3 July 1944 Tonawanda News
Harold H. Liebeck Reported Killed in Action in France
Pfc. Harold H. Liebeck, son of Mrs. Sophia Liebeck of 42 William street, is the fourth member of the St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran church, Thompson and Bryant streets, to lose his life in the service of the United States during World War II. His death while fighting in France on June 13 was disclosed in a communication from the War Department to his family during the past week-end.
Born in Tonawanda 30 years ago, Liebeck was a member of the second group of inductees to leave Tonawanda for duty with the U. S. Army. He left his home on January 16, 1941, going direct to Camp Upton, R. I. His training was continued at Camp Bragg, N. C.
As a member of the Ninth Division, he left America for Ireland in October , 1942. He was among the first U. S. troops to land in North Africa. His division was the spearhead of the attack on Bizerte. He also fought in Sicily before returning to England to prepare for the invasion of France.
On June 7, the day after D-Day he wrote his mother from England, telling her to have faith and not to worry about him.
“He was such a grand boy,” said Mrs. Liebeck this morning. “He was always writing and telling me not to worry about him.”
Football Star
Liebeck was a graduate of the Tonawanda high school, where he played an outstanding game of football as end. He was employed at Spaulding Fibre before he entered the service. He was a member of the St. Peter’s church for a number of years. It is expected that memorial services will be conducted for him at the church. The other members of the church who lost their lives in service were Glen Parske, Norman Lindhurst and Roy Thiele in order. Parske was one of the first service men from the Tonawandas to lose his life. He was killed in a plane crash in Florida. Lindhurst and Thiele were killed in battle.
Besides his mother, Liebeck is survived by three brothers, Carl, Edward and Henry, and two sisters, Mrs. Walter Busch and Mrs. LaVerne May, all of Tonawanda.