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Altgilbers, Norbert F., SMSgt.
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Retired USAF Senior Master Sgt. Norbert F. "Ally" Altgilbers, 93, of Albers, Ill., born June 6, 1917, in Aviston, Ill., died Friday, Nov. 19, 2010, at Countryside Manor in Aviston, Ill.
Mr. Altgilbers was a veteran of the United States Air Force and served during World War II and the Korean War. He retired from the Air Force in 1961 and retired from the USAF Medical Center at Scott Air Force Base in 1983. He was a member of St. Bernard Parish and Men's Club and the American Legion Post 1026 in Albers, Ill., and the Veterans of Foreign War Post 3523 in Carlyle, Ill. Mr. Altgilbers enjoyed gardening.
Norbert was preceded in death by his wife, Agnes C. "Aggie," nee Book, Altgilbers, whom he married on June 3, 1947, and who died on May 30, 2010; parents, Henry and Anna, nee Markus, Altgilbers; two brothers, Marcellus "Ceaser" Altgilbers and Roman Altgilbers; a sister, Adeline Wilken; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Medry Altgilbers, Bernard Lampe, Edward Wilken, Ferd and Bernice Book, Ray and Alice Book, Benedict "Dick" Book, Lawrence and Martha Book, Marcella M. and Linus H. "Fuzzy" Vosholler, Eleanor and Leander Voss, Erwin Gerling, Bernadine and Leroy Haake and Andy Lager.
Surviving are a sister, Catherine B. Lampe of Washington, Mo.; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Martha Altgilbers of Aviston, Ill., Mary "Snooky" Book Loepker of Albers, Ill., Adela Gerling of Germantown, Ill., Marie Lager of Albers, Ill., and Tom and Vicky Book of Belleville, Ill.; he is also survived by nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to St. Bernard Parish and will be received at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.hempenfuneralhome.com.
Visitation: Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010, and from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010, at Hempen Funeral Home in Albers, Ill.
Funeral: Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010, at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Albers, Ill., with Monsignor Donald Eichenseer officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at St. Bernard Cemetery in Albers, Ill.
HEMPEN FUNERAL HOME, Albers, Ill.
Published in Belleville News-Democrat from November 21 to November 22, 2010
Korean War
From Month/Year
June / 1950
To Month/Year
July / 1953
Description The Korean War; 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) began when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal force, came to the aid of South Korea. China came to the aid of North Korea, and the Soviet Union gave some assistance.
Korea was ruled by Japan from 1910 until the closing days of World War II. In August 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan, as a result of an agreement with the United States, and liberated Korea north of the 38th parallel. U.S. forces subsequently moved into the south. By 1948, as a product of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, Korea was split into two regions, with separate governments. Both governments claimed to be the legitimate government of all of Korea, and neither side accepted the border as permanent. The conflict escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces—supported by the Soviet Union and China—moved into the south on 25 June 1950. On that day, the United Nations Security Council recognized this North Korean act as invasion and called for an immediate ceasefire. On 27 June, the Security Council adopted S/RES/83: Complaint of aggression upon the Republic of Korea and decided the formation and dispatch of the UN Forces in Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force, with the United States providing 88% of the UN's military personnel.
After the first two months of the conflict, South Korean forces were on the point of defeat, forced back to the Pusan Perimeter. In September 1950, an amphibious UN counter-offensive was launched at Inchon, and cut off many of the North Korean troops. Those that escaped envelopment and capture were rapidly forced back north all the way to the border with China at the Yalu River, or into the mountainous interior. At this point, in October 1950, Chinese forces crossed the Yalu and entered the war. Chinese intervention triggered a retreat of UN forces which continued until mid-1951.
After these reversals of fortune, which saw Seoul change hands four times, the last two years of conflict became a war of attrition, with the front line close to the 38th parallel. The war in the air, however, was never a stalemate. North Korea was subject to a massive bombing campaign. Jet fighters confronted each other in air-to-air combat for the first time in history, and Soviet pilots covertly flew in defense of their communist allies.
The fighting ended on 27 July 1953, when an armistice was signed. The agreement created the Korean Demilitarized Zone to separate North and South Korea, and allowed the return of prisoners. However, no peace treaty has been signed, and the two Koreas are technically still at war. Periodic clashes, many of which are deadly, have continued to the present.
