Record List Classified By Draft Board
Wed. … BOARD MINUTES OF February 17 … On motion, the following registrants were transferred from Tent. 1-A and placed in Class 1-A: … 11,723 John Albert Kempers, Hull …
Source: Sioux County Capital Feb. 25, 1943, p 5
The First Reformed Church (Sioux Center) held a short farewell service on Sunday afternoon for four of its members, Stanley Campaign, James Mulder, Gerald Bosch and John Kempers, who are leaving for army service on this week Thursday.
Source: Sioux County Index Mar. 18, 1943, p 7
The Kempers relatives gathered at the John Kempers Sr. home on Tuesday afternoon as a farewell get-together for one of their boys, John, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers who leaves for the service this week.
Source: Sioux Center News Mar. 18, 1943, p 4
Local Draft Board Makes More Re-Classifications
Minutes of the Sioux County Local Board of Selective Service Meeting March 17, 1943 … Class 1-C (inductions):
…, John A. Kempers, Hull, …
Source: Sioux County Index Mar. 25, 1943, p 3
Here is the address of Pvt. John A. Kempers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers of Sioux Center vicinity: Co. F., 49th Armored Inf. Regt., APO 258, North Camp Polk, La.
Source: Sioux Center News Apr. 1, 1943, p 10
Florence Scheffer left Tuesday eve. by train from Sioux City for North Camp Polk, La. to visit Pvt. John Kempers for a week. His folks, Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers also went, and Mrs. Peter Bosch went to visit her son who is in the same camp.
Source: Sioux Center News June 10, 1943, p 10
Pvt. John Kempers, who is stationed at North Camp Polk, La. arrived home on Tuesday afternoon to spend a furlough at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 26, 1943, p 10
Florence Scheffer was a week visitor at Gerrit Kempers at Sioux Center. John is home for a 15-day leave.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 2, 1943, p 5
Mrs H. Dieters received word last week that her son, John Dieters had passed away Aug. 2, 1943, at Montana, where he was in training. He was a U. S. Navy recruit. The cause of his death is not known at this writing. A military funeral was held at the home of Mrs. Herman Dieters on Tuesday, August 31, at 2:30 o’clock.
… The color guard was composed of Pat Nettinga, Pfc. John Kempers, Henry De Kraay and Pvt. Dick Van Regenmorter.
Source: Alton Democrat Sept. 3, 1943, p 4
A farewell party honoring John A. Kempers was held at the Albert Scheffer home in Carmel last Thursday night with Mr. and Mrs. Arie Schimmel, Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Scheffer and the Gt. Kempers families present.
On Friday evening several cousins gathered at Sheldon Park to bid John farewell, as he returned to camp Sunday. Present at Sheldon were Florence Scheffer, Alma Hogan and Steven Kramer, Richard Oostenink and Mina Burgraff, Orville Kempers and Esther Bosch.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 9, 1943, p 4
PFC John A. Kempers Co. C. 7th Div. A I R Bn. APO 258 North Camp Polk, La.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 30, 1943, p 10
At Camp Polk (photo) PFC JOHN A. KEMPERS
Pfc. John A. Kempers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers entered the service on March 18, 1943. He has had one furlough in the latter part of August. John has been laid up in the hospital for some weeks due to a broken toe. He has been in the same camp since he entered the service.
His complete address is: Pfc. John A. Kempers Co. C. 7th Bn., APO 258, North Camp Polk, La.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 11, 1943, p 1
Dec. 12, 1943 Dear Ed: First of all Ed, I want to thank you for sending the paper, which I receive every Monday. I enjoy the soldier’s column and especially the sermonettes. We’re out in the field at present, and will be for Christmas. It’s hard to get greeting cards so will take this means to wish all my friends a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I wish to thank all of you who remembered me with a Christmas card.
Our training in garrison has been completed, and from now on we’ll be out in the field. We’re out in Texas now, and will be for three weeks. Then we’ll go back to La. for maneuvers.
