Koele, Marvin R. 1920-1943

KOELE, VANDENBERG

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke--Volunteer
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:34

Source: Sioux County Index (4-29-1943)

Born: January 22, 1920
Died: April 8, 1943

Sgt 133th Infantry Engineer 34th Division Killed in Action WWII

Sergeant Marvin Royce Koele--Killed In Africa On April 8th

Died Same Day As His Cousin, Lt. Ray Koele

Was Son Of Mr. And Mrs. Nick and Marie (Vanden Berg) Koele of Hull; Entered Service in Company I, Sheldon, in 1941

An official War Department communication was received late Saturday night by Miss Eva Koele at Downey, California, informing her that her brother, Sergeant Marvin Royce Koele had been killed in action on the Tunisian Front on April 8th, 1943.

Miss Eva immediately placed a call by telephone, to Reverend R. A. Jager and upon getting the Reverend and being unable to personally relate the message to him, being choked with grief, her brother Frederick asked Reverend Jager to convey the sad message to their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nick Koele.

Sergeant Marvin Royce Koele was born at Hull on January 22, 1920. He graduated from the eighth grade of the Hull Public School and entered the High School where he was a regular pupil until the end of the Junior year.

After leaving school he worked as a filling station attendant and also worked on road construction crews.

Marvin enlisted in Co. I (National Guard) at Sheldon on February 10, 1941. On February 27th, a week after enlistment, he was sent to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, where he was in training for one year.

In February of 1942 he went to Ireland with the second group to leave the United States for foreign service. In December he was transferred to the North African theatre of war where he was killed in action April 8th, 1943.

He leaves to mourn his heroic passing, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nick Koele; one brother, Frederick, of Pacoina, California; and two sisters, Mrs. Henry Van Zee (Jean) of Rock Valley, and Miss Eva, of Downey, California. One sister, Margaret, preceded him in death.

Marvin was well known and liked by a host of friends in Hull and vicinity, who in sympathy revere his memory. It was just a week previous that a message came to Hull that Sergeant Marvin Koele's cousin, Lieutenant Raymond A. Koele - son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry R Koele, had been killed in action on April 8th - the same day.