SMITHLAND, Iowa -- There was no visitation when Norman R. Stickney, 89, of Smithland died a month ago. This newspaper noted his death in six lines of text.

It prompted a friend, Gale Volk, to come forward. As commander of the American Legion Leslie F. Seaton Post 666 of Smithland, Volk felt compelled to share the story of his fellow soldier, his longtime friend whom many knew as a husband, father, postmaster and gardener.

Lt. Norman Stickney flew 22 missions on a B-24 bomber in World War II. He crash landed on the Isle of Vis on Dec. 20, 1944, coming in on the tail of another damaged bomber piloted by George McGovern, future U.S. senator.

Stickney suffered a concussion after parachuting to safety in Yugoslavia March 2, 1945.

Flak from German anti-aircraft gunners entered Stickney's cockpit April 25, 1945, and blew apart his right foot. Staff Sgt. Irving Eisenbaum, an eyewitness flying next to Stickney's plane, saw the co-pilot's parachute get hung up on bomb shackles for two minutes before he freed himself and fell thousands of feet.

"The pilot followed the co-pilot (Stickney) out immediately and the plane exploded within 10 seconds after they jumped," Eisenbaum reported.

Stickney landed, applied a tourniquet to his leg and raised his hands in surrender as Erwin Kump, a company chief in charge of guarding POWs for the Germans, approached. Kump happened to be on a leave of absence, recovering from his own war wounds. Stickney landed 300 yards from a peasant home Kump was staying in with his wife.

Kump's wife spoke a little English and Stickney related his fears. Sensing he could trust the couple, Stickney handed Kump his papers, a little money and his parents' address at Smithland scribbled on the back of a map.

Kump took Stickney prisoner and summoned a doctor from Saxen, Austria, to treat the injuries. The doctor refused. The mayor of Saxen gave two men commands to shoot and kill the injured co-pilot. Both shooters refused, one citing Kump's order.

"I think the officer knew shooting Norman would violate the Geneva Convention," Volk said.

Another set of doctors agreed to treat Stickney. They removed part of his foot before driving him to see the bomb damage at the marshalling yard at Linz, his target that day. He was then taken to a hospital at Perg, Austria, where his foot was amputated.

The superintendent of the hospital placed an American prisoner in a recovery room with Stickney, allowing both a chance to share time with a fellow U.S. soldier.

American forces marched into Perg less than two weeks later, liberating Stickney and his fellow POW.

Fifteen months later, well after the end of World War II, Kump wrote a letter to Stickney's parents, detailing their son's capture and hospital stay. He also returned the currency, identification card, pictures and pilot certificate Stickney carried when he fell from the sky.

"I hope that your son is now with you, at home again and in comfortable circumstances, also that he gratefully remembers the good treatment he received in Austria as a wounded prisoner of war," Kump wrote. "I am truly sorry that he was so badly wounded that his foot could not be saved, though possibly he was able to preserve even his life, thanks only to the quick and intensive help of the doctors."

The letter reminded a family that humanity can cross lines of battle.

Lt. Norman R. Stickney made much of a life saved. He married Lois Hall of Smithland on Jan. 3, 1947. They raised five children. Nine grandchildren served as Grandpa's honorary pallbearers at the committal service in Little Sioux Township Cemetery of Smithland one month ago today.

The funeral program described Stickney this way: "Husband, Father, Son, Brother. And World War II Veteran."