Sergeant Robert Harold Maugel
Robert graduated from Farmer High School in 1941 and went to work at the Handle Factory in Bryan, registering for the draft on June 30, 1942. He enlisted into the Army on February 18, 1943, at Toledo.
He trained at Camp Perry; Camp Swift, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and San Luis Obispo in California. He took a furlough back home to marry Kuba Karnes from Edgerton on June 26, 1944.
.jpg) |
| The Edgerton Earth, June 29, 1944 |
In August, 1944, Kuba Maugel traveled to California with her friend, Miss Rosemary Cape, to visit her husband who was then at San Luis Obispo.
Robert, who was promoted to Sergeant posthumously, was a part of the 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division, "Old Reliable." In early December, he wrote home to his parents that he was on the battlefield for five days and when writing, had been sent back for a five-day rest. They were in Camp Elsenborn, Belgium, from November 14, 1944, as a place for training in the forest and rough terrain, along with road marches for conditioning. The unit was getting ready to pave the way into Germany.
"The training got them into the right spirit. Early December, the feeling of the 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment was fresh, rested, over-strength and high in morale."
The 60th Infantry Regiment was marched through Belgium with the intent to penetrate the German border. They were involved in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, a battle that saw the loss of 55,000 total American casualties, as compared to 28,000 German.
The Hurtgenwald was a rough, wooded and hilly terrain; it was difficult to get supplies in and the use of vehicles was restricted because of the narrow, muddy roads. The Germans had the forest ready with many defensive measures - mines, pillboxes, traps and bunkers. The Americans called it the "Green Hell" or "The Death Machine." Cold, rain, snow, along with frostbite, trenchfoot, and bodies everywhere created an unbelievable environment for our soldiers.
The heat of the battle was December 10-12, 1944, right before the Battle of the Bulge which started Dec. 16. Our American commanders decided to send in one army division at a time, which ate up U.S. soldiers quickly. It was criticized as an unwise approach that cost us many men. Sgt. Maugel was in the midst of this when he was hit by a machine gun bullet in the thorax. His hospital admission record stated that he was brought to the hospital with this wound where he died.
First Robert was listed as Missing in Action near Dickrich, Luxembourg, but later he was confirmed as Killed in Action in Belgium. In the January 10, 1945, Crescent-News:
"ROBERT MAUGEL FALLS IN BATTLE
Farmer Township Corporal 54th Victim of War from County
Farmer, Jan. 10 - Corp. Robert H. Maugel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Maugel, has been killed in battle in Belgium, according to word received by his parents, two miles northwest of Farmer.
Corp Maugel, the 54th war victim from Defiance county, previously had been listed as missing in action. No details of his death were contained in the War Department telegram.
Corp. Maugel was employed in Bryan at the time of his induction and was sent to service through the Bryan draft board. He had been overseas for several months.
He leaves his wife, the former Kuba Karnes of Edgerton; his parents; two brothers, Edwin in the Navy somewhere in the Pacific, and Marvin, at home; a sister, June, at home and a grandmother, Mrs. Laura Maugel, Farmer.
Memorial services are to be held from St. Patrick Catholic church in Edgerton, Thursday morning."
Sergeant Robert Maugel was interred in Henri-Chappelle, Arrondisement de Verners, Liege, Belgium. A memorial marker was also placed in Farmer Cemetery.
 |
| Farmer Cemetery |
Dan Hasch, Researcher
Sidenote: His brother, Ed Maugel, was serving on the USS Haynesworth in the Pacific.
No comments:
Post a Comment