d o g
f a c e s o l
d i e r s
A photographic
journey of the
Third Signal Co. of
the 15th Regiment
of the U.S. Third
Infantry Division-
WWII
by Denis Toomey
Outpost 2-John S. Cole/Tampa, FL
Contacts: Angelo "Jim" Tiezzi
Ajimmjitezzi@aol.com
Frank Kane
ThanFranKane@aol.com Meeting. A regional meeting was held on October 25th in Sarasota.
In addition to the President Jim Tiezzi and new Secretary Adrian Krieg,
fourteen other members including three first-timers attended the
luncheon meeting which was 50% subsidized by the OP.
Minutes. The meeting was informal, and self-introductions were
made, with members sharing a little background information to the group.
Jim Tiezzi called for or made the following reports: reunion highlights,
Membership Committee activities (recruiting and retention), OP donations
to the Scholarship Fund, and OP Society Troop Support activities.
New Business. Several motions were made and discussions followed
about the possibility of making two Outposts in Florida for access by
members, members hosting future meetings, and the urgency of needing to
fill three vacant OP positions. A major motion for the OP to donate ten
two-year membership gifts for WIA’s. The OP Treasurer reported that OP
finances were insufficient. Then, Barbara Frank, daughter of member Mr.
& Mrs. Max Friedman, made a motion that she would fund the 10 gift
memberships as well as become an Associate Member herself. The motion
was carried by thunderous applause.
Adjournment. Before the meeting ended, members were reminded that
the OP annual reunion will be held in Orlando on April 4-5, 2008.
—Jim Tiezzi, P
—Jim Tiezzi, President
Outpost 3- Lattie Tipton Contacts: Alta Milling
Altav007@aol.com
Meeting.
A regular meeting was held at Tony Roma’s restaurant Fayetteville, NC,
October 12th to the 14th. President Alta Milling attended including
Henry and Pennie Burke, Horace and Juliet Burnett, Bob and Joy
Farrington, Ralph and Millie Merritt and their son Lee; Whitney Mullen,
Tom Twomey, and George Winders.
Minutes. An informal “social” meeting was held. During the
meeting, there were several reports and lots of discussion. Alta Milling
called for or made the reports on Army deployment rates, the reunion,
membership (retention, recruiting, and the need for officers), and the
OP history (chartered in 1985).
New Business. A national award was presented and several issues
were discussed. Don Hotz, who attended the reunion, presented a
Presidential Award plaque to Alta Milling who had not been able to
attend, for assisting with The Watch on the Rhine. A motion was made and
a vote taken to decide that the OP would donate ten two-year gift
memberships, five for active troops and five for those Wounded Warriors.
Finally, ideas for the next meeting location were discussed, but no
decision was made; the officers will check out some ideas and inform
members regarding the next meeting.
Adjournment. Henry Burke closed our meeting with a prayer asking
God to keep our troops in His Hands; the next meeting site has not yet
been determined.
—Alta Milling, P Post meeting update: After the meeting, Alta made a visit to the
Dorn VA Hospital to show charter member Mr. Cooper the plaque, and
number of others attending visited the museums in the area.
Outpost 4-Fort George Wright/Spokane, WA
Contact: John A. Weiss
gew555@cet.com
The members of Outpost 4 met at Frontier West in
Spokane, WA, on October 8 at 11:30 a.m. Members looked forward to meeting
Keith Tucker and his wife who are transferring in to OP 4 from OP 17 in
St. Louis. They have just moved to Priest River, Idaho. Keith was in Tank
Company, 65th Regiment.
Members participated in a “Get Acquainted” Roll Call where they related an
event that occurred during their service in the Third Division.
Following the business meeting, we had a drawing for a door
prize. Lyle Kerns
President
Outpost 11-New England/Boston MA
Contact: Allan Earley
modelt33@aol.com
Gerald Land and Robert Dornfried, OP 11 members and OP
Harry survivors, attended a Korean War event at the New England Air
Museum, in Windsor Locks, CT on 19 Feb 06. Between 300-400 people attended
the event, where they were able to learn much more about the Korean War
and about the battle for OP Harry. There were a total of four OP Harry
vets at the event, and they gave visitors first-hand testimony about the
battle and its significance. There were also numerous displays with Korean
War era uniforms, weapons, equipment, and personal effects. There were
also photos and a copy of the unit citation. A similar event is scheduled
for Oct 06—it will be an outdoor venue with tents and Korean War era
vehicles as well. More to come!
