Willing and Able
News from the 50’s
Rodger... Hi and
happy New Year! I did receive the information on the reunion but as I am
not a past or present officer I did not respond. How is your
winter? Am writing from
PS... Got a nice
note from the Groats at Christmas.
06 February 2009 This note just in from Elroy's Finke’s wife Linda 320-B-53-56.
Rodg
Just wanted to let you guys
know that your Buddy Elroy had a kidney transplant Wednesday night at
9:00. He came out of surgery at 1:30 Thursday morning and is doing
really well. The Donor was a lady and Elroy's only question was, Dr. do I
have to sit down when I go to the bathroom now. He really is doing
remarkable and the kidney seems to be function at this time really well.
Let us pray that it will continue. I will keep you informed of his
progress.
Linda
13 May 2009.
Update on Elroy Finke. I just got off the phone with Elroy and he is doing
great. He was on Dialysis for 8 months prior to the transplant. It has been
over three months since the transplant and no rejections problems so far
10 February 2009 One of the many address updates I receive. This is from Deryl and
Bonnie Roark 320-AAA-55-56. Rodger,
new info
Deryl Roark
derylroark@gmail.com
Phone--305 731-3455
Thanks, Roark
10 February 2009 Howard Wanke SVC Btry 51-54 has sent me several messages asking about
the status of his membership. I found his message filed away in the WRONG FILE.
I have a file for Membership Questions and when I drag and drop the message I
apparently dropped it in the file below and it went unanswered for quite some
time. I finally got back to him and this is Howard’s reply.
Hi Rog,
I have mailed a check to you for $200 Please use $100 to pay my lifetime
dues and the other $100 to help any of our guys that need it.
Best Regards to All.
Howard
My reply:
Howard,
Thanks ever so much for your
Lifetime dues and the donation to help out another 320th Trooper.
Over the last 20+ years we have been sending the Newsletter to a lot of guys
that can’t afford Membership and are down on their luck due to ill health and
other reasons. It is these extra donation’s that really makes all this
possible. Many thanks Howard from Leone and I and all your 320th
Friends
11 February 2009 I received Gene Ramey’s email address (320-SVC-53-55) but he hadn’t
added me to his address book and was being blocked. I called Gene and got his
A/M so left a message for him and this is his reply.
Thanks for the comeback Rodger. We
have a lot in common. I retired from law enforcement after 39 years of service
in 1998 and enjoy sleeping late. I also spent 2 1/2 yrs with SVC
Eugene Ramey 320-SVC-53-55
26 February 2009
I was working on the 50’s SVC
Btry group this morning updating information. I ran across Dale and Charlotte Ducette’s
name and called to check up on
30 April 2009 Edwin
R “Bob” Hart “A” Btry 51/54.
I sent this email to Joyce
Joyce,
I received a phone call a few
minutes ago that Bob had passed away. I'm so sorry to get this news and you and
your family will be in our prayers. I will wait to hear from you
personally before I let the rest of the 320th FA Troopers know.
I tried to call you but the
phone number I have 806-825-2021 has been disconnected. If you have a new phone
number and address please let me know so I can up-date our records and pass
that new info to the Troops as well.
.We would also like to get a
copy of the Obituary for the "Newsletter" or if an On Line version is
available, the address for that. All my information is in my signature below.
Please let me know if you need any names or addresses of Bob's Airborne
Friends.
In "Airborne Spirit and Service"
Rodg
Message from Mrs. Hart
Thank you for your
email. Bob passed away Tuesday morning April 28. Our new number is
903-473-1493. Address is
Thank you so much for your
help.
Joyce Hart
3 March 2009 Hi
Rodger,
Enclosed please find my
$10.00 Money order for my 2009 Association Dues. “How Time Flies”.
I’m interested in the Liberty
Jump Outfit and whatever information you can send me. I’d like to make that
jump in June 2009 in
Thanks,
33 Sawmill Rd
22 April 2009 Update
on Hank and Mary Lou Groat HQ Btry 55/56 from Daughter Kim.
Hi everyone,
The good news is that I haven't written much, if at all, over the last few
months because things were staying pretty level. No major crises to deal with
and no huge improvements.
The not so good news is that both my mom & dad aren't doing as well and are
slowly losing ground at the moment. It seems that as one of them becomes ill it
upsets the other which then makes the second ill as well.
