Surnames: Wibben, Beilke, Remus, Bahr

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 01/04/1945

Wibben, Nicholas (1916? - 1943)

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Wibben have received a letter from the war department officially listing their son, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wibben, Jr., as dead. A year ago they had a communication stating that he was missing in action since Dec. 7, 1943.

The record concerning the Abbotsford paratrooper indicates that he was in command of a small patrol which ran into an enemy concentration near La Difensa, Italy, located about 70 miles north of Naples.

He was last seen in a position exposed to direct enemy fire, when the patrol was forced to withdraw.

On the following day, when the territory was recaptured, it was reported that a thorough search was made for Sgt. Wibben without success.

Sgt. Wibben enlisted in the United States army Dec. 20, 1939. He received his training at Vancouver, Wash.; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Camp Collins, California; Norfolk, Va., and Vermont.

In August 1942, he began his commando training and received his wings as paratrooper in September. He was a member of the American Canadian paratroopers.

After seeing action in the Pacific war zone, he had a short furlough in August, 1943, in Deer Lodge, Montana, with his wife and then in September was sent to the Italian war theatre.

He leaves his widow and adopted son at Deer Lodge, Montana; his parents and sisters, Alice and Dorothy, and brother, Lyle, Abbotsford; Mrs. Adolph (Anita) Beilke and Robert Wibben, Colby; Mrs. Herbert (Ruth) Remus, Stratford; and Mrs. Edward (Catherine) Bahr, Wausau.