Edmund C. Naber

World War I

Edmund Naber was born February 7, 1894 in New Vienna, IA to John and Susan (Meyers) Naber. By 1900, the family had moved to Arcadia, IA where John was employed as a wheelwright. John was a German immigrant and he passed away in 1908. Susan remained in Arcadia but Edmund had moved to Carroll by the 1910 census.

Edmund registered for the military draft on June 5, 1917. His registration form indicates he was a resident of Templeton and employed by the Templeton Lumber Co. He was inducted into the US Army on September 21, 1917. He was assigned serial number 2105088. Iowa records show him being inducted from Templeton and one of the earliest soldiers to do so.

Edmund was sent to Camp Dodge near Des Moines for initial training. He was assigned to Company I, 350th Infantry Regiment of the 88th Infantry Division. The 88th Division was being formed at Camp Dodge but was constantly having its troops reassigned to other units. Edmund was one of these soldiers and he was sent to Company C, 347th Infantry Regiment of the 87th Infantry Division at Camp Pike, Arkansas. He was again transferred and, by May, 1918, was assigned to Company H, 58th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division at Camp Greene, NC.

On May 7, 1918, Edmund sailed with his unit from Philadelphia, PA aboard the “Rhesus.” They arrived in France without incident by mid-May. Notably, a ship carrying additional soldiers of the 58th Infantry was torpedoed on May 23, 1918. Additional training was conducted for the 58th Infantry and they were ready for combat by July. On July 15, 1918, the Germans launched their final significant attack of the war at Aisne-Marne. Edmund’s duty was that of a sniper which caused him to be separated from his unit. By July 18, 1918, the German attack had been repulsed and were subsequently on the defensive.

In late July, 1918, Edmund’s mother was informed that he was missing in action. It was unknown if he had been killed, captured or just had not returned to his unit as soldiers were scattered all over France. By late September, his remains had been found and it was determined he had been killed in action on July 18, 1918. He was 24 years old.

His remains were buried in the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. He is in Plot A, Row 6, Grave 2.