1966-67 American Legion Commander
1927 - 2002
1927 - 2002
Enlistment July 2, 1951
Discharge June 9, 1953
Hand-written story by Herbert Bruhn in the 1990s.
Left there December 8 - had a 10-day furlough, on December 18 arrived at Fort Lawton, Washington. January 3, 1952 was bussed to Marine Barracks.
January 4 we boarded the ship Marine Adder which is 523 feet long and 72 feet wide. The ship left in the middle of the afternoon. Before darkness we got through the Straights, then turned down along the coast because we were trying to avoid a Pacific storm. On January 5, I was on the sea sickness side and after that day got better. Then we got into some of the storm which was quite rough for a few days. It took us 21 days to get to Yokohama, Japan. When we unloaded I found out that I was picked to go to Medical School (when I signed in at Fort Lawton, the officer told me that if you're not late on arrival date and they have openings for schooling your name gets in the Drawing Box.).
Went to Medical School northwest of Tokyo for a 4-week course. Then we went down to Sasebo by train - there we loaded onto a ship and went to Pusan, Korea. We took a train north. We used duffel bags and backpacks to seal cracks in our boxcar. It did have benches - don't remember the name of place we got off.
Then we went by truck to the Punch Bowl area. On March 8, 1952 at Reveille, Robert B. Brinson & I were told to have things packed and ready to go to the front lines. We were assigned to the 25th Division 35th Regiment. It was getting dark by the time we got to our bunkers.
There were some casualties, then one day after dinner the worst happened - one disarranged soldier came over the hill and finally they got out of him that his bunker was hit. So our medic & Brinson & I went. It was quite a ways east of us. We went over the ridge and back a little to the bunker. Following the trench the medic went into the bunker - then I went inside to help him. We had three unconscious soldiers in there - we straightened them up the best we could.
They were sitting in the bunker with a blanket spread out and cleaning a B.A.R. - having the weapons apart when a mortar came in and landed in the trench which was only inches from the entryway. So the full blast went into the bunker - the soldier that survived was sleeping along the west side so the others got the full blast. We dressed some wounds and checked pulse and decided the one to take back so we got him secure to the stretcher and took off. Going back past and beyond our bunker to the tram - the path was tough with some protruding rocks to go over. When we got back we were told that some others would get the remaining two after dark. We were thanked for what we did as it was way past our line.
I always wonder why that mortar didn't go 10 inches west or 8-10 inches down the mountain or 20 inches further up - then it would have been different.
Late Friday night on March 20 a cadre brought two replacements up and Brinson & I were to go back to headquarters and then got shipped out. We left through Inchon - back to Sasebo, Japan - then by train went to Sendai, Japan - a ways north of Tokyo. We were transferred to the 24th Division 21st Regiment, Medics Company at Camp Schimmelpfennig, Sendai, Japan where we were for a little over a year. We took a train down to Yokohama - then boarded the ship General M.M. Patrick. On the way home we stopped at Adak, Alaska and then went to Seattle, Washington - this trip took 10 days. Then we took a train east through Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado where we got discharged at Camp Carson, Colorado on June 9, 1953.
I was discharged with a rank of Corporal.
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IN LOVING MEMORY HERBERT BRUHN 1927 - 2002 Service MONDAY, OCTOBER 7,2002,10:30 AM FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MANNING, IOWAOfficiating REVEREND MARSHALL BROWN Congregational Hymns "How GREAT THOU ART", "AMAZING GRACE", "THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION" CONNIE SIEPKER, ORGANIST Interment MANNING CEMETERY, MANNING, IOWA Casketbearers RUSSELL BRUHN ,ORRIN BRUHN, ROGER EISCHEID, LEROY ALBERTSEN, ROGER WEGNER, LEROY HALBUR Military Honors VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 3517 & THE FAMILY WISHES TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATIiUDE FOR YOUR KINDNESS EVIDENCED IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED, AND INVITES YOU TO JOIN THEM FOR LUNCH AND FELLOWSHIP AT THE CHURCH FOLLOWING THE COMMITTAL SERVICE. DRIVERS IN A FUNERAL PROCESSION MUST TURN ON VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS, DRIVE IN A CLOSE FORMATION, AND BE ALERT
Herbert Willis, son of William and Wilhelmina Emma Marguerite Hansen Bruhn, was born March 8, 1927, in Ewoldt Township, Carroll County, lowa. In the spring of 1931, Herb moved with his family to Audubon County where he attended Brookfield country school. In 1936, Herb was baptized and in 1944 he was confirmed, both at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township. He then worked for neighbors until the summer of 1947, working for a short time for relatives in the Minot and Burlington area in North Dakota. Upon his return to lowa the Same year, Herb farmed with his family. In July of 1951, Herb entered the United States Army and served on the front lines in Korea for a short time as a medic with the 25th Infantry Division and then trained in Japan with the 24th Infantry Division. Before being honorably discharged in June of 1953, Herb attained the rank of Corporal and passed his high school equivalency test. Herb once again returned to Iowa and in 1954, moved to his present farm north of Manning. On August 26, 1980, Herb was united in marriage with Mercedes "Deah" Schwarzenbach West in Glidden. Herb and Deah made their home on the farm north of Manning, building a new house in 1981. After Herb retired in the early 1990s, he enjoyed helping Deah with her volunteer work at the Carroll County Museum and traveling together on bank trips. Deah died February 22, 2001. Herb was an honorary member of the First Presbyterian Church in Manning and a member of the Farm Bureau for which he served an the Board of Directors and as secretary for more than 17 years. He enjoyed restoring old John Deere tractors, playing cards and attending livestock auctions and machinery sales. Throughout the years, Herb enjoyed being active in American Legion Post 22 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3517 in Manning. Herb is a life-member, is Past-commander and has served in various office positions for both organizations. He was a 40-year member of the ceremonial team and is Past-commander of the Carroll County American Legion. In March of 2001, Herb was diagnosed with cancer from which he died an Thursday, October 3, 2002, at the Manning Plaza Nursing Horne in Manning. He was 75 years, 6 months and 25 days of age. Besides his parents and wife, Herb was preceded in death by a brother George and wife Arlene Bruhn, and two brothers-in-law Melvin Nissen and Armand Philpott. He is survived by three sisters and a brother: (twin sister) Ann and husband Phil Stillman of Emmetsburg; Edna Nissen of Manning; Louise Philpott of Culver City, California; William Bruhn and wife Louise of Manning; a brother-in-Iaw Donald and wife Agnes Schwarzenbach of Council Bluffs; two sisters-in-Iaw Hilda Schwarzenbach of Carroll and Mary Bruhn of Manning; step-children Colleen and husband Don Wright of Sac City and Darrell West of Ozark, Missouri; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still water. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me: Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anoitest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. |