ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: A special thanks to The Columbus Telegram, The Howells Journal, and The Schuyler Sun for granting permission to republish these articles as part of the NEGenWeb project and, by doing so, assisting researchers everywhere.
JOHN MACHACEK TELLS ABOUT "GREEN HELL" OF GUADALCANALVeteran of Two Major Engagements, He Was Wounded in December
Two and a half months of the green hell of Guadacanal and four months of inpatient convalescence in army hospitals are reflected in the deep set eyes and sunken face of Private John Machacek.
Private Machacek arrived in Schuyler Monday of last week for a 30-day furlough. He weighs 167 pounds now -- he was a strapping 200-pounder when his company moved up from New Caledonia to Guadalcanal on Oct. 13 of last year.
Machacek went through two major engagements of the island -- the battle of Lunga Ridge when Americans pushed the Japs off the heights dominating Henderson Field, and the Bloody Knoll engagement which broke the back of the Jap forces defending the island.
On one patrol only he and his commanding officer, an army lieutenant, managed to blast their way through Japs who had cut them off. They left the other five of their squad dead in the rank marsh grass and slimy jungle.
At one time his company went three days without food. Their only water came from a jungle hole in which the bloated bodies of two dead Japs lay, half in, half out of the slimy, green water.
Back home in Schuyler, before the war, Machacek always got a little sick at butchering time, couldn't even kill a chicken without feeling nauseated.
The green jungles and the Japs changed all that.
Machacek arrived in Guadalcanal on the morning of Oct. 13, when regular army infantry units relieved the hard pressed marines. He tells it something like this:
"We made our landings in Higgins boats, going over the side in landing nets. We hadn't any more than got near shore when the dive bombers came over. The rest of that day we were under almost continual aerial bombardment, but we got the boats unloaded and most of the stuff put away.
"Then that night a couple of Jap cruisers slipped up the channel between Henderson Field and Tulagi and started throwing shells at us. The first five days we went through 20 bombing attacks, and four night shellings."
Machacek mentioned the anxiety he and his comrades felt when their transport slipped up the Sealark channel to lie off the Guadalcanal shore.
"We could hear the sharp bark of heavy naval rifles up ahead of us, and then when we went over the side, we could see the tracer marks of shells arching the air a few miles ahead of us. A naval skirmish was going on. That was Tuesday. Then Saturday night, the Japs broke through the marine line and they rushed us up to Lunga Ridge. The mud was about hip deep in the jungle, and when we got near the battle line, we were pretty much confused.
"The Japs had infiltrated around us and there were a lot of them who could talk English. They kept shouting, 'Take cover!' It was too dark to tell Japs from our boys so you just shot at anything that moved. A lot of guys were knocked off that night."
Machacek related that during the entire period he spent on Guadalcanal, he remembered aiming his rifle only once, and that was to knock a Jap sniper out of a tree. The rest of the time he shot from the hip, because there wasn't time to aim, and targets were barely distinguishable in the rank jungle.
"The snipers were pretty tricky. They had green uniforms and usually painted their faces green, and tied themselves into the palms with belts. When you spotted one and fired, they dropped and hung by their belts, whether you hit them or not. Then, if you went on, thinking you'd got him, he'd raise up and let you have it. After that happened a few times, we made sure they were dead Japs.
"The marines, toward the last, used to operate a little differently. When they'd spot a sniper, they'd all take cover and call up a tank. The tank would bump the tree a hell of a jolt, the Jap's straps would break and he'd go flying through the air. Then the boys would let him have it on the fly. Just like shooting ducks.
"I never heard so much noise in my life as those Japs made as they charged. I mean the yelling. They'd come at us in waves at about 500, chanting, 'American, he die!' Well, they were part right. A lot of American boys died out there. But there weren't many of those yellow b---s that had the satisfaction of knowing it."
After the Lunga Ridge battle, Machacek related, a considerable force of Japs slipped down behind the Americans and landed on the other side of the Tenaru river, east of Henderson Field.
"Our job was to push them out of there, which we did. What was left of them cut through the jungle and joined their main forces on the ridge of mountains that run down the center of the island.