Old Business.
Donation checks for the monument honoring fallen Vets from all wars - we
hope to place at the “Great Lakes National Cemetery” in Holly Michigan -
have ceased coming in. We have not yet reached our goal of $2000.00. If
you care to be part of this endeavor, make your donation check to the OP
#13 “GLNC Fund” and mail it to 10611 Gamewood Dr. South Lyon, MI 48178.
The hope is to announce at our next meeting, the goal has been met and
the project is proceeding.
Meeting
Announcement. Outpost 13 will hold its spring meeting May 17,
2008 at 12:00 noon at “Bakers of Milford”, Milford, MI.
Outpost 35-Audie L. Murphy/Texas
Contact: Lynn Ball
ldball1@msn.com
Meeting. The OP conducted its fall luncheon meeting,
hosted by James Timmens, in Fredericksburg on November 10th at Andy’s
Steak and Seafood Grille. President and Secretary/Treasurer Joe and Lynn
Ball and Society Judge Advocate Jerry Kraft were present.Minutes. With
and twenty-one other members and guests in attendance, including Wayne
and Charlotte Allison; Milt, Barbara, and Sean Carr; Lula Coble; Jack
Davis; Joe and Lucia Hilderbrand (who provided Veterans Day décor);
Peggy Malloy; Ron and Marilyn Miloch; Jim and Linda Reeves; Bob and
Reyna Reynolds; Richard and Sue Sack; Joanne Sherard; James Timmens (who
arranged the meeting), and Jack Wold, the meeting’s “social hour” was
lively. Joe Ball called the business meeting to order at 1:00 PM.
Introductions and normal agenda items ensued. Jerry Kraft delivered an
invocation, James Timmens led the “Pledge of Allegiance,” and everyone
sang the “Dog Face Soldier.”After the door-prize drawing, Joe Ball
called for approval of the summer meeting minutes; Jack Wold made the
motion and the minutes were approved. Reports and recognition ceremonies
followed.
Reports. Lynn Ball delivered the report which included the OP’s current
membership status, a financial summary, and an overview of various other
Society and OP programs, ending with a call for increased recruiting.
Joe Ball gave short briefings about numerous items including a report on
the reunion and on the
CB&L votes.
Audie Murphy Achievement Award given to Richard F. Sack. by Joe Ball
Recognition. Thomas W. Mason was recognized for his
endowed support of the Scholarship Foundation Jerry Kraft and Gracie
Potts were recognized for their gift in honor of Lou Schindler,
three-time C.I.B. recipient. Joe Ball then presented two commemorative
sent by Loud in appreciation of Jerry and Gracie’s honoring him. Richard
F. Sack, who had not been able to attend the reunion, was presented with
the Audie Murphy Achievement Award. Lula Coble, whose husband was one of
the soldiers who served with Dick in WWII from Africa to Germany,
commended him; and finally Joe also presented Dick with a commemorative
WWII coin.
New Business. Among other issues, the OP discussed the 2008 “mail-in”
ballot. It was also decided that the spring OP meeting would be held in
central Texas, possibly San Antonio or Austin. The motion was postponed,
and the officers will distribute meeting guidelines to OP members in
those communities and will
work with the prospective host/hostess to determine the site, date and
time.
Adjournment. The meeting ended at 2:15 p.m., and afterwards, many
members attended some of several Veterans’ Day events being staged in
Fredericksburg, including the “Reenactment of WW2” at the Chester A.
Nimitz Museum.
—Lynn Ball, S-T
Col. W. A. Sidneys wife, Ava Griffiths, who resembles a
teenager who just passed the acne stage, has become a great-grandmother.
Congratulations!!
Ray Flaherty, our president, stepped down due to illness. We pray for a
total recovery. Dan Wolfe is now president of the Outpost.
