Cletus C. Stangl
World War II
Clete Stangl (known as Teets) was born on January 6, 1919, near Dedham to Joseph and Mary (Klocke) Stangl. Clete attended school in Dedham and graduated with the Carroll High School class of 1937.
Clete registered for the military draft on October 16, 1940, and listed his occupation as a bartender for Ernest Zitzlsperger in Dedham. On April 10, 1941, Clete was inducted into the US Army at Omaha, NE. He was assigned serial number 37 036 929. By April 26, Clete was a member of Company C at Fort Leavenworth, KS and going through basic training.
By June, 1941, Clete had been sent to Camp Claiborne near Alexandria, VA and assigned to the Signal Corps. At some point during his time at Camp Claiborne, he was trained as a military policeman and became a part of the 205th Military Police Company. This unit also was attached to the 34th Infantry Division which was based in Council Bluffs, IA.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, brought the United States into World War II in both the Pacific and Europe. On January 8, 1942, Clete and the 34th Infantry Division were sent by train to Fort Dix, NJ to prepare to be sent overseas. The Division sailed from New York and landed in Belfast, Northern Ireland in late January and early February. This group of soldiers were the first US troops to arrive in the United Kingdom during World War II. While there, Clete found time to play in Army baseball games at every opportunity.
After training in Northern Ireland, the Division prepared to sail to North Africa as a part of Operation Torch. Information found indicates Clete was also in London during this time. By November 8, Clete and his unit were in Algiers. Fighting in Tunisia continued through early 1943 when the Germans in North Africa were defeated. The 34th Division suffered heavy casualties in Tunisia and were not included in the invasion of Sicily but instead prepared for the invasion of mainland Italy. Sometime before moving to Italy, Clete apparently spent some time as a personal bodyguard for General Dwight Eisenhower.
On September 9, 1943, the 34th Division landed at Salerno, Italy. Clete and the MP Company likely arrived there on September 25. Fighting to push the Germans north in Italy continued for many months. Difficulties were encountered with mountainous terrain and stiff resistance by the Germans. On March 25, 1944, the 34th Division participated in the landing at Anzio. This became a defensive effort until the break-out in June, 1944, and the capture of Rome. In something of an unusual event, Clete received a furlough and returned to Templeton from Italy in late October, 1944.
Clete returned to Italy and the 205th MP Company through the end of the war. Fighting in Italy ended on May 2, 1945. Clete returned to the United States after some occupation duty and was discharged as a corporal on August 11, 1945.
Clete married Catherine (known as Katie) Lechtenberg in Templeton on October 9, 1945. Katie was a member of the Sacred Heart High School class of 1941. Clete attended the police academy in Des Moines in July, 1946. He subsequently joined the Iowa State Patrol and rose to Lieutenant before retiring in 1983.
Clete died in St. Ansgar, IA on April 25, 1998 at age 79. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.