][5]
Child #11 of 15 [1][4]
Occupation
School Superintendent [17]
Dakota City · prev. SSC Junior High Principal [17]
Education
Wayne State College [12]
Teaching degree · Walthill HS · Taught in Whiting & Clearfield, IA [17]
Organizations
American Legion · Masons [17]
Historical Society of Dakota City · Firemen [17]
Life

A life in forty-eight years

March 8, 1923
Born in Rosalie, Nebraska [1]
The eleventh child of Garl and Elsie Cora (Keyser) Sailors.[4] Grew up in a family of fifteen children in Rosalie, Thurston County — on the edge of the Omaha Reservation.[14]
c. 1930s
Childhood in Rosalie
Appears in the 1930 U.S. Census (age 7) and 1940 Census (age 17) as part of Garl's household.[15] Likely attended Walthill High School, where his older sister Doris also graduated.[14][13]
c. 1941–1942
Wayne State Teachers College [12]
Enrolled at Wayne State Teachers College (now Wayne State College) in Wayne, NE. The Wayne Herald listed "Garlie Sailors, Walthill" among those completing courses of study.[12] This is where he would later meet Argean — though not yet. After college, he taught in Whiting and Clearfield, Iowa before moving to Dakota City.[17]
1943–1945
World War II — North Africa [1][8]
Served as Technical Sergeant with the 57th Station Hospital in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.[8] The unit was stationed in Algeria and Tunisia — at Oued Seguin, Bone, Bizerte, and Tunis.[8][9] As one of the top enlisted men in a ~200-person hospital unit,[11] Garlie held significant responsibility — likely as chief ward master, first sergeant, or senior medical technician.[11]
May 22, 1946
Marries Argean Alice Alderson [2]
Married in Wayne, NE.[1] Argean was a teacher from Cedar County — born on a farm north of Belden,[2] graduated Wayne Prep School in 1942, attended Wayne State College, earned her teaching certificate.[2] She was teaching elementary school in Walthill when she met Garlie.[2]
April 19, 1947
Nancy Lynn is born [3]
Their first child, born in Wayne, Nebraska.[3] Nancy would grow up in Dakota City, graduate South Sioux City High School in 1965, and marry Ronald D. Jepsen in 1967.[3]
c. late 1940s
Rodney Dale is born
Their second child.[16] Rod would carry the Sailors family story forward and become the family genealogist.
c. early 1950s
Kim is born
Their third child.[16] Kim would settle in Dakota City.
c. 1950s
Superintendent at Dakota City School [17]
Became school superintendent at Dakota City.[17] The Dakota County Star had earlier reported: "Garlie Sailors will serve as principal at Dakota City."[13] He also coached — football and basketball.[12] He had previously served as Junior High School principal in South Sioux City.[17]
1957
Father Garl dies [4]
Garl Sailors dies March 5, 1957 in Winnebago, NE at age 70. Buried at Bancroft Cemetery.[4]
1958
Logan Valley Conference Champions [12]
The Sioux City Journal references "Coach Garlie Sailors" in connection with the 1958 Logan Valley eight-man conference title.[12] He coached Dakota City to a championship.
c. 1960s
VFW / American Legion Commander [13]
The Dakota County Star reported: "Commander Garlie Sailors accepted the flag on behalf of the post" and presented anniversary recognitions.[13] He held leadership roles in the local veterans organization.
May 1971
25th Wedding Anniversary [12]
The Sioux City Journal reported: "Mr. and Mrs. Garlie Sailors of Dakota City will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with an open house in their home Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m."[12] This was just weeks before his death.
July 2, 1971
Dies in Hendricks, Minnesota [1]
Garlie dies at age 48 "at a lake in Minnesota," per the Wayne Herald obituary.[17] July 2 was a Friday — the start of July 4th weekend. Lake Hendricks is a 1,522-acre fishing lake in Lincoln County, Minnesota, about four hours from Dakota City.[1] The obituary does not state the cause of death.[17] His funeral was held July 6 at the Junior High School Auditorium in South Sioux City, with Rev. Randy Sailors officiating.[17]
Military Service

