AMOS JOE "SKIP" LOHMEIER

1923 - 1994
PFC US ARMY


Amos was inducted into the Army during WWII and trained at the Infantry Replacement Training Center in Camp Roberts, California. While there, he made his best score with the Browning automatic rifle and qualified as a sharpshooter with 171 out of 200 possible points. Amos was seriously wounded in action on the Philippines where a Japanese sniper hit him, the bullet passing two inches above his heart and out under his armpit. He was hospitalized in the Philippines, New Zealand, and England before arriving in San Francisco, California, and lastly in Wisconsin before returning to Manning. Private First Class Lohmeier was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon, one Bronze Campaign Star, Good Conduct Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. Amos was a member of the Manning V.F.W. and American Legion.


Manning Monitor article ------ 1944

Manning Boys Now in Camps
Word has been received that several Manning boys are now located in camps following recent induction into the service.
Amos Lohmeier, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lohmeier is at Camp Roberts, California.
John R. Scanlan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence E. Scanlan is also in the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Roberts, Calif.
Daryl Mohr, son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Mohr is at the same place.


Amos "Skip" Lohmeier Writes
Amos Lohmeier, writes to the Monitor as follows, from Camp Roberts, California.
"I receive the Monitor every week, and I sure appreciate reading the home news, and want to thank the Monitor and Legion for making it possible to receive the paper.
Daryl Mohr and Raymond Betts are still out here with me. Jack Scanlon was out here for awhile, but he is now going to radio school at Fort Ord, California. Joe Kerwin of Carroll is also out here. Most of the boys in my barracks are from good old Iowa.
"We are all in the Infantry. Our training here will teach us to march, shoot and salute. Our training out here will last 17 weeks and we have only 9 left to go.

"This camp is located down between Los Angeles and San Francisco, only twenty-five miles from the Pacific Ocean. There are approximately 40,000 soldiers out here. It is one of the largest camps in the U. S. The most interesting part of the training is the shooting we get to do. We shoot most of all the guns the infantry has.
I made my best score in the Browning Automatic rifle, qualified as a sharpshooter with a 171 points out of a possible 200 points.

"I see football is well underway --- just beat Carroll and I'll be satisfied. I would give anything to be back just to play football. I sure as (one word censored) do, miss it.
We play a lot of basketball out here in spare time, but that will never take the place of football. Pvt. Amos Lohmeier, Camp Roberts, California


Amos Lohmeier Wounded;
Meets Chester Kuhl
Amos Lohmeier has sent word to his mother here that he is confined to a hospital in the Philippines as the result of a wound in the abdomen received in combat in March.
He is improving nicely and was very much surprised to have his mail delivered to him in the hospital by Chester Kuhl, who is with a medical unit there.


Skip Lohmeier Enjoys Monitor
South Pacific June 18. 1944.
Dear Monitor:
I'm receiving the home town paper right along; it's usually late but there is still a lot of good news in it. Thanks to the Monitor and Legion for making it possible for receiving it. I have spent a month in New Zealand a while back.
While I was there I got to visit Auckland for a, couple of days and had a grand time. It's really quite a sight to see the people drive on the left side of the road in their Austins.

The people are sure friendly and how those gals fall for a Yank. From my standpoint of view, they are ok, but I don't think they will ever compare with an American gal. Now for this place, we don't live like kings, but we get along.
The chow is fairly good, mostly dehydrated foods, including a lot of dried eggs; sleeping out in tents, and using a mosquitabar for protection from these dive bombing mosquitoes.
The natives don't know much about. We can't understand them, but I do know they, grow good oranges; what they actually live on, we don't know.

For entertainment we have a show every other night. On Sundays, usually a special, a big track meet or some boxing, or maybe a special parade.
The news around here is scarce, so I'll close by sending my regards to all the home town people.
Sincerely yours, Skip.


"Skip" Lohmeier Back In States
Word has been received here by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lohmeier that their son, Amos, better known as "Skip", has arrived in the United States and is in a hospital in San Francisco.
Mr. and Mrs. Lohmeier had recently received a message from the government stating that Amos had been seriously wounded in action on the Philippines. A Jap sniper caught him, the bullet passing two inches above his heart and out under his armpit.
However, a letter had come from the injured man before receiving the report from the government.


