John G. Meiners

World War II

John Meiners was born on September 1, 1921, near Dedham to Bernard (Ben) and Catherine (Rotert) Meiners. He attended school at St. Mary’s in Willey. John registered for the military draft on February 16, 1942, and listed his employment as working for his father on the family farm.

John was inducted into the US Army on September 8, 1942, at Camp Dodge near Des Moines, IA. He was assigned serial number 37431855. He was immediately sent to Fort Bliss near El Paso, TX for basic training. During World War II, Fort Bliss was one of locations which focused on training anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) units. While at Fort Bliss, John was assigned to Battery B of the 533rd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion. His job was radio operator.

By early 1943, John and his unit were on their way to the European theatre. They left the United States on February 28, 1943, and landed at Casablanca, Morocco on the west coast of Africa. Shortly before their arrival, the US Army had endured a disastrous defeat against the Germans at Kasserine Pass. This defeat led to the appointment of George Patton to command US troops. By May, 1943, the Germans had been defeated in North Africa. The US Seventh Army was created in July and the 533rd AAA Battalion became part of that force.

In September, 1943, Patton and the US Seventh Army invaded Sicily. John and his unit were not a part of that action but did land on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia on September 14. The German force there withdrew in short order. The movement of John’s unit becomes somewhat unclear at this point. His own report indicates he was involved in the Naples-Foggio and Rome-Arno campaigns in Italy. The Seventh Army was not heavily involved there suggesting the 533rd AAA Battalion may have been reassigned to the US Fifth Army. It seems John and his unit spent the final months of 1943 and most of 1944 helping to push the Germans north in Italy. This campaign was characterized by tough German resistance, bad weather and unfavorable terrain.

Information suggests John and his unit were reassigned to France in December, 1944. This would mesh with the Seventh Army’s movement from southern France to meet up with US forces breaking out of Normandy. The Seventh Army covered the southern flank of US forces while Patton, now commanding the US Third Army, broke north to counter the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge. Once contained, the drive of US forces into Germany continued. John and his unit were in Germany when the Germans surrendered on May 8, 1945. John was apparently transferred to the US Third Army as the war ended.

John had not been back home during his entire 3-year tour of duty. He returned to the United States on October 25, 1945, and was discharged at Camp McCoy, WI on November 1, 1945 as a Tec5 (corporal equivalent). On September 23, 1947, he married Margaret Schachtner at St. Patrick’s Church near Churdan, IA. He farmed near Willey until moving to a farm north of Templeton in 1962. The couple retired into Templeton in 1985. John died in Carroll on October 19, 2007 at age 86. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.