A local veteran remembers WWII on Veterans Day

Veteran?s Day will be observed on Friday in Rogers City with a traditional gathering at the Veteran?s Memorial in front of the courthouse beginning at 5 p.m. VFW Post 607 Commander Albert Schaudt will deliver an address followed by the firing of the rifle salute and playing taps for fallen comrades. Franklin Vogelheim recently shared some pictures and information with the Advance about World War II veterans in the community. Vogelheim was attached to the 36th Squadron of the 316th Troop Carrier Group in the USAAF during the war. Vogelheim flew 13 missions into enemy territory. His job was to pilot a glider with troops and equipment behind enemy lines and then make his way back to friendly forces by whatever means he could.

THE MISSIONS were difficult and dangerous. Only 38 percent of the glider pilots and crew survived the war. Vogelheim said they were given a rifle, some rations and a first aid kit. The first aid kit also contained a couple of poison pills that could be taken in the event of being captured and tortured to give up secrets of their operations. Vogelheim and his brother, Kenneth, flew together when they started out. This was unusual because it required a special order from the command to allow them to fly together. ?Later on it didn?t matter because we were so short of crewmen that we ended up flying solo missions. We would drop off the troops and equipment and then take off on our own,? he said. One time he was flying under fire and had to drop altitude to land quickly in a heavily wooded area. The glider was dropping fast and heading straight for two large trees. Everyone on board was saying their prayers and preparing for the worst when Vogelheim managed to put the plane between the two trees, taking off the wings and crash landing safely.

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?EVERYONE was slapping me on the back and congratulating me. Then they jumped out and I never saw them again,? he said. Another mission provided an unexpected bonus. After landing the glider and looking for a way back to his own lines, a German soldier came by on a motorcycle. The soldier was shot and ran off the road. He was carrying a hefty amount of French francs to pay collaborators who were working for the Germans. Vogelheim ended up with a windfall of pocket cash and a cycle to get back to the beach where seaplanes would take him back to his base north of Rome.

Another WWII veteran was USAF Col. Charles Zemple. Zemple was the son of William Zemple, a plumber in Rogers City. He is the highest ranking officer from Presque Isle to have served in WWII. Zemple made a career of the military after the war. He married Iva Krueger of Hawks and they now live in Virginia.

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