Published: May 09, 2008 11:47 am            

The Greatest Generation

TEUTOPOLIS — When Carl Wagner talks about places he served in the South Pacific, he starts sounding like the old Hank Snow song “I’ve Been Everywhere.”

“I was in Formosa, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Saipan, Tinian, the Marshalls, the Gilberts and the Philippines,” Wagner said.

Wagner, a rural Teutopolis resident who was a boilermaker on the USS Monterey in the latter stages of “The War,” was one of 21 veterans from the Teutopolis-Sigel area interviewed by Teutopolis High School students for “Teutopolis/Sigel’s Greatest Generation.”

First National Bank of Dieterich sponsored the project as part of the Hometown Heroes National Heritage Project and THS government teacher Rich Niebrugge oversaw student efforts.

Niebrugge said it’s important to get these first-hand experiences now because so many World War II veterans are dying.

“We’re losing about 1,100 World War veterans a day,” he said. “It’s important to get this information down accurately for future generations.”

Niebrugge said his grandfather Paul, a World War II veteran, used to tell old war stories. But nobody wrote them down, he said.

“I was able to listen to him tell some of his stories, but we didn’t have any of them down on paper so they wouldn’t be forgotten.”

All 30 THS students who participated in the oral history effort were volunteers, receiving no classroom credit for the project.

Junior Lindsey Probst said she participated because she enjoys writing.

“I wanted to do this so I could see if I wanted to pursue this (writing) as a career,” Probst said. “I was also interested in hearing people’s stories.

“They are not going to be around forever, so it’s good to get the real stories while we can.”

Junior Adam Westendorf said he participated because of his interest in history.

“I really like history, and I’m really interested in World War II history,” Westendorf said. “It’s cool to get a personal perspective from people who were actually there fighting for their country.”

Westendorf said World War II was such a pivotal event in world history it is worth revisiting.

“It shaped the world as we know it today,” he said.

Wagner, who was drafted at age 18 in January 1944, said he just spoke about his experiences as an aircraft carrier crewman.

“Phil Mette (of the Teutopolis American Legion) asked me if I could do it,” he said.

Mette and Robert Westjohn helped recruit veterans for the project, while THS teachers Rebekah Volk and Misty Mapes helped edit the students’ work.

Other participating veterans included Ray “Ham” Buening, Walter Buening, Albert Buening, Lester Gardewine, Leonard Wernsing, John Hoene, Gene Probst, Vic Czerwonka, Larry Hoelscher, Paul Runde, Joe Borries Jr., Arthur Halfar, Harry Thoele, Ed Hoedebecke, Richard Thoele, Herb Pruemer, Art Brumleve, Ambrose Probst, Leo Gobczynski and Walt Koester.

Other participating students included Tarah Rieman, Nicole Smith, Brooke Zerrusen, Mindy Wendt, Kristin Heuerman, Kendra Hardiek, Lindsey Zerrusen, Kristie Ordner, Lindsay Lundquist, Camille Thoele, Sarah Wessel, Sarah Borries, Tyler Bloemer, John Runde, Traci Walk, Danielle Mader, Kirk Jansen, Andy Buscher, Michael Henry, Stephanie Hotze, Lauren Pruemer, Jessica Schaefer, Danny Esker, Anthony Vahling, Emily McMahon, Robin Pals, Angie Bradley and Courtney Hodge.

Niebrugge said the book should be available by Memorial Day. He said the bank would be holding a ceremony at a date to be announced to honor those who participated.

For information on how to receive a copy of the book, call the bank’s National Trail branch at 217-857-1313.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.