Michael J. Brobeck, World War II CasualtyPorter County Data on World War II Casualties . . . .
Michael J. Brobeck
Corporal, 131st Field Artillery, 36th Division
Date of Birth: October 1, 1913
Date of Death: September 9, 1943
Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Three Rivers, St. Joseph County, Michigan
Cause of Death: Killed in Action (invasion of Salerno, Italy)
Date of Enlistment: March 14, 1941
Hometown: Valparaiso
Newspaper Notices:
M. J. Brobeck Services Held
Former Valparaiso Man Was Killed In Invasion of Salerno
Memorial services for Corp. Michael J. Brobeck, former Valparaiso man, killed
during the invasion of Salerno, Italy, Sept. 9, 1943, were held Saturday, Aug.
14, at 10:30 a. m. at the Austin funeral home in Three Rivers, Mich., Chaplain
Francis J. Foley and the Rev. Harold J. Perschbacker officiated. The Hice Shutes
Post, American Legion, Three Rivers, conducted military rites.
Corp. Brobeck was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Oct. 1, 1913 and came to Gary when a
small boy. He was one of six children orphaned. For a number of years he made
his home with the Fred Brobeck family in Valparaiso. In 1935 he left for Beloit,
Wis., and resided in the home of his sister, Mrs. Gerald Lucas.
Until his induction into the army at Beloit, March 15, 1941, he was assistant
maintenance foreman for the 13 public schools in Beloit.
He received his army training at Camp Sill, Okla.; Camp Bowie, Tex; Camp
Blanding, Fla, and Camp Edwards, Mass., before embarking for North Africa. He
was attached to the 131st Field Artillery, 36th Division.
Surviving are one sister, Mrs. Gerald Lucas, three Rivers, Mich.; two brothers,
Robert T. Mathias, of the Veterans' Administration, Downey, Ill. and George
Jentzen, Valparaiso; three nieces and nephews, Shannon and Mary Joann Lucas,
Three Rivers and Barbara and Terry Jentzen, Valparaiso.
Mr. and Mrs. George Jentzen and daughter, Barbara, of this city, attended the
services at Three Rivers Saturday.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August
19, 1948; Volume 22, Number 39, Page 1, Column 1
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List of
Porter County World War II Casualties
Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook