Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1921-08-26
Albert Rebec
Laid To Rest
Remains We're Brought From
Overseas to East Jordan.

The remains of Private Albert Mar.
tin Rebec, who was killed in action in
overseas service, arrived here latter
part of last week.
Funeral services, in charge of Rebec.
Sweet Post American Legion, were
held from st. Johns Catholic Church
in Jordan township, Monday, Aug. %,
conducted by the pastor, FIR. Drinan.
Intermsnt at the Catholic cemetery
there.
Albert Martin Rebec was born Oct.
q, 1897, at the Bohemian Settlement
in Jordan township, and was killed in
action during the Argonne engage
ment, Oct. 8, 1918. He leaves besides
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Anthony Re-
i bee, the following sisters and brothers:
Mrs. Frank Wanek of Boyne City, Mrs.
Walter Woodcock of East Jordan, Miss
Mary Rebec of Petoskey, Meta Rebec
Sophia Rebec and William Rebec at
the home in Jordan township.
The following article, written by
Private Roland Gross of Boyne City
from Horhausen, Germany, Jan II, 1919
to his sister, gives an account of his
death.
81 am going to tell you the little
story of his death, as happened to be
near him at the time of his being
wounded and was with him until he
passed away. 1t is certainly pitiful
story so get ready to weep.
would not say anything about it tho
or let anyone else read this, as it might
get out to his folks and would only
bring back painful thoughts and sad
memories, though would like to pub
lish it to let the folks know how our
boys give up their lives over here and
make the Supreme Sacrifice, and it is
no more than right and Christian-like
that we give the brave dead all the
credit that is their just dues, and in
deed it can't be too much. Now to be-
gin, for think l have kept you in sus-
pense long enough. 1t was while we
were putting in that long trick on the
historic old Argonne Front, our second
Battalion post of command, to which
Albert and were attached, was locat-
ed among a cluster of little mounds.
We had not been there long, before
the Dutch found our location. We
were right in the open near the road
and Fritz had all the advantages of OBJ
servation in the world. He could look
right down upon our position from
higher territory and of course could see
very plainly everything which took
place, and take it from me, it was not
very long before he came to the con-
clusion that this little cluster Of mounds
was a position of some consequence,
and he presented us with the most
beastly barrage, it was ever my please
to 90 thru. Guns of half a dozen diff
ferent sizes and calibers threw their
missiles of hell among us, killing and
burying men all around.
When the worst was over, which,
however was not for solid hour after
it began, we that could, crawled out of
our little holes to look after the wound
ed and dig out those that were buried,
on getting up, we heard someone call
ing for help, so we went over there
and found the fellow to be slightly
wounded. We knew he had been in
the same hole with Albert, so we went
over to see and there we found Albert
sitting in half upright posture, with
his legs partly buried. He did not say
much except an occasional ooh! Lord"
and he looked rather pale.
We thought he was pretty badly
wounded, and we began to dig him out
and when half through, the Lieutenant
reached up and took hold of Albert's
wrist to feel his pulse, Albert looked
up with slight smile, and said al am
still living, Lieutenant" seemed to
know that he was not going to live
long and when the digging operations
were over we found just how badly he
was hurt. A shell had struck on the
edge of his hole crushing and burying
his legs, one arm and shoulder were
also pretty badly smashed, but when
we took him out of the hole he never
let whimper out of him. suppose
that was due to the. fact that he was
numb all the way thru his body, and
was unable to feel anything.
He asked for drink of water, and l
brought canteen, and knelt down be-
side him and let him drink all he want
ed. When he got all he could drink,
he said: "Thanks Gross" | could see
then the shadows of Death creeping in
to his eyes and knew him to be Cath
olic, so told him to say couple of
little prayers after me, which he did.