IN UNIFORM

Josef Snobl (later Joseph Snoble) enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 when he was about 20 years old. He also became a naturalized citizen at this time. He walked 42 miles from Lovelady to Palestine, Texas, to enlist. When he enlisted, he could speak Czech and Spanish and while in the Army he improved his command of the English language. He was rapidly promoted from Private to Corporal and then to Sergeant. His main assignment during World War I was as a Training Sergeant for basic training recruits. He talked of duty on the Mexican Border; at Fort Douglas, Utah; Fort Riley, Kansas and Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He did not serve overseas and was discharged in 1919. During World War II he also served the government by helping to build bridges in South America.

After dropping out of high school at age 16, Anthony W. Snoble spent two 6-month hitches in the Civil Conservation Corps (CCC) at Eldora and Ames, Iowa respectively. In 1940 at the age 17, with parental permission, he joined the U.S. Navy for a six-year term. He was sent to The Great Lakes Naval Training Facility for boot camp. After boot camp he was sent to technician’s school and later served aboard the cruiser USS Omaha. His ship was involved in many naval encounters in the Atlantic Ocean and they successfully captured a German ship. Later he was sent to Torpedoman’s School and was assigned to the destroyer USS O’Brien. The O’Brien was engaged in the Pacific Ocean Theater where they suffered damage several times. On March 27th, 1945, just off the Island of Okinawa a Japanese suicide plane struck the O’Brien and Tony Snoble died, with many others. He was buried at sea with full military honors. He was 22 years old.

Jerry J. Snoble served three 6-month hitches in the Civil Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1938 to 1940 at Lamont, Iowa. About 1940 he joined the Iowa/Minnesota National Guard and became a member of Company C, 133rd Infantry of the 34th Division. After the defeat of the Germans in North Africa the 34th Division was part of the successful invasion of Sicily and Italy. Jerry served primarily as a Supply Sergeant for Company C. He was discharged from the Army at Fort Mead, Maryland in 1945.

Theodore C. Tschopp enlisted in the U.S. Navy in October 1942. He went to The Great Lakes Naval Training Station for basic training. He was then sent to Gunnery School at Treasure Island, California. He then returned to Cedar Rapids before being assigned to commission his ship, the USS Gatling. Shortly after that he came back to Cedar Rapids for two days and married his love, Julia Snoble. Theodore then served many months at sea in the Pacific Theater before returning to Cedar Rapids after the death of this brother-in-law, Tony Snoble. Theodore and Julia then moved to Mare Island, California, for six weeks before Theodore was, again, assigned to the Pacific. He was on one of the destroyers that were present on September 2, 1945 when Japan surrendered ending World War II. He was discharge in October 1945.

Erwin J. Tschopp enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943. He did his basic training in Farragut, Idaho and then additional training at Treasure Island, California. Because of the Sullivan Brothers Act, Erwin was not able to participate in any active war efforts, but he did serve the Navy by maintaining PT boards during World War II.

Herbert F. Tschopp enlisted in the U.S. Navy immediately after Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7th, 1941. He went to boot camp at The Great Lakes Naval Training Station and then was sent to River Rouge Plant (Ford Motor Company) where the plant had been converted for building tanks and other equipment necessary for the war. He was assigned to the USS Thomas Jefferson, sent to Africa to assist in Sicilian, Italian and southern France invasions and positioning of troops for the D-Day invasion in June of 1944. Herbert was invaluable as he knew German and could conduct interviews with German prisoners. His ship often was the only ship to make it through bombardments during invasions. He was reassigned to the Talavana to refuel ships in the Pacific. He reenlisted in 1951 in the U.S. Naval Reserves. He was discharged in April 1959.

Alfred J. Tschopp enlisted in the U.S. Air Force August 15, 1950. He went to Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas for basic training. Alfred then attended Supply Technician School and Teletype Mechanics School in Denver, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 1952, he was ordered to Korea to serve as a Supply Sergeant. In 1953 he was assigned to Hunter AFB in Savannah, Georgia; Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado; Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas; then as a recruiter in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Alfred eventually was assigned to Shemya AFB, in Alaska and Beale AFB, Marysville, California. He retired from the U.S. Air Force October 31, 1970 from Marysville, California.

After completing high school and working for two years, Joseph J. Snoble enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1951 at the age of 20. He was sent to Schofield Barracks in the Hawaiian Islands for infantry basic training. In August 1951 he was sent to Korea to become a member of Battery C, 77th Field Artillery Battery, 1st Cavalry Division. He spent 6 months in Korea, at the front, when the Oklahoma/Texas National Guard 45th Division replaced his Division. The 1st Cavalry Division was sent to Hokkaido, Japan for winter survival training. About a year later Joseph was transferred to the 61st Field Artillery Battery and the 1st Cavalry Division was sent back to Korea, not to the front lines but to help serve a prison guards near Pusan in South Korea. In March of 1953 he came back to the States and was assigned to Headquarters Company at Fort Lewis, Washington as a clerk/typist. He was discharged in March of 1954.

Oscar H. Tschopp enlisted on March 21, 1951, after a 2-foot snowstorm in Cedar Rapids. He went to Aircraft and Engine School and B-29 School at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas; Merced, California; and Mildenhall AFB in England. He spent nine months in Japan getting three battle stars in the Korean War. He was then assigned to Castle AFB but went on various temporary duty stations. The longest temporary duty station was in Amarillo AFB for B-47 School. In 1954, Oscar went to B-52 School and was discharged March 20, 1955.

Linda B. Tschopp Blank enlisted in the U.S. Army in October of 1972. She went to boot camp at Fort McClennan in Anniston, Alabama. After boot camp, Linda went to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. She was then assigned to hospital duty at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Linda was then assigned to Germany in 1974. She worked in a MUST unit, a portable hospital, where she met and married Mike Blank and reenlisted for 4 years. In 1977 she was assigned to For Sam Houston, Texas and worked in the Burn Unit and the OB/GYN unit. She was discharged in September 1979.

Dave Blank enlisted in the U.S. Marines September 2000, in Des Moines, Iowa. He went to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California for his basic training. After advanced training at Twenty-Nine Palms, California, Dave was permanently assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Dave was attached to a Victor-Coded Unit, in support of an Infantry unit.