By Krista Finstad Hanson

For the Times

The 11th Infantry Regiment has a long history in the U.S. It was an active unit that joined the 5th Division in 1939 at Fort McClellan in Alabama. The division was activated for service in April 1941 at Fort McClellan, Alabama. In 1942 the Regiment shipped to Iceland for 15 months and then to England. They arrived on the Normandy coast on July 10, 1944 and joined the 5th Infantry Division with the Patton’s Third Army. 

The 11th Infantry fought through France along the Seine River and the Moselle River as part of Operation Cobra. They fought at the Battle of Fort Driant in Metz, France in the mid-September to mid-October. This was part of the bigger Lorraine and Siegfried Line campaigns. They then went on to fight in The Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944 to 1945. In March of 1945 they fought at Oppenheim. When the war ended in Europe on May 8, 1945 the 11th Infantry was stationed in Czechoslovakia.

PFC Raymond U. Schlamp served with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army during World War II.

From the Birth Record Index, Raymond Udelle “Schlanipp” (sic) was born on January 4, 1917 in Oak Dale Township, Howard County, Iowa to John and Mabel (Sloan) Schlamp.

Prior to Raymond’s birth, the family lived in Wisconsin and 5 of his 6 older siblings were born in Shullsburg, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. There were nine children in this family.

From the 1920 U.S. Census, the Schlamp family is living in Oak Dale Township in Howard County, Iowa. The household included father John, mother Mabel, and children Alice, Roy, Elmer, Keneth, Dolores, Raymond, and Rosemary. The parents were both born in Iowa, but John’s parents were both born in Germany and Mabel’s parents were both born in Missouri. Father John is a farmer working in general farming on his own account. Daughter, Alice, is a servant working “at home” for wages.

From the 1930 U.S. Census, the “Schlampp” (sic) family was living in Jenkins Township in Mitchell County, Iowa. The household included father John, mother Mabel, and children Dolores, Raymond, RoseMary, Hazel, and Arnold. Father John is a laborer at odd jobs for wages.

Father John Schlamp died November 15, 1939 in McIntire, Mitchell County, Iowa.

From the 1940 U.S. Census, Raymond “Schlampp” (sic) was living in Seymour Township in Lafayette County, Wisconsin. He lived with “Laun” and Ann Vickers and their son Harold. They had Raymond working on the farm as a hired man working as a farm laborer for paid wages as well as Helen Johnson working as a hired girl for house work on the farm for paid wages. They all said they lived in the same place in 1935.

On Oct. 16, 1940, Raymond Schlamp registered for the WWII Draft. He gave his birth place as McIntire, Iowa and his residence as RFD No. 1 Darlington, Wisconsin. This was later crossed out and his residence was given as 2556 ½ Washington Street, Dubuque, Iowa (which was where his mother was living). His next of kin and his employer was Mr. Lawn Alvin Vickers in Darlington.

From the Oct. 23, 1941 The Capital Times article titled “104 Selectees Get Physical O.K.’s Here” the notices was that “The army examining board passed 104 draft registrants from Dane county draft board No. 3 and Lafayette and Green counties Wednesday for army service at the examination center at the St. Mary’s hospital.” On the list for Lafayette County was Raymond U. Schlamp.

On Nov. 6, 1941, Raymond U. Schlamp enlisted for service at Ft. Sheridan, Illinois, one month prior to U.S. entry in WWII. He was born in Iowa in 1916 and was single, with dependents. He was a farm hand on general farms. He had a grammar school education was residing in Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

From the June 1942 WWII Hospital Records, Raymond U. Schlamp was listed as injured in the line of duty in Iceland. He was returned to duty.

From the May 1944 WWII Hospital Admission Records, Raymond U. Schlamp was admitted with a disease diagnosed as “chalazion.” He was returned to duty in May of 1944 after already having served 2 years and 6 months. His injury was acquired in the line of duty.

From the Oct. 7, 1945 The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) article titled “Pfc. R. Schlampp (sic) Reported as Dead,” the notice from Riceville, Iowa stated “Pfc. Raymond Schlampp, 28, reported missing since Sept. 11, 1944, in France, is now officially listed by the war department as dead. Word was received by his mother, Mrs. Mable Schlampp, now living in Dubuque. The family lived until recently at McIntire, six miles west of Riceville.

