Notes About N.E. Iowans in the Service.
Shell Rock—With three sons in the service, the Ernest Courbat family will go “all out” in the war effort when Mr. and Mrs. Courbat and their daughter Dorothy start work in a California shipyard. They expect to leave Tuesday for the west coast.
One son, Dale, shipfitter second class in the navy, has just completed a 10-day leave with his parents. He took part in the invasions of Africa, Sicily and Normandy and has made nine crossings of the Atlantic. He has been decorated for bravery on foreign shores and on the high seas.
George, a second son, is electrician’s mate third class and is in the submarine service. He is now stationed at Mare Island, Cal.
The third son, Kenneth, is in the army and went overseas Sept. 1. He was recently awarded the Purple Heart as a result of wounds suffered in France, Oct. 21.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, December 6, 1944 (photos included)
Dale Courbat was born Apr. 15, 1921 to Ernest Albert and Ruth Bandfield Courbat. He died June 19, 2000 and is buried in Garden of Memories, Waterloo, IA.
Petty Officer Courbat served in World War II with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Relief (AH-1)—the first ship of the U.S. Navy designed and built from the keel up as a hospital ship--and the USS Dorothea L. Dix (AP-67)—transport ship. He took part in the invasions of Africa, Sicily and Normandy.
Source: ancestry.com
