28 SIOUX COUNTY MEN ARE DRAFTED
Twenty-eight men were listed by the Sioux county draft board in call No. 29, which will leave soon for induction into the army. The men are:
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Gerard J. Kalsbeek of Orange City (735).
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Source: The Independent Apr. 23, 1942 p 1
Gerald Calsbeek left last Thursday from Orange City with the last group of Sioux County men to be inducted into the U. S. Army at Des Moines. His wife is the former Florence De Stigter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lane De Stigter of Sioux Center.
Source: Sioux Center News May 7, 1942 p 11
Mr. and Mrs. Lane De Stigter, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert De Stigter, Mr. and Mrs. Tim De Stigter were among those who attended a farewell gathering in honor of Gerard Kalsbeek. He was recently inducted into the U. S. forces and left last Friday.
Source: Sioux Center News May 14, 1942 p 5
Mr. and Mrs. W. Langstraat, Mrs. Dick Langstraat, Mrs. Gerald Kalsbeek brought Dick Langstraat and Gerard Kalsbeek to Des Moines last Friday. The boys are now in the army. Mrs. Kalsbeek will return to the parental home in Sioux Center and Mrs. Langstraat will go to her home and she is employed in the W. Kalsbeek store.
Source: Sioux Center News May 14, 1942 p 9
Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Kalsbeek of Orange City accompanied the William Langstraat family of Orange City to Des Moines, leaving last Friday. Gerard Kalsbeek and Dick Langstraat had come home 5 days before to dispose of their business, following an examination at Des Moines. Mrs. Kalsbeek is the former Florence De Stigter, and plans to remain in Orange City for the present.
Source: Sioux Center News May 14, 1942 p 11
Dick Langstraat and Gerard Kalsbeek, recently inducted into the U. S. army, sent word to relatives and friends that they are located in Ft. Knox, Kentucky.
Source: Sioux Center News May 28, 1942 p 11
Editor Edward E. Roelofs:
At the request of Pvt. Gerard Kalsbeek, Co. C, 88th Armored Rec’n. Battalion, Ft. Knox, Ky., we are sending you under separate cover a copy of our Sesquicentennial Edition, “The Story Of Kentucky”.
Very Truly Yours,
The Courier-Journal & Times
Louisville, Kentucky
(Editor’s note: - Thank You Gerard. The edition is as thick as a book, and printed in colors, it is exceptionally beautiful and interesting.)
Source: Sioux Center News June 18, 1942 p 12
Mrs. Gerard Calsbeek received word from her husband, who is stationed at Fort Knox, Ky., that he was attending a radio communication school until September 18. Dick Langstraat, who is also stationed there, is studying for locomotive electrician.
Source: Alton Democrat June 26, 1942 p 8
Mrs. Gerard Kalsbeek of Orange City has been visiting with her husband, who is stationed with the U. S. army at Fort Knox, Kentucky. She left the latter part of June and plans to return to Orange City soon. Mrs. Kalsbeek is the former Florence De Stigter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lane De Stigter of Sioux Center.
Source: Sioux Center News July 30, 1942 p 8
Mrs. Gerard Kalsbeek returned from a visit with her husband in Camp at Kentucky but Mrs. D. Langstraat who accompanied her plans to remain there and has found employment in a 5 and 10 cent store.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 13, 1942 p 4
Young Sioux County Auctioneer Helps Sell $643,460 War Bonds at Louisville, Ky.
How a Sioux County auctioneer, now in the U. S. Army at Fort Knox, Kentucky, helped sell $643,460 with of war bonds at a fashionable hotel in Louisville, Ky., within a few hours is told in a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Will Kalsbeek of Orange City from their son, Gerard, who is serving in the army at Fort Knox where the nation’s billions in goldis buried in steel and concrete vaults.
It was a wildly exciting evening for Gerard who is an auctioneer, graduate of a famous auctioneering school in Indiana. He gave a patriotic talk over the radio and then bids began coming in by telephone. All the time another auction was going on in the hotel ballroom, with confusion and excitement reigning everywhere.
Hundreds of valuable gifts of merchandise were given free to purchasers of bonds, the bidders paying for their “purchases” with scrip which they obtained by purchasing war bonds. The largest single sale reported was $80,000 to Kentucky Home Life Insurance Company. The certificate bought an $8.75 pen set. Pat of the auction was broadcast by WINN (where Gerard’s services come into play) and bids were received by telephone and articles sold over the air. The event was sponsored by B’nai B’rith and was held at the Henry Clay Hotel.
In appreciation, the hotel extended an invitation to Gerard to stay at the hotel free anytime he is in Louisville and he was given many other cordial invitations from some of Louisville’s most prominent families. He says that it was a most remarkable experience in his letter to his folks and one that he will never forget. Kentuckians told him it was one of the finest exhibitions of auctioneering they had ever heard (most of them had never heard a Northern auctioneer before) and that he had their tobacco auctioneers backed off the map.
Source: Alton Democrat Aug. 28, 1942 p 1
Gerard Kalsbeek, formerly of Orange City, stationed at Ft. Knox, Kentucky has been promoted to Technician 4th. This is the same rating as sergeant. Mrs. Gerard Kalsbeek, the former Florence De Stigter, lives at Orange City.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 10, 1942 p 8
Gerard Kalsbeek has graduated from Radio Communication School at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and has been promoted to Sergeant. He has recently been transferred to Camp Beale, Calif. and his new address is as follows:
Sgt. Gerard Kalsbeek
Co. C. 93rd Rc’n, Bn.
13th Arm’d Division
Camp Beale, Calif.