To explain as quickly as possible, Dad is having a good deal of trouble eating
and keeping it down - esophagus is too constricting. We've gone to the hospital
about four times so far to have it worked on and it hasn't helped enough so
far. This Thursday at 6 am, we will go again, please keep him in prayer. The
other issue is that because of the eating problem and being taken on and off
his meds to prep for the procedure this Thursday (as well as in the past) he
seems to be having more of a problem with his heart again. Over the last two
and a half months he had no hits from his pacemaker until yesterday (Tuesday)
and a handful of mini episodes that registered on his pacemaker (think of it as
a black box on an airplane). Also important, he's lost a lot of weight, 18o
lbs.as of late.
Still, I have hope and so does he that he will be able to visit
Mom has issues that are and have been plaguing her for months. Her
arthritis has been a source of continuing pain. Medication doesn't seem to help
and even physical therapy, though helpful for awhile, seems to have lost it's
effectiveness. She needs help walking, getting up and down out of chairs, and
other personal care sometimes. Our concern is that she may need more help than
I can give her by myself. And you know Dad/Hank, he'll try to help her, but
that's a very bad idea because it just weakens him. Her blood sugar is
not staying as level or as low as it needs to be and she is having recurring
fluid retention in her hands and feet. Yesterday Mom & I went to the doctor
about this and he said there is also some fluid in her lungs and he's concerned
that it's her heart.
There is no doubt that the doctors are able to intervene and help
to some amount, but I'm very concerned that we are seeing a progression that
will not be changing course.
Compartmentalizing seems to work the best for me right now, keep
moving, don't feel it, yet. I'm sad but hopeful for every moment they're still
around. I thank God for every day that not only Mom and Dad are here but
also Aunt Marilyn, Carole and all the matriarchs of the Groat family. Just like
Aunt Belle, you guys are a VERY tough act to follow. And I'm not even 50 yet,
so I'm not old enough to take up that mantle!! :)
Love to you all,
Kim
26 June 2009 Update
on Groats from Walt and Joan.
Hi Rodg & Leone,
Hope you guys are well.
We are on our first long trip since giving up the rig. Stopping to visit
Daughter Carol in
We just had lunch with Hank and Mary Lou. They are looking good. Hank has lost
much weight. Both are fragile but doing much better than we expected. Daughter
Kimberly does a great job helping them out. Perhaps we will stop again on
the trip back.
Take care, Walt and Joan Ducharme
06 May 2009 Email
address update from Anthony “Tony” M Sann 320-B-54-56
My new address is lmsann@centurytel.net
01 June 2009 Hello
Rodger & Leone:
Thought we had better
get a note off to you - unfortunately, we will NOT be attending the reunion in
I think, if I'm not
mistaken, that this will be maybe the second time that we have missed the
reunion. Leonard has always looked forward to visiting Ft Campbell,
seeing many of the fellas from the
320th.
We hope that you and
Leone are in good health, do keep in touch.
Faye & Leonard
Kraft
07 July 2009 "C"
Btry 55/56 update on Milt Parsons
I just got off the phone
with Milt Parsons and he has been in bad shape for 1 1/2 years now. He
went on a fishing trip to
He got so bad he had to call
a friend in to take the trash out for him. The friend took one look at Milt and
called 911 and sent him to the Hospital. The Dr told Milt if he had
waited 5 more hours he would have died. He had pneumonia and they later
found cancer. He was treated for the pneumonia and received chemo for the
cancer.
Milt was at home when I
called today but he was out of the house and driving up I-95 when we got done
with the call. I'm glad to report he is much better at this time. He is
planning on attending the reunion if no other setbacks take place.
Rodg
11 July 2009 From
Mrs. Geraldine Dabbs
My husband, Hubert Dabbs
passed away on the second of July. He had been on dialysis for six years and
fought many problems. He started at the age of 75 and would have been 81 in
Oct. He had colon cancer and had surgery in June of 2008. He never fully
recovered for he had CHF, diabetes and renal failure. He was buried at the
Mrs.Geraldine Dabbs
18718
201-404-0567
News from the 60’s and 70’s
24 Feb 2009 I
received this note from
Enclosed is my Membership
Dues of ten dollars.
Thank you for continuing to
send me the Association Newsletter and keeping my address and phone number
confidential.
24 February, 2009 John
Graham just sent me this message. We all need to keep Larry Engardio in our prayers.
He is battling cancer.
This is Larry's info.
Engardio, William L
"Larry" AKA “Hill Jack”.
RR
276-498-4128
A/2/320/65/66
Sarge, I guess you have been
wondering where I have been. I have been going to VA in
Larry
03 March 2009 From
Thanks for
including me in your distribution.
