Over a hundred neighbors, friends and relatives gathered at the Wm. Kleene home north of Hull Tuesday evening to say goodbye to Wilbert Kleene, who was inducted into the army and is home on furlough. A collection was taken and Wilbert was presented with a watch.
Source: Sioux County Index June 25, 1942, p 5
Bernard Plasier, Louis Weilenga and Wilbert Kleene left for Des Moines early Tuesday morning via car where they were inducted into the army.
Source: Sioux County Capital July 2, 1942, p 7
Notes and Letters From Boys in Armed Forces
… Pvt. Wilbert Kleene E 26 – 6 Fort. Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Source: Sioux County Index July 9, 1942, p 1
Mrs. Wilbert Kleene and Mrs. Ben Mulder left Friday for Fort Sill, Okla. to make an extended visit with their husbands there. The soldiers have made plans to get a home where the women can cook and keep house while there.
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene was recently moved from Jefferson Barracks, Mo. to Fort Sill. His address is: Wilbert Kleene, Btry. E. 26 – 6 F.A.R.T.C., Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Pvt. Ben Mulder’s address is: Pvt. Ben Mulder Jr., Btry C., 28th Bn., 7th Regt. G.A. Replacement Center, Fort Sill, Okla.
Source: Sioux Center News July 30, 1942, p 7
Neighbors, Friends Thresh For the Wilbert Kleenes
Last week neighbors and friends arrived at the Wilbert Kleene home near Ireton and proceeded to do the threshing. Wilbert was inducted into the U. S. Army last month and so his grain was all cut and ready to thresh.
… Besides the manual labor supplied by these friends and neighbors, the threshing bill was also cut – only two cents being charged instead of the regular rate.
Source: Sioux County Index Aug. 27, 1942, p 1
Fort Sill, Okla. Soldiers (photo) PVT. BEN MULDER PVT. WILBERT KLEENE
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene is in the mule pack at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. His wife is living near him at the fort and working for a sergeant. Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Schoep living near Sioux Center plan to leave this weekend to visit their daughter and husband, Pvt. and Mrs. Wilbert Kleene at Fort Sill.
Pvt. Kleene has been in the army since June, having farmed near Ireton before entering the army. His address is: Pvt. Wilbert Kleene, Btry. E. 26-6, F.A.R.T.C., Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Pvt. Ben Mulder is also located at Fort Sill.
When Mrs. Kleene left Sioux Center to join her husband in Oklahoma Mrs. Mulder accompanied her. Mrs. Mulder is employed at a laundry there, Pvt. Mulder is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Mulder Sr. near Rock Valley.
Source: Sioux Center News Sept. 24, 1942, p 1
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Kleene of Doon and Mr. and Mrs. Schoep and son of Sioux Center left last week for a visit with Private and Mrs. Wilbert Kleene at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. They returned the first of the week and Private and Mrs. Wilbert Kleene accompanied them as Wilbert has a thirty-day furlough.
Source: Sioux County Index Oct. 1, 1942, p 8
Corn Picking Furlough
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene who came home last week from Fort Sill, Oklahoma is one of the first soldiers to get a 20-day corn picking furlough. Pvt. Kleene left his farm southwest of Sioux Center when drafted into the army. His neighbors threshed his grain last summer.
Mrs. Wilbert Kleene accompanied her husband home from Fort Sill. They rode home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Schoep and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Kleene who had driven to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for a visit.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 8, 1942, p 2
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene left by train from Rock Valley last Friday to return to Fort Sill, Okla. after spending a three weeks furlough with his wife and relatives in this vicinity.
Source: Sioux County Index Oct. 22, 1942, p 4
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene 153rd Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Cavalry Dev., U. S. Army Fort Bliss, Texas
Source: Sioux County Index Nov. 19, 1942, p 5
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene U.S. Army 153rd F. A. Bat., 1st Cor. Div. Btry. A. Fort Bliss, Texas
Source: Sioux County Index Dec. 3, 1942, p 5
Wilbert Kleene, who is now in Ft. Bliss, Texas writes that he would like to thank everyone who helped with the work on his farm in his absence. He wishes this war would be over so all the boys could come home. He is still with the Cavalry, but says it will be motorized as soon as they get the trucks and guns.
His correct address: Pvt. Wilbert Kleene 153rd F. A. Bat. 1st Cav. Div. Btry A Ft. Bliss, Texas, U.S. Army
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 17, 1942, p 7
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Kleene received a letter from their son last week, stating that he is now Private First Class Wilbert Kleene.
Source: Sioux County Index Jan. 14, 1943, p 5
A baby girl was born to Pvt. and Mrs. Wilbert Kleene at the LeMars hospital Sunday morning. Mrs. Kleene is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Schoep and has been staying at the home of her parents.
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene’s address is 153rd F. A. Bat. 1st Cav. Di. Btry. A., Ft. Bliss, Texas.
Source: Sioux Center News Feb. 11, 1943, p 9
Mrs. Wm. Kleene Called By Death
Mrs. William Kleene passed away at her home in Hull Sunday afternoon, Feb. 28, 1943. She had been 66 years old last October.
… Pvt. Wilbert Kleene arrived home from Texas on Monday to attend funeral services.
Source: Sioux County Index Mar. 4, 1943, p 1
Infants of Pfc. And Mrs. Wilbert Kleene, Mr. and Mrs. J. Westra, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wolfswinkel, and Mr. and Mrs. Honkert were baptized last Sunday by Rev. G. H. Douwstra in the First Reformed Church.
Source: Sioux County Index Mar. 11, 1943, p 5
Pvt. Wilbert Kleene 153rd F. A. Bat. 1st Cor. Div., Btry A Ft. Bliss, Texas
Source: Sioux County Index Mar. 11, 1943, p 5
Pfc. Wilbert Kleene Btry. A. 153rd F. A. Bn. 405th F.A. Group Camp Phillips, Kansas
Source: Sioux County Index May 13, 1943, p 5
Pfc. Wilbert Kleene Btry. A 753rd F. A. Bn. Camp Funston Fort Riley, Kansas
Source: Sioux County Index Sept. 2, 1943, p 1
Pfc. Wilbert Kleene Battery A. 73 AFA Bn. APO 259, c.o. Postmaster Los Angeles, California
Source: Sioux County Index Sept. 23, 1943, p 1
Pfc. Wilbert Kleene came home the past week from Fort Riley, Kansas on a 15-day furlough.
Source: Alton Democrat Oct. 7, 1943, p 4
Pvt. and Mrs. Wilbert Kleene and daughter left Wednesday for Fort Riley, Kansas after having a 15-day furlough visiting friends and relatives.
Source: Sioux Center News Oct. 14, 1943, p 2
Pvt. and Mrs. Robert Gibson and Pvt. Wilbert Kleene and family spent their weekend leave at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kleene’s parents here. They are stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas.
Source: Sioux Center News Nov. 4, 1943, p 2
Pfc. Wilbert Kleene 37419382 Station Hospital Fort Riley, Kansas
Source: Sioux County Index Nov. 25, 1943, p 8
Pfc. Wilbert Kleene Receives Medical Discharge From Army
PFC Wilbert Kleene and wife and baby arrived home Wednesday from Ft. Riley, Kansas. Wilbert has received a medical discharge from the army after serving for seventeen months. They plan to live on their farm located two miles south and 8 miles west of the Old Town.
Source: Sioux Center News Dec. 2, 1943, p 1