"Then came the battle of Bloody Knoll, and believe me, they didn't make any mistake in naming that little hill. We had a lot of artillery by then though, and it sure sounded good to us. We dug in just in front of the Japs and the boys in the artillery cut loose with everything we had -- 75's, 105's and 155's for about four hours. They arches those shells right over us -- about 8,000 of them -- and the way they whistled, it seemed like they were about three feet above us."
It was during the battle of Bloody Knoll that Machacek lost all his personal belongings. Before leaving fro the battle area, his outfit packed all their gear, including battle souvenirs (Machacek had some fine ones) into barrack bags, and placed them in a tent for safe-keeping. Sometime during the battle a Jap bomber came over and laid a 500-pound egg squarely on the tent.
Machacek is still limping from wounds received in the island battle. He was put out of action sometime in the middle of December -- he doesn't know the exact date -- by a Jap bomb which literally wrapped him around a tree trunk. He has a shrapnel wound in his leg and his right side is still semi-paralyzed from concussion.
He spent six days in the field hospital on Guadalcanal and then an army transport plane evacuated him to a base hospital in the Hebrides. From there he was sent to a San Francisco hospital and then to Bushnell hospital in Brigham City, Utah. He had three attacks of malaria while on the island.
Machacek has a wholesome respect for the Jap infantry and their weapons. "Their mortar fire was really accurate. They use a little knee mortar -- about every Jap had one -- and could lob those shells right into your fox hole. I don't know yet how those cookies ever worked that knee mortar. One of our guys tried to use it and got his leg broken. They were mighty tricky, too. Playing dead was one of their favorite tricks and their yellow skin made them pretty good actors.
"The damnedest experience I ever had was when four of us were sent out with a two-man stretcher to pick up a couple of dead Americans for burial. We covered them with blankets to move them. Then I saw one of the blankets moving. I was pretty groggy from malaria, but I wanted to be sure, so I pulled the blanket back, and there was a Jap!
"He looked deader than a door nail lying there was his mouth open. I looked him over closely though, and then I saw a faint throbbing of his jugular vein. So I reached down as if to pick up the stretcher handle but instead I got my knife that a Frenchman down in New Caledonia had made for me and I let him have it right in the neck!
"How that Jap ever got wrapped up in those blankets without us seeing him was something none of us could ever figure out. But it worked out all right."
Asked about women snipers on the island, Machacek stated that he never personally saw one, although marines on the island had. "They probably had some women troops there though, as once when we captured an artillery emplacement, we found the bodies of several Jap women. But after six or seven days under the jungle sun, the bodies look pretty much alike. Those Japs were so full of dope -- they carried a kit right with them -- that their flesh just seemed to go to pieces. All those snipers wore was a G-string and lot of green and yellow paint."
Machacek related a narrow escape he had one night when a hand grenade he tossed hit a springy vine and bounced back at his feet. "I yelled to the boys and we all hit the bottom of our fox hole. The grenade went off right near the edge of our hole and showered us with mud."
The Schuyler youth never got to meet the marine hero, Barney Ross, while on Guadalcanal, although Ross spent some time in the same New Hebrides hospital to which Machacek was evacuated. He did get to meet both Admiral Halsey and General Vadergrift.
The American soldiers were pretty rabid souvenir hunters, Machacek related, and he too, had a collection which he lost with his other personal belongings. In the group was a 9 mm pistol, a German-made Luger revolver carried by most Jap officers, several knives, and a pair of Nipponese ears, pickled in a bottle of alcohol. He got the ears the hard way, the former owner accounting for one of the 14 notches on Machacek's Garand.
He managed to send his parents a few pieces of Japanese currency and to his fiancee, now his wife, he sent a bracelet made from the aluminum skin of a Japanese Zero plane.
