Sontus Gjellefald

  • 2nd Lieutenant
  • World War I
  • East Wall (Middle Panel)

Forest City, Iowa

Jan 01, 2019

Biography

Second Lieutenant Sontus John Gjellefald was the son of Mr. A. O. Gjellefald. He came to Iowa State College from his hometown, Forest City, Iowa.

He was formerly part of the class of 1916 or 1918 in Civil Engineering. Presumably, he left Iowa State to enlist in aviation on December 2, 1918 at Kelly Field, Texas. He transferred to the Engineering Officer Training Scholl at Camp Lee, Virginia in April 1918.

On July 3, 1918, Sontus was comissioned second lieutenant and assigned to the 79th Engineers at Camp Leach, Washington D.C. He was discharged on December 3, 1918 and died of influenza back in Forest City almost a month later on January 1, 1919.