Paul W. Kisgen

World War II

Paul Kisgen (also known as Puss) was born on January 13, 1923, in Templeton to John and Elizabeth (Pille) Kisgen. Paul attended Sacred Heart Schools and graduated from Sacred Heart High School with the class of 1941. During high school, he worked at a filling station.

Paul registered for the military draft on June 30, 1942, and was working for his father in the gas business. He was inducted into the US Army on February 20, 1943, at Camp Dodge near Des Moines, IA. He was assigned serial number 37 662 573 and was assigned to Company C of the 110th Medical Battalion. The 110th Medical Battalion had its origins as a Nebraska National Guard unit. Paul was sent to Camp Luis Obispo, CA for basic training. Paul and Melvin Hausman, also from Templeton, spent their entire time in the service together.

On March 24, 1943, the 110th Medical Battalion was sent to Camp Rucker, AL arriving by train on March 29. Paul was trained as an ambulance driver. In November, 1943, the unit conducted live maneuvers in Tennessee until moving to Camp Butner north of Durham, NC in January, 1944. After more training, the 110th Medical Battalion moved to Camp Kilmer, NJ on May 5, 1944, to prepare to sail to Europe.

The 110th Medical Battalion was attached to the 35th Infantry Division. The Division sailed on May 12, 1944, from New York harbor on three ships. Paul and his unit were aboard the SS Thomas H. Berry. They arrived in Liverpool, England on May 25th and immediately boarded a train for the town of Bodman in Cornwall. Training was conducted in anticipation of the invasion of France.

The D-Day invasion took place on June 6, 1944. On July 5, the 110th Medical Battalion was moved to Weymouth, England. The Battalion crossed the English Channel arriving on Omaha Beach on July 7 and were able to move inland about 12 miles. The 35th Division moved into combat on July 11 in the battle of St. Lo. On August 1, 1944, the US Third Army was reactivated under General George Patton and the 35th Division was assigned to this force.

Paul and his unit were a part of the “breakout” from the Normandy area and fought across France. By September 1944, they had captured the city of Nancy. In late October, Paul met with Tom Fox who was also in the 35th Division and a fellow classmate. They were able to share a couple of meals and discuss Templeton. Tom Fox was killed in action two weeks later.

In December, Paul’s unit broke off their attack to counter the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. By January 18, 1945, the Germans had been pushed back and Paul’s unit returned to Metz, France. They entered Germany and crossed the Rhine River in late March, 1945. They advanced to the Elbe River on April 12 when they were ordered to stop and allow the Russians to capture Berlin. The European war ended on May 8, 1945. Paul’s unit continued occupation duty until August, 1945.

The 110th Medical Battalion sailed from Southampton, England on September 5, 1945, aboard the Queen Mary and arrived in New York City five days later. Paul was given a 30-day furlough in Templeton before being discharged on October 23, 1945, as a Private First Class.

Paul married Kay Edwards on June 8 (or 9), 1951, at All Saints Church in Des Moines. They moved to California before moving again to Washington state in 1967 where he ran a construction company. Paul died in Gig Harbor, WA on December 26, 2006 at age 83. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.