Norbert W. Sturm

Korean War

Norbert Sturm was born near Templeton on April 15, 1929, to Wolfgang and Frances (Hacker) Sturm. Wolfgang had been born in Bavaria, Germany. Norbert attended country school and worked on the family farm.

When the Korean War started in 1950, Norbert’s parents had moved into Templeton and Norbert was working as a carpenter. He was inducted into the US Army on June 5, 1951, at Fort Sheridan, IL. He was assigned serial number 55 172 490. He was immediately sent to Fort Sill, OK for basic training. While there, he was a member of Battery B of the 1st Field Artillery Training Battalion. He completed his basic and advanced training in Oklahoma on October 16, 1951.

Norbert was then sent to Fort Lawton in Seattle, WA to prepare for transit to Korea. He arrived on Thanksgiving Day, 1951. He was assigned to Battery B of the 999th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. This unit had been formed during World War II with black enlisted men and white officers. By the time Norbert joined the unit, white soldiers comprised a portion of the unit but black soldiers were still the majority. The unit operated the M41 Gorilla which was an M24 Chaffee tank fitted with a 155mm howitzer. This self-propelled weapon could be deployed much faster than towed artillery.

By the time Norbert joined this unit late in 1951, the fighting continued roughly along the line of the 38th parallel with neither side gaining advantage. Periodic attacks were repulsed. Norbert was now promoted to PFC (private first class). During February, 1952, Norbert was able to locate and meet with his cousin CPT Joe Sturm (of Roselle) in Korea. He apparently also volunteered to work as a cook in the battery’s mess facility.

By late 1952, Norbert was rotated back to the United States and had been promoted to Corporal. He married Marjorie Klocke at Sacred Heart Church in Templeton on November 11, 1952. Marjorie accompanied Norbert to his next assignment at Fort Custer, MI. Norbert was discharged there on March 7, 1953.

The couple farmed southeast of Dedham for 9 years before moving to their permanent address north of Templeton in 1961. In 1991, they retired and moved to Carroll. Norbert died in Exira, IA on April 25, 2012 at age 83. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.