Machacek's official rank is still buck private, although he was made a sergeant out on the line in Guadalcanal. "All my records have been lost or destroyed though, so I don't know whether I'm a buck or a top kick," he stated. "But anyhow, I'm here and that's all that's important to me." --"The Schuyler Sun," Thursday, May 27, 1943 Submitted by Elizabeth Sebranek
ONDRACEK, AGNES [Jan. 1914 - Dec. 23, 1923]
DIPTHERIA SUBSIDINGThe diptheria scare which gained circulation northeast of Schuyler last week, following the death of the ten year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ondracek is subsiding. The Sun is informed by physicians that only two famillies were afflicated, the Anton Kasper and the Charles Ondracek. As usual in the cases of epidemics, the disease appeared in mild form, and the parents were unaware of the dangerous character, believing it to be but an annoying sore throat. Every precaution has been taken to curb the spread, and the efforts appear to be successful, no new cases having appeared in the Grand View district where the afflicted children attend school. --"The Schuyler Sun," Thursday, December 27, 1923 Submitted by Elizabeth Sebranek
JOSEF SEMERAD 1851-March 29, 1928
LINCOLN PRECINCT FARMER IS TORTURED AND ROBBEDFour bandits entered the farm home of Jos. Semerad, 4 miles southeast of Howells, Monday evening for the purpose of demanding his treasures, which they presumed he had about his home.
The bandits called at the home of near 8:30, stating they needed water for the radiator of their car. Mr. Semerad got a bucket to give them, and when he appeared at the door, he was seized, bound, and tortured. He was told by the robbers they knew he drew $500 from a local bank only a few days before, and they demanded this, and as much more as he had about the place. He informed then he had but $27. This they found and took with them. They bound the old gentleman, 77, and left him exposed to near zero temperature, and attacked Mr. Semerad's daughter, knocking her down, and dashing her head on the floor, in their efforts to force her to divulge the hiding places of their treasures. Her face was badly bruised, and she was left unconscious, and securely bound.
When the four men, two of whom spoke Bohemian and two English approached Mr. Semerad, he asked them to either kill him, or taken him into the house as he could not stand the chilly weather. The bandits then carried him to the house, where he was bound to the bed.
After two or three hours of effort, Mr. Semerad was able to free one hand, and was able to get his pocket knife and cut the ropes binding him. By this time he daughter regained consciousness, and the aged father and daughter walked three miles to the home of his son, Anton Semerad, and notified the Howells police, and Sheriff Roether.
Mr. Roether got the message about 1 o'clock, a.m. and at once drove to the home, and made an investigation. The home was locked and Sheriff Condit and Deputy Hasson of Lincoln came up Tuesday to investigate, take pictures, and locate finger prints.
Three of the bandits were masks and were described by Mr. Semerad, two were tall and two were short. Two spoke Bohemians and two spoke American. The robbers stated to Mr. Semerad they had heard in Howells that he had taken $500 from a bank, and they were advised he had a cache of money hidden about the home or buried about the place. Mr. Semerad directed them to his bank book, which contained an entry of $500 only a few days ago. The robber located several thousand dollars in certificates of deposit in banks in Howells and Dodge which they took with them. Officers are convinced the job was that of local talent, and several who are under suspicion are being kept under strict surveillance, and it is possible that traces left about the place will lead to an early arrest. --"Schuyler Sun," Thursday, March 29, 1928 Submitted by Elizabeth Sebranek
A MOST BRUTAL AND REVOLTING CRIMEJoseph Semerad, Aged Farmer, and His Daughter Beaten and Robbed Later Mr. Semerad Dies as the Result of His Injuries
The Joseph Semerad home, in the Tabor neighborhood, 4 1/2 miles southeast of this place was, on Monday night, the scene of one of the most brutal crimes in the history of Colfax county.
On that evening, between 8:30 and 9:00 o'clock Mr. Semerad and his daughter, Miss Rosie, a lady of about 40 years who kept house for her aged father, were awakened by a knocking at the door of the home. The father answered the knock and was informed from without that the callers wanted water for their car. Suspicioning nothing wrong Mr. Semerad secured a pail and he stepped through the door and was seized by the callers, dragged into the yard, bruised, gagged and later beaten. There were four of the robbers and they insisted that their victim had $500 on the place and demanded that he reveal to them its hiding place. He insisted that he had but a few dollars on the place but offered to get it for them, but they were not convinced.