Somehow Sgt. Mel Lancaster, our wild machine gunner, found us after 52
years and is looking forward to attending the next regimental reunion.
Truman Bastin and Francis Mette whose bodies were embedded with shrapnel
souvenirs from Korea, set off metal detectors at airports. They report
that after 52 years the medics did a remarkable job in patching them up
and they are ready to fall out on the company street with poncho and
helmet liner for a two-week bivouac.
John Hollier (a member of Lancaster's machine gun squad) and his wife Anna
considered serving their 36 Thanksgiving guests C-rations but Anna
relented with 3 freshly killed turkeys and all the high cholesterol sides
she could create in her kitchen.
What's wrong with C-rations?
If anyone has a yearning for a slice, Oscar Konnerth who is doing the
dishes and delivery will mail you one from his sons pizza palace in Erie,
PA. Daniel Wolfe
Meeting. The
OP’s Veterans Day Meeting was held on November 10th at the Brass Door
Restaurant in San Ramon. President John Shirley and his son Steve and
Secretary Ruth DeBord along with thirty-two other members and guest were
present.
Minutes. John Shirley opened the meeting with welcoming remarks and
introductions. Along with his son, John then made a presentation on
Eastern Europe. Finally, Ruth DeBord delivered a financial report.
Introductions were made by all and “welcome backs” were extended to two
members who had been able
to attend in some time: WWII Vet Cy ___ who served in the 3rd Recon from
North Africa to Anzio where he was captured on a bridge over the
Mussolini Canal and Cold War Vet Michael McClintock who served in the
30th infantry in Germany just after the Berlin Wall went up in the early
1960’s. Eastern Europe. John and Steve Shirley showed photos of their
trip, with emphasis on four significant WWII locations : Auschwitz,
Birkenau, Leningrad, and Warsaw. Afterwards, Secretary/Treasurer Ruth
DeBord reported that the OP has 140 members, all bills are paid, and
there is money in the checking account, and finally, short reports on
membership, recruiting, and Troop Support were given.
New Business. The meeting was characterized by a celebration and
effective discussions about donations, the OP scholarship project, and
the next meeting.
The OP voted to send $192 to Rich Heller for eight two-year gift
memberships to complete the OP goal of ten membership gifts. A motion
was made and carried to send $100 to Troop Support Committee Chair Cath
Bacon for Wounded Warrior Support. Josiane Selvage matched that gift, so
$200 has been donated for Troop Support. The OP celebrated the 3rd ID’s
90th Birthday.
Four 90s for the 3rd’s 90th
L-R Mel Cotton, 30thINF, 91; Henry Ferraris, 41st FA, 97; Pete Nepote,
10th FA91; and Jack Lewis, 3rd Med Bn, 91.
There were four special Marne Vets in
attendance, all 90 years old or older. The OP also celebrated the 60th
anniversary of the chartering of OP 54. The first meeting of the
organizing veterans of the OP met in Mel Cotton’s home in 1947. In 1954,
the OP hosted the first national reunion west of the Mississippi and
elected Jerry Sapiro as National President, the first president from
west of the Mississippi. The business discussion concluded with plans
for the Memorial Day meeting to be held sometime in April-May,
synchronous with high school schedules so that student scholarship
recipients can attend. The decision was postponed, and officers will
coordinate and communicate the date, time, and location.
Adjournment. Just before adjournment, the OP Raffle was conducted
resulting in $220 income. Raffle income is used to support the OP
scholarship program to outstanding JROTC students in the San Francisco
and Oakland areas as well as other OP projects.
—John Shirley, P
Meeting. On October 23rd, the Fall Meeting and “member appreciation day”
was held at the Dutch Heritage Restaurant in Bellville. President Don
Wingerberg, Chaplain Richard Wittig, and National Medical Officer Dr.
Bae Suk Lee along with thirty four other members and their guests
attended.
