Obituary:
Funeral services were held on Friday March 2, for John G. Miller at the Harris funeral home chapel in Livermore with the Rev. Dan Greving, pastor of the Sacred Heart Catholic church in Livermore, officiating. Casket bearers were Eugene Mertz, Irvin Mertz, Dennis Behounek, Kenneth Bormann, Charles Berte, and Wallace Hauck. Internment was in Calvary cemetery, Livermore in the family plot.
John’s death occurred on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, where he had been a resident since moving from his Livermore apartment in the spring of 1999.
John was born on Dec. 1, 1919, to Edward and Mary Stabler Miller in Williams where he was raised and educated in country schools. He joined the Federal National Guard on Feb. 10, 1941, for a one year enlistment, receiving training at Camp Claiborne, La.
With the Pearl harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941, and the subsequent declaration of war by the U.S., the National Guard rolled over to the regular Army. On New Year’s Eve, 1942, hey left for Ft. Dix, N. J. where his unit shipped out for active duty in the European Theatre of WWII, landing in Ireland, moving to England, and then to North Africa and Sicily.
His unit, Company E of the 133rd Infantry, 34th Division, then participated in the deadly Anzio Beachhead invasion in which complete US Army units were wiped out before securing it for an advance of the Allied troops into northern Italy.
To quote an excerpt from Livermore veteran Vernon Hohenberger’s memoirs, “There is a grim reality about war that can not be adequately described . . it’s emotional impact can only be fully felt through first hand experience.” John was a decorated veteran, receiving the Purple Heart among other campaign medals.
Among those attending the funeral were Arthur Philbrook and his wife, Barbara of Webster City. Philbrook entered the National Guard unit with John in 1941. They were together through the Anzio invasion, a lifelong bonding enjoyed only by those who have faced the nightmare of combat.
John was discharged in 1945. He moved to Livermore with his family in the early 1950’s.
Survivors include brothers: Richard and his wife, Doris of Iowa Falls; and Bernard and his wife, Dee of Dubuque.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters: Patricia Claude and Delores Logue; and a brother Gerald Miller.
Source: ~local newspaper, March 2001
John Gottlieb Miller was born Dec. 1, 1919 to Edward and Mary Stabler Miller. He died Feb. 27, 2001 and is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Livermore, IA.
Pvt. Miller served with Co. E of the 133rd Infantry, 34th Division which participated in the deadly Anzio Beachhead invasion. John was a decorated veteran receiving the Purple Heart among other campaign medals.
Source: ancestry.com
