JACOBS, Royal A., Pfc. 1922-1944

JACOBS, BALLHAGEN

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 11/16/2012 at 17:17:59

#1:

TROOPER RATES
HIGH CITATIONS

Royal Jacobs Honored
for Service to Nation

Rudd, Iowa -- Mr. and Mrs. Royal Jacobs are awaiting details of the death of their son, Pfc. Royal A. Jacobs who was killed in Holland on September 24, 1944. The young man was born near Rudd on January 22, 1923.

The Iowa paratrooper played a prominent part in American military operations prior to and on D-Day, which undoubtedly prove one of the brightest pages of American history.

He saw active'service at Carantan, Normandy, on D-Day and received the presidential citation which corresponds to the distinguished service cross, or, in air force to the distinguished flying cross and is the only ribbon worn on the right breast.

His division was one o£ the first to land several hours before D-Day and zero-hour. He landed in 5 feet of water and was obliged to cut loose from his parachute.

They had no contact with any but Germans for 2 days and nights but knew the other outfits were there as they, could be heard firing. He said, and all. iri his outfit agree, that it was nothing short of a miracle what was accomplished by their airborne troops. No details of the battle in which Pvt. Jacobs lost his life have been received.

Besides his parents he is survived by one sister, Mrs. Raymond Ballhagen of Rudd and one brother John of Bristow.

He attended Rudd high school from which he was graduated with the class of 1941. He enlisted in the paratroop infantry November 30, 1942, at Mason City, received his training at Camp Taccoa at Ft. Benning, Georgia, Camp Mackall, North Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee, returning to Camp Mackall from which place he was sent to England January 16, 1944.

[Mason City Globe Gazette, October 14, 1944]
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War II Dead Due to Arrive
North Iowans Among Bodies on Way Home

Among the bodies of 4,384 World War II dead, due to arrive from Europe aboard the US army transport Barney, are 76 Iowans, according to announcement by the department of the army. Armed forces dead originally interred in temporary military cemeteries in France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg are among those being brought back to this country.

North Iowans in the list include the following together with the next of kin:

Pvt. R. Alden Milton -- L. Alden, Thornton
Pvt. Wayne W. -- Mrs. Nettie D. Felkey, Armstrong
Pfc. Neil L. Gilbertson -- JaVa Gilbertson, Burr Oak
Pfc. Royal A. Jacobs -- Hezzie Jacobs, Rudd
1st Lt. Alan R. Jacobson -- Jacobson, Britt
Sgt. William L. Monroe -- Lloyd E. Monroe, Estherville
1st Lt. Robert L. Sill -- Nina S. Christopher, Eagle Grove
Edwin E. Sowles -- Mrs. Mary F. Sowles, Mason City
2nd Lt. Robert L. Van Horn -- Carl C. Van Horn, Hampton
1st Lt. Jens Weiby Jr. -- T. Weiby Sr., Armstrong

[Mason City Globe Gazette Wednesday, December 29, 1948, page 17]

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Below is a photo of Royal Jacobs, from the top Globe Gazette news story above. The link below the photo is to a document requesting a bronze plaque to be placed at Evergreen Cemetery at Rudd. It is believed that Royal is interred at Evergreen Cemetery at Rudd.
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SOURCES: Elaine ekball11@gmail.com , newspaperarchives.com, Mason City Globe Gazette.

Plaque Application
 

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