Minutes. The meeting began at 11:40 a.m., starting with a social time
and a luncheon discussion on membership, and was followed by reports and
new business discussions. Just before lunch, Richard Wittig offered the
prayer; after lunch, Don Wingerberg called the business meeting to
order, and James Schneider led the Pledge of Allegiance. During the
social time, members discussed ways of increasing Society membership and
eliciting more active participation of OP
57 members, and afterwards, two reunion reports and a project report
were given. Dr. Bae Suk Lee reported on the Society Reunion, and Walter
Bartlett and Billy Tackett, who had just returned, reported on the 9th
FA Reunion in Washington D. C. Dick Wittig gave a report on a 3rd ID
puppet project. He displayed
the head of a twelve-foot puppet of a WWII Marne Soldier made and
entered in the Cleveland Art Museum annual parade. The project took
several months to complete, but he received a lot of help in
constructing the puppet—and in operating it. After making the puppet and
putting a uniform on it, it was too heavy to handle single-handedly. A
young volunteer helped and walked along side Dick in the parade.
New Business. There was a general motion that arose from the luncheon
discussion that members should incorporate promoting the Society in the
daily lives and in their volunteer activities by wearing Division ball
caps and carrying membership applications as they go about their
activities and as they perform volunteer work in their communities. The
members decided that they will wear Marne gear as they ring bells for
the Salvation Army, assist the Red Cross with delivering relief
packages, and help out at with food banks or cupboards. The members also
determined to membership applications with them (the applications can be
photocopied from The Watch).
Adjournment. As the meeting concluded it was determined that the next
meeting will be May 7, 2008, at 12:00 noon, at the Dutch Heritage
Restaurant, Bellville, Ohio.
—L. D. Whitmer, S-T
Folks in picture; L - R Col Wayne Grigsby, Jr. Commander of the Third
BCT - Third Infantry Division, Bob Bailey Secretary-Treasurer OP 60,
ret. Maj. John Burke, OP 60 member, and CSM Jesse Andrews, Jr. Third BCT
CSM.
Bob Bailey receives the Audie Murphy Achievement Award at his Outpost
Veterans Day ceremony and meeting.
Outpost 60 along with the Sledgehammer Soldiers of the Third BCT had a
very impressive Veterans Day ceremony. Col. Wayne Grigsby, Jr. opened
the ceremony by extending a big welcome to the members of the Society of
the Third Infantry Division and all the veterans, their families and
their guest. He also gave a very impressive report on the activities of
the Third BCT from the past right up to today and what we could expect
from the Sledgehammer soldiers in the future. Col. Grigsby then
introduced the guest speaker ret CSM James McDonough OP 60 member. When
Jim finished his remarks, he was given a standing ovation Jim is also a
past President of OP 60. The placing of the wreaths followed Jim's
remarks, the wreaths were put in place next to the Sledgehammer Memorial
by Col. Wayne Grigsby and ret Maj John Burke.
Following the ceremony, everyone had a great time
looking over the fire power that was captured from Iraq and set on
display by the memorial. The Brigade also had several tanks, troop
carriers, guns, etc on display for all to look at and in some cases a
few of the guest got an inside view. Everyone seemed to have a great
time. We had 125 - 150 in attendance for the ceremony. There were no
strangers at this ceremony. following this little adventure of
sightseeing, lunch was being served at the Gibson Dining Hall.
Following lunch, ( we had around 60-70 Outpost 60 members, their
families, guest and several sledgehammer soldiers in attendance for
lunch) the Outpost was recognized by receiving a certificate from
National on their being the top Outpost in the recruitment for this past
year. Jon Ready Outpost 60 President received the award on behalf of the
membership of Outpost 60 from John Burke. Another member who had already
received his award is John Burke. John received the Society Service
Award at the National Reunion in Sept.. John received this award for his
outstanding and dedicated service not only to the Society at National
level, but at the local level and to the Sledgehammer Soldiers and their
families. John has also been a big help in assisting in various ways to
the OP Secretary - Treasurer also.
The last award given out was to Bob Bailey, the
Society's Audie Murphy Achievement Award. Bailey has proven his
qualifications for the Audie Murphy Award by his dedication of service
not only to the Society of the Third Infantry Division, but to the
active duty Sledgehammer Soldiers of the Third BCT ( where he serves as
the BCT liaison), and their families. He has assisted in family day
programs while the troops were deployed.
