John H. Loof
Military Service
War: WWI
Branch: U.S. Army
Entered: 22 July 1918
Unit: 33rd Division
Personal Details
Born: 30 October 1894
Died: Killed In Action: 10 November 1918 (the night before the Armistice was signed)
Parents: Henry and Kea "Carrie" (Rindles) Loof
Buried:
12 November 1918 at Hannonville, France
Remains later sent home and re-buried:
4 September 1921
Wellsburg Reformed Church Cemetery
Wellsburg, Iowa
Loof, 3803641, Pvt. John, Co. G.--Information given by Theodore C. Thomas, Pvt. Co. G.
In our attack on Bois de Warville Nov. 10, 1918, we had retired to our trenches, where we had started the attack, and about three hours later, around 9 o'clock in the evening, the Germans began shelling our position. Pvt. Loof was lying down about thirty feet away from me. A high explosive shell fragment hit him in the head and killed him instantly. I immediately went over to him and found him beyond medical attention. No outcry or words were heard to come from him.
Source: The 131st U.S. Infantry (First Infantry Illinois National Guard) In The World War--Colonel Joseph B. Sanborn--Chicago, Illinois--1919--pg. 343--Chapter XIII, Information Regarding Officers And Men Killed In Action, Etc.
| Number | Name | Rank | Disposition |
| 3803641 | Loof, John | Pvt. | J10-29-18, K11-10-18 |
Source: The 131st U.S. Infantry (First Infantry Illinois National Guard) In The World War--Colonel Joseph B. Sanborn--Chicago, Illinois--1919--pg. 692--Roster Of Soldiers Who Joined The 131st Infantry In France As Replacements And Assigned To Company G
Two weeks ago, the news came that John Loof, son of Mrs. Henry Loof, of Wellsburg, has been missing in action since Nov. 9th. It was hoped that he would later be found in a hospital or among prisoners, but a letter from Harm Bakker, son of M. J. Bakker, of Wellsburg, who was with John Loof from the time he went to Camp Pike, Ark., to the last, which has since been received, contains the following: "Well, I will let you know that my friend, John Loof, is here no more. We went on the hike in the morning and he was feeling fine. I got lost from my company and when I got back, did not see him and could not find out where he was. The next day, I found that he was buried here Nov. 12th. He was always happy and talking of being home by Christmas." In the second letter, Harm Bakker states that he had discovered John's grave, upon which was a cross containing his name. The sympathy of the people of this section will go out to the widowed mother, Mrs. Henry Loof, and to the brothers and sisters of the dead soldier. But the sadness of this boy's loss is tempered by the thought that his life, along with those of thousands of others, was given for a great and a holy cause. In the years to come, let John Loof's memory be green, as with those of his fellows from hereabouts who have made the same great sacrifice for their country. Peace to them all.
--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 26 December 1918, pg 6
Last News of John Loof
August 5, 1918, Camp Pike--All packed up ready to leave. We are in quarantine. Where do we go? We drilled all day; spent the evening around the barracks.
August 17--Went out to the rifle range and shot 120 rounds by noon
August 18--Were issued our overseas equipment and rifles. Cleaned all the grease off our rifles in the evening. Went to Belmont.
August 19--Went to rifle range to set targets for another company
August 20-21--Getting packs ready to leave Camp Pike
August 22--Entrained at 11 a.m. Dinner on train. Detrained for hike at Poplar Bluffs, Mo., after supper. Went to bed on train.
August 23--Got up at East St. Louis, Ill. Went through southern Illinois on Big Four road. Detrained near Terre Haute, Ind., to battle in a small lake. Went to sleep at Springfield, O.
August 24--Got up at Cleveland. Followed along lake on New York Central through Buffalo, N.Y. Detrained at Rochester for a hike and shower bath at a Red Cross bath-room. At Syracuse we had supper, served by the Red Cross.
August 25--Got up on west bank of the Hudson. Came through my first tunnel at Beaumont, near Camp Merritt, at 8 a.m. Walked to camp and were quarantined in barracks. Busy the next five days getting our O.D. clothes and packing up for over-seas.
August 31--Left Camp Merritt at 1 a.m. with packs and rifles. Five-mile hike and landed on board a ferry for New York. Disembarked from ferry and were served coffee and buns by the Red Cross. Embarked on the English steamship Donegan Castle at 9 a.m. Left dock at 5 p.m. Anchored at mouth of harbor. Slept in hammock till next afternoon at 3 o'clock. Out of sight of land at dark.
September 2--A few getting seasick; nice weather.
September 3--More sick; still nice weather.
September 4--Nearly everybody sick. Sea beginning to roll a little. Am appointed K.P. at our mess. Feeling just a little sick.
September 5--Got up from my hammock feeling fine and felt fit all the way over. Was stormy and rough for four days.
September 13--Saw the first of the Irish shore. Followed the rocky coast till after noon, when we entered the Clyde, in Scotland.
September 15--Entrained in the morning at Glasgow for Camp Stanton, an American camp in England. Arrived at Winchester at 3 a.m.
September 16--Marched five miles on road to camp. Arrived there at 5 a.m. in dark. Quarantined in tents. Tentmates J. L. Lockhead and E. Luck.
September 20--Was on guard all night and up until noon
September 27--Got up at 4:30. Packed up. Left Camp Stanton at 8:15 for Southampton, nine miles. Stopped for dinner, which we carried with us at an American camp near Southampton. Rested till 3:30 and marched through Southampton to a boat-landing. Took boat at 6 p.m. Was seasick at 12 o'clock for the first time since I left New York.
September 28--Landed in France at 7 a.m. and marched five miles to an American camp, in rain and mud and water. Stayed two days and nights in tents. Cold as blazes.
September 30--Left camp at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, after supper, and marched back to Charbrough. Landed in box cars, thirty-six men in a car, and arrived at Le Mans next day at 11 a.m. Marched out to an American camp. Were given some new equipment. Stayed over night.
October 2--Hiked over the town in the morning. After dinner marched to train station and boarded cars. Rode about three hours, unloaded, and marched about eight miles to camp. Were billetted in barns. Next day we cleaned up all the stuff and filled our bedsacks.
October 4--Started drilling for about two weeks and we started for the rifle range, at which we stayed four days. Started back to our billets, which are about five miles from the rifle range, at a town they called Economy, about fifteen miles from Le Mans.
October 23--Went to rifle range.
October 26--We left Economy for the front.
October 28--Stopped at Boulogne and got a cup of hot coffee and built a fire to warm up. Stopped at La Tour October 27 for some coffee and then went on again.
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Thus ends the simple diary. On the next page is inscribed, in a different hand-writing, in large letters, the single word, "LOOF." The boy's soldiering was ended, and he was at rest.
Perhaps the last few words symbolize the military career of the dead boy, and epitomize his and many another young man's sacrifice. "We went on." They did go on, and on, giving their all that the world might save all, until success and victory crowned their efforts.
And as we go on, let us mourn them, but, more, let us honor them, and, finally, let us so act that we may crystallize and perpetuate the ideals for which they gave their lives.
--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 7 April 1920, pg 1
Word has been received that the body of John Loof left New York on Wednesday morning. It is expected to arrive in Wellsburg Friday on the morning or the noon train.
--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 8 September 1921, pg 7
Military Funeral At Wellsburg Sunday
The military funeral of John Loof, a member of the A.E.F. and a resident of Wellsburg, was held Sunday afternoon. The Ashing Post of the American Legion were in charge of the services, and Rev. Landseidel of the Christian Reformed Church officiated. Interment was made in the Wellsburg cemetery.John Loof was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Loof, of Wellsburg. His father died some time ago, but his mother is still living. He enlisted on July 22, 1917 and was sent to Camp Pike, where he was in training for a short time. He went across with the 33rd Division and saw active service until his death on the night before the Armistice was signed. His body reached Wellsburg September 2.
--Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 7 September 1921, pg 4
The funeral of John Loof, the one local resident who was killed on the field of action during the world war, was held last Sunday. A very large number of people were here for the ceremonies, which included two services, one at the house, conducted in the German language for the older friends of the departed lad and his mother, Mrs. Henry Loof, and the full military funeral, under the auspices of the American Legion, comrades of John Loof, who conducted the body with full military honors, to the Reformed church, headed by the Wellsburg band, where Rev. Wm. Landsiedel, pastor of the church, preached in the American language an impressive sermon. At the grave, the full military ritual was observed, including the last salute by the firing squad and the sounding of taps by the bugler of the detail. The remains were laid to rest in the Reformed church yard, along side the father of the dead soldier boy.
--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 15 September 1921, pg 7