57th Station Hospital
North Africa, 1943–1945

The 57th Station Hospital was a 250-bed fixed Army hospital in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.[8] While field and evacuation hospitals moved with the front lines, station hospitals were established at bases and airfields in the rear — treating the sick, wounded, and injured so they could return to duty rather than being shipped home.[10]

Deployment History

May–Sep 1943
Oued Seguin, Algeria
250 beds
Sep 1943–Jan 1944
Bone area, Algeria
250 beds
Jul–Oct 1944
Bizerte, Tunisia
250 beds
Nov 1944–Feb 1945
Tunis, Tunisia
250→150

Redesignated as 247th Medical Detachment on March 1, 1945. Source: Medical Service in the Mediterranean and Minor Theaters, AMEDD

A 250-bed station hospital had roughly 201 personnel: 21 officers, 30 Army nurses, and 150 enlisted men.[11] As a Technical Sergeant — the second-highest enlisted grade — Garlie was one of the top 3–4 enlisted leaders in the entire unit.[11]

The unit opened at Oued Seguin, near the Telergma airfield in eastern Algeria, during the closing phase of the Tunisia Campaign.[8] It operated from tents and hutments.[8] The North African theater was marked by extreme heat, malaria, dysentery, and the constant flow of casualties from the fighting in Tunisia and later Italy.[10]

His gravestone reads: "Nebraska / T SGT 57 Station Hosp / World War II" [1]

Career & Community

Superintendent, coach, commander

After the war, Garlie taught in Whiting and Clearfield, Iowa,[17] then moved to Nebraska and built a life as an educator — first as Junior High principal in South Sioux City, then as school superintendent in Dakota City.[17] He was the kind of small-town figure who did everything — ran the school district, coached the teams, led the veterans post, joined the Masons and the volunteer fire department.

School Superintendent — Dakota City
Superintendent of the Dakota City school district.[17] Served for years, presenting service plaques and presiding over school events.[13]
Wayne Herald obituary [17]
Junior High Principal — South Sioux City
Served as principal of the Junior High School in South Sioux City.[17] His funeral was later held in the SSC Junior High auditorium.[17]
Wayne Herald obituary [17]
Football & Basketball Coach
Coached Dakota City to the 1958 Logan Valley eight-man conference title.[12] Referenced as "Coach Garlie Sailors" in the Sioux City Journal.[12]
Sioux City Journal, 1958 [12]
VFW / American Legion Commander
"Commander Garlie Sailors accepted the flag on behalf of the post."[13] Led the local veterans organization.[13]
Dakota County Star [13]
Community Leader
"President Garlie Sailors will preside"[13] — appeared regularly in the Dakota County Star in connection with school board and community events.[13] Also a member of the Masons, the Historical Society of Dakota City, and the Firemen.[17]
Dakota County Star [13] · Wayne Herald [17]
Family

Argean and the children

Wife
Argean Alice Alderson
Dec 4, 1924, Cedar County, NE — Aug 26, 2008, South Sioux City, NE [2]
Born on a farm north of Belden, Cedar County.[2] Graduated Wayne Prep School in 1942. Attended Wayne State College and earned a teaching certificate.[2] Taught elementary school in Iowa and Nebraska. Met Garlie while teaching in Walthill.[2] After Garlie's death in 1971, she continued teaching. Buried beside Garlie at Dakota City Cemetery — Plot: East Addition, S. Driveway, Space 104.[2]

Argean's parents: Earnest Dale Alderson (1892–1945, Belden, NE)[6] & Henrietta K. Sellentin (1895–1982).[2] Earnest's parents: George Alderson (1838–1913) & Mary L. Alderson (1853–1900).[6]

