Sgt. John N. Simon was killed in action in Luxembourg, December 17th, 1945 according to a telegram received by his parents. His parents last heard from him in a letter dated December 9th. His friends and commanding officer said that he fought bravely. He was a rifleman in the infantry and was serving with the Fourth division of the First Army.

Sgt. John N. Simon was 22 years old and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl F. Simon. He was born on September 5th, 1922. He left behind two sisters. The first, Betsy, was in cadet nurse’s training at St. Mary’s, Milwaukee and the second, Pat, was a student at Lincoln High School.

John N. Simon was born in Port Edwards on September 5th, 1922. He went to the grade school there, and also John Edwards’s High School in the 8th grade. When his family moved to Wisconsin Rapids the next year, he finished his high school years at Lincoln, graduating in 1940. At Lincoln High School, he participated in many sports such as football and hockey.

After graduating from Lincoln High School, he was employed as an announcer/operator at the radio station WFHR. Simon then entered studies at Ripon College in 1941. He went to Ripon College for a year until his enlistment in the army on December 29th, 1942.

John N. Simon went through 15 months of training at Fort McClellan in Alabama. He went overseas and arrived in England on July 8th 1944. He also served in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany during his time overseas. He reached the Siegfried line on September 20th. He fought hard through the Hurtgen Forest campaign. Sgt. John N. Simon fought with bravery and strength the whole time that he was overseas. His friends, family and community are all proud of his honorable accomplishment and the impact he made on those he left behind.

Written By:

Mikayla Robaidek

East Junior High School