Bob currently serves the Society as its Nomination - Elections Chairman,
Eastern Region Executive Committeeman, Secretary - Treasurer of Outpost
60 for the past 13 years. bob is a Life Member of OP 60
Outpost 63 members and friends would appreciate your
publishing this Outpost Report regarding the death CSM Morris Krepky in
the next “Watch on the Rhine”. The current Outpost 63 leadership has not
responded to information regarding CSM Krepky’s death.
“Morris Krepky, secretary and guiding hand of Outpost 63 for 50 years, was
laid to rest at a moving ceremony on the Fourth of July. The service was
conducted by a Rabbi from Ft. Lewis and an eight-man Guard of Honor.
Morris joined the New York National Guard in 1933, lying about his age
during the Great Depression to earn money for his meals.
He served with the Third Division throughout WWII in
the European Theater and was awarded the Purple Heart. Discharged in 1945,
he made his home in the Tacoma, WA, area, becoming both the Command
Sergeant Major of the Washington National Guard and Fire Chief of Ft.
Lewis.
In the Guard he was the Adjutant General’s chief advisor on enlisted men’s
affairs. He cherished his Third Division associations and received many
awards for his contributions, including most recently the placement of a
15th Infantry plaque at the entrance to Ft. Lewis. He was the motivating
force in the development of a full-scale fire department on Anderson
Island, his home of many years. The station is named for him.
His wife of 64 years, Ruth, resides in an Adult Family Home. Attending the
Independence Day service were his daughter Virginia Frost, her husband, a
grandson and great-grandson, and
members and friends of Outpost 63. Morris leaves his immediate family,
four grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and
cousins. Submitted by Virginia Frost.
Last Spring, the Marne Association Outpost members met in
the Command Conference Center at Ft. Stewart and held OP elections.
Then, the first order of business was to plan a membership drive and to
determine ways to work directly with the Division to support Marne
Soldiers.
Membership & Activities. A new member recruitment campaign has been
initiated and also the OP has begun plans for its involvement in
“Welcome Home” activities to be held at Ft. Stewart when the Division
returns from Iraq. All OP members who want to participate in future
meetings, gatherings, functions and troop support activities are urged
to contact any of the OP officers (see p. 31 Watch on the Rhine for
names and contact info). Everyone is welcome, and notices will be sent
so that everyone can participate.
The MA OP is extremely grateful for some great Americans and great
Society members who have assisted in regenerating the OP in Hinesville,
GA: Chuck Trout, Jim Tiezzi, Rich Heller, Cath Bacon, Dennis Noes and
Jerry Cunningham. The MA OP also extends sincere thanks to James Evans
(Life Member) for his generous donation towards buying sweat suits. ROCK
OF THE MARNE!
Troop Support. In a collaborative effort with the 3ID Rear Detachment (Det.)
Commander, LTC Brian Gale, the OP recently donated 400 Society of the
Third Infantry Division-stenciled sweat suits to help 3rd ID Wounded
Warriors feel a little more comfortable during their first stages of
in-patient status. Since then, LTC Gale received the blessing from MG
Lynch to begin passing out the suits and a shipment has arrived at
Landsthul Military Hospital in Germany for distribution by the
Division’s Liaison to 3rd ID wounded warriors. For those wounded
soldiers that have gone straight to stateside hospitals without stopping
at Landsthul first, the Division Rear Det. has retained a stock of sweat
suits at home station for these great Americans.
In another troop support activity, the OP is determining how to support
a request from the Mrs. Sarah Lynch, the first lady of the 3rd ID, who
has asked for assistance from the Marne Association on purchasing Third
Infantry Division silk-embroidered handkerchiefs which she presents to
the family members during Warriors’ Walk
Tree-Dedication Ceremonies. These handkerchiefs offer comfort during the
very emotional ceremony for the families. In other troop support
activity, OP MA member Ray Egan has met with wounded warriors at the
Winn Army Community Hospital (WACH) and also presented them with Society
sweat suits.
—Cecil Greenwell, S