Dickbreder recalls service in World War II

B.D. Dickbreder and his home, recalls his time in the U.S. Army, during World War II.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army on Oct. 25, 1944, when he turned 18. He tried to tell the draft board at Leavenworth that he had a physical problem, and that he was color blind, but they needed soldiers so badly that they didn't listen. He was sent for basic training in Texas. After basic, he was able to make a trip home. While he was in Schell City, there was a terrible hail storm that destroyed all the wheat and gardens.

He was sent to Fort Mead, Md., and issued winter clothing because they were told they were going to fight in Germany and Belgium. While at Fort Mead, soldiers were needed for a parade in Baltimore. He marched in a parade before President Harry S Truman. After a few days, the war looked better in Europe so he was sent to Ft. Lewis, Wash., outside of Seattle. He was on a troop train for seven to 10 days. One reason it took so long was because their troop train had to pull on the side and let the war-time freights go by. They got to stop and get off and walk every once in a while. At one time, he was in Iowa, only a few hundred miles from home. "If ever I thought about going AWOL, that was the time," Dickbreder said.

Dickbreder in uniform, in 1944 or 1945. -- submitted photos

But he didn't. He stayed the course and was loaded onto a World War I-era ship, the Wilhelm, from Ft. Washington. The bunks were stacked from floor to ceiling with only a bit of room between. He was way down in the bottom, "and it wasn't pretty." There was a whole convoy of ships sent out together.

After about four days, they hit a terrible storm. He didn't get sick, but the next morning when he went on deck to get some fresh air, he discovered that his was the only ship left. The others had all gone and left them because the ship he was on had developed engine trouble. The ship limped along with one engine gone and they unloaded at the nearest place which was Fulfield Barracks at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Half of the soldiers on the ship were loaded onto another ship and sent to Okinawa for a cleanup operation with many killed or wounded. Dickbreder was chosen to stay in Hawaii and relieve some soldiers who had been there for three years. He was put into anti-aircraft duty, which surprised him because it required knowing some colors, but he was able to do it. He ended up being a messenger and ran messages from the message center three times a week. "The message center was in a hollowed-out mountain by Pearl Harbor and was very secure and protected," he said.

Even though he was in a tourist spot on the island of Oahu, Dickbreder said, "The Army is a pretty poor place to take a vacation. The C rations were low and for two to three weeks, all we had to eat was Spam. It was Spam fried for breakfast --with dried eggs, cold Spam for lunch, and boiled Spam for supper. It was better than some had, however, because food was short."

On Aug. 14, 1945, the war was officially over, but the official surrender document was signed Sept. 2, 1945, on the Battleship Missouri.

"I was glad the war was over, but I didn't celebrate like probably eight out of 10 did by getting drunk," Dickbreder said.

A bright time for Dickbreder was the telegram that he got on Aug. 22, 1945, saying he had a daughter and she and mother were doing fine.

"Harold Mosher, another Schell City person, was on the same Island and I went to see him once. Another Schell City person, J. C. Breeden, was there, also and we still keep in touch even though he lives in Cozad, Neb."

After he had been in Hawaii for about seven months, a physical ailment worsened.

"I swelled up like a waddling duck."

The staff sergeant wanted to lance the cyst on his spine, but Dickbreder wouldn't let him. He was up for promotion to corporal and wanted the advance. But the time came when he had to submit to their treatment and had it lanced, but it didn't do any good. Every time he was close to the promotion, they put him in the hospital. He never did get the promotion. They said he had to have surgery, which it could not be done there, so they sent him home. "It was Dec. 7, 1945, and a beautiful day to be headed home. There was smooth water, colorful flying fish, and bright sunlight, but I got seasick," he said. He came home on a hospital ship and it was good and clean, but all aboard was coming home for surgery or wounded. Dickbreder was in the chow line on the ship when he turned around and there was Bill Jones, another Schell City person. "I was sure glad to be leaving Hawaii. Every day, the sun set in the north and came up in the south. I was totally turned around."

It took eight days to get from Honolulu to Riverside, Calif. On Dec. 19, 1945, Dickbreder was put on a train to the Fitzsimons General Hospital in Denver, Colo. The trip took three days. The staff decided that all who were able would be sent home for Christmas. He was dismissed on Dec. 23, 1945, but couldn't get any way out. Finally, six soldiers, including Dickbreder, hired a taxi to take them from Denver to Kansas City. It was very expensive.

When he got to Kansas City, all the tickets for the bus to Nevada, Mo., were sold out. A man Dickbreder was with looked at the bus and said, "That's my uncle driving it -- come on." Somehow, he got them on the bus. When he got to Nevada, he spent $5 for a taxi to take him to Schell City where his wife, Martha, was living with her parents, across from the Green Lawn Cemetery. Dickbreder arrived "Home for Christmas" on Christmas Eve at 6 p.m., and got to see his daughter for the first time.

He had to be back at Fitzsimons in Denver for surgery in 10 days. They removed a large cyst on the base of his spine. It took a long time for it to grow and fill in even with ultraviolet treatments. In February of 1946, he began trying to get dismissed. He was told the medical board only met every three weeks. He couldn't get out. Finally, Sept. 6, 1946, he was dismissed.

Fort Leavenworth had been closed, so he was sent to Ft. Sheridan north of Chicago to be discharged.

After Dickbreder's tour of duty was completed in the war that took 60 million lives, he and his wife, Martha, ran a grocery store until purchasing the Amoco petroleum business, which they operated for 26 years. They added a son to the family in 1950, and raised their family in the Schell City area. They served their community through their church, Lions, Masons, Eastern Star and enjoying their children and grandchildren. B. D. lost his wife of 61 years in 2005, but has managed to remain in his home which they built. His daughter, Dorothy and her husband, Paul Palmer live nearby and help him.