Hellcat News, (Kirkland, Wash.), Vol. 31, No. 2, Ed. 1, October/November 1976 Page: 6 of 12
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PAGE 6
CHRISTOPHER MUGAVERO Sv/23rd
413 N. Park Drive
Rochester, N.Y. 14609
23rd TANK BN.
BOOSTERS
Edward Cartwright (A)
Salvatore Bardi (SV)
Dr. Robert C. Miller (C)
Irving C. Letson (SV)
Robert J. Leins (C)
William Rix (HQ)
Donald R. Knuppel
Dues and no News (Salvatore Bardi
(SV) (Wonderful article on Boosters last
month, Ed.), Sylvester Brinker (B),
Charles B. Dockman (D), James P.
Fortenberry (C), Thurston Fulcher (D),
Kenneth Jacobsen (HQ), Bruno J.
Kryska (SV). Robert J. Leins (C), Joseph
L. Mester (SV), Bill Newman (B), Leo
Reinke (HQ), Robert E. Seymour (A),
Ronald Sutherland (SV), Raymond R.
Richardson (SV&A/134th), W.A. Taylor
(SV), Raymond E. Webb (D), and
Andrew F. Woods (C)
Dues and News from the following
Hellcats: Merlin Baur (A) who says he
had a very good summer, but sorry they
couldn't make the reunion, hopes to
make it to Philly.
Walter Breischer (A) Am still selling
ladies sportswear, and traveling the
states of Kentucky and Tennessee.
Would like to look up some of our
buddies in that area, so let him know
where you're at fellows O.K.???
Edward Cartwright (A/23 & B/43)
was very busy on the farm and couldn't
make the reunion, although he and wife
were planning on it. They have three
married children and five grandchildren.
He says four are still at home, and his
fourteen year old is in school. Ed owns 80
head, but is milking 47 to 50 head, and is
still living same place past twenty-four
years. Missed everyone and hopes to
make next one.
Owsley Costlow (A) Along with his
dues promised to send me a letter, will
be looking forward to it. Thanks!
Bob Downey (D) had plans to join us in
Springfield, but got tied up with some
unexpected company night before
departure. He was to have taken Gantt
along, but he got sick. By the way, Bob
our next reunion will be at the Marriot in
Philadelphia, Pa. Houston H. Gantt (D)
was disappointed to cancel out due to a
virus that hit him shortly before leaving.
Sorry about that, hope you're fine now
and hope to see you next year.
Donald R. Knuppel (B) didn't have
much to write about and was sorry to
say most of the fellows he knew were
killed while in service, however, he still
keeps in touch with Sylvester Brinker
and a few others. Don joined our "BIG
FAMILY" three years ago. Wonderful,
Wonderful Don.
Henry A. Snyder (B) says he's still
under Doctors care and getting shots for
asthma every couple of weeks. He enjoys
reading the "Hellcat News".
Roscoe Mikoff (SV) is still a brick
layer, keeping in pretty good shape,
sorry he couldn't attend reunion, due to
his job.
Luciano (Lou) Mauro (B) wants to take
this time out to send all you guys of "B"
Company a warm hello and wonders if
you remember the Company tank called
"Bob Cat"???
Albert D. McElroy (B) informs us his
daughters' Linda and Judy are now
attending college. He lost track of most
of the fellows, but was hoping to see
some at this Company Reunion Labor
Day weekend in Champagne, 111. We
hope you made it A1 and enjoyed every
minute of it. Please drop me a line in
near future.
Paul Lozden (D) was happy to send
good news that his operation was a great
success.
Jo and I are fine, she's glad to be back
to work again, but doesn't especially
care for the overtime. By the time this
goes to press, we may have snow, and
we'll be at our cottage snowmobiling. We
wish each and everyone of you a Very
Happy and Wonderful Thanksgiving
Holiday.
Franklin A. Garnett (C) and Mollie
went to the Ozarks for Labor Day
weekend camping and had a good trip.
Frank is progressing slow but sure.
A nice letter arrived from our friend's
Adrian Elvod (C) and lovely wife Pearl
who just love to go camping, but
summer flew by before they had the
chance. They enjoyed our reunion in
Springfield and found it a great pleasure
to meet everyone. This is election year
for Adrian, so he's pretty busy. Jo and I
were happy to finally meet you, but
sorry we couldn't spend more time
together.
