Biography of John A. Liebenstein
~researched & written by Deanna Krambeer

John Liebenstein was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, February 24, 1920, the third child of Harry and Amalie Liebenstein. The family moved a number of times with his father’s business interests and the family settled in Fredericksburg, Iowa, in 1935, where Harry Liebenstein purchased a general merchandise store called the Corner Store.

Here John, often called Jack, graduated from high school in 1937 and spent a year attending the University of Iowa. His father died in 1939 of cancer, and Jack took over running the family store. He was drafted in 1942, and the store was sold. His mother, known as Mollie, moved to Monona, Iowa, where she had relatives.

Jack was inducted November 22, 1942, in Des Moines, Iowa. He received training at Camp Wolters, Texas, Fort Benning, Georgia for officers training, and Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He likely participated in the “Louisiana Maneuvers”, the war games held in Texas and Louisiana to prepare the draftees for the battle ahead.

In September of 1943, 2nd Lieutenant John Liebenstein spent a ten day furlough from Camp Fannin, Texas, with his mother in Monona, Iowa. In October of 1943 he and his mother visited friends in Fredericksburg, Iowa.

He served with the 349th Infantry, in the 88th Infantry Division, known as the “Blue Devils.” The 88th Infantry was the first all draftee unit, and their combat experience was limited to training in the Louisiana Maneuvers in Texas and Louisiana. There was some question of how draftees would perform in combat.

On December 20, 1943, Lt. Liebenstein embarked for service in the European Theatre. The 349th Infantry Division arrived in North Africa in late December, went on to Camp Passage in Casablanca, Morocco, and then to Oran, Algeria, before the final journey to Italy.

The 88th arrived in Naples, Italy, in early February, 1944, where more training continued in preparation for the battle to drive the entrenched German Army north out of the cities, mountains and country sides of Italy.

2nd Lieutenant Liebenstein was stationed near Minturno, Italy. Minturno was part of the German “Gustav” line, the massing of the German Army designed to prevent the Allied effort to re-take Italy.

Early introduction into combat with the German Army consisted of patrols, often at night, into German controlled territory to locate and destroy German arms and take prisoners who could provide information.

On April 11, 1944, 2nd Lieutenant Liebenstein led his patrol into enemy territory on Mount Cerecoli. Their mission was to locate and remove German machine guns on the ridge above and take prisoners. Anyone taking a German prisoner should call out “Iowa” so nearby patrol members could assist. Lieutenant Liebenstein and his patrol crawled out of a ditch and proceeded up the hill to the German lines. Patrol members spread out to their assigned areas to search for the enemy. The Germans met them with small arms and machine gun fire.

Lt. Liebenstien located a German soldier in a foxhole guarding a German machine gun. His gun had jammed, but he continued, ordering the German soldier to come out of the foxhole. When the German hesitated, he held his arm up as if preparing to throw a grenade which he did not have. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed the German soldier and pulled him from the foxhole. Calling the word “Iowa” brought a patrol member who took charge of the German prisoner.

Patrol members Pfc. Sidney Collins and Cpl. Allen Marsh were near-by and observed the capture. As the group began withdrawal, there was a sudden loud explosion. Lt. Liebenstein had tripped a mine. Patrol members Marsh and Collins rushed to the injured Lieutenant. He was unable to walk, and Collins and Marsh wanted to carry him to safety. Lt. Liebenstein refused help, “I got it. I was hit in the stomach. Go on, get out of here.” Marsh and Collins argued with him, but he repeated the order for the two men to withdraw, which they did. Another nearby member of his patrol, Pfc. Ralph Wells, came to the area and found Lt. Liebenstein on his hands and knees. When Lt. Liebensein saw Wells, he ordered him to “Get the hell out of here.”, again ordering another of his men to safely.

Patrol members re-grouped at their starting point at the bottom of the hill and waited for some time in hope that Lt. Liebenstein would return to them. When medics returned later to the site where Lt. Liebenstein was last seen, his body was gone. It was assumed that German soldiers had taken him prisoner.

He was listed as Missing in Action on April 11, 1944. No record was received that he was being held as a German POW.

On January of 1945, 2nd Lieutenant Liebenstein’s mother received word that her son was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for “extraordinary heroism in action.” (Sumner Gazette, 01/25/1945) Although wounded, “He refused aid of patrol members who tried to assist him. He ordered his men to withdraw to safety”. (Monona Leader, January 11, 1945) It was one of the first Distinguished Service Cross awards the 88th division would receive. At Mollie Liebenstein’s request, she received the medal in the mail rather than at a public ceremony in Des Moines. Lt. Liebenstein was also awarded a Purple Heart.

In April of 1945 his mother was notified that the War Department made a presumptive finding of his death. German Prisoner of War records did not contain his name. The extent of his injury had been severe and a search of available records and reports did not provide evidence of his survival. At this time, his hometown newspaper wrote that it was still hoped he might be a prisoner of war.

Just over two years later in June 1947, his mother received word his body had been found. Lieutenant Liebenstein was buried in Italy after he died of his wounds in a hospital in Cericoli, Italy, on April 11, 1944. He had reached his 24th birthday on February 20, 1944.

Mollie Liebenstein requested her son’s remains be returned to America. His casket arrived in Monona, Iowa on March 4, 1949. After a funeral service that day, his body was interred in the Council Hill Cemetery, near his father’s grave. He was survived by his mother Mollie and two sisters, Doris Mueller and Phyllis Fahy.

His mother, Mollie, died unexpectedly on March 4, 1950, one year to the day after her son’s remains were interred at Council Hill. She is buried near her son John and husband Harry at Council Hill Cemetery

~*~*~

References:

Tombstone Council Hill Cemetery: Clayton County, Iowa, County road B 45

Obituaries:
‘Harry Liebenstein Dies at Fredericksburg' Monona Leader, August, 3, 1939
'Harry J. Liebenstein', Monona Leader, August 10, 1939
'Mrs. Liebenstein Dies Suddenly', Monona Leader, March 9, 1950
'Obituary Mollie Liebenstein', scrapbook, Upham Memorial Library, Fredericksberg, Iowa

The Monona Leader, Monona, Iowa
'Monona Boy Daring Hero Italian Front', July 13, 1944
'Award Given to War Hero', January 11, 1945
'Mrs. J. Liebenstein Sent Service Cross', February 28, 1945
'Lt. Liebenstein Reported Dead by War Dept', April 26, 1945.
'Bury Hero', March 3, 1949

The Sumner Gazette, Sumner, Iowa
'Reported Missing in Action', May 25, 1944
'Award Citation', January 25, 1945
'Fredicksburg Officer’s Death Confimed by War Department', June 27, 1947
'Reburial Services for Former F’burg Resident, Friday', March 10, 1949
Local news items: June 26, 1941, November 4, 1943, November 19, 1942 November 25, 1943, November 17, 1938, December 29, 1938 & April 13, 1939.

Heritage Room. Upham Memorial Library. Fredericksburg, Iowa:
'Gold Star Boys. Service Records WW II'
'1937 Fredericksburg School Memories'
'Bits and Pieces Local Fredericksburg History'
'Congressional Record vol 51, Part 7'. This book was used as a scrapbook.

Request to National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, Mo. No results received to date, possibly due to loss of records in fire.

Online sources:
'349th Infantry Regiment', Wikipedia
'The 88th Infantry Division in Italy', by Jami Bryan
'History of the 88th Blue Devil Division We were There from Gruber to Brenner Pass.'
'Honor States. Org', Iowa
'Minturno During the World War II'
You tube: 'Armchair Historian Invasion of Italy 1943-1945.'
Maps: 'Italian Campaign WW II' & 'WW II Invasion Map of Italy'