Hellcat News, (Godfrey, Ill.), Vol. 42, No. 1, Ed. 1, September 1988 Page: 1 of 32
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Page 26 HELLCAT NEWS September 1988
made for the reunion in Kan-
sas City, but I just don't seem
to be up to it. It may be the hot,
dry weather, or it may be just
age, but at any rate, I can-
celled my reservation. I don't
feel like driving during the
Labor Day weekend, and going
by air the relatively short dis-
tance involved is quite expen-
sive for the two of us when you
consider the Kansas City air-
port is probably about 25 miles
or possibly more from the hotel.
I wrote the hotel to ask what
transportation was available
and if they operated shuttle
busses, but received no reply.
I've since learned about the
only way is by taxi. All told,
that would cost me $100.00 for
taxi fare. I just returned from
Canada a few weeks ago where
I spent a pleasant vacation
fishing with my son-in-law and
two grandsons. The boys are
now either through or in their
final year of college and are
delightful companions. They
are very knowledgeable outdoor
men and we had a great time.
That will be my last trip be-
cause the gang is breaking up
through the inexorable pass-
age of time. The boys will be
working and I'm getting a few
days too old to stand the gaff. I
like to go to reunions, but I do
not get out of it what some do.
I was a Battery Commander of
the 495th, Exec. Officer of the
493rd and 494th. When the war
ended and we had time to relax
and enjoy, I was transferred to
War Crime and I missed all the
fun at Heidenheim. The next
result is I have become feort of
an orphan, who is not really at
home in any unit anymore. We
keep up quite a few of the fel-
lows and their families with
Christmas cards, etc. It was
through this exchange of cards
that Dick Hockman learned
there was a 12th Armored Div-
ision. Col. Bahr and Col. Hart-
man are both gone. I would
love to see Col. Crawford again.
He was a real fine combat
officer and fine officer at any
time and place, and I enjoyed
working with him during our
operations after we crossed the
Rhine. So that's about it.
Thank you for remembering
me. I hope we can get together
some time and probably will."
From Tommy and Maggie
Thompson, Hq Btry, "Just a
few words before I receive my
"dear John" letter. I know it is
impossible to write a column if
you don't receive any news.
You are doing a wonderful job.
Farming is a dismal business
at this point. Corn corp a com-
plete loss and we are still pay-
ing spring planting cost. If we
should get rain within the next
few days maybe a 50% soy bean
crop. Glad we are not totally
depending on our farm opera-
tion for our livelyhood. So far
we still have some pasture and
water for cattle and hogs. We
enjoyed having our only son
and his family with us for the
4th. He is an account Execu-
tive with Prudential-Bache
Securities in Charlotte, NC.
The children are two and four
so Grandpa and Grandma are
recouping. Thanks to you and
Norb Bruemmer for the infor-
mation you provided our
daughter for her research paper
on the 12th Armored. She re-
ceived an "A" on her report.
Her two children who are 19 &
20 are both students at Berke-
ley Univ. in CA. We hear from
Harold & Joe Smith occasion-
ally and look forward to seeing
them at the Smokey Mt. Reun-
ion in Oct. We will not be in
K.C. for the reunion this year
but are planning to be in Texas
for the big one in '89. We both
send our best to Ruby and
you."
From Jack Miller, Sv Btry,
"I have been on the shelf for
awhile due to a seige of Arthri-
tis in my lower back which has
affected the nerves in my legs
and as they say in the TV ads
it huuurts . Surgery may be
in the future, but no matter
what happens, Mary and I plan
to be in Kansas City. I'm sorry
to inform you of the death of
Len Dooley's twin sister in
May. Len is now the only mem-
ber of his immediate family
and I'm sure he feels the loss
deeply. I'm not sure how many
Hellcats appreciate what Len
has meant to our Association.
We would have dwindled into
the sunset long ago had it not
been for his efforts. Now for a
little bragging. My ten year old
grandson just completed his
Little League season with a
batting average of over 600. He
has attended several reunions
with me and often talks about
the division and its great his-
tory. In the last issue of the
paper there was a picture of
three distinguished gentlemen
at the Midwest Chapter meet-
ing. The caption recognized
Dooley, Miller and an uniden-
tified party. The other gent is
Andy Dandar who lives in
Toledo, Ohio and was in M.P.
section. Looking forward to see-
ing you in Kansas City."