Leaving the old gentleman of 77 years bound in the yard for what he estimated to be fully an hour, the men went into the house and beat and bruised the daughter in an endeavor to make her tell of the whereabouts of the money supposed to be on the place.
After ransacking the house they took some $20 in silver that was in a dresser drawer, then brought the old gentleman in and tied him to the bed and the daughter in a chair, and left after taking the money they had found and some certificates of deposit and some other papers.
Some hours later the father freed himself, and later his daughter and although half dead from fright and abuse made their way to the home of Mr. Semerad's son, Anton, where they arrived at about 1:00 o'clock.
From here the authorities at Schuyler were informed of the crime, and Sherriff Condit and Deputy Hasson, with a finger print expert, came up from Lincoln, went over the effects of the home and did some detective work as well.
On Thursday, the whole countryside was shocked to hear of the death of Mr. Semerad, whose demise was doubtless due to his brutal treatment and the exposure he suffered on the night of the robbery. He had made a visit to his home in auto, in the company of his son, Anton, when all of a sudden he slumped forward and was dead. Dr. Kenney of Dodge was called and gave it as his opinion that death was due to a clot of blood on the brain, resulting from a bruise on the head.
The inquest was held this afternoon at the school house in the District No. 29, being conducted by County Attorney and Coroner B.F. Farrell. The post-mortem examination was made by Dr. F.E. Kolouch of Schuyler and Dr. B.V. Kenney of Dodge, who found a severe bruise on the skull and a blood clot at the base of the brain, which may have caused either apoplexy or heart failure. After a short deliberation the coroner's jury returned the following verdict:
We believe that Joseph's Semerad's death was the result of exposure and abuse sustained by him on March 26, at which time he was the victim of a robbery and assault committed by a person or persons unknown to us.
Up to the hour of going to press but little progress has been made in the matter of the discovery of the perpetrators of the crime. We are informed the family of the deceased will offer a substantial reward for the arrest and convictions of the guilty parties. --From "The Howells Journal," March 30, 1928 Submitted by Elizabeth Sebranek
JOS. SEMERAD ROBBER VICTIM DROPS DEAD IN SON'S AUTOJos. Semerad, 77, who was brutally assaulted in his home in Lincoln precinct Monday night, March 26, died last Thursday afternoon, while in an automobile going from his home farm to that of his son, Anton.
An autopsy and coroner's inquest was held Friday afternoon, when the presence of a blood clot was found at the base of the brain, indicating that Mr. Semerad had been struck by a blunt instrument, or had suffered a bruise by having his head strike some solid body.
The following were selected as a jury to hear the evidence: J.R. Henry, Anton Sindelar, James Drahota, Bohemil Sindelar, Adolph Dostal and Theodore Knust.
Dr. Kinney in giving his testimony stated that he had never examined a man at the age of Mr. Semerad who appeared to be in as good physical condition, up to the time of the assault. There were no indications that his physique was yielding to age infirmities.
After the evidence of Drs. Kinney of Dodge and Kolouch of this city, who conducted the autopsy, and that of the neighbors, the jury returned a verdict, "We believe that Joseph Semerad's death was the result of exposure and abuse sustained by him on March 26, 1928, at which time he was the victim of a robbery or assault committed by a person or persons unknown to us."
Sheriff Roether and State Sheriff Wm. C. Condit, and Deputy Hasson have been covering the territory very carefully, and have held several sessions of elimination in their checkup of possibilities for arrests, but up to this time nothing definite has been made public, but strict surveillance is being kept on several suspects.
The funeral service of the late Mr. Semerad was held from the Tabor church, Saturday, Rev. Folta of Heun conducting. The deceased is survived by two sons, Joseph and Anton, and four daughters, Miss Rosie at home; Mrs. John Bobisud, Dodge; Mrs. Frank Brichacek, and Mrs. A. Dostal, Howells. --"Schuyler Sun," Thursday, April 5, 1928 Submitted by Elizabeth Sebranek
Rev. Rudolph Kluthe Says First Mass
Sacred Heart Church Scene of Most Impressive ServiceOn Sunday, June 16, Sacred Heart church at Oleyan, Rev. W. Klein, pastor, was the scene of an impressive ceremony when Rev. Rudolph Kluthe celebrated his first Solmn High Mass in the presence of a large gathering of relatives and friends.