Daughter
Nancy Lynn Sailors
Apr 19, 1947, Wayne, NE — Dec 19, 1996, Sioux City, IA [3]
Married Ronald D. "Ron" Jepsen on Jan 21, 1967.[3] Graduated South Sioux City High School 1965.[3] Sons: Brian and Jeff Jepsen.[3] Member of Bethel Baptist Church; sang in choir, taught Awana Club.[3] Died at 49 following a brief illness at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center.[3] Buried: Graceland Park Cemetery, Sioux City.[3]
Son
Rodney Dale Sailors
Living · Lyons, NE [16]
Married Kristie.[16] Father of Thomas D Sailors.[16] The family genealogist — maintains an extensive Sailors family tree on Ancestry.com.[16]
Son
Kim E. Sailors
Living · Dakota City, NE [16]
Married Tari.[16] Children: Nicholas (Nick), April, and Christie/Christy.[16] Kim and Tari lost twin infant sons — Garlie and Thomas — in September 1972, named in honor of Garlie Dale.[16]

His Siblings — All 15

The complete birth order of Garl and Elsie's children, with newly confirmed dates:[7][4][14]

1. Lyle Cloyde (1907–1996) 2. Leona Mae (1908–1972) 3. Margaret Edith (1909–1998) 4. Evelyn Mildred (1911–1991) 5. Howard Lloyd (1912–1978) 6. Roland Edgar (1914–1992) 7. Guy Willard (1915–2003) 8. Lois Maxine (1917–2009) 9. Fulton Eugene (1919–1978) 10. Doris E. (1921–2013) 11. Garlie Dale (1923–1971) ★ 12. Frank Elmer (1926–2001) 13. Eva Joyce (1927–1993) 14. Hillman Dean (1930–2023) 15. Warren Keith (1931–2014)
In His Son's Words

A letter to the grandchildren

On March 25, 2015, Garlie's son Rodney Dale Sailors wrote the following letter to Garlie's grandchildren.[18]

March 25, 2015
To the grandchildren of Garlie Sailors:

I am writing this information about your Grandpa Sailors because none of you had a chance to meet him and get to know him. One thing is for certain: he lived hard and died young. His personality was as such that he felt the need to be in charge of every organization, committee, and cause he could work into his schedule. He was president of the Dakota County Historical Society, American Legion Post Commander, County Superintendent, a head football coach, head basketball coach, head track coach…the list goes on and on.

Garlie was an outstanding Walthill High School athlete who was selected first team All-State Football for the 1940 season. His growing up years were very difficult. His large family lived in abject poverty during the Great Depression. He always wanted to go to college and become a doctor, and that's what he wanted me to become also, but I ended up being a coach just like him. At his senior prom, he wore his older brother Lyle's army coat as a suit jacket. He told me he pulled the stripes off and stained the gilded buttons to make it look not so military. Poverty…he never forgot how poor they were and what it felt like to be hungry.

When World War II broke out, he enlisted in the army and did his basics in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Originally, he was a rifleman, but was later detached to the medical corps when he was stationed in Africa. Garlie was severely wounded in a jeep accident on May 26, 1944, in Ouen Seguin Constantine Algeria in North Africa. (Imagine it…he was a young man who hardly ever got more than a few miles away from his home in Thurston County Nebraska, and now he finds himself next to a palm tree in Algeria with the bones in his lower right tibia and fibula sticking out of his skin.) About ten hours later, he was picked up by some Bedouins and hauled back to his station. The next 10 months were spent in various hospitals in Africa and France. (Doctors talked of amputating his right leg, but he would have none of it.) It was in one of those hospitals that he met a French nurse who became the first love of his life, but that's a whole different story.

I don't think he ever got over the war. He dreamt about it…had nightmares where he would be screaming in his sleep. Those horrible images of wounded soldiers haunted him the rest of his life. I also think he became addicted to morphine during his hospitalization. When he was discharged, whiskey and three packs of cigarettes became his anesthetic. One interesting thing I remember about him is that before almost every game he coached, he would vomit either in the locker room or by the goal posts. Nerves.

