Frank Benjamin Koca

1894 - 1918  (23 years)

• Name	Frank Benjamin Koca  [1, 2]
  Born	20 Nov 1894	Atlanta Township, Saline County, Nebraska   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	29 Aug 1918	Soisson, France   [3]
  Buried	Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska
  Notes	Frank and his brothers ran a threshing outfit in Nebraska. Frank was drafted early in World War I. He trained in Camp Funston, Kansas. While in training, he was visited by his brothers, Vaclav and Joe, Frank SOUKUP, Frank, Joe and Emil SVEC, Joe BERNASEK and Charles KRUPICKA. He trained with Company M, 355 Infantry. He was briefly home, due the serious illness of his mother, prior to his transfer to Camp Merritt, New Jersey. He was sent overseas on April 3, 1918. At that time he was transferred to the First Company, 4th Infantry Battalion. In April, 1918, he was transferred to Company C, 128 Infantry. He was wounded near Cierges, France, and wrote his parents from the hospital. He was killed in action a few months later in the Soisson Sector of France. He was buried near Verdun. His parents paid to have his body returned home so he could be buried in Nebraska. Services were held for him in 1921 at the Catholic Church in Milligan, with the American Legion conducting services at the gravesite. Pallbearers were Bohumil KOTTAS, Harry PETRASEK, James SMITH, Fred KOLAR, Anton ELZNIC and William BARTU. Honorary pallbearers were Ada STECH, Agnes KOTAS, Agnes NADHERNY, Agnes SMITH, Mayme KOCA and Mayme ROHLA. The firing squad consisted of Ed CHUDLY, Rudolph SPOUSTA, Ed BREJCHA, Frank BERNASEK, James KASSIK, John KOTAS, Ed LAUN and James LUZUM. Joseph KLIMA and Adolph KOTAS conducted the services. Joe BORS, commander of the local post, had charge of the firing squad. (Milligan, p 337).
  Person ID	I19724	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Father	Vaclav Koca,   b. 9 Jan 1866, Zebnice, Plzen, Bohemia ,   d. 1 Apr 1950, Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska  (Age 84 years)
  Mother	Marie Bernasek,   b. 25 Mar 1868, Bohy, Plzen-Sever, Plzensk? Kraj, Bohemia ,   d. 1 Dec 1960, Friend, Saline County, Nebraska  (Age 92 years)
  Married	9 Jul 1889	Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [4]
  	They were married in the the Koca home, with Frank TENOPIR and Albert BIBA as witnesses. Vaclav's brother Joseph, a widower, was married on the same day in a double ceremony. They repeated their vows in the Catholic Church on January 6, 1891 before it was completely plastered and finished. Attendants were Frank TENOPIR, Frank KOCA, Josephine BECK, and Mary PRIBYL. They farmed in Section 19 of Atlanta Township for many years, buying a home from Frank STECH in Milligan to retire too. They moved into this home in 1923, with their two youngest daughters. In February, 1950, their home caught fire due to a glowing ember from a stove. The were away from home, and arrived with the kitchen floor ablaze. Marie went to get help, and Vaclav attempted to douse the flames. A hole the size of a basket was left in the floor. He died of respiratory problems related to the smoke he inhaled a few months later. His brother Joseph died of pneumonia as well, a few days after Vaclav (Milligan, p 343).
  Family ID	F1770	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 20 Nov 1894 - Atlanta Township, Saline County, Nebraska Died - 29 Aug 1918 - Soisson, France Buried - - Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), 343 (Reliability: 3). [S482] Chromy, Ken & Kathy, 706 Road 19, Ohiowa, NE 68416; Our Bohemian & Moravian Ancestors in Nebraska; Ver. 2007-03-05 14:07:03; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=kchromy. [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), p 337 (Reliability: 3). [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), p 343 (Reliability: 3).