Welcome to VFW Post 817 "Hero's Corner"
Don Schoof

I was born 9 March, 1922, in Waverly, IA..son of Herman and Irene Schoof. Graduated from Waverly High School in May of 1940.
Attended Wartburg and Iowa State Colleges until drafted into the Army in Oct 1942. I took Basic Training at Camp White, Medford,
Oregon.

After Basic Training I was assigned to the 91st Division Artillery. Additional training was held in the States of Washington and Oregon.
In May 1943 we proceeded to Norfork, Virginia, boarding the Liberty ship, Charles B. Acock, for destination unknown. After five days
at sea the Rock of Gibraltar appeared on the horizon. We landed at Oran, Algeria, North Africa setting up Headquarters at Porta
Poules, Algeria.

We commenced amphibious training on the Mediterranean and desert training in the sand south of Oran. We then boarded a British
ship and sailed for Sicily, eventually landing at Naples. The Germans had  made the port of Naples almost useless by sinking ships in
the harbor and destroying the docking facilities. While in Naples I was promoted to First Sgt and re-assigned to Headquarters S-2
Section.
In Naples we had the opportunity to visit the Volcano Vesunius and the mountain village of Pompeii, a quaint little village of narrow
stone streets and abandoned small stores and shops.

Orders came down from Lt General Mark Clark, Commanding General of the Fifth Army, that part of the 91st Div would be attached
to the Div for the Anzio invasion. The landing was not easy as the Germans had their Artillery set up in the hills south of Rome where
they could see our every move. The Air Force was called in to destroy the guns. After the guns were destroyed the rest of the 91st
Div joined us and the 3rd. Div at which time we headed north through Rome and on northwest to Civitavecchia. On our first afternoon
there the Germans shelled the hell out of us, with one shell landing rather close to our Command Post tent. It was a unanimous
decision to head for cover. In doing so I made a head first dive into a ravine, landing in a barb wire fence and getting a ten inch gash
in my left leg, for which I was awarded a Purple Heart.

While on a reconnaissance mission, I climbed to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa which gave an excellent view of the German
positions to the north. As S-2 Sgt I spent time flying in a L-5 spotter plane, and as a forward observer with the Infantry, another of my
duties was in the Command Post plotting fire missions for the four Artillery Baialions.

The Germans had formed a defense line north of Florence called the Gothic Line, heavily fortified with pill boxes, gun and tank
placements. This was our objective. When the order came to attack the Gothic Line, it came as no surprise that the Germans were
well prepared. The move into Northern Italy was hard fought. Winter was upon us so we spent winter north of Legnago in an
abandoned set of buildings called Casa Cantoniare.The valley to the east of us was called “Death Valley”.

One afternoon the Germans fired a 18 inch railroad gun with the shell landing just east of our position, making a tremendous
explosion and a crater big enough too bury three 6 x 6 trucks. On our next spotter flight in a L-5 over the German lines we spotted
the 18 inch gun. The Germans realizing that we had the gun spotted brought up a team of oxen to move the gun. We contacted the
347 Artillery Battalion, giving them the fire coordinates and had them fire one round for effect. Viewing the explosion we gave the gun
crew a two degree correction to the right and had them fire again. This shot disabled the gun. Mission Accomplished!!

As the spring of 1945 arrived, the Division moved up HWY 65 to the west of Bologna clearing hot spots as we went. Not a lot of
resistance. As we neared the Po River the going got tougher because the Germans couldn't  get their equipment across the river as
our bombers kept the bridges knocked out. Unnable to get their equipment across the river, the Germans abandoned it on the south
bank and either swimming the river to escape or surrendering as POWs.

While on a spotting mission in a L-5 plane our plane iced up and we crashed landed in a Vineyard, knocking the pilot out and
breaking my nose, for which I was awarded my second Purple Heart. After the Engineers built Bailey Bridges across the Po River our
units moved up to Verona. At this point the German Army was bogged down at the Futa Pass in the Alps with hundreds of retreating
Germans being forced to walk back to II Corp concentration point for internment as POWs.

While in Verona I was standing outside the Hotel Verona when a man came up to us and asked where he could turn himself in. After
questioning him as to who he was and how he got here, he gave the following story. “I was taken prisoner in Naples, placed in
barbed wire pen with no shelter and not much food. One night it rained and we crawled under the wire making our way to Rome
where we were treated like Kings, given a change of clothing and smuggled to Verona”. We asked where he was from and he said “
Austin Minnesota, but you probably don’t know Where that is”! I replied that I was from Waverly, Iowa about 90 miles southeast on
HWY 218. A big smile came across his face, neighbors in a far off land. I misplaced his name and often wish I still had it.

From Verona we moved east to Udine Italy into a castle as an occupation force. While in Udine, I had the opportunity to visit Venice
and Trieste on the Adriatic Sea.

We departed Naples aboard ship headed for parts unknown with 70 days of ration per man. As we passed through the Straights of
Gibraltar we were told we where headed for Japan. Three days later we were told we were headed for the States for a 30 day
redeployment leave and would be landing in New York. As we approached New York things changed again, we were then informed
that we would be spending two weeks quarantine at Camp Miles Standish in Boston. After my 30 day leave I was to report at Jefferson
Barracks, St Louis, Mo, but on the 28th day of my leave, I was notified that I was placed on temporary duty and they would send my
Discharge at a later date. My final discharge came in November of 1948.

Items of interest! While on a reconnaissance mission we traveled through Milan, Italy, where on the portico of a gas station we saw
three bodies hanging by their heels, said to be Benito Mussolini and his henchmen.

While on the British ship carrying us from Oran to Sicily, we had no hot water to wash ourselves or our mess kits. Our mess kits were
so greasy they weren't fit to eat out of. One day the berthing hold we decided not to go for our meal. This brought the "Brass" to our
quarters to find out what was wrong. Handing them a dirty mess kit, “we asked if they would eat from this”? Things changed!

Don is a valued member of our community and a Life Member of our Post. He is also a very active member of the American Legion
Post 56 being the Post Adjutant for the last 10 years. Don is a long time Mason currently holding the office of treasurer in Masonic
Lodge 79 in Boone.

Don was married to the former Verna M. Burow on 28 November, 1948. Verna passed away in September 2005. Verna and Don have
five children. Daughters , Rebecca, Mrs. Charles Backer of Clarkville, Iowa, Judith K. Schoof of Clear Lake, Iowa, Katherine Majors of
Boone, Lynn, Mrs. Michael Lauer of West Union, Iowa, one son John Wm. Schoof of San Fransisco, CA, six grandchildren, and three
great grandchildren.

As related to me by Donald D. Schoof, ONE OF OUR GREATEST GENERATION!
Pete Jones, Commander VFW Post 817
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