V-E Day brought home a wounded veteran of the Pacific area, Amos "Skip" Lohmeier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lohmeier who was shot by a Jap sniper and had spent some time in a hospital in England before being, sent to the United States.


"SKIP" LOHMEIER BACK ON CONSTRUCTION JOB
Amos (Skip) Lohmeier is among the latest discharged veterans of World War II to resume his old job and he reported for work with the Hinz Construction company Monday morning, according to Ed Hinz, contractor.
The returned soldier, who was wounded in action, only recently returned home from an army hospital in Wisconsin.


IN MEMORY OF AMOS "SKIP" LOHMEIER

SERVICES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1994, 10:00 AM OHDE FUNERAL HOME, MANNING, IOWA
OFFICIATING DR. CHARLES CURL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, MANNING
MUSIC "THE OLD RUGGED CROSS" "HOW GREAT THOU ART"
JANET MYER, ORGANIST
GEORGIA LOHRMANN AND JOANN KARSTEN, VOCALISTS
INTERMENT MANNING CITY CEMETERY, MANNING
CASKETBEARERS: GERALD SCHROEDER, BILL BOTSFORD, HAROLD RUHDE, DARWIN HASKINS, ORREN RAMSEY, CURT STRIBE
HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: RONNIE HIATT, HUGO "SHORTY" DAMMANN
MILITARY HONORS MANNING, IOWA
EMIL EWOLDT POST 22 OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 3517

THE FAMILY WISHES TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR KINDNESS EVIDENCED IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED, AND INVITES YOU TO JOIN THEM FOR LUNCH AND FELLOWSHIP AT THE METHODIST CHURCH FOLLOWING THE COMMITTAL SERVICE


Funeral services for Amos "Skip" Lohmeier were held Wednesday, February 2, 1994 at 10:00 a.m. at the Ohde Funeral Home in Manning, Iowa. Dr. Charles Curl of the United Methodist Church, Manning, officiated the service with Janet Myer as organist and Georgia Lohrmann and Joann Karsten as vocalists. Interment was held in Manning City Cemetery, Manning, Iowa with Gerald Schroeder, Harold Ruhde, Orren Ramsey, Bill Botsford, Darwin Haskins, and Curt Stribe as casketbearers. Honorary casketbearers were Ronnie Hiatt and Hugo "Shorty" Dammann. Military honors were provided by the Emil Ewoldt Post 22 of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3517, both of Manning, Iowa. Amos, son of Henry and Minnie (Rostermundt) Lohmeier, was born October 21, 1923 at Manilla, Iowa. He graduated from Manning High School after serving in the United States Army where he was wounded while serving in the Philippines.
During his time in the service Skip was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon, one Bronze Campaign Star, a Good Conduct Ribbon, A Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. After his honorable discharge he returned to Manning where he worked in construction as a brick layer. On January 18, 1953 Skip was united in marriage with Eunice Mae Kempf at the Methodist Church in Harlan. They made their home in Manning.
Skip's wife died on May 10, 1980. Skip never completely retired and did many masonry odd jobs even though he suffered from arthritis and a heart problem. Those health problems had been diagnosed for close to a year before his sudden and unexpected death at home on Monday, January 31, 1994 at the age of 70 years, 3 months, and 21 days.

Besides his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Velma Weber, and two brothers, Raymond and Alvin Lohmeier.
Survivors include his son, Randy Lohmeier and his wife, Pat, of Fort Dodge; two grandchildren, Amy and Jeff Lohmeier; a brother, Willis "Whitey" Lohmeier and his wife, Marilyn, of Des Moines; three sisters: Bernice Hobbs of Lafayette, Colorado; Ruby Rose of Anoka, Minnesota; and Bonnie and her husband, Reg Watters, of Lake City; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Skip was a member of the United Methodist Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion.


Amos Lohmeier is buried in the Manning Cemetery.
Section F Row #9 north - south.