A.P.O. No. 263
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 24, 1942 p 11
Sgt. and Mrs. Gerard Kalsbeek are the proud parents of their first child, a baby girl born on Friday, Oct. 2. The little lass has been named Sharon Faye and weighed 7 pounds. The mother is the former Florence De Stigter of Sioux Center.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 8, 1942 p 11
Mrs. Gerald Calsbeek and baby daughter Sharon Faye left Friday morning for California where they will remain with their husband and father, Sgt. Calsbeek who is stationed in the army there.
Source: Alton Democrat Dec. 4, 1942 p 8
3 Brothers In Service
(Photos of the brothers)
The three young men above are sons of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Kalsbeek of Orange City. Gerard was graduated from Radio Communications School at Fort Knox, Ky. and is a radio operator at Camp Beale, Calif. John is at Jefferson Barracks, Mo. Arthur is a member of the Air Corps ground crew at Fort Knox, Ky. He has graduated from Teletype school at Chanute Field, Ill. At present he is taking up weather observation at Fort Knox. All three are Orange City business men. Gerard an auctioneer, John and Art in the Electrical Appliance business. Their addresses are as follows:
Sgt. Gerard J. Kalsbeek
Co. C. 93rd Arm’d Rec’n Bn.
13th Arm’d Div., APO 263
Camp Beale, Calif.
Pvt. John Kalsbeek
Sqd. A. 29th Trg. Gp.
Jefferson Barracks, Mo.
Pfc. Art Kalsbeek
99th Air Base Sqd.
Godman Field
Fort Knox, Ky.
Source: Sioux Center News May 6, 1943 p 1
Tech Sgt. and Mrs. Gerard Calsbeek and baby arrived here last Monday to spend a 10 day furlough with relatives and friends here and at Orange City. Gerard has been in the service for one and one half years now. His wife and baby have been with him most of the time. Gerard and family left for California where he is stationed on Wednesday.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 18, 1943 p 10
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Kalsbeek entertained Mr. and Mrs. Cornie Pals and family at Sunday dinner complimenting their son, Sgt. and Mrs. Gerald Kalsbeek who were home on furlough from Camp Beale, Cal.
Source: Alton Democrat Nov. 25, 1943 p 6
The Alton Democrat
Alton, Iowa
Dear Editor and Friends:
Perhaps newspaper editors do not realize that many of their “choicest” editorials go by the board, unnoticed by a majority of readers because they pertain to war – its cause, or causes – obvious results of – remedies for and the cost of – war. Any topic discussed at such great lengths at such frequent intervals must of necessity become monotonous.
“An Easter After-Thought” in the Democrat of April 13, although on that same subject, was one of the most thought provoking and impressive articles, that I have ever found under the editorial caption of any paper because it was so beautifully written, on a timely and definitely worth while basic truth. It goes into my scrap book because it must be read again next Easter and the Easters after that – The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth.
“At Such A Time”
It brought back a lecture, delivered in 1933 in the First Reformed Church at Orange City by the late Rev. Hilkema. He called it “At Such A Time As This”. That lecture, like your recent article was a forceful, thought directing master-piece; sorely needed then, as yours is now. All of us are so dependent upon His aid, and yet often so unaware of it.
There has perhaps never been a time when mankind has been so feverishly trying to fit the jig saw together, and so in need of aid, to supply the missing pieces, to complete the picture on the finished product, as at this time.
Questions go unanswered, riddles unsolved, human plots uncompleted because we fail to take into consideration the reassuring truth that the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth. It’s a fact that we know about but it must be brought to our attention more frequently.
Texans Do Drawl
We are down here in “Big Old Texas” as the Texans call it. Yes – Texans to speak with a decided drawl, many of them wear high boots, and hats with big brims, most of them are very hospitable, and every last one of them is positive that there is no place like home. I have yet to meet anyone, however, who doesn’t think Iowa is alright too. The only thing one Californian objected to is the way Hi-way 30 winds around all over the city of Marshalltown. I am quite sure that Iowa’s corn and hogs are as well-known, nationally, as Pennsylvania’s steel, California’s oranges, or Oklahoma’s oil. Of course our propaganda isn’t as well organized as that of Texas but then it doesn’t have to be either, because tall green corn, on perfect check, and well kept farms speak ever so much louder and are further reaching than mere words.
We are well and still go to meet the mailman when the Democrat arrives. Of course, we are looking forward to the day when our mail can be addressed to: c/o any old Postmaster, Sioux County, Ia.
Most sincerely yours, Gerard.
Sgt. Gerard Kalsbeek
Tr. C. 93rd Cav. Ren. Sqd’n Mecz.
APO 263
Camp Bowie, Texas.
Source: Alton Democrat May 4, 1944 p 8
Sgt. Gerard Calsbeek of Orange City came home Friday afternoon to spend a 17 days furlough with his relatives here. He has been stationed at Camp Bowie, Texas, and his wife the former Florence De Stigter and two-year-old daughter Sharon Faye who have been staying with him there for several months also came home with him and they expect to make their home in Orange City after his furlough as he expects to be moved to a new location in the very near future.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 12, 1944 p 2
Sgt. Gerard Kalsbeek has moved from Camp Bowie, Texas to New York and is going overseas. His address is on file at the News office.
Source: Sioux Center News Jan. 18, 1945 p 2
Gerard Kalsbeek left Sunday morning for Jefferson Barracks, Mo., and was accompanied by car as far as Omaha by his wife and baby, Mr. and Mrs. John Kalsbeek and Mr. and Mrs. Cornie Stegink of Denver. The latter couple left Tuesday for their home in Denver after a visit of several weeks in the parental, Kalsbeek, home in Orange City.
Source: Alton Democrat Sept. 6, 1945 p 1
New discharge papers filed at the Recorder’s office the past week are those of:
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Gerard Kalsbeek, T/4, Orange City
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Source: Alton Democrat Nov. 22, 1945
