A 'GENTLE GUY' WAS A WORLD WAR II HERO,
Robert E. Kabat: Guest View By Ossie Helserso

   La Crescent, Minn. ---. I attended the memorial service for Robert E. Kabat at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on Feb. 2. All his high school friends and teammates knew him as "Big John." He played football for La Crosse Central in the war era, from 1941 to 1943.
  Just like Jimmy Dean's ballad goes, his "Big John" was broad at the shoulders and narrow at the hip, and so was John at 5 feet 10 inches and 185 pounds. In the ballad, "Big John" displayed a mean streak "when a crashing blow from a huge right hand sent a Louisiana fellow to the promised land."
   The only meanness John Kabat ever displayed was when he was running over opposing linemen on the football field. He was a gentle guy. Kids in high school in the early 1940s had their futures pre destined to serve their country in time of war.
   Some couldn't wait until they turned 17, and when they did, they enlisted before they graduated. Some were 17 when they graduated and enlisted soon after. Others graduated, took temporary jobs waiting to be drafted.
   In the ballad, "Big John," down deep in the mine shaft takes the timbers and with a mighty heave allows his fellow minors to scramble for safety, sacrificing his life for them.
   A little more than a year after graduating from Central at the age of 19, one of Big John Kabat's contributions to his fellow man reads like this (taken from a citation by the 1st Airborne Task Force Office of the Commanding General):

   "Robert E. Kabat, private, 551st Parachute Infantry, U.S. Army, for gallantry in action near St. Martin Vesubie, France on 30 Sept. 1944. Private Kabat was a member of a patrol, which was proceeding along a road when it was subjected to enemy rifle and machine gun fire with a result that one member of the patrol was seriously wounded and lay helpless in the road. Although the road was completely covered by machine gun fire and under enemy observation, Pvt. Kabat, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, brought the wounded soldier to a point of safety and there administered first aid. The courage of Pvt. Kabat undoubtedly saved the life of his wounded comrade. His gallant actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service."

   For this, he was awarded the Silver Star, which is next after the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Medal.
   John's wife, Audrey, told me that for many years John kept his medal in a small box in a chest and was always reluctant to talk about any part of his service that would reflect glory on himself.

[La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, WI, Sun, Feb 17, 2002]