Well Ed, I haven’t any news of interest so will close. May it be God’s will that a speedy victory be ours. Love, John Pfc. John A. Kempers Co. C. 7th A. I. Bn. APO 258 North Camp Polk, La.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 23, 1943, p 12
Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers entertained the Kempers and Scholten relatives at their home on Monday evening in honor of their son Pvt. John Kempers who was home on furlough from North Camp Polk, La. John returned to camp on Wednesday afternoon.
Source: Sioux Center News Jan 27, 1944, p 8
Pfc. John A. Kempers has a change of address. It is now: Pfc. John A. Kempers Co. C. 7th AIB APO 248, c/o Postmaster Shreveport, La. He is now on two months maneuvers.
Source: Sioux Center News Feb. 17, 1944, p 10
Change of Address: Pfc. John A. Kempers A. G. F. Repl. Dep. No. 1 Fort George G. Meade, Maryland
Source: Sioux Center News May 4, 1944, p 2
Pfc. John Kempers Co. O., APO 15323, c/o Postmaster, New York City, writes the News from England:
7/2/44 Dear Ed: Having arrived safely in England, I thought it well to inform you of my new location. We had a wonderful trip coming over, but was unfortunate to be with the Company that pulled steady K.P. I wasn’t seasick once, and realize now I should have been a sailor.
England, as much of it as I’ve seen, seems to be pretty well off, but is under a very strict ration system. The crops over here look good, and the small grain is in the same stage as at home. We haven’t done much since we arrived, but will start soon. Don’t know what we’ll do, but expect to do the same thing we did in the states. Haven’t received an issue of the News in about two months now, but do know they’ll catch up with me sooner or later. I certainly do miss it, as it’s like visiting the old home town. Am in the best of health and long for the trip back home to stay. God bless you till we may meet again. My best regards to all, John
Source: Sioux Center News July 20, 1944, p 2
Pfc. John A. Kempers has a change within his address which we are unable to publish. His new APO number is 9. Call either his parents Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers or the News for his complete address.
Source: Sioux Center News Aug. 17, 1944, p 8
Killed in Action
Pfc. John A. Kempers, 22-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers of near Hull, was reported "Killed in Action" in France on Friday, August 18.
John entered the service on March 18, 1943. He received his basic training at Camp Polk, Louisiana. His last furlough which he spent with friends and relatives here was in January, 1944. In June he left the States and went to England and arrived in France on July 17.
John is a graduate of the local High School graduating in 1940. Prior to his entrance into the service he was employed on his father's farm.
He leaves to mourn his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers, sister Joan age 13, two brothers, Orville, 19, and Gerrit Jr. 12, and his fiancée Miss Florence Scheffer of Carmel, also his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Kempers of Sioux Center.
Source: The Sioux Center News, August 24, 1944 (photo included)
Memorial Service For Pfc. John Kempers Friday, Sept. 1
The memorial services for Pfc. John A. Kempers, 22-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Kempers who was killed in action in France on Friday, Aug. 18, will be held in the First Reformed Church Friday afternoon September 1, at 1:00 p.m. Rev. L. A. Brunsting will officiate and he will deliver a message on the text taken from Rev. 12: 11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb; and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
Special music will be given by a men’s quartette, John Wm. Kroon, Gerald, Elrich and Marvin Vermeer, who will sing, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” And by a mixed quartette, Mary Jean DeZeeuw, Arlene Kroon, Gerald Vermeer and John Kroon, who will sing, “Sometime We’ll Understand.” The American Legion gold star citation will be awarded by Mr. George DeRuyter.
STORES WILL CLOSE DURING MEMORIAL SERVICE
Sioux Center business places will be close on Friday afternoon from 1:00 o’clock until 3 P.M. during the Memorial Services for John Kempers, who was killed in action in France.
Source: The Sioux Center News, August 31, 1944
John Albert Kempers was born June 21, 1922 to Gerrit J. and Sadie Scholten Kempers. He died Aug. 3, 1944 and is buried in Memory Gardens Sioux Center Cemetery, Sioux Center, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
