Herbert Sobel

He doted on his wife and was very much in love with her. He was very loving and attentive. According to his son Michael, Sobel never used obscene language or lost his temper. He spent a lot of time playing with his sons, especially baseball.

He always addressed them by the nicknames he had given them—Michael was called Inky, his older brother was Footsie, and his younger brother was Skookie. He was conservative in his savings, and saved for his sons’ education.

Herbert Sobel was born on January 26, 1912, in Chicago, Illinois, to a Jewish family. He grew up in Chicago, where he attended the Culver Military Academy in Indiana. He was a good swimmer since his school days.

He graduated from the University of Illinois, majoring in architecture. Initially, he worked as a clothing salesman.

Herbert Sobel spent nine years in the military, serving with the National Guard, Military Police, and earning a commission at the Officers Candidate School, prior to being called from the reserves to active duty in 1940. Two years later, he became a member of the 101st Airborne Division when it was created. He was also the initial member of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry.

He volunteered for the paratroopers while the World War II was on, and was soon commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. After he was promoted to First Lieutenant, he commanded Easy Company for all its basic training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. He was an expert in training young soldiers intensely, and in recognition of his ability as a trainer, he was eventually promoted to the rank of Captain. However, his team members accused him of being petty and vindictive.

Before the Normandy invasion during the war, he went to the UK for training. He was then reassigned from the command of Easy Company to the command of the Chilton Foliat jump school.

On March 8, 1945, he was assigned as the regimental S-4 (logistics) officer. After the World War, he returned to the US in 1945. He worked as an accountant for some time before he was recalled to active duty during the Korean War.

He remained in the Army National Guard and eventually retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. After his retirement from the Army, he worked as a credit manager for a wholesaler, A.C. McClurg & Co. in Chicago. Later he worked at a mid-level position for the Mathias Klein Company, which made tools for the telephone industry.

Herbert Sobel earned a Combat Infantryman Badge as part of the Regimental Headquarters Company. He was also honored with a Parachutist Badge, Bronze Star Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, and World War II Victory Medal.