Frank W. Truhe

World War I

Frank Truhe was born on May 1, 1892, near Roselle, IA to Henry and Sophia (Tappe) Truhe. The family moved to Boyd County, Nebraska, before 1910. Frank registered for the military draft in Carroll County in 1917. At that time, he was employed as a farm laborer for Joe Lechtenberg and listed as a resident of Templeton.

Frank was yet another recruit that was inducted into the US Army on July 26, 1918. Iowa records indicate he was inducted from Templeton. He was assigned serial number 4006985. This large group of soldiers was transported via Camp Dodge near Des Moines to Camp Gordon near Atlanta, GA. He received initial training there and was ultimately assigned to the “September Automatic Replacement Draft #12.” Another member of this unit was Frank Stevens from Templeton (who would later be his brother-in-law).

Frank and his unit were transported to Camp Merritt, NJ in mid-September to prepare for transit to Europe. On September 26, 1918, they boarded the troop ship “Northern Pacific” at Hoboken, NJ and set sail for Europe. They arrived at Brest, France in early October. Members of these replacement units were then allocated to units as needed. Frank and Frank Stevens were separated at this time but only to different companies in the same regiment. Frank Truhe was assigned to Company G, 326th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Infantry Division.

The 325th Regiment had been involved in combat prior to Frank joining them. It is likely they were already engaged in the Meuse-Argonne offensive that effectively ended the war. The 326th Regiment was fighting in northern France and, by mid-October, had crossed the Aire River. A few days later the Germans mounted a significant counterattack. After heavy fighting, the Germans were repulsed. By late October, German resistance was beginning to fade and the 82nd Division was relieved. The Division assembled in the Argonne Forest near Champ Mahaut and, on November 2, proceeded to La Chalade and Les Islettes.

The 82nd Division had been ordered to additional training when the Armistice was declared on November 11, 1918. Frank and his unit were sent to the 10th Training Area near Prauthoy on November 16. They then moved to duty with the Army of Occupation for the next several months. In early May, 1919, Company G was moved to western France for transit back to the US. They boarded the “Cape May” and sailed on May 16, 1919, from Pauillac, France near Bordeaux. The ship arrived in Hoboken, NJ in late May. Frank and his unit were processed back through Camp Merritt and he was discharged soon after.

Frank returned to his farm job near Templeton and, on November 26, 1919, was married to Elizabeth Stevens in Templeton. In 1929, they moved to Alton, IA and Frank was employed as an electrician for Iowa Public Service Company (IPS). By 1930, they had moved to South Dakota where Frank was employed by South Dakota Public Service Company. He later returned to IPS and retired in 1954. They then moved to Canton, SD where Frank died on November 29, 1956, at age 64. He was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Canton, SD.