When he came home from the war, people said he was mean and short tempered. I can believe that because I knew first hand that he was no stranger to corporal punishment. His dreams of playing college football were over, but he still got the opportunity to go to college on the GI Bill and completed his BA in two and a half years graduating summa cum laude. He never got too far away from the football field; he became the teams' trainer and student manager at Wayne State Teachers College.

I want to tell you how he met Argean. She was teaching second grade in Walthill during the war. When Garlie was discharged, he came back home and that's where they met. The rest is a long story.

Many things happened after they were married that I will not write about at this time. Some day I will but not now.

Some other interesting things about your grandpa:

  1. He could speak and understand French and Omaha Indian.
  2. He never took notes in college; he had an eidetic memory.
  3. He is one of the winningest football coaches in Iowa and Nebraska.
  4. His coaching accomplishments are legendary.
  5. He smoked cigarettes on the sidelines during games.
  6. When he laughed, people could hear him down the block.
  7. He was an expert shot with both rifle and shotgun.
  8. He organized the American Legion Baseball program in Dakota City.
  9. Over 1200 people attended his funeral.
  10. He was completely non racist; his best friend was Elmer Blackbird, a blood Omaha Indian.

That is all for now…

Your dad,
Rod Sailors

— Rodney Dale Sailors, Garlie's son [18]
Photos & Media

What exists

Four known images and one newspaper clipping have been found online. No video or audio recordings are known to exist.

📷
Portrait Photo
FamilySearch · Memory #99094716 [7]
Black-and-white photograph uploaded by Cheryl Garner Boyle (likely a niece through sister Doris) on Jan 2, 2020. File: "Garlie Sailors.jpg" [7]
📷
Personal/Family Photo
FindAGrave · Memorial #114048248 [1]
604×677px image uploaded by Cheryl Garner Boyle, June 2019. Likely a personal or family photograph. [1]
⚌
Grave Marker (2 photos)
FindAGrave · by Dennis Johnson, Aug 2013 [1]
VA headstone at Dakota City Cemetery. Reads: "Nebraska / T SGT 57 Station Hosp / World War II" [1]
📰
Obituary Clipping
Wayne Herald, July 8, 1971 · FindAGrave [1]
Newspaper column uploaded by user WK, Feb 2024. Tall/narrow image (887×2162px). Obituary now transcribed — confirms superintendent role, Iowa teaching career, Masons membership, and death "at a lake in Minnesota."[17] Does not state cause of death. [1]

There may also be a Garl & Elsie family photograph on Garl's FindAGrave memorial (added May 2019) that could include a young Garlie.

Newspaper Record

Found in the papers

These references were found via newspapers.com snippet searches. Full articles would require a newspapers.com subscription.

Source Reference
Wayne Herald "Garlie Sailors, Walthill" listed among those completing courses at Wayne State
Dakota County Star "Garlie Sailors will serve as principal at Dakota City"
Dakota County Star "Dakota City School Principal Garlie Sailors" presenting service plaques
Sioux City Journal "Coach Garlie Sailors" — 1958 Logan Valley eight-man conference title
Dakota County Star "Commander Garlie Sailors accepted the flag on behalf of the post"
Dakota County Star "President Garlie Sailors will preside" at meeting
Wayne Herald "Dinner guests Friday were Mr. and Mrs. Garlie Sailors, Dakota City"
Sioux City Journal 25th wedding anniversary open house — Dakota City — May 1971
Wayne Herald Obituary, July 8, 1971 — "Garlie Sailors Funeral Services Held Tuesday." Confirms superintendent, Masons, Iowa teaching career, death at a lake in Minnesota.[17]
Open Questions

