After remaining missing for 69 years, Moulton, Iowa, native to return home Saturday to final resting place at Sunset View Cemetery in Moulton

 

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in Iowa from 5 p.m. Friday, July 18, 2014, until 8 a.m. Monday, July 21, 2014, in honor of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert "Bobby" E. Howard, formerly of Moulton, Iowa. A photo of Staff Sgt. Howard may be found here.

Howard, a 21-year old serving with the 450^th Bomber Squadron, 322^nd Bomber Group, Medium, 9^th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Corps, was last seen April 16, 1945, as his unit was conducting a bombing mission over Germany. His flight was shot down and crashed near Wittenburg, Germany. Only one of the six crew members was able to parachute from the aircraft and was taken prisoner by German forces. Howard and four other crewmembers were declared deceased, but their remains were never found.

In 2012, the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command - Central Identification Laboratory (JPAC) received information from German Officials of human remains found within a burial site located close to the possible aircraft crash site. In 2014, JPAC's Research and Analysis Group concluded a historical association drawn from Missing Air Crew Report #14463 and artifacts and human remains recovered at the excavation site. Mitochondrial DNA testing positively identified part of the remains belonging to Staff Sgt. Howard.

Robert Howard was born December, 19, 1923, in Moulton, Iowa. He graduated from Moravia Public School in Moravia, Iowa, in 1941, and participated in marching band, orchestra, concert band and dramatics.

Howard enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 19, 1943, and transferred into the U.S. Air Army Air Corps. His military awards and honors include the Purple Heart, Air Medal (with one silver and two bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with three bronze service stars), World War II Victory Medal and Enlisted Crew Wings.

Howard is survived by brothers Harold and Dennis, both of Des Moines, sisters Evelyn Lewin of Indianola, Janie Ballanger of Coatsville, Mo., and Evelyn June Nance of Tulsa, Okla., and by many nieces, nephews and extended family members. His parents and his sister, Betty Howard Harvey are deceased.

The Governor's directive applies to all U.S. and state flags under the control of the state. H.R. 692, signed in 2007, requires federal government agencies in the state to comply with the Governor's Executive Order that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff in the event of the death of a member of the Armed Forces.

A memorial service will be held at Sunset View Cemetery in Moulton, Iowa, on July 19, 2014, at 11 a.m., with full military honors provided by the Iowa National Guard. The cemetery is located north of Moulton, at the northeast corner of highway 202 and 535^th Street. The memorial service is open the public.

Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

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Issues disaster proclamation for seven counties, temporarily suspends certain transportation weight restrictions, asks FEMA to conduct damage assessment

(DES MOINES)  - Today, Gov. Terry E. Branstad issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for seven counties in response to the ongoing flooding and severe weather beginning June 26, 2014, temporarily lifted certain transportation weight restrictions and requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct assessments in 20 counties impacted by the June 26 and continuing storms.

The counties included in today's disaster proclamation are Audubon, Grundy, Ida, Jasper, Keokuk, Poweshiek and Washington. The governor's proclamation allows State resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of these storms.

Also today, Gov. Branstad issued a proclamation of disaster emergency to temporarily suspend Iowa Department of Transportation weight restrictions in Plymouth and Sioux counties.

The proclamation will temporarily lift certain transportation restrictions on the movement of loads related to the repair of damage sustained to the railroad operated by D & I Railroad and owned by the State of South Dakota. The damage was caused by the June 14, 2014, and continuing severe storms. The suspension of weight provisions applies to loads transported on Iowa Highway 3, Iowa Highway 10 and Iowa Highway 12 in Plymouth and Sioux counties and excludes other Iowa roadways and interstate systems. D & I Railroad provides shipping service to multiple area companies, including agriculture and ethanol producers.

In addition, the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) made a request today to FEMA to conduct damage assessments in 20 counties impacted by the June 26 and continuing storms. The damage assessments, which will primarily cover public infrastructure, will be conducted jointly by FEMA, HSEMD and local officials. Results of the damage assessments could be used to determine if a request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration is warranted. Damage assessments will be conducted in the following counties: Audubon, Black Hawk, Butler, Cedar, Des Moines, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Mahaska, Muscatine and Poweshiek.

This is the fourth such request that HSEMD has made to FEMA to conduct damage assessments as a result of June severe weather.

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(DES MOINES) - Today, Gov. Terry E. Branstad issued two proclamations of disaster emergency for a total of six counties in response to flooding and severe weather.

The first proclamation allows State resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from flooding and severe weather beginning on June 26, 2014. Counties included in the proclamation are:  Clinton, Des Moines, Hardin, and Lee.

The proclamation also activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for three counties:  Clinton, Hardin and Lee.

In addition to this, Gov. Branstad issued a second proclamation of disaster emergency for two counties in response to the ongoing severe storms beginning June 13, 2014. Counties included in the proclamation are: Crawford and Shelby. The governor's proclamation allows State resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of the storms.

The proclamation also activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for three counties: Cedar, Clay and Emmet.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $39,580, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

 

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DES MOINES - Today, Governor Terry E. Branstad issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Black Hawk, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Louisa and Muscatine counties in response to flooding and severe weather beginning June 26. The governor's proclamation allows State resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of these storms.

In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for eight counties: Black Hawk, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, and Muscatine; and Cedar, Jones and Linn counties, which were declared to be under a disaster emergency on Monday, June 30.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $39,580, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

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