News of the Boys in the Service
Fidelis Koob, who went into the service with Co. K three and one-half years ago, and has been with the 34th Division in Ireland, North Africa, and Sicily arrived home last weekend from Italy where he has been in the thick of the fighting for several months.
Source: LeMars Sentinel, July 18, 1944
Our Neighbors in the Service
Remsen—
Pfc. Fidelis Koob, son of Mr. and Mrs. Math Koob, arrived in Remsen after nearly two and one-half years overseas. He is to have 21 days at home, then will report to Fort Sam Houston, Tex., where he will receive another assignment.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, July 26, 1944
FIDELIS KOOB HOME FROM ITALY TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCE
Remsen Bell-Enterprise: Tanned and rugged as results of the strenuous life of the soldier on active battle-front duty, Pfc. Fidelis Koob, son of Mr. and Mrs. Math Koob, arrived in Remsen last Saturday after nearly two and one-half years overseas. He is privileged to 21 days at home, then will report to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he will receive another assignment, presumably in his native land.
“Fid” Koob is another of the Remsen boys who joined Co. K of LeMars, Iowa National Guard, long before the year. He joined in June, 1938, when that unit went into training in Louisiana and overseas in February 1942. After several months in Ireland, Scotland and England, the outfit proceeded to Africa, arriving there for the invasion in December of the same year. Co. K took part in the entire Tunisian campaign, then followed the “fox” to Italy, passing up Sicily. Koob refrains from mentioning the battles in which he fought, but says “we were credited with nine of them in Italy alone.” He wears the two bronze stars denoting his participation in two campaigns.
The Remsen boy, despite much battle action, escaped without injury.
“There’s nothing to Africa as a place in which to live, especially for a white man,” he says, “desert, hills and Arabs,” and none made a favorable impression on the American soldier. Italy, in his opinion, is a more desirable country although there are hills and mountains and the further north, the higher the mountains, and “it’s really rough fighting.”
All through the African campaign and during most of their time in Italy, the Co. K boys were together, but Fidelis left them last March and at that time the only Remsen lads in the group were Sgt. Lewis Treinen, Sgt. Joe Horkey, and Sgt. Jerome Stoos, and Sgt. Marvin Mai. He says the latter is booked for an early trip home.
Source: LeMars Sentinel, July 28, 1944
***Further Research:
Fidelis Leo Koob was born Mar. 29, 1916 to Mathias and Catherine Ostert Koob. He died Mar. 5, 1987 and is buried in Saint Marys Cemetery, Remsen, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
