"The casketed remains of Sergeant Lester V. Kuehl arrived at Kewaskum aboard the 9:48 p.m. northbound Chicago & North Western train yesterday (Wednesday evening) accompanied by a uniformed escort from the Chicago distribution center, American Graves Registration service. The sergeant was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Kuehl, Kewaskum.
The members of the American Legion post of Kewaskum met the casket at the depot and escorted it to the Miller Funeral home, Kewaskum.
Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home, and at 2 p.m. at Salem Reformed church, Wayne Center, where the Rev. Carl Flueckinger will preside. Members of the Kewaskum legion post will attend services in a body and proved military rites at the graveside. The officers of Salem church will also attend the funeral in a group.
Sergeant Kuehl was killed in action Aug. 9, 1944, at Les-Monta Borme, France, while serving with Company A, 112th Infantry regiment, 28th Infantry division. The remains had been interred in the United States Military cemetery at LeChene-Guerin, France, and were returned to this country aboard the army transport Carroll Victory which docked in New York on Oct. 6.
He was born Aug. 25, 1920, in the town of Wayne, and was employed on his father's farm before entering the army on September 29, 1942 with the largest group of inductees from this county.
He received training at Camp Livingston, La., and Camp Pickett, Va., before going overseas in October of 1943. Stationed in England until July, 1944, he then went to France with his outfit where he lost his life. He attained the age of 24 years.
Survivors are his parents, a sister Winonea (Mrs. LeRoy Strean) of Sheboygan; three brothers, Romand of St. Kilian, Marvin of the town of Wayne, Elmer on the homestead near St. Kilian; his grandmother, Mrs. Emilia Kuehl, 12 nieces and nephews."
When I first looked at the obituary I had thought the handwritten year was in error because I knew he had died in 1944. Why was this dated four years later? I knew service members were buried overseas, but what I hadn't realized was that didn't mean they stayed buried overseas. I had no idea who determined if they stayed or if they came back. It just was something that happened. I had no urge to find out the whys until seeing this clipping.
And for your cliff-hanger I'm not going to tell you the whys right now. I'm actually still doing some research on it all and I want to get a clearer picture before I share. I'm also trying to find out what exactly was going on around the day that Lester was killed. I've read some on it, but nothing conclusive. I'll share it all in a future post though. Until then, "To Be Continued..."
(This clipping was passed on to me by my mother-in-law. I don't know which Wisconsin newspaper the clipping came from)
When I first looked at the obituary I had thought the handwritten year was in error because I knew he had died in 1944. Why was this dated four years later? I knew service members were buried overseas, but what I hadn't realized was that didn't mean they stayed buried overseas. I had no idea who determined if they stayed or if they came back. It just was something that happened. I had no urge to find out the whys until seeing this clipping.
And for your cliff-hanger I'm not going to tell you the whys right now. I'm actually still doing some research on it all and I want to get a clearer picture before I share. I'm also trying to find out what exactly was going on around the day that Lester was killed. I've read some on it, but nothing conclusive. I'll share it all in a future post though. Until then, "To Be Continued..."
(This clipping was passed on to me by my mother-in-law. I don't know which Wisconsin newspaper the clipping came from)
