Eight More Drafted, Will Leave March 2
CALL NO. 6
Selective Service Call No. 6 calls for eight men to leave Alton Sunday night, March 2nd, at midnight for the induction center at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The men selected to fill the call are as follows:
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Peter De Boer, Rock Valley
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A letter received from State Headquarters relative to Employment of Inductees after separation from the Service gives us the following information:
“Inform all selectees prior to their departure that the United States Employment Service, acting through the Iowa State Employment Service, maintains an office at the Court House, Orange City, Iowa, on Tuesday of each week. The interviewer for the government is Loren A. Hart. Advise all selectees who will be looking for work after they have completed their service to register at once with the Iowa State Employment Service if they have not already done so, and desire help in obtaining work. Registration is not mandatory. It is entirely optional on the part of the individual selectee. You are requested to inform all unemployed inductees of this service.”
Source: Sioux Center News Feb. 27, 1941 p 1
….., Mrs. Van Vliet gave me the address of her son who is in camp at Fort Meade, S.D. He, with another local boy, Peter De Boer, also at Ft. Meade, will join in large scale army maneuvers about the 17th of July.
Source: Sioux Center News June 26, 1941 p 7
Write The Boys In The Service
LIST OF SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND MARINES FROM THIS LOCALITY
The News has gathered a list of local boys who are serving in the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines at the present time with their correct addresses. If you have any correction of the addresses published we would be glad to know about it and if anyone has been omitted from the list, call our attention to it and we will publish them next week.
Many people have inquired as to the correct addresses of the men in the service so that they may correspond with them. Now that you have the correct address, sit down and write a letter to your friend, or relative that is in the army, navy or with the marines. Only they can tell you how much it means to get a letter from home.
The Women’s Club has been working on plans whereby each member will “adopt” a man in the service in order to send him cookies, birthday cards and other tokens of remembrance.
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Prvt. Peter De Boer, 1st Class
Troop F 4th Cavalry
Fort Meade, So. Dak.
…..
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 30, 1941 p 8
Peter De Boer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Will De Boer went to Omaha last week to march in the parade on Army Day. He is located at Fort Meade, S.D. with the cavalry unit. His address is: Troop F., 4th Calvary, Fort Meade, S. D.
Source: Sioux Center News April 16, 1942 p 13
Andrew Vander Vliet and David Postma who are in the U.S. Army at Fort Meade, were visitors at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Peter De Boer at Sturgis, S.D. Sunday.
Source: Sioux Center News May 21, 1942 p 10
Andrew Vander Vliet and Peter De Boer stationed at Camp Meade, S.D. went to Denver, Colo., recently, to take part in a huge parade. Andrew is the son of Henry Vander Vliet and Peter is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Will De Boer.
Source: Sioux Center News June 11, 1942 p 11
Peter De Boer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. De Boer who live northeast of Sioux Center, have been informed that their son who is stationed at Camp Meade, South Dakota has been promoted to the rank of Corporal in the U. S. army. He was married recently and all mail may be sent to this new address where they reside: Cpl. Peter De Boer, 817 Dudley, Sturgis, S.D.
Source: Sioux Center News June 18, 1942 p 12
Visit Cpl. Peter De Boer
Tracy Schenk and Bernice Feekes left on Wednesday from Carmel to enjoy a week’s visit at the home of Corporal and Mrs. Peter De Boer at Fort Mead, S.D. They went by train.
Source: Sioux Center News, Aug. 20, 1942 p 8
Corp. Peter De Boer On Maneuvers
Corp. Peter De Boer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Will De Boer living near Sioux Center, writes home that he is on maneuvers in Tennessee. He has been stationed at Fort Meade, S.D. prior to the army going on maneuvers. His new address is: Cpl. Peter De Boer 37079421, Troop C, Horse Cavalry, Nashville, Tenn.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 10, 1942 p 16
Mrs. Peter De Boer came home Tuesday morning to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Feekes to make her home with them for several months. Her husband Corp. Peter De Boer is on maneuvers in Tennessee.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 17, 1942 p 11
Pvt. Andrew Vander Vliet and Corp. Peter De Boer came home Thursday for a 15 day furlough. They will both return to Ft. Meade after their furlough has expired.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 26, 1942 p 10
Peter De Boer In Army Since March 1941
(photo included)
Corporal Peter De Boer is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. De Boer who live northwest of Sioux Center. He has been in the army nearly two years, having gone in on March 2nd, 1941. He has been stationed at Ft. Meade, S. D. most of that time with the exception of a short time when he attended mechanics school in St. Louis. He married Nellie Feekes six months ago, and she had been with him at Ft. Meade ever since. He has had three furloughs, the last one this past November. His address is: Corporal Peter De Boer, 853 ½ Main Street, Sturgis, S.D.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 24, 1942 p 1
Dear Editor:
I am dropping you a line to let you know I received the Christmas package from the business women. I want to thank every one who contributed to this Christmas box, I also want to thank the Legion and Civic Club for the nice letters they sent me.
In closing I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Your soldier friend,
Cpl. Peter De Boer
Troop B, 4th Cavalry
Ft. Meade, So. Dak.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 31, 1942 p 7
List of Names For Honor Roll Is Published
Want List To Be Complete and Accurate
Names of 137 men and women from Rock Valley and vicinity, as follows, who are now serving or have served in the armed services, the Nurse’s Corps or in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps during this war will be the basis for the Honor Roll to be constructed and painted under the direction of the American Legion here in the near future.
Additional names will be added from time to time to keep the Honor Roll complete.
Where names as given below are incomplete as to initials, or incorrect as to spelling, or if names are missing, the proper information should be given to Lawrence Richter, commander of Pfarrer-Fox Post.
It is very desirable that the list be accurate and complete before work on the Honor Roll starts and all information should be provided promptly.
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De Boer, Peter
…..
Source: Rock Valley Bee Jan. 29, 1943
Corp. Peter De Boer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Will De Boer has been moved from Sturgis, S.D. to California. His wife is staying at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Will Feekes for the present. His address is Corp. Peter De Boer, Troop B., 4th Cavalry, Camp Young, Calif.
Source: Sioux Center News Feb. 4, 1943 p 12
Dear Friends:
How are you all getting along? I’m just fine and hope you can say the same. They keep us plenty busy but that makes the time go faster so we don’t mind.
We’re on maneuvers here in the desert in California and the days sure get warm here and the nights are cool, it rained all day yesterday, but it never gets muddy as it’s all sand out here.
While we’re on maneuvers we eat canned rations but during our rest period we get good meals. We usually take some candy bars and other candy along to eat with our canned rations. Water is sure scarce here in the desert, to have drinking water is almost a luxury as lots of the boys don’t get to drink for a couple days, and water to wash with is unheard of except on Saturdays when we’re scheduled to take showers, and do they ever feel good.
I never dreamed of seeing so much army. The equipment and number of men out here is amazing. My job now is to go after gas and sometimes we have to go from 50 to 100 miles after it, we usually go get it during the night and then we see so many outfits camped. During the day when we travel around we see one outfit after another and large ones too, our 4th Cavalry is just a real small outfit compared to the ones up here. This desert is terrible hard on the vehicles, it keeps our maintenance crew pretty busy.
We don’t get the chance to mail our letters very often as there are no towns around here except once in a great while there is a railroad, store and post office, but they are along highways and highways are off limits during maneuver periods. When we camp for the night we may not have any lights on so it’s pretty hard to keep up with writing letters.
Well I must close now and I want to thank every one who has written me and those who have sent me packages. I certainly enjoy reading the Sioux Center News. May God bless you all and bring this war to an end soon. Your friend, Peter De Boer
(Note: we have Peter’s address at the News office. Call us or his relatives if you wish to have it.)
Source: Sioux Center News Mar. 11, 1943 p 2
Mrs. Peter De Boer left Monday for California where she will visit her husband, Cpl. Peter De Boer. Mrs. De Boer has been at her folks Mr. and Mrs. Will Feekes since her husband left for California.
Source: Sioux Center News May 13, 1943 p 7
SIOUX COUNTY SERVICEMEN HAVE GOOD MILITARY RECORDS
29 COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OUT OF 325
The News recently made a survey of the Soldier Mailing list and discovered there were a good many officers in the U.S. Fighting Forces representing Sioux Center all over the world. While some of these men are not from Sioux Center proper, they all have some connections here and most of them are known in this territory. This is only a small percentage of Sioux County men, but is a fair cross section of the County.
There may be others who are from this territory whose names do not appear on this list, but we are using our mailing list to go by, so those who do not get the News would naturally not appear on this list. However it is interesting to note, the percentage of officers (commissioned or non-commissioned) in a list of over 325 servicemen.
36 Corporals
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Peter De Boer
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Source: Sioux Center News, July 8, 1943 p 5
Cpl. Peter De Boer has a change of address from Los Angeles, to
37078421,
Troop B, 4th Cavalry
Camp Maxey, Texas
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 12, 1943 p 4
The first two soldier boys that left from Carmel are home on a furlough. Corp. Peter De Boer and Pvt. Andrew Vander Vliet.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 19, 1943 p 2
Mr. and Mrs. Will De Boer left last Wednesday for Camp Maxey, Texas where they are visiting their son Cpl. Peter De Boer, who is going to be moved. Mrs. Peter De Boer will come home with Mr. and Mrs. Will De Boer. They will come home with Peter’s car.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 21, 1943 p 2
Mrs. Peter De Boer left last Tuesday evening from Sheldon to join her husband, Cpl. Peter De Boer at Camp Maxey, Texas.
Source: Sioux Center News, Nov. 11, 1943 p 8
Cpl. Peter De Boer is no doubt on the ocean bound for foreign service with the U.S. armed forces. He was scheduled to leave sometime during the past week. His wife, who has been with him most of the time during his service in the army, came home Sunday morning to make her home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Feekes.
Source: Sioux Center News, November 23, 1943 pg 12
JUST PROMOTED
S/Sgt. Peter De Boer who has been in England since December has been promoted twice in the last two months. The first of March he was promoted to Sergeant and just recently to Staff Sgt. He also received a good conduct medal. His address now is:
S/Sgt. Peter De Boer 37078421
Troop B 4th Cavalry
Rcn. Sq. Mecz.
APO 230, New York City, N.Y.
He has had a 3-day pass to London a few weeks ago and wrote he really enjoyed it.
Source: Sioux Center News Apr. 20, 1944 p 20
Killed In Action
SGT. PETER DE BOER
Staff Sgt. Peter De Boer of Carmel was killed in action in Germany on Sept. 24, 1944. He is the son of Mr and Mrs. William De Boer of Carmel and left for the service on March, 1940, and was sent overseas in Nov. of 1943. He was a mechanic in the cavalry, and reached the age of 27 years.
He is survived by his wife the former Nellie Feekes to whom he was united in marriage on May 16, 1942, as also his parents and four sisters, Wilmina (Mrs. John Hooyer) and Leona Joan and Lois Ann all at home. He was preceded in death by a small brother who died in infancy.
Memorial services will be held for him on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 25, 1944 at 1:30 o’clock at the Reformed Church at Carmel with Rev. Harmelink officiating.
Page 11: Word was received by Mrs. Peter De Boer that her husband Sgt. De Boer was killed in action. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. De Boer of Carmel. He left for army services March, 1941, and was one of the first boys to leave from Carmel.
Source: Sioux Center News, Oct. 19, 1944
Memorial services for S. Sgt. Peter De Boer are to be held next Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the First Reformed Church at Carmel at 1:30 p.m. The full write-up about him is to appear in next week’s issue.
Source: Rock Valley Bee Oct. 20, 1944 p 1
Remains Of Late Sgt. Peter De Boer Arrived Tuesday Eve.
Private funeral services were held at the Co-op Funeral Parlors on Wednesday afternoon for the Late Sgt. Peter De Boer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. De Boer, who was killed during the war in Europe, and whose remains arrived on the 6:01 train Tuesday evening. Rev. Harmelink of Carmel officiated at the services and burial took place at the Carmel cemetery.
Six Legion men dressed in uniform met the train and acted as pallbearers. They were Irvin Mouw, John De Goei, Sam Holtrop, Peter Schouten, Richard Kroon and Evert Franken.
Peter De Boer was born May 18, 1917 at Doon and spent all of his life in Northwestern Iowa with the exception of two years when he lived in Wisconsin. He was drafted into service on March 21, 1941 and was stationed at Fort Meade, So. Dak., Camp Young, Calif., and Camp Maxey, Texas. He took part in three maneuvers and left the United States on Dec. 4, 1943 for England. On D-Day he went to France and from there on to Belgium and Germany. He was killed in action on Sept. 24, 1944 at the age of 27 years, 4 months and 6 days. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. De Boer of Carmel and 4 sisters.
Source: Sioux Center News, December 12, 1944
Rock Valley
(Letter for December 14)
Memorial Service
Memorial Services were held for the six men who died in the service of their country. The program was given at the high school auditorium. A concert by the band under the direction of E. M. Everhart opened the program. The colors were advanced, the audience remained standing for the Star Spangled Banner and the invocation. The program was under the direction of Harvey A. Barnard. Rev. A. J. Aberson pronounced the Invocation, prayed for the boys that are missing and prisoners of war. Chaplain Getz of the Sioux City Air base also offered prayer. Buglers from the Sioux City Air Base blew the bugle calls sounding the taps and the echo. The mixed chorus sang a fitting number. The stage was changed to represent a cemetery with 6 crosses. Ed Schmidt read the roll of the dead and as each man’s name was read a wreath was placed at the foot of the cross representing his grave. The wreaths were placed by six small girls and a high school girl. During this ceremony a group sang “Abide With Me”. Judge George M. Paradise gave an address on Americanism stressing the importance of the American people and their education. A mixed quartet Eugene Vander Well, Arlene Van Beek, Verna Mae Rozeboom and Allan Vander Well accompanied by Mis Lois Kooima sang “Tenting On The Old Camp Ground”. The audience then sang “America”, the colors were retired and the program was closed by Rev. Aberson pronouncing the benediction. Returned soldiers of this war acted as color guards and other men and women in uniform attended in a body. The Legion attended in a body. Andrew Van Boeyen and John Oldenkamp both soldiers home on furlough were also present. Parents and wives and children of the six men occupied reserved seats in the center section. The children presented the wreaths from the crosses to the people as part of the services. The dead are James Achterhof, Del M. Thayer, Donald E. Johnsen, Ralph M. Campbell, Gerrit H. Vugteveen and Peter De Boer. The three boys missing in action are Lawrence Kooima, Marvin De Witt and Karl Hamann.
Source: Sioux County Capital Dec. 21, 1944 p 13
ARMY RELEASES WORLD WAR II CASUALTY LIST
SIXTY-SIX SIOUX COUNTY MEN AMONG DEAD AND MISSING
Thirty-Nine of Them Killed In Action:
All Made Supreme Sacrifice In Service of Their Country
Sixty-six Sioux County young men made the supreme sacrifice for their country while serving in the United States army during World War II. Thirty-nine of these youth were killed in action. Twenty-five died of non-battle causes. Twelve were determined in fact dead in absence of presumptive proof of continued existence.
Names of the 66 Sioux county men, as copied from the official World War II honor list released throughout the nation today by the war department, including only army personnel, are as follows:
….., S/Sgt. Peter De Boer, …..
Source: Hawarden Independent June 27, 1946 p 1
