A Dow City woman who celebrated her 98th birthday Sunday found a very special letter of appreciation among a wealth of cards and well wishes. A former member of the U.S. Navy W.A.V.E.S. and a World War II veteran, Estelle Leinen, who was honorably discharged from active duty around 74 years ago, received a letter from Capt. Raymond C. Lueng, who is Commanding Officer of the Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois. “As a U.S. Navy W.A.V.E.S. veteran of World War II, you have my deepest appreciation for the sacrifices you made for the sake of this nation,” Capt. Lueng wrote. “For your service here at Naval Station Great Lakes, I am happy to call you ‘shipmate.’” Leinen was originally recruited by Genevieve Sullivan, who is the sister of the famous five Sullivan Brothers. Their story was the basis for the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” Leinen was honored at the Sullivan Museum in Waterloo in 2009. She served in the Navy until 1946 and met her husband, Lavern Leinen from Earling, as he served in the only Naval unit to receive a Presidential Citation during World War II for valor in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Estelle Leinen is one of the last remaining W.A.V.E.S. veterans from World War II and of what is affectionately known as “America’s Greatest Generation.”
Leinen and her husband, Lavern (click on image two times to bring to full size):
