Bronze Star Soldier

Recalls World War II

Memories : Howard Boise of Marion

Served 13 Months in Europe, Where He

Helped Liberate a Prisoner of War Camp

Marion: In late December 1945, Cpl. Howard J. Boise

would spend his fourth Christmas away from home and family,

as German forces were nearly defeated in the Battle of the Bulge

during World War II.

Boise, of Marion, was one of the members of the 62nd

Infantry Battalion Company C Medical Detachment who were separated from his unit for four days following a sudden attack. 

"We were up at the front line," said Boise, now 89 years old.

"Some might say we were AWL (absent without leave), but

we were just plain lost.  We retreated into the woods when we

were suddenly attacked and couldn't find our way out at first."

He remembered there were 30 people in the group.

"We administered first aid to the wounded and made them as

comfortable as possible, mostly by giving them plain old asprin

and bandaging." he said.

"I remember mostly that we had to make decisions as to which

needed the most and quickest attention and get them to the

aid station or dispensary."

Boise, a farm boy living on Joy Road, was drafted in

December 1942 and reported to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas,

with the 14th Armored Division.

Three months later, he married his high school sweetheart

Ida VanKouwenberg.

On November 14, 1943, his unit was sent to Tennessee for

maneuvers, and after a bout with scarlet fever in July 1944,

he boarded the ship LeJeune in  October, bound for

Marseilles, France, and 13 months of duty in Europe.

On New Years Day 1944, his unit was engaged in a fierce

battle at Rittershofen and Hatten, Germany, where

two of his friends were taken prisoner. 

After the war, Boise also helped liberate a prisoner-of-war camp

and was promoted to Sergeant.

He was also awarded a Bronze Star.

"The war was winding down in Europe, so we had a chance to

see some of the sites, such as Paris and Nice in France and

Berchtesgaden, which was Hitler's retreat," said Boise.

"Even though some of the cities and towns

had been bombed, I still liked seeing it all."

He returned to the family dairy farm, which he and Ida

eventually bought and where he raised their four sons.

Since their retirement in 1986, they spend time with their five

grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and enjoy traveling.

They recently returned from a 45th national reunion of his

division, Sept. 9-13, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In 2006, they

also went back to Europe for the 50th Anniversary of the

end of the war and have visited the war monument in

Washington, D.C.

With Veterans Day approaching on November 11, Boise

said he feels Americans must remain mindful of what

veterans did from the beginnings during the Revolutionary War

up through the present. He also feels that many young people

would benefit from military service.

"It would keep them out of trouble and teach them responsibility,"

he said.

Boise's son Richard, was killed in service when the boat he

was aboard capsized in Vietnam just two weeks after he

had been deployed.

He said he is skeptical of the war in Iraq.

"I don't know, but I am sure that democracy isn't going to work

there," he said. They don't know what its all about. In Iraq,

they cleaned them (insurgents) out, but they'll be back in there."

More pressure from American Troops may be necessary

in Afghanistan, he added.

"If they are understaffed in Afghanistan, I guess they should

send in more troops," he said. "A lot of them have done two

or three tours, and they're ready to come home." 

Newark Courier Gazette

November 2009

Newark, New York

Article by: Beth Hoad