Veteran Loren Wessel

96 Years Old

Born in 1919 on the family farm North West of Truman, MN

Currently living in Truman, MN

U.S. Army World War II Veteran, Pacific Theater

Loren Wessel has always been known as a man of faith. And his love for God helped him survive the trauma of World War II in the South Pacific Theater during some of the bloodiest fighting of the war.

When his name was about to come up in the draft, Wessel remembers that he could join the U.S. Army right away and not have to wait. So, that's what the Truman, Minnesota farm boy did in 1942.

He was sent to Camp Roberts in California for training before shipping out to Port Adalade, Australia to join up with “D” Company, 128^th Infantry, 32^nd Division. He headed to Papua New Guinea as a machine gunner to help Australian forces clear the island of the Japanese enemy. The campaign resulted in a crushing defeat and very heavy losses for Empire of Japan. As in most Pacific War campaigns, disease and starvation claimed more Japanese lives than enemy action.

Word of Wessel's Christian faith spread quickly among his outfit, and he soon was known as “Rev,” short for Reverend. One time, his fellow soldiers called for Wessel to stay up and pray for a gravely wounded soldier. He stayed up through the night praying, but the injuries were too great and the soldier died.

Wessel states he was in the U.S. Army for 3 years, 3 months and 12 days, and after his discharge, he returned to Adelade, Australia where he stayed at a local family's home. That's when Wessel met the host family's daughter, Beulah. The two fell in love and got married. Sharing the same faith, the couple served as lay missionaries, returning to Papua New Guinea, the same place where he fought in the Army, to help with rebuilding, construction and church ministries.

After six years overseas in missionary work, the couple made the journey to Truman so Loren could “get back to farming again.” Loren and Beulah, who is 94 years old, have been married 61 years, and live together at the Truman Senior Living facility in Truman, MN.