Ervin F. Kuhl

World War II

Erv Kuhl was born on October 31, 1916, in Templeton to Leo and Theresa (Stangl) Kuhl. Erv attended Sacred Heart schools and graduated from Sacred Heart High School with the class of 1934. He later worked as a salesman for Pepsi Bottling Company in Carroll, a job he held when he registered for the military draft on October 16, 1940.

On July 10, 1941, Erv and Margaret Brady were married at Sacred Heart Church in Templeton. He continued to work at Pepsi until he was inducted into the US Army on February 4, 1943, at Camp Dodge near Des Moines, IA. He was assigned serial number 37658737 and sent for basic training to Camp Wheeler near Macon, GA. The mission of this camp was to train replacements for infantry companies. Erv was assigned to Company C of the 8th Training Battalion. By June 18, 1943, he had been promoted to Private First Class.

Little has been found about training locations after his initial training. By July 1, 1944, Erv was on his way overseas and assigned to Company A, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Armored Division. This unit had previously been sent to England and crossed over to France at the end of June, 1944. Erv likely joined them just as they were engaged in attempting to break out of Normandy. At this time, the 3rd Armored Division became known as the “Spearhead” as it developed methods of breaking through the hedgerows so prevalent in that area.

After containing the German Seventh Army at Falaise, France, Erv and his unit moved north crossing the Seine River and moving to the Belgian border by September 2, 1944. They were now part of the American 1st Army. After participating in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest they drove into Germany. In December, they were forced to stop and attack the north side of the German “Bulge” while George Patton’s 3rd Army attacked from the south. At this time, he was promoted from Corporal to Sergeant.

After the German advance called the Battle of the Bulge had been repulsed, Erv and his unit broke through to the Rhine River and captured Cologne by March 7, 1945. He had now been promoted to Staff Sergeant. The 3rd Armored Division then moved toward Paderborn, Germany. On March 31, 1945, Erv suffered a shrapnel wound to his thigh with no associated problems. The metal was removed at an aid station and he was returned to his unit.

On April 15, 1945, he was again wounded by an artillery shell. This was more serious resulting in a compound fracture of his lower leg and considerable nerve damage. He was affected by this wound for the rest of his life. By April 30, 1945, Erv had been flown to a hospital in England. He arrived at the VA Hospital in Springfield, MO by August, 1945, for surgery. He remained in this facility before being moved to Percy Jones Hospital at Fort Custer, MI in December, 1946. It was there that he was finally discharged on February 19, 1947.

On his return to Templeton, he opened Kuhl’s Tavern which he operated until 1963 when health issues caused him to sell the business. Erv died at the VA Hospital in Omaha, NE on December 22, 1976 at age 60. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.