We Honor & Commemorate Memorial Day

By Christopher Miller

Gene F. Riggle of Hyner & Karl L. Riggle of Hyner Remembered and Honored

Two of Hyner’s best and brightest were serving during the Korean War in the early 1950s. Both gave their lives for this country.

A newspaper on August 20, 1950 reported that Karl Riggle had been killed in Korea.

“The county’s second war casualty was reported when Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Riggle received word that their son, Karl, was killed in action in Korea on Aug. 2. They also received word that Karl’s brother, Gene, was wounded in action on July 25.”

Both brothers were serving in the 24th Infantry Division and enlisted in the Army together in January 1949. They had spent some time at home on leave in mid-June and by late-June they had returned overseas.

“Three other Rigle boys are veterans of the last war and the father is a World War I veteran,” the newspaper reported.

The Renovo Daily Record on August 21, 1950 had more to say about the late Karl Riggle.

“The first Renovo area boy has given his life for his country in the Korean war. The telegram was first delivered by the local agents and several members of the American Legion post to Mr. Riggle while he was at work on the hump yesterday. He then went to Hyner where the news was broken to the mother and the sister.”

And then, the September 12 issue of The Renovo Daily Record delivered additional grim news. “Second Riggle Boy Killed In Korea Sept. 3” the headline read.

“Pfc. Gene Riggle gave his life for his country in the Korean war just one month and a day from the date his younger brother Pfc. Karl was killed in the same fighting. Gene had previously been wounded on July 25th. He had just returned to his front line outfit before death struck.”

The day before, Mr. and Mrs. Riggle had received a letter from Gene telling of his recovery from his wounds, that he had been hit three times, in the leg, arm, and chest, and he requested his mother to send him a two-layer cake. Another newspaper reported that Gene said “that the war is gruesome and hell.”

“The double tragedy came as a distinct shock to the entire community. Gene was the second killed in action from the Renovo area in the Korean fighting. The other was his brother Karl, age 20, who died August 2ng, this word came August 20.

 

 

*****

William F. Traxler of Salona: Remembered and Honored

By Christopher Miller

Local news reported the death of Clinton County’s sixth casualty of the Korean conflict on March 29, 1951.

“Pfc. Traxler Sixth Casualty: Salona Serviceman Killed in Korea,” was on the front page of that edition of the newspaper. 

William F. Traxler was only 19 years old when he was killed in action in Korea on March 8. The son of Mr. and Mrs. James F. Traxler of Salona, William grew up in Castanea and Lock Haven before his family settled in Rote.

He would have served three years with the Army when he was expected a furlough home in October of 1951 for his wedding to his fiance Miss Barbara Brown of East Park Street.

While William was killed in action in March, his remains did not return home until October.

“The body of Pfc. William F. Traxler, son of Mr. and Mrs. James F. Traxler of Rote, is one of those of 612 Americans killed in Korea being returned to the United States,” read an article. He was survived by three brothers and five sisters.

Though the article does not mention it, it was known by family that William succumbed to wounds suffered from being hit in the head by a bomb shortly after arriving in Korea.

He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Pfc. William F. Traxler lies in eternal rest in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

We remember Pfc. William F. Traxler, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.

*****

Isaac Lipshitz of Lock Haven and New York City: Remembered and Honored

By Christopher Miller
In an American cemetery and memorial in Lorraine, France lies Pvt. Isaac Lipshitz, of Lock Haven and New York City.

Isaac was born July 15, 1893. He had a relative living in Lock Haven at the time, his Uncle Max Lipez, a popular shoe and clothing store owner.

“Max Lipez has received a certificate of the death of his nephew, Private Isaac Lipshitz, of Company C, 92nd Machine Gun Battalion, from the War Department,” read an article in the Clinton County Times on June 6, 1919.
Max learned of his nephew’s death on November 29, 1918, almost two months after Isaac’s death in France.

“Isaac Lipshitz, who was employed in this city for several years by his uncle, Max Lipez, and also at the wholesale furnishing store of Harris Claster & Sons, was killed in action in France on October 1. He went into the army from New York City as a selective service man, a year ago.”

Contacted for this article, Record Executive Editor John Lipez was surprised to learn of Isaac Lipschitz
and his time in Lock Haven and his unfortunate death in France. A call to a Lipez cousin, keeper of the family tree, confirmed the story of Isaac Lipschitz, his time in Lock Haven and his loss of life in France.

Pvt. Isaac Lipshitz lies in eternal rest in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial at Plot D, Row 3, Grave 14 in Lorraine, France.

We remember Pvt. Isaac Lipshitz, 120th Machine Gun Battalion, 32nd Division.

*****

Glenn L. Doebler of Renovo: Remembered and Honored

By Christopher Miller

Glenn Doebler married Miss Marguerite Rathmell in a late-May wedding in 1918. At the time, he was a member of the 9th Company, 154th Depot Brigade at Camp Meade. His bride was a “hello girl” employed at Bell Telephone in Williamsport.

On November 15, 1918 Glenn’s family received word that the 25-year-old man had died in a hospital in France on October 4 from wounds received in action. At that time, he was a member of Company C, 312 Machine Gun Battalion.

The Renovo Record, dated November 19, 1918, reported that Glenn was mortally wounded by a piece of shrapnel when his company was in action on the east bank of the Meuse River. He later died in the base hospital in France.

He was born in Renovo in September 1893 and was educated in the public schools, having graduated from Renovo High School in 1912. He was later employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad as an apprentice and was later sent to Altoona as a special apprentice to complete his training.

Immediately upon completing his apprenticeship, Glenn was “called to the colors” and was sent to Camp Meade. 

The newspaper reported, “while the sympathy of the community is extended to those to whom his death has brought deep grief, their sorrow must be mingled with a silent pride that he fell in defense of so just a cause.”

It wasn’t until August 1921 that his body was returned to the United States and laid to rest in Williamsport.

“The flag draped casket containing the remains of the late Private Glenn L. Doebler arrived in this city last night, and was taken to the Harman Parlors where it will rest until Tuesday, when it will be removed to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, where funeral services will be conducted at 3 o’clock.”

Besides his wife, Glenn left behind his parents, three brothers and a sister, all of Renovo.

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was one of the attacks that brought an end to the war and was fought until the Armistice was signed. Over one million American soldiers participated in the offensive, but it was also the deadliest campaign resulting in over 26,000 soldiers being killed in action.

An article was published in the same newspaper as Glenn’s obituary mentioning that U. S. soldiers are forced to shave every day. “A face without a beard made certain that gas mask would fit snugly,” was the subtitle. This article described how when water was scarce, soldiers sometimes used hot coffee to make a lather with ordinary washing soap to shave with.

Glenn L. Doebler lies in eternal rest in Wildwood Cemetery in Williamsport.

We remember Pvt. Glenn L. Doebler, Company C, 312 Machine Gun Battalion, 79th Division.

 

Please Remember and Honor the Fallen

TIME SCHEDULE FOR MEMORIAL SERVICES