What we don't know yet

Sources
  1. [1] FindAGrave, Memorial #114048248 — Garlie Dale Sailors. Dakota City Cemetery, Dakota City, NE. Includes grave marker photos (Dennis Johnson, Aug 2013), personal photo (Cheryl Garner Boyle, Jun 2019), and obituary clipping from Wayne Herald, Jul 8, 1971 (uploaded by WK, Feb 2024). findagrave.com/memorial/114048248
  2. [2] FindAGrave, Memorial #114890317 — Argean Alice Sailors (née Alderson). Includes obituary with biographical details: born Dec 4, 1924, Cedar County, NE; died Aug 26, 2008, South Sioux City, NE. findagrave.com/memorial/114890317
  3. [3] FindAGrave, Memorial #221088168 — Nancy Lynn Jepsen (née Sailors). Includes obituary with biographical details: born Apr 19, 1947, Wayne, NE; died Dec 19, 1996, Sioux City, IA. findagrave.com/memorial/221088168
  4. [4] FindAGrave, Memorial #57288124 — Garl Sailors (1886–1957). Bancroft Cemetery, Bancroft, NE. Includes family photo. findagrave.com/memorial/57288124
  5. [5] FindAGrave, Memorial #57288108 — Elsie Cora Sailors (née Keyser, 1890–1968). Bancroft Cemetery, Bancroft, NE. findagrave.com/memorial/57288108
  6. [6] FindAGrave, Memorial #119668662 — Earnest Dale Alderson (1892–1945). Argean's father. Belden, Cedar County, NE. Parents: George Alderson (1838–1913) & Mary L. Alderson (1853–1900). findagrave.com/memorial/119668662
  7. [7] FamilySearch, Person LWJP-RL1 — Garlie Dale Sailors (1923–1971). Includes Memory/Photo #99094716: black-and-white portrait uploaded by Cheryl Garner Boyle, Jan 2, 2020. familysearch.org/en/LWJP-RL1
  8. [8] U.S. Army AMEDD Center of History & Heritage, Medical Service in the Mediterranean and Minor Theaters, Chapter 5: "Hospitalization." Details 57th Station Hospital activation (May 1943), locations at Oued Seguin, Bone, Bizerte, and Tunis. achh.army.mil — Chapter 5
  9. [9] U.S. Army AMEDD, Medical Service in the Mediterranean and Minor Theaters, Chapter 13: "Hospitalization in Minor Theaters." Additional deployment details and redesignation as 247th Medical Detachment, Mar 1, 1945. achh.army.mil — Chapter 13
  10. [10] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medical Service in the Mediterranean and Minor Theaters (CMH Pub 10-8). Overview of medical operations in NATOUSA/MTOUSA. history.army.mil/html/books/010/10-8
  11. [11] Med-Dept.com, "WW2 Military Hospitals — Mediterranean Theater of Operations." Reference for station hospital T/O: 21 officers, 30 nurses, 150 enlisted men (201 total) for a 250-bed unit. med-dept.com — WW2 Military Hospitals MTO
  12. [12] Sioux City Journal (via newspapers.com snippet search). References include: "Coach Garlie Sailors" and 1958 Logan Valley eight-man conference title; 25th wedding anniversary open house, May 1971; Wayne State completion notice. newspapers.com
  13. [13] Dakota County Star (via newspapers.com snippet search). References include: "Garlie Sailors will serve as principal at Dakota City"; "Commander Garlie Sailors accepted the flag on behalf of the post"; "President Garlie Sailors will preside." newspapers.com
  14. [14] Doris (Sailors) Babcock obituary, Sioux City Journal. Lists Garlie among siblings; confirms Rosalie, Thurston County upbringing and Walthill High School connection. newspapers.com
  15. [15] 1940 U.S. Census, Ancestry.com Record #67371430. Garlie Sailors (age 17) listed in Garl Sailors household, Rosalie, Thurston County, Nebraska. ancestry.com
  16. [16] Tom Sailors — family knowledge. Oral history and personal records provided by Garlie's grandson.
  17. [17] Wayne Herald, "Garlie Sailors Funeral Services Held Tuesday," July 8, 1971. Obituary. Clipping image on FindAGrave Memorial #114048248 (uploaded by WK, Feb 2024). findagrave.com/memorial/114048248
  18. [18] Rodney Dale Sailors, letter to the grandchildren of Garlie Sailors, March 25, 2015. Personal family document. Rod is Garlie's son and the family genealogist.