I think this is it for this month, the
rest of my mail will be in the next news
report. Take care, and thanks for writing
to your Rep. Keep up the good work and
remember please pay your DUES.
Armored
Artillery
I
A Look Backwards
by Ernest Wallander, A/17th
We were no sooner comfortably settled
in our billets at Camp Pennings when
orders came to move. On the evening of
10 November the battalion entrained,
moved south, and on the morning of 11
November we marched thru
Southampton with full field equipment to
the waiting transport, "H.M.T.
Antenor".
During the night of 11 November we
left England and after a smooth crossing
of the English Channel landed at Le
Havre, France. Our welcome to France
was a driving rain storm and after
landing we just stood waiting for the
trucks and getting drenched.
Early on the morning of 13 November
our trip ended and the battalion
encamped in an open field near Auffay,
France. When daylight came we built
fires, dried our equipment and began
looking at the area.
The batallion was now located at the
country estate of the Baron and Baroness
de Bosmelet. The Chateau had been hit
by the Air Force in an attempt to knock
out a V-bomb launching site located
there. The buildings were assigned out
with Headquarters and Headquarters
Company getting part of the Chateau, the
servants quarters, and one of the V-bomb
storage tunnels; "A" Company was
assigned the second storage tunnel, the
chapel and the adjoining ground; "B"
Company was assigned another barn
while Service Company made itself
comfortable in a small concrete building
on the runway.
The time here was spent in building
huts, bunks and trying to make ourselves
comfortable. When possible we went to
Auffay or Rouen for a sip of calvados.
Food for the French was very scarce but
occasionally we were able to get a loaf of
french bread and some wine.
It was here, at the Chateau de
Bosmelet, that the 17th Armored
Infantry Batallion scored a first in the
12th Armored Division by taking three
German prisoners. They were members
of the Wehrmacht who had disguised
themselves in civilian clothes and were
trying to get back to Germany.
Thanksgiving dinner was served in the
rain and on 30 November we started a
long march through Soissons, Bar-le-
Duc, Rheims and Luneville.
Ernest Wallander (A)
ROBERT J. SCHWARTZ C/495th
4345 Purdue Street
Los Angeles, CA. 90066
BOOSTERS
495th AFTY
George L. Kibler (B)
Richard D. McConnaughay (A)
Roy R. Kline (SV)
Leo Maraj (SV)
November 1976
Election Month — What a drag. I've
never seen so much hot air since that
Christmas turkey in 1942. May you all
have a Va Va Voom Veterans Day and a
Too Too Thanksgiving.
YE OLDE MAILLE BAGGE
HQ—During the summer, I had a
pleasant surprise. My wife called me at
work and said that Ken Poucher was
sitting in a phone booth at the L.A.
International Airport between planes, I
contacted Ken and found that he and
wife Geri were on their way to Hawaii.
They had been in Tucson visiting their
daughter, and also their son had come in
from Alaska for an all-around family
reunion. I had kidded Ken in an earlier
column about not writing so he said our
conversation would make up for it. He is
a Professor at Ball State and specializes
in Industrial Education. This includes
Power for transporation, drafting, tool
design, auto and aircraft engines among
the various subjects. There are 17,000
students at Ball State and it is named
after the Ball Brothers who devised
those fruit jars used for canning. Ken is
an interesting person to talk to and I
wish we had more time.
ABLE — No News
BAKER—Jerome Marak writes from
Seumour, Texas: "It has been some time
since I have written. You wrote asking if
we were all sick. I was and am not out of
the woods yet. I slowed down going to
those VA hospitals. . .nineteen times in
two years is enough. I have to go to
Dallas, Big D for a check-up every so
often hoping the malignancy doesn't
recur otherwise no complaints or
excuses. My wife has been disabled
fourteen years but has been receiving
So. Sec. and so am I, also non-service
connected disability. In five months I
will turn 65 and will get a raise. How
about that getting a raise not doing
anything. That sure was a nice photo of
Gen. Brewer. I am fixing to frame it. I
saw him only one time in a tailor shop in
Kentucky only I dodged him thinking
that my tie wasn't tucked in just right. .
I wonder if it would be possible to insert
that map I am enclosing in the HCN"
SERVICE—Ralph B. Mitchell is
welcomed baek and sends us this
interesting letter: "I want to thank
whoever it was that took the time to look
up my address and send me the July
issue of the HCN. I assume it is my old
friend Bob Saehloff, Fred Erichsen or
Gerald 'Moon' Mullen. I think of all of
them quite often when some of us WWII
types refight the WWII battles. James
Corcoran of the 43rd Tank Battalion
suggested that we get Maj. Carlos
Brewer to intercede for you to help get a
tank for the Museum at Fort Campbell.
