Henry J. Grobe

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Military Service
War: WWII
Branch: U.S. Navy
Rank:

Personal Details
Born: 14 March 1921
Died: 12 February 1999
Parents: Otto W. and Gertrude (Johnson) Grobe
Spouse: (1) Elizabeth Ann Mahanke (div.) (2) Bessie V. Sanders (3) Phyllis Bausman

Buried: Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery
Pleasant Valley Township, Grundy County, Iowa

Henry Grobe is at the home of his parents. Having enlisted in the U.S. marines at Des Moines, he came home for a brief visit before going into the service. He expects to spend Merry Christmas with the home folks.

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 18 December 1941

To San Francisco

Henry Grobe, who has been stationed at Great Lakes naval station during the past several months, at home recently on a brief vacation, has notified his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Grobe, that he has been sent on to San Francisco, California.

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 10 September 1942

Henry Grobe, who enjoyed a ten days' sick leave period here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Grobe, and with other relatives and friends, left last Friday night, his destination being St. Albans, Long Island, New York. he reported Monday at the U.S. Naval hospital, where he was scheduled to undergo a tonsillectomy before reporting elsewhere for continued naval service. Henry stopped at Chicago where he visited a day.

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 15 April 1943

Henry J. Grobe wrote his parents that he made a trip to north Africa since leaving New York June 11, and he was in Oran and other north African cities. He took part in the invasion of Sicily July 11, and it was a great experience. While there he ate a sandwich containing Rath's spiced luncheon meat, at the Red Cross center where our men are obliged to eat. He said the county and everything looks dirty. He obtained a good tan while on the trip.

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 26 August 1943

Henry Grobe Writes A Letter

Rolling Along On The High Seas--Sees Many Foreign Lands--Experiences

Henry Grobe who visited his parents in Ackley the last of September, then expecting to be gone until spring, when he left, surprised his parents Sunday afternoon by calling them from New York where he had arrived Saturday from his third trip to North Africa. In a letter he write and received Monday he states they left New York the first week of October and went to Swansea, South Wales. Owing to a short liberty he had no time to accompany others of the crew who went to London, 100 or more miles distant, which takes 8 to 10 hours time, which he would liked to have done. From Swansea they went to Belfast, Ireland and Greeock, Scotland, (where he was on short patrol duty the first night.) The second night he with some of the others had liberty, and went to Glasgow, Scotland, about 20 miles distant. The next day they left for Oran, North Africa, remaining there about 14 hours. They were attacked by German planes and shot down one of them. "They were lucky not to get hit, he says." On to Philippeville, and from there to Palermo, Sicily, where after two days they started back on their return. They cast anchor at Londonderry, Ireland, where they remained several days, and where they did a little shopping. He says "it is a nice city and the Red Cross Center is a very nice place, and there are a few soldiers, quite a few marines but lots of sailors here. This is a large naval operating base. Went to church Sunday morning (Nov. 28) to St. Colomb Cathedral, which was built in 1633, and the services were for the British and American sailors only. There were about 500 to 600 present, I should judge. Sunday afternoon we walked around to see the views, when it wasn't raining, which it does every day. Sunday night we went to the First Presbyterian church and heard an excellent sermon by a British Naval Chaplain. After the service we went into the hall aside of the church edifice, or the social hour, where they sang songs, solos, and had a good lunch of sandwiches, cakes and cookies. The five of us who attended enjoyed every minute of it. "A few days before reaching New York he wrote," Boy! This has been a rugged trip. We've really had bad weather all the way except one or two days and we went out of our way to miss the worse. Hard telling what we would have been in. Here's the news--I'm being transferred to Norfolk, Va., for advanced schooling so will write you when I get there. With love, "Heine."

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 16 December 1943

Fire Controlman 3/c Henry Grobe of the U.S. Navy has been at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Grobe, the past ten days and will remain another similar period of time on a rehabilitation leave. He received medical attention at the Navy Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. He has seen service the past twenty-nine months in north Africa, England, Iceland, Sicily, in the Pacific area five months, and the remainder of the time on the Mediterranean Sea and in South America. Mrs. Grobe, who has been employed at Norfolk, W. Va., at the port of embarkation, could not be released immediately, but she arrived this week and both expect to visit here until the latter part of May.

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 10 May 1945

Henry Grobe at Loogootee, Ind.

Henry J. Grobe, Fireman, 3/c, in the navy reserve for the past three and one-half years, on Wednesday was honorably discharged at the naval personnel separation center, Naval Air station, Minneapolis, with a total of 51 1/2 points. Since being home on a 30-day overseas rehabilitation leave, leaving here May 29, he has been serving at the naval ammunition depot, Crane, Indiana. For two and one-half years he served on two destroyers, the U.S.S. John D. Edwards, after the U.S.S. Laub was struck while in Italy a year ago last summer, following action in the Anzio beachhead bombardment. he also took part in the Sicily invasion previous to action in Italy. He served in the Pacific, North and South Atlantic and Mediterranean, and also in a major air and sea battle, earning three stars on North African, European ribbon.

He spent Thursday and Friday with his parents in Ackley enroute to Loogootee, Ind., where he will be employed in civil service work at the naval ammunition depot.

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 27 September 1945