John Vonk and John De Boer will leave for the army physical examination on Thursday of this week.
Source: Sioux County Capital Apr. 20, 1944 p 5
3 More Men Receive Calls
…..
John De Boer, son of Jake De Boer of California, was notified by the draft board that he had to leave Wednesday May 31 for service. John has been running the corn sheller for Alfred Franken the past year. He is married and has two children, Hermina 5, Kenneth 1½. The De Boer family moved to Hull Tuesday, where they have rented a house. Mrs. De Boer and the two children will make their home there for the duration.
Source: Sioux Center News May 25, 1944 p 1
56 Men Left For Service Last Wednesday
The following men left for service on Wednesday, May 31st:
Army
John De Boer, Rock Valley, Iowa
…..
Source: Sioux Center News June 8, 1944 p 1
Pvt. John De Boer 37697778
Co. A – 57th Bn., 12th Tng. Regt.
Camp Fannin, Texas
John is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jake De Boer of Bellflower, Calif. who left for army services May 31. He is married and has two children.
Source: Sioux Center News June 15, 1944 p 2
Mrs. John De Boer left last Tuesday for Camp Fannin, Texas to visit her husband Pvt. John De Boer for a few weeks.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 10, 1944 p 3
Mrs. John De Boer came home from visiting her husband Pvt. John De Boer last Friday, and said he is getting along fine. He has a few weeks of training left. She spent 3 weeks with him. His address is:
Pvt. John De Boer 37697778
Co. A. 57th Bn. 12th Tng. Regt.
U. S. Army, Hut 3
Camp Fannin, Texas
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 31, 1944 p 17
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bartels entertained the Franken employees at a dinner Monday evening in honor of Pvt. John De Boer, who was home on a 15-day furlough.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 26, 1944 p 3
Mr. and Mrs. John Wesselink, Kenneth Sandbulte, Henrietta and Geneva De Boer, Mrs. John De Boer and daughter Hermina, brought Pvt. John De Boer to Omaha, Nebr. last Thursday. He was home on a 15-day furlough from Camp Fannin, Texas, and left for Ft. Meade, Maryland.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 2, 1944 p 13
Pvt. John De Boer has moved from Camp Fannin, Texas to New York. His address is changed and may be gotten from the News Office.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 9, 1944 p 2
Pvt. John De Boer has a new address:
Pvt. John De Boer 37697778
Infantry Co. G
APO No. 15592, c/o Postmaster
New York, New York
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 9, 1944 p 2
Gone Overseas
(photo)
Pvt. John De Boer
Pvt. John De Boer, son of Jake De Boer left for the army May 31, 1944. He had 17 weeks of basic training at Camp Fannin, Texas and came in October for a 15-day furlough. After his furlough he was sent overseas, and the family has not heard from him since he left the states. John is in Infantry Co. G. His complete address is available at the News Office.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 7, 1944 p 1
De Boer and Van Voorst Meet in France
Mrs. John De Boer has received word from her husband Pvt. John De Boer that he has arrived safely in France since he sailed from New York. He has a new address: Pvt. John De Boer 37697778, APO 447, c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y., the rest of address being available at News Office. He wrote that he met Harry Van Voorst Nov. 26 and sat up late hours in the night visiting. Harry had not met any boys he knew since he left the states. John said he is feeling fine, and is not doing much of anything at the time the letter was written, and has not had any mail yet.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 21, 1944 p 12
Pvt. John De Boer, son of Jake De Boer, has recently been promoted to Private First Class and is at present in the front lines. He experienced his first infantry battle on December 4th, and said that was plenty. He writes that he has been spending most of his time in his foxhole. John left Sioux County with six other boys, but they were all separated in France, but he says he has some swell buddies. His address has changed from Co. K. to Co. A. He sends his thanks to all his relatives and friends for the cards, packages and letters they sent him and hopes they will keep the letters coming. His complete address may not be published but may be secured by telephone from the News Office.
Source: Sioux Center News Feb. 1, 1945 p 23
Infantryman Awarded Silver Star Badge
(photo)
PFC JOHN DE BOER
With the 100th Division, 7th Army, France – Pfc. John De Boer, son of Mr. Jake De Boer, has been awarded the Combat Infantryman silver star badge. This badge is awarded for satisfactory brave performance of duty in ground combat against the enemy, and entitles the soldier to $10 per month additional pay. The badge is worn on the left breast above the service ribbons. The local soldier’s division commanded by Major General Withers A. Burress, is one of the newest fighting on the Seventh Army front in France. Pfc. John De Boer left for the army May 31, 1944. He had 17 weeks of basic training at Camp Fannin, Texas and came home in October for a 15-day furlough. After his furlough he was sent overseas Nov. 2, and went into combat Dec. 4, and has been living in fox holes since. He is now in Germany.
Source: Sioux Center News, Apr. 19, 1945 p 1
SLIGHTLY WOUNDED
(photo)
Pfc. John De Boer, son of Jake De Boer, has been slightly wounded in his back somewhere in Germany on April 16. His wife received a letter last Monday, April 30 telling her he was getting along nicely and hoped to be up and around in a short time. He is at present in a hospital in France. A message from the war department reached Mrs. De Boer last week Wednesday morning, May 2.
Source: Sioux Center News May 10, 1945 p 8
AWARDED PURPLE HEART
Pfc. John De Boer has a change in address: 4351 U.S. Army Hospital Plant, APO 513, s/o Postmaster, New York. He is getting along fine and recently was awarded the purple heart.
Source: Sioux Center News May 24, 1945 p 2
Chaplain Dick Oostenink, Jr., called by telephone on January 5th, to his wife, who was visiting at the parental Dick Oostenink home. He was then in Panama City, enroute to Nagoya, Japan from New York City. He is a chaplain aboard the S. S. Altoona Victory, transport ship, and on a recent return trip from Marseilles, France, he had the happy experience of meeting his cousin, John De Boer, among the returning veterans aboard his ship.
Source: Sioux County Index Jan. 17, 1946 p 9
Servicemen’s Names Are All Compiled For Plaque
A committee of the American Legion met last week and compiled a list of servicemen, whose names will go on the New Memorial Plaque which has been made possible by the generosity of a good share of the citizens of this community.
The list is being published in this issue of the Bee, with infinite care taken to insure its completeness and correctness. It has been suggested that any errors noticed in the list be brought to the attention of the Legion, so that a correct list may be sent to the company who is manufacturing the Plaque.
The names which will be listed in no special order follow:
World War I
…..
Gold Stars – World War I
…..
World War II
…..
John De Boer
…..
Gold Stars – World War II
…..
Source: Rock Valley Bee Nov. 14, 1946 p 1 & 24