As Chief of the Main Battle Tank
Branch, U.S. Army Tank Automotive
and Readiness Command, Warren
Michigan, I can tell you at this time we
don't have any old tanks in our
inventory. The WWII vintage tanks are
all long gone, the M48A1 tanks are being
modified to the M48A5; they are given a
105mm gun, diesel engine, modified
transmission, sighting and fire control
equipment that you wouldn't believe.
These tanks, when completed, will be
very comparable to the M60A1 tank.
Regardless of what the Press may say,
it's still the best tank around. For the
next convention, we should get a good
tanker from Fort Knox who visited the
last war between Isarel and the Arabs,
let them show slides and give a talk
about tank warfare today. Then we will
all have a better idea of how tanks will
be employed in the future. It goes
without saying that my personnel
control the entire U.S. Army tank
inventory, ship them from the tank plant
units, rebuild the units and procure all
the automotive parts from the turret
down, engines, transmissions, final
drives tank tracks, road wheels etc. It is
a busy job but after 22 years in the Army
and 14 years as a Civil Service employee
I am dedicated to the defense of this
country.
Back to the tank for the museum. A
letter from Gen. Brewer to the C.G.
Tank Automotive and Readiness
Command would expedite a reply. I am
sure a modern-day version of the
half-track is avilable. I am enclosing a
copy of our letterhead stationery. If not
from Gen. to Gen. send it to this address
Atten: DRSTA-FRS which is the
Support Tank Branch that handles the
equipment that is obsolete or low
density. Any time you need a push give
me a call at home, area code 313-651-8219
or my office, 313-573-1793 or, 1745 and I
will give you an answer.
As for my family, they are all doing
well, 7 kids, 4 grandchildren. I have
three through college, two in college and
a 17 year old daughter and a 14 year old
son at home. All are doing well.
Would like to see some of the old gang
and have invited Leo Maraj over on
several occasions but we just can't ever
get together. After someone went to the
trouble of looking up my address, I had
better enclose my dues. Sincerely, Ralph
B. Mitchell. Ex-M. Sgt., WOJG,
Maj-AUS-Retired." Ralph's home add-
ress is 5114 Glengate Rd, Rochester,
Michigan, 48063. He also sent a copy of
the M48A1 modifications to M48A5. Ken
may or may not be able to have it copied
in the HCN. As for the tank business, I'm
not sure who's working on it. The
address Ralph mentioned is Dept of the
Army, U.S. Army Tank-Automotive
Command, Warren Michigan, 48090.
NEW MEMBERS
We welcome each and everyone of
you to the BIG FAMILY and we do
hope that you will remain with us for a
long, long time in Health, and
Membership. Let your Unit Rep hear
from you, let him know you are one of
Us.
CARL J. LYONS A/ 17th
3550 SCHIRTZINGER ROAD
COLUMBUS, OH. 43020
CLIFTON GRIFFON B/ 44th
RTE #3 - BOX #145
GRAHAM, N.C. 27253
HERMAN BRAUNER HQ/ 44th
1436 N. ROBINSON STREET
PHILADELPHIA, PA. 19151.
RODERICK J. FISHER B/ 66th
2937 CENTRAL AVENUE
EAST POINT, GA. 30044
ROBERT ADKINS AJ 494th
63 FAIRTON TRLR PARK RTE #4
BRIDGETON, N.J. 08302
FRANCIS T. MUTH SV/ 494th
11 ORCHARD STREET
LIBERTY, N.Y. 12754
FRED ENGELHARD! HQ/ 494<h
44 HILLSIDE DRIVE
TOTOWA, N.J. 07512
HOYLE J. SELF C/ 494th
LOT H 83-2925 SW 28th Place
GAINSVILLE, FL. 32608
JOSEPH PETERSON HQ/ 494th
1710 PACE BLVD.
NEW ORLEANS, LA. 70114
WALTER LORTIS HQ/ 494th
7521 WENTWORTH AVENUE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. 55420
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Twelfth Armored Division Association (U.S.). Hellcat News, (Kirkland, Wash.), Vol. 31, No. 2, Ed. 1, October/November 1976, newspaper, 1976; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth410716/m1/6/?q=%22~1%22~1&rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum.