LaVern J. Neu

Korean War

LaVern Neu was born near Roselle on May 30, 1934, to Peter and Frances (Sporrer) Neu. LaVern attended Holy Angels School in Roselle and later worked on the family farm.

LaVern was inducted into the US Army on January 6, 1954. He and nine other Carroll County men were taken by bus from the Burke Hotel in Carroll to the induction facility in Omaha, NE. He was assigned serial number 55 446 015. LaVern was immediately sent to Fort Riley, KS for basic training. There he was a member of Company F, 87th Infantry Regiment of the 10th Infantry Division.

The 10th Mountain Division had been the only US Army division trained specifically for combat in mountainous regions. It served with distinction in World War II. After the end of World War II, the “Mountain” description was dropped and the Division was assigned to Fort Riley as a training division. As the Korean War began, the 10th Infantry Division was assigned to West Germany where it would remain for 10 years.

LaVern’s training was designed to have him join the 10th Division in Europe. By April, 1954, his training at Fort Riley was complete and he was sent for further training at Fort Belvoir, VA just south of Washington, DC. There he was assigned to Company P, 3rd Battalion of the 9829th TSU Tecr.

In May, 1955, LaVern was sent to Europe to join the 10th Division. He was assigned to the 552nd Quartermaster Refrigeration Company at Frankfurt, Germany. His duty was as a semi-truck driver. He remained in Frankfurt until his return to the United States. He arrived on December 6, 1955, at McGuire Air Force Base, NJ aboard a MATS (military air transport service) flight from Frankfurt. He was subsequently discharged with the rank of SP3 (specialist third class and a variant of corporal at that time).

LaVern returned to Carroll County and, on May 29, 1956, married Arleen Klocke at Sacred Heart Church in Templeton. The couple moved to Sunnyvale, CA shortly thereafter. They lived in California for the rest of their lives. LaVern was involved in road construction for his entire career including ownership in a company with his brothers and another with his sons.

LaVern died in Pleasanton, CA on July 7, 2019 at age 85. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.