From John and Aggie King,
Sv Btry, "Not too much news
here in Abilene, TX. Aggie and
I just returned from our annual
family reunion in New Braun-
fels, TX. All 14 of our imme-
diate family and grandchild-
ren meet there each year for a
four day blast. Lots of fun for
all. We will not be able to make
the reunion of the 12th this
year in Kansas City and will
certainly miss it. However,
Aggie's high school class of
1938 will gather in Hopkinsi-
ville, KY at approximately the
same time for their 50th reun-
ion. Since she attended mine in
Oklahoma City several years
ago, I couldn't not agree to go
with her to her's this year. Give
my regards to all and tell them
to come to San Antonio in '89.
Hot weather and no rains (or
at least not much) has hurt the
bass fishing in my favorite
lake, but still hope for better
days in the future. Went to
Florida in Feb. for Aggie's sis-
ter's 89th birthday, and except
for that trip we have been
pretty much at home this year.
Best regards to you and Ruby."
From Thomas and Edith
Templeton, C Btry, "I received
your letter of July 2 requesting
news. I find it difficult to re-
spond because I was only with
the 12th from late December
'42 to approximately July '43
at Camp Campbell, KY. When
I was assigned to the 12th, it
was just in the formative stage
being manned mainly by cadre
and a few early birds. A lot of
years have gone by since then
when a young (20 years old)
nervous newly wed had his life
changed so tremendously. How-
ever, I made the adjustment as
most of us did, and made my
spot in the survey section of
Battery C, 494th AFA. I also
served for a time as Battery
Clerk while Grossman was
away at school. Being clerk and
mail orderly, I knew everyone
but I don't know how many
remember me. I was riding in
the supply truck with 1st Sgt.
Cook when lightning bounced
off his helmet and incapacitat-
ed him for a few days. I also
served undercover in Intellig-
ence while with the outfit. Our
Battery Officers at the time
were Capt. Leslie Dixon, 1st.
Lt. Jim Moulder, and 2nd Lts.
Shackleford, Boden and Ud-
claire. Jim Moulder was a man
I admired tremendously and
I'm so glad that I was able to
tell him that a few months prior
to his death. I left the 12th, I
believe, in July '43 for the
ASTP and was at the Univer-
sity of KY until the ASTP was
closed out. I then served in the
Combat Engineers at Ft. Leo-
nard Wood and the Atlanta
Ordnance Depot. I was sent
overseas to Attu in the Aleu-
tians, landing on Christmas
Eve, '44. Applied for OCS and
was sent to Armored OCS in
April of '45. I managed to get
out of OCS because the war
ended, but I stayed on as a
machinist in the Visual Aids
shop at Fort Knox until being
discharged in late Jan. '46. I
re-enlisted in '48 and was on
recruiting duty in Phila. and
Norristown, PA for a time until
Uncle Sam decided to send me
to Guided Missle School in Fort
Bliss, TX. I re-applied for OCS,
was accepted, but before being
assigned, my wife fell ill and I
was awarded a dependency dis-
charge in Dec. '48. I retired in
January 1988 after 36 years
with Welding Engineers, Inc.
where I was head of the
Methods Eng. Section. In
March of '88, I stopped off in
Ocala, Florida to visit a former
buddy of mine, Merrill McNa-
mee, who went into the service
the same day as I and who
served the entire war with
Co. C of the 82nd Armord Med-
ical Bn. He treated my wife and
I royally. I also occasionally
run into Ken Zaraco also of
C/82 who lives about V/2 miles
from me. His wife Stella and
my wife Edie went to the same
High School, and I'll never for-
get the sight of those two hang-
ing on to each other with tears
(and rain) running down their
cheeks in Dec. '42 when Ken
and I were leaving to enter the
service. My wife and I have
been married 46 years, have
two children (Judy and Tom
III). Judy is very active in
church work at the Northmins-
ter Presby Church in End well,
NY, and my son is the Asso-
ciate pastor at the Westminster
Baptist Church in Westminster,
Maryland. We have four grand-
children. Well, Maurice, you
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Twelfth Armored Division Association (U.S.). Hellcat News, (Godfrey, Ill.), Vol. 42, No. 1, Ed. 1, September 1988, newspaper, September 1988; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth410687/m1/1/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum.