38 More Men From Sioux Go Into Service
28 Young Men Accepted By U. S. Army, 9 By Navy And 1 By Coast Guard
The following named registrants have been accepted for military service:
US Army
....
Gerald Bosch, Maurice
.....
Source: Sioux County Index May 27, 1943 p 1
Gerald Bosch left last Thursday to be inducted into the army.
Source: Sioux Center News June 3, 1943 p 3
Pvt. Gerald Bosch 37480377
Co. C. Oklahoma A & M
Stillwater, Okla.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 23, 1943 p 10
Rev. and Mrs. Gerrit Bosch have two sons and one son-in-law in the service of their country. Pvt. G. Bosch 37480377, Co. C. 3804 S.T.A.R., Oklahoma A & M College, Stillwater, Okla. Another son is an analyzer in the medical laboratory in Tonopah, Nevada, and their son-in-law, Dixon Jones, is stationed in Norfolk, Va. Jones was on the spot where the huge ammunition tank exploded causing the death of 150 people and injured 250 more, last week. He was injured in the leg, and suffered nervous shock, but aside from that was alright though the dead and more seriously injured laid all around him. His wife is the former Jeanette Bosch. Dixon has been in the Navy for over 15 years, is chief officer of the repair department.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 30, 1943 p 2
Pvt. Gerald Bosch
Co. D. Defoe Hall
A.S.T.U. S.C.U. 3715
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Gerald is a son of Rev. and Mrs. Gerrit Bosch of Maurice.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 7, 1943 p 2
Pvt. Gerald Bosch came home Monday from St. Louis, Mo. on his first furlough and is spending it with his parents, Rev. and Mrs. Gerrit Bosch.
Source: Alton Democrat Jan. 6, 1944 p 8
Pvt. Gerald Bosch of Camp Rucker, Ala., came Sunday to spend a two week's furlough in the home of his parents, Rev. and Mrs. Gerrit Bosch. He will leave on August 14.
Source: Alton Democrat July 27, 1944 p 5
T/S Gerald Bosch, who is at Camp Polk, La. is spending a short time at the hospital there although he is not seriously ill. He wrote that he and two other Sioux County boys, Gerrit Wm. Vreeman and Marion Koele both of Hull went to visit with Cpl. Alvin Den Herder one evening last week which they enjoyed very much. Alvin, who is stationed at Camp McCain, Miss., was out on bivouacs only a mile from Camp Polk and enjoyed the visit very much as they were about the first Soo county boys he had met since he entered the service.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 10, 1944 p 2
Former Maurice Pastor Writes From Norfolk, Virginia:
Norfolk, Virginia
11/6/'44
My Dear Sir:
Enclosed find $1.50 for the Sioux Center News. Please send the paper to
Pfc. Gerald Bosch 37480377
(call News for this line)
APO 17803, c/o Postmaster
New York City, N. Y.
...
Yours fraternally, Rev. G. Bosch
Source: Sioux Center News, Nov. 16, 1944 p 2
NEWS OF OUR MEN and WOMEN IN UNIFORM
Sioux Center: Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bosch receive a telegram Thursday from their son, Gerald, telling of his safe arrival, but he did not say where he had been sent. He left from the East Coast.
Source: Sioux County Capital, November 30, 1944
Missing In Action
(photo)
SGT. GERALD BOSCH
Pictured here is Sgt. Gerald Bosch who has been reported missing in action since Dec. 25th. Mr. and Mrs. Jake Bosch received word to that effect on Jan. 15th. Son of Rev. and Mrs. Gerrit Bosch of Maurice, he has been in the service since May, 1943. No further word has been received since Jan. 15th.
Source: Sioux Center News Feb. 1, 1945 p 1
GERALD P. BOSCH REPORTED MISSING AS TRANSPORT IS SUNK
(By Special Correspondent)
Relatives have received word from the War Department stating that it is presumed that Pfc. Gerald Bosch may have lost his life in the sinking of a troop ship in the English channel, en route to France. The last letter received here was written in England, and a few days after, he was reported missing in action.