The procession from the rectory to the church was made in solemn dignity through an avenue of colors and American flags. The cross-bearer came first followed by the acolytes, altar boys and visiting priests. The assisting priests of the Mass preceded the newly ordained celebrant, Rev. Rudolph Kluthe.
The mystical marriage between the newly ordained priest and the church, which is the spouse of Christ, was symbolized by the bridal party made up of nieces, nephews, and cousins of Rev. Kluthe.
Little Alice Gall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gall, as the bride, was dressed in a white satin floor length dress made with full shirring at the front and back of the bodice. The full sleeves were short and puffed and satin streamersers fell from the shoulders. The long veil was caught with a halo. She carried a white satin pillow with wreath. Lorraine and Loretta Kluthe, twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig Kluthe, were her attendants. They were dressed in yellow dresses made like that of the bride. Reineldies and Alvina Vogel, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Vogel, were maids of honor and wore blue dresses. Lambert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig Kluthe, carried the spiritual bouquet, and Duane Peitzmeier, carried a large bouquet of cut flowers. The little boys were both attired in white suits.
The solemn High Mass began at 10:30 a.m., Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Bosheck was arch priest; Rev. Lawrence Botz of Sauk Center, Minn., and Rev. Charles Grovijohn, Yahkton, South Dakota, classmates of the newly ordained priest were Deacon and Sub-Deacon of the Mass; Rev. John Ratchford of Highland, Ill, a schoolmate, was master of ceremonies; Thurifer was Roman Ulrich, Monterey; acolytes were Anthony Kleinschmidt of Sauk Center, Minnesota, and George Stoll, or Milwaukee, Minnesota; and cross bearer was Bernard Eikmeier of St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Rev. Anthony Kluthe, Raeville, a cousin of the new priest, gave the sermon. He told of the many duties of the priest and spoike of the many sacrifices they would have to endure in their work of saving souls.
Other Clergymen present in the sanctuary were: Rev. Joseph Drbal, Rev. A. J. Pashang, both of Howells; Rev. H. Kaup, Snyder; Rev. Mr. Mines, St. Henry; Rev. C. Knippen, Synot; Rev. Gozanski, York; Rev. Ferd. Mock, Drete; Rev. F. Oborny, Rev. J. Vogel, Dodge; Rev. W. Thies, North Bend; Rev. Jos. Rose, Wisner; Rev. C. Stratman, Monterey, and Rev. Geo. Kempker, Omaha.
A public reception and dinner were held at noon at the parish hall honoring the new priest. The ladies of the parish prepared and served the dinner. Bright colored streamers and bouquest of cut garden flowers were used as decorations. A beautiful cake representing an open Mass book, baked by Mrs. Joseph Gall, a sister of the new priest, centered the table.
In the afternoon at 2:30 o'clock benediction was given at the church and in the evening room 7 to 9 a reception was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Kluthe, parents of the new priest.
Rev. Rudolph Kluthe attended Josephinum College, Worthington, Ohio for twelve years and was ordained a priest of God at the Josephinum Chapel on May 26, 1940 by the Most Rev. Anleto G. Cicognani, D.D.
The newly ordained priest has been assigned to St. Mary's parish West Point, as assistant pastor and will assume his duties here next week.
Out of town relatives attending the first Solemn High Mass were: Mr. and Mrs. Casper Kluthe and family of Miller, South Dakota; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Eikmeier and son, Bernard, St. Cloud, Minnesota; Sr. M. Wanda, a sister of Rev. Kluthe, Sr. M. Emerentia, Sr. M. Berchmans, Sr. M. Noreen, and Sr. M. Victoria, all of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and many relatives and friends from the Oleyen vicinity.
Submitted by Karen Hammer.