Arnold

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Arnold was born December 19, 1911 in the Mumm family home. He died July 14, 1988

The following is submitted by Arnold's nephew, Lyle Replogle

Already in his thirties, Arnold was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve during the second world war. After extensive training in the United States, Arnold was shipped off to England for further training to prepare for the European invasion. While Arnold seldom talked about his army experience, I was fortunate to live with him some summers in my youth. This is what I remember from some discussions with him.

After some months of training in a tank destroyer, Arnold joined with thousands of other troops for the invasion at Normandy Beach in France. Fortunately, the landing craft on which Arnold was on got close enough to the beach to survive in the shallow water and found his way on shore. With warfare going on all around they were told to dig foxholes for protection. Though it was quite cold, he reflected how he was sweating fiercely as he dug a hole for survival.

As the war progressed through France, Arnold became commander of a tank destroyer. He shared stories about running over bodies while proceeding rapidly in pursuit of the Germans; about firing at incoming aircraft before they could determine if they were friend or foe, Waiting until they could be identified would be to late leaving them vulnerable to enemy fire.

Arnold shared with me the experience of being in the lead as the army approached the autobahn (the advanced German highway system). He related that it was quite elevated and that he dismounted from his tank and climbed to the top of the highway. At that point he was able to see the German army lined up on the other side. He said not a shot was fired until they moved up onto the autobahn in the tank, along with other army units. At that point shells were going both ways in full force.

Some two times the tank destroyer he was in was itself destroyed. On one occasion, Arnold was wounded when flaq (pieces of metal) struck him in the chest. It hit him at the pocket where he was carrying a copy of the New Testament. On another occasion the tank was severely damaged and only he and one other crew member survived.

After months of fighting through France it appeared the Germans were retreating and Arnold was finally moved to the rear units for some well deserved rest from the war. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter the Germans began their counter attack that resulted in the Battle of the Bulge. Arnold's recuperation period was cancelled and he was thrust back into the war effort to repel the German counter attack.

Arnold was finally rotated back to the states before the Germans surrendered. His return was very emotional. Visiting the Mumm farm I slept with him at night. In his sleep he would make noises and holler, apparently having dreams about the war. He made the statement that if they tried to send him back, that he would not go. Fortunately, that did not happen. The war ended and Arnold, now in his mid thirties, returned to the Mumm farm to once again be part of the Mumm Brothers farm effort.

A few years later, when staying with Arnold now living at Swedburg, south of Wahoo he showed me the Purple Heart he had been awarded as a result of his wounds. And, to my surprise he showed me the Bronze Star awarded to him for his valor in the Euopean war theater.

Arnold, along with his brother Glenn lived on farm on the highway to Omaha some one and one-half miles east of the Yutan spur. Arnold immersed himself into farming, and he and Glenn had quite a large number of milk cows. At the time the Mumm Brothers were also farming a large number of acres in what had been the Nebraska Ordnance plant during the second world war. In the summer of I suspect very early teen years I lived with them on this farm. Arnold and Glenn would rise about 4:30 in the morning to milk the cows, then wake me for breakfast. Most often we would then drive some eight to ten miles to the Ordnance farming sites south and east of Mead. There we would be joined by other members of the Mumm Brothers organization.

A typical Saturday night would see Glenn dressing and going out. I can only assume that he was probably dating his wife Ruth at that time. Arnold and I would often go to a movie in Wahoo. After the movies we would often stop and buy a half gallon of ice cream and some coffee rolls and after getting home we would stuff ourselves before going to bed.

Arnold purchased a new Oliver 60 in Wahoo upon a visit to his farm in early spring one year. I volunteered to drive the tractor home for him. I did not realize how far it would be and how cold I would get sitting on that tractor on the highway.

Arnold eventually left the Yutan area and moved to a farm he rented at Sweedburg on the old Highway 77 south of Swedburg. Glenn was married and living on a farm north west of Yutan and at that time Arnold's brother Ernie lived with him at Sweedburg. The farm place had a small house but a large barn and Arnold continued to milk a large number of cows.

One of my great memories about staying with Arnold in Sweedburg is that he had the very first television set of anyone that I knew. It was a very large box with a very small screen. I would guess it to have been about a eight to ten inch size screen. It was a circular screen but flat on the top and the bottom,. Of course it was black and white. The picture wasn't that good and there only was something on for a very few hours each day. The big box had a built in 45rpm record player that we would listen to when there was no TV.

Arnold eventually decided to quit milking cows and limit his efforts to crop farming. This decision may have been a result of the desire to travel to Mexico with brother Johnny. Johnny had suffered for may years from asthma and the two traveled to Mexico to investigate asthma treatment south of the border.

Arnold lived on the Sweedburg farm until he purchased a farm somewhat farther south on the east side of highway 77 down around the curve before you get to Ceresco. This might be close to where the new highway 77 branches off to the north.

Arnold with nephew Lyle Replogle. Taken at a family/friend gathering at the Mumm farm prior to Arnold's leaving for Europe with the U.S. Army.