“Private Schlampp was wounded by machine gun fire during the withdrawal of his company from a forward position near Dornot, France, on the Moselle river, the message disclosed, and when medical aid men returned the next morning to the place where he was left Private Schlampp could not be found.

“The young man entered the army November, 1941, and had been overseas about two years when he was reported missing. Prior to going to France he had served in Iceland, England, and Ireland.

“He was born in McIntire Jan. 3, 1916, the son of the late John Schlampp and Mable Schlampp. He was engaged in farm work in Darlington, Wis., before entering the service.

“Surviving is his mother and the following sisters and brothers: Mrs. Burton Doyes, Dubuque; Mrs. Ronald Wold, Milton, Fla.’ Mrs. Henry Hendericksen, Reinbeck; Mrs. Abner Achenbach, Morley, Ia.; Kenneth in Iowa, and Pvt. Elmer Schlampp stationed at Camp McQuade, Cal.”

“From the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted for Remains, Raymond U. Schlamp had been MIA in France and his remains were unaccounted for. He was listed as having died on November 11, 1945 in France.” {Note: This is a ‘finding of death’ date. However, it appears it was later corrected as September 12, 1945.}

A March 12, 2024 Press Release was issued titled “Soldier Accounted for from WWII (Schlamp, R.).” The news from Washington D.C. was as follows:  

“The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pfc. Raymond U. Schlamp, 28, of Dubuque, Iowa, killed during World War II, was accounted for March 21, 2022.

“In September 1944, Schlamp was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division. The unit was attempting to secure terrain near Dornot, France, known as the “Horseshoe Woods” when it came under heavy German fire. Company G was given the order to withdraw back across the Moselle River, but many men were killed during the retreat. Schlamp was among those killed, but his body could not be recovered because of the intense fighting. One year later, in September 1945, the War Department issued a ‘Finding of Death’ as his remains were unaccounted for.

“Beginning in 1947, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, searched the area around Dornot, finding several unidentified sets of American remains, but it was unable to identify any of them as Schlamp. He was declared non-recoverable on March 13, 1951.

“DPAA historians have been conducting on-going research into Soldiers missing from combat around Dornot, and found that Unknown X-22 Limey (X-22), buried at Lorraine American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Limey, France, could be associated with Schlamp or four other Soldiers. X-22 was disinterred in June 2021 and transferred to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis.

“To identify Schlamp’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological and dental analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

“Schlamp’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in Dinozé, France, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

“Pfc. Schlamp will be buried on a date and location to be determined.”

From the March 19, 2024 The Gazette, (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) came the news that “Raymond U. Schlamp, Private First Class U.S. Army, died at the age of 28, on September 8, 1944, after being wounded in battle near Dornot, France, during WWII.

“A Celebration of Life will be held … at the Lawrence Community Center, Anamosa. Rev. Holly Knouse will officiate. Military Honors will be accorded by the United States Army following the service. Private burial will be in Linwood Cemetery, Dubuque, where he will be laid to rest next to his mother.

“Raymond was born in Leroy, WI {sic} on January 3, 1916, the son of John and Mabel Schlamp.

“Serving in General George Patton’s Third Army from November of 1941, he was wounded crossing the Moselle River near an area known as Horseshoe Woods. Due to the heavy fighting, he was left behind when his unit retreated, and his remains were not located and identified following the battle.

“Raymond’s family would like to thank the United States Army, which, through DNA testing, identified, recovered, and returned him to them.”

Additional information was reported in the April 3, 2024 The Gazette article titled “World War II soldier killed in action returns home for Anamosa funeral.” More detail was given about the living family members’ memories of Schlamp and their involvement with DNA testing.

PFC Raymond U. Schlamp was originally listed as missing in action with a finding of death (FOD) casualty date of September 12, 1945. He received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, awarded posthumously.

PFC Schlamp was honored at the Tablets of the Missing at Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France. 

PFC Schlamp is listed on the National WWII Memorial Registry as being from Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

Other WWII Fallen heroes from Lafayette County who served with the 11th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Division of the U.S. Army include Tec5 James W. Connolly, Private Stanley A. Johnson, PFC Marion Kellesvig and Private Henry E. O’Brien.

In April of 2024, PFC Schlamp’s remains were identified with family DNA and were repatriated and reburied in Linwood Cemetery, Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa.

Thank you, Private First Class Raymond Udelle Schlamp, for your service to and ultimate sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.