Forrest W. N. Koland
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
KOLAND, Forrest W.
Forrest W. Koland was born on November 7th 1920 to George Theodore & Minnie M. [Löfström] Koland in Strandquist, Minnesota.
Mr. Koland was living in Hibbing, Minnesota when he entered the U.S. Army on October 10th 1941. He served as a heavy weapons non-commissioned officer with the 94th Infantry Division in Europe. He rose to the rank of Sergeant (SGT).
SGT Koland recalls, "I was one of the lucky ones to have his number pulled out of the fish bowl (draft lottery) for a year's training in the Army. It ended up being over four years. We received the huge salary of $21 a month and, after insurance was paid, I got $9 clear....Had just about completed basic training when Pearl Harbor was attacked. A week later I was on a tramp steamer with a couple hundred other guys bound for the Panama Canal Zone. The government thought the Canal was in danger so thousands of troops were sent there...I stayed there for a year or so, stationed in a 3-inch anti-aircraft battery in the jungle. I came back to the States via San Diego and was stationed...in Mississippi. The 94th Infantry Division was stationed there.
"Was sent to New York where our Division boarded the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth. We had no escort as they figured its speed made it more safe alone than to be in convoy. In England, I boarded a Victory ship and crossed the Channel and landed at Omaha Beach. We were sent to St. Nazarre and Laurent where the Germans had submarine bases. Our job was to keep them contained so they would be of little use. While there the Battle of the Bulge started and we were rushed across France to help stem the tide of Germans. After a lot of tough going the enemy was turned back. Our Division (94th) fought all the way to Czechoslovakia and was stopped when we got to Pilsen and ordered to keep a 3-mile buffer between us and the Russians. After VE Day I went to England...."
He was honorably discharged on October 26th 1945 at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. After the war he returned home and married Betty Jean [Oist] on December 4th 1948 and they started a family.
Mr. Koland died on October 21st 2000 at 81 years of age. He is buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Hibbing.
Source(s): Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 152.
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Page 1 WWII Draft Registration Cards - Fold3
Forrest Norn “Ford” Koland (1918-2000) - Find a Grave Memorial
