Before Herbert Siercks passed away he wrote his Great-Grandson, and other relatives, some of his biography. I think that to get a true sense of the man he was, it is appropriate to allow his writings to speak for themselves. Here are two reproduced letters to his Great-Grandson, Budd Martin Brown.
When you consider what he had been through as a prisoner of war for over a year in Poland, I find that these letters show the great pride he had in his country and his service to his country, and yet he had a profound humility in himself.
Nancy A. Nease
BRIEF ARMY HISTORY
OF
HERBERT M. SIERCKS
(written 1986)Dear Marty, I thought that you might like to have this brief history of my service with the army.
I enlisted on August 4, 1938 in the 76th Field Artillery Battalion. This was an all horse-drawn unit stationed near Cheyenne, Wyoming. I rode in the 1938 and 1939 Cheyenne Frontier Days Parades.
In 1940 we were moved, together with all horses and equipment, to Camp Ord, California (now Fort Ord). We pitched, and I lived in, the first tents on that site, near Monterey. I made Sergeant during that first enslistment and was discharged on August 5, 1941.
I married your Great-Grandmother on December 7, 1941, which turned out to be Pearl Harbor Day; the day that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the Japanese declared war on the United States.
I went back into the Service in March 1942 and became a Second Lieutenant that year, a few months after your Grandma was born.
I left for Africa the first part of 1943 on the British Luxury liner, Andes, which was the first ship to sail the Atlantic Ocean unescorted. We were torpedoed in sight of Casablanca, Africa and went ashore in small boats. From there I was assigned to the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
I got out of the Service in 1946, but was back again in 1947 and was sent to Korea. I was a Captain at the time and started the Second Korean Army by myself for the first year. Later, I got a Lieutenant and Sergeant to help me. I knew the then President of South Korea very well, President Sigmund Rhee. The current President of South Korea was one of the men I trained in the Second Korean Army, which later became the Second Korean Division. You will read about these men in history.
From Korea I was sent to Japan where your Great-Grandmother, and your Grandma and her sister, your Great-Aunt Sandy, joined me. We stayed there almost a year and one-half, at which time I was provost Marshal. Returning to the States, I was then assigned as an Instructor to the National Guard of the Artillery Units in the State of Iowa for slightly more that two years, replacing Lieutenant Col. Roth. Then, I was again sent to Japan.
I finally requested and recieved a Certificate of Service from the Army, with the rank of major, in 1953.
I hope this information will be of interest to you, together with the rest of this book [scrapbook given to Marty], which your Grandmother and your Great-Grandmother have taken so much time and patience to assemble in as near the chronological order that the events occurred.
Love to You From,
Your Great-Grandpa Herb
To Budd Martin Brown
(Written 1986)
Dear Marty,
First let me tell you I am very proud to have you named after me. Second, I am very sorry I will not be here to watch you grow up, [Budd Martin Brown (Marty) turned 2 years old 1 month after his Great-Grandfather passed away] therefore, I have asked your Grandma and your Great-Grandma to put together this album [scrapbook given to Marty] so you will know me and know about the person you are named for. This is a copy of a scrapbook of my service in the Army during World War II.
I would like you to know that both your Grandma and your Great-Grandma have spent many hours putting this album together and rightfully deserve all my love and respect for doing such a wonderful job.
I have been in many countries and have seen the people of other countries and their life-styles. They cannot compare with the freedoms which we enjoy here in the United States. These freedoms were worth fighting for. In many cases, men gave their lives for them. I know that you will have the same feelings of loyalty to our great country that I have.
Thirty years after World War II, I discovered that of the 45 officers with the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion who were with me in Africa and Italy, there are very few still living. I contribute my existance to loyalty, dedication and my sincere belief in our wonderful country during that terrible war.
While my service caused me great physical pain and disability, I feel it was certainly worth whatever sacrifices I made. Most officers did not return home to their loved ones. I did, but it was not easy.
Love your country, respect your flag and be grateful that you are an American.
My sincere best wishes for your future.
Love,
Your Great-Grandfather
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