Quartette of Ireton Brothers, Schipper Boys, All In Uniform
The (above photos) are a quartette of Ireton brothers who are in the United States Fighting Forces. They are the four Schipper brothers, sons of C. Schipper of Ireton.
They are Delbert, who is at present in Burma with General Stilwell’s forces. Delbert is now a Technician and a Sergeant, and was mentioned recently in the press when he was one those in a battle with the Japs. Mrs. Schipper and little son live in Ireton.
Sgt. Reuben Schipper has been a member of the U.S. Army since March 1942, and is at present located at Camp Chaffee, Ark.
Cpl. Cornelius Schipper Jr. has a New York address but his present location is unknown. He was recently home on furlough and spent since March 1942, in various training camps in the South.
The fourth brother is Seaman 2/C Andrew Schipper who is taking his boot training at Farragut, Idaho. He enlisted Nov. 17, 1943, and has been home on furlough once since his induction.
There are three more children in the Schipper family, Pearl and Genevea, and one son, Walter, all at home.
Source: The Ireton Echo, Thursday, April 27, 1944
IRETON—
Case Schipper received a telegram Jan. 16 from the Secretary of War that his son, Sgt. Reuben Schipper, is missing in action in France, since Dec. 30. Mr. Schipper received a letter Dec. 29 from his son.
Source: Sioux Center News, January 25, 1945
Lest We Forget
Sgt. Rueben Schipper was born in Center township northwest of Ireton, Iowa, on August 19, 1921. He received his education in the rural schools of this community and the Ireton school. He worked on various farms in this vicinity and in November 1941 he entered the Tank Division. He was with the United States troops during the Belgium Bulge and was killed in a battle, Dec. 30, 1944. Rueben is survived by his father, Case Schipper; two sisters, Pearl and Geneva; and four brothers, Delbert, Cornie, Andy and Walter. He is also survived by his aged grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ruert DeGroot, of Sioux Center and an aged grandfather in the Netherlands.
Source: The Ireton Ledger, Thursday, May 30, 1946 (photo included)
On the first Memorial Day following the end of the war, the Ireton Ledger paid tribute to the Ireton community’s casualties under the headline, “Lest We Forget.”
Reuben Cornelius Schipper was born Aug. 19, 1921 to Cornelius and Jennie DeGroot Schipper. He died Dec. 30, 1944 and is buried in Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Dinoze, France. Sgt. Schipper was MIA/KIA and awarded the Purple Heart.
Source: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