I would like to
add a "Remembrance"
As you know the
LOH (Low Observation Helicopter) included:
Capt. Michael Lee
Woodside HHB 2/320 field artillery 101 Abn div.-- Aerial Observer. The
cobra works with a LOH and the team identifies and attacks the
enemy. Mike was doing Aerial Reconnacence for the Cobra. And
after the Cobra crashed, he attempted rescue and was also shot down. and
Capt. Lyle John
Thimpson, Battery C, 2/138 Artillery, Kentucky National Guard attached to 101
Abn Div.
Lt Billy Gene
Creech,
God Bless
Bucky
15 May 2009
Update on Larry Engardio from John Graham.
I just got a call from Larry Engardio he had
his surgery the 13th of May and thinks he will get to go home the 15th
and will start his Chemo soon after that. He was feeling very good.
Graham, John F
23 June
2009 Edmund L Audelo
I called Edmund again and had a nice
visit. I was reading the "after action report" on sad hill and
checking the data base to see that all named personnel were listed.
I have questions about a first name and middle
initial for the Battery Medic PFC Rothwell.
Where was he from and who knew him? He had to
bunk somewhere and someone must have seen him for treatment at some time.
As far as I can recollect this is the first
time I heard of PFC Rothwell.
According to the (After Action Report On Sad
Hill) and I quote, "PFC Rothwell had moved throughout
23 June 2009 From David Pilling
I knew PFC Rothwell. He was the medic on
Sad Hill and after, but I will try to look for his first name.
I thought he bunked
with the FDC, but am not for sure. I may have a picture of him, I
will check.
David Pilling
From Mike Pugh
Hi Roger
I met up Ed (Edward Audelo) after he came back from the hospital and he
introduced me to a medic. This was after Sad Hill and before I went south with
'D'
Mike Pugh
From David Flood
Hello Roger,
I didn't know
you where looking for Rothwell. I tried to locate him in
John Francis Rothwell
Service Number: US 51598731
I got this info off a copy of
Rothwell's DD214.
Date of Birth: 8 May 46
Date Inducted: 7 Jul 66
John's
Rank was Spc4
On one of my
visits with Webster Anderson he told me how Rothwell saved his life. Rothwell
was tending to Webster's wounds as the grenades kept coming in. Rothwell was
holding an IV bottle in the air and trying to shield Webster from the grenade
blasts with his own body. Webster was bleeding out and assumed he was going to
die. He tried pushing Rothwell off of him and to crawl away. Rothwell flipped
Webster over each time and continued to shield him. Rothwell was also there at
the bombing on
Dave Flood
Balls of the Eagle
From Rodg
The first thing I did
when I received Dave Floods info is run Johns SS Number (I removed Johns SS #
from this info) through the SSDI (Social Security Death Index) and he does
not come up. Normally this means he is still alive however I can't find a trace
of him yet. I also checked his Birthday and Last Name in SSDI with the same
results.
I next used the old
address from Dave’s info and got in contact with Helen Stangland that
lives in the house in CT that they bought from Johns
parents. She knew that Johns Mom and Dad moved to CT. and that both have passed
away now.
Helen gave me the
name of Fay Risley an old neighbor and friend of the family from CT. I talked
to Fay this AM and she knew that John had a sister but thinks she has also
passed away. She has no info on John at all.
Fay also gave me
info on a Janet Harris in
As far as to whom we are looking for!!!!
We are looking for
anyone that ever served with the 320th Field Artillery at any time period. We
have a group of 50 guys that served in the 320th in
I do hope many of you come to
this
24
June 2009 I received a call today
from Janet Harris and she gave me the phone number for John’s brother
Michael. I'm sorry to report that John passed away about ten years ago of
cancer due to Agent Orange. Michael will send me some pictures and the obituary
which I will have scanned and send to you.
At
this point in time we have no explanation why Johns death does not show up in
the SSDI (Social Security Death Index) but Michael confirmed that John did pass
away.
Michael is an artist and travels a lot
visiting with his children in the states of WA and CO but said he will be at
home most of this summer. He would be glad to talk to any of you that would
like to give him a call. We have Michael on the roster now to receive the
Newsletter. His info is:
Michael Rothwell
Roque Bluffs, ME 04654-3220
207-255-8462
I’m not going to use email
messages from the Berlin Redlegs this time. I’m going to fill you in on what I
know about them. They are a large group that have been with us a very short
time, just since our last reunion.
Several attempts have been
made at organizing them through a website by SFC Brian Lucke, also Face Book
and Yahoo Groups with a lot of success. They were in the process of talking
about a reunion when we came on the scene and we already had a date set up for
our next reunion.
