Pfc. Frank A. Klepper

Biography and Wartime Service

Frank A. Klepper was born April 4, 1917 in Ellinwood, Kansas as the son of John and Mae (Orensdorf) Klepper, part of a family that included four brothers and five sisters. He had a highschool education and helped on his father’s farm before joining the army on September 29, 1941.

At the age of 24 Frank got his basic training at Camp Collins, California as a young private with the Coast Artillery. In 1942 his unit was transferred to Iceland for further training and an air defence assignment of the Iceland airfields. In Iceland the Coast Artillery unit was redesignated as the 494th AAA Battalion. After Iceland they moved to Scotland and England before joining the fight in Europe. The 494th landed on Utah Beach in July, 1944 and made his way to Belgium through Normandy and Northern France.

November 2, 1944 the 494th AAA Gun Bn arrived in Putte. Its batteries were scattered across the towns of Peulis and Putte and D Battery chose a location next to the Geerts Family Farm, in the Schaapstraat. Just a few days later, a message was sent to the commanders of the 788th and 789th AAA AW Bn informing them that both units were firing outside their zone. In particular, the headquarters of the 494th AAA, located at the Zwarte Poort (diagonally opposite the intersection of Mechelbaan and Vaatjesstraat), send out a report to the 22nd AAA Group HQ saying they had shells bursting over their position and exploding near their position. Because of these problems, the 494th decided to move Battery D a few hundred meters on November 6, 1944.

Three of the four guns had already been moved, and the fourth gun had been prepared for transport, awaiting the return of the trucks. At that moment, a V1 flew overhead, prompting the surrounding batteries to spring into action. An unexploded 40mm shell came back down, squarely hitting the gun, and the explosion sent hundreds of pieces of shrapnel flying in all directions. The waiting gun crew was hit hard. Private Frank Klepper died on the spot and six of his buddies were wounded, Cpl. William A. Bassi, T/5 William E. Stireman, Pfc. James H. Swanson, Pfc. Martin I. Mueller, Pfc. Adam Valuchivich and Pvt. Herbert G. Barnard. The six wounded soldiers are rushed to the hospital in Lier. Frank Klepper’s body however was first put to rest in the farm and a little time later brought to the American cemetery at Henri-Chapelle where he was buried. Because of their slight injuries the men were back with their unit within a few days or weeks. Despite the incident and losing Gun nr 4 D-Battery completed its move and was operational again 4 hours later at their new location in the Heerkenslei.

Despite the fact that the men of the 494th AAA Gun Bn only stayed near the Geerts Farm for four days the connection was very friendly. This is best explained by the memories of people like William Stireman or the late Marieke Geerts who was a child during WW2 and was at the farm. As she remembered the Americans brought with them many new or difficult to come by goodies like Coca-Cola or even coffee. As William remembered the people of Putte were very friendly. Often they would spend the evenings together inside the farmhouse and in the mornings they would get fresh bread and milk which was greatly appreciated.

Frank Klepper was initially interred at Henri Chapelle American Cemetery but per request of his family he was repatriated to the US. On December 4, 1948 he received his final resting in his hometown of Ellinwood, Kansas.

After his departure to Iceland, his family never saw Frank again. He died for our freedom at the age of 27. Let us never forget this.

I had the pleasure of meeting Diane Nemnich, niece of Frank Klepper, and her husband Ed several times.

Gallery

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