Source: LeMars Globe-Post, February 8, 1945
SERVICEMEN
Drowned in Channel
Relatives have received word from the War Department stating it is assumed that Pfc. Gerald Bosch may have lost his life in the sinking of a troop ship in the English Channel while enroute to France. The last letter received here was written in England, and a few days after, he was reported missing in action.
Source: The Sioux County Capital, Orange City, Iowa, February 8, 1945
Jake Bosch received a message Wednesday morning from the War Department stating that Sgt. Gerald Bosch, who had been reported missing in action since Dec. 16th was now reported dead. The message was sent to Gerald's parents, Rev. & Mrs. G. Bosch who is spending the winter at Norfolk, Virginia, but expected to return to Maurice in April. Here is a reprint of the telegram:
"Washington, DC 3:21 PM 3-7-45
Gerrit Bosch,
Maurice IA.
The secretary of war asks that I assure you of his deep sympathy in the loss of your son, Sgt. Gerald Bosch, who was previously reported missing in action report now received states he was killed in action twenty five December in European area confirming letter follows: J. A. Ulic, The Adjustant General Battle 830 am."
The family received the first notice that he was missing in January. Some time after that a letter came stating that he was aboard a troop transport somewhere in the European theater of operations at the time.
Gerald was eighteen at the time he was drafted having just completed the two year college course at Orange City. He was inducted in June, 1943, and would have celebrated his 20th (sic 21st) birthday this coming Memorial Day.
Source: Sioux Center News, March 8, 1945
IN APPRECIATION
We hoped against hope that our son Gerald Bosch was still in the land of the living somewhere, after he was reported "Missing". but of late the government has officially notified us that "he died in action". Our grief is great and were it not for the grace of God we could not stand up under it.
We have received many cards and letters from relatives and friends far and near. It has not been possible to answer all of them. Hereby we publicly wish to express our deep appreciation to all, and often such communications have been a real source of comfort to us. To know that he has gone to be with the Lord lessens our grief.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. Bosch, also his brothers and sisters, and last but not least his most beloved friend and fiancée, Miss Helen Van Peursem.
Source: Sioux Center News Mar. 29, 1945 p 8
62 SIOUX COUNTY BOYS GAVE THEIR LIVES IN WORLD WAR TWO
LIST INCLUDES ONLY OFFICIAL DEAD
62 Sioux County boys gave their lives for their country in World War II. This list was furnished to the News by the state department of History and Archives. This record is not complete because it includes only those officially recorded -- in some cases the official record may not yet have reached the state office, and in other cases Sioux County boys are credited to the counties in which they registered. .....
Bosch, Gerald Sgt.
Killed in European area Dec. 25, 1944
Parents: Rev. and Mrs. Gerrit Bosch, Maurice, Ia.
Source: Sioux Center News Jan. 24, 1946 p 1
Gerald Bosch was born May 30, 1924 to Gerrit and Alice Van Regenmorter Bosch. He died Dec. 25, 1944 (at sea) and is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-Sur-Mer, France. He also has a cenotaph in West Lawn Cemetery, Orange City, IA.
Sgt. Bosch served in World War II with the U.S. Army 262nd Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry division and was MIA/KIA aboard the British transport Leopold-Ville off the coast of France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Source: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
Special Email received and shared to Iowa In WWII website by Deb Emery -- Read how Deb became French Connected. Posting also a link to a website where the entire story is posted. PAYING TRIBUTE to "Remembering the Fallen!"
Below from Deb Emery:
Over a year ago a young French soldier contacted me via Ancestry asking if I was related to Gerald Bosch or knew anything about him. Gerald Bosch was a relative of mine on the Bosch/Bos side of my family.
Thought I'd share the article with you. It says I contribute to Iowa Gravestone project which isn't the case but I use it all of the time. ~Deb Emery
Off-site LINK to "Remembering the Fallen."
Memorial in West Lawn Cemetery, Orange City, Iowa