We invited them to join us
and we recently received a list of 30 that said they would attend our
Leone and I went to
The Berlin Redlegs are
scattered all over the
Some of our new friends are
having a tough time with finances and are having trouble making a decent
living. One Berlin Redleger has been sending a donation to the 320th
Association almost every month to help his buddies that are less fortunate. He
says that he can afford to do this and is his way of taking care of his
friends.
Present Day Troops
The Following Photo and
Article is courtesy of the Galena Gazette, Local Newspaper in
Lt. Col. Martin Holland, a 1982 graduate of
Homecoming!
by Jay
Dickerson
SCALES MOUND, IL "This was a library when I went to school. It is good to
be back here," said Lt. Col. Martin Holland, a smile on his face and the honors and awards he's
received on his dress uniform, as he spoke to students during his return to
Scales Mound schools last week.
And the students had questions:
What are those patches on your shirt?
Did you see any spiders?
Was it fun to jump out of a plane with a parachute?
He's a West Point graduate and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, when he
served in
After that, he completed graduate school at the
In between it all, he was stationed at forts-Fort Monmouth,
He eventually went to
Their primary mission: train Iraqi army, police and security forces so they can
secure their own country.
"We had to ID which places were important, so we knew which places to
guard," he said.
Watermelon grows well there.
"
The American soldiers and the Iraqi security forces got along well. "Every
day I went and worked with Iraqis and made a lot of good friends. They'll run a
good country where the laws are enforced and people don't get hurt."
Along with work went training. Soldiers training once a week, be it either
first aid, or on tanks.
It wasn't all work, though.
When he enlisted, he thought he'd only stay five years. The Army is his home,
as much as Scales Mound. Through the Army, he enjoys what he's doing, his
career is rewarding and his family likes it, too. He and his wife have children
in fourth and eighth grade.
And, in response to the question asked by one of the Scales Mound Junior High
students, it was fun to jump out of a plane. It was tranquil.
On the plane, the engine's loud, but when you jump out, and the chute deploys,
"It seemed like everything was just quiet," said Holland, in front of
the students, with the honors and awards he's received on his dress uniform,
and a smile on his face.
12 May 2009
Request to help a Fallen 4/320th Trooper’s
Family
I am writing to you in need of help for a fallen 4/320
Field Artillery soldier’s family. Spc. Jeremy Gullett was killed in
Coming up on May 29th 2009 there is a 506th Infantry memorial
in Fort Campbell and Gold Star Family luncheon in which Jeremy will be honored
along with my husband SSG Kevin Roberts (2/506th Infantry) as they were
attached to each other this deployment and gave their lives together on May
7th.
I am asking if there is any way possible to get them
some assistance to attend the memorial. Due to financial difficulties and
trying to maintain the business they are unable to attend. I really appreciate
your consideration in this matter. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Donnice Roberts
Proud wife of SSG Kevin C. Roberts
KIA
Editors Note:
We checked with the
Association Officers and received permission to send a check. This is a letter
from Jeremy’s mom.
22 July 2009 Mr.
Jacobson,
It was a pleasant surprise
hearing from you. We had no idea who really made it possible for us to attend
the ceremony at
Sergeant Wanless and SFC
Berger drove all they way here to Kentucky to get us , and when we arrived back
at Ft. Campbell took us around and showed us the base where my son spent time
there getting ready for deployment. In a small way made us feel closer to our
son.
Not only did we make it there
for the Ceremony but they took us to the Military Ball at the Opryland Hotel.
It was a wonderful time where they honored all the comrades they have lost in
There is one more thing you
should know, on the one year mark of my precious sons death several of the
young solders in my sons unit that were there that awful day surprised us by
showing up on my doorstep to show their heart felt respect for my son Jeremy.
They asked to visit his grave sight and it was an honor for us to do so with
them.
They shared some stories of my son from
Here are the names and email addresses of some
of the soldiers in Jeremy’s unit that you wanted. I hope it helps, although I
know a lot of them have been split up and sent to other parts of the country.
My husband and I will do our best to attend the ceremony that you are planning,
thank you for the invite.
Sgt. Aaron Wanless phone #
832-279-2851 (awan822504@yahoo.com)
SFC. Jeremy Berger
931-217-8997 (jeremy3x25@yahoo.com)
SSG Jeremiah Turner
931-302-8256 (currently stationed at Schofield
Barracks, HI)
SPC. Kyle Warren
817-223-8546
I hope these will be helpful
in your venture. God bless you for all you do in helping families such as mine.
Thank you again. With much respect Cheryl Gullett, Mother of
Specialist Jeremy R Gullett
Taps
Robert “Wade” Sessions
24 Feb 1922-17 Nov 2007
WWII and 320/A/55/56 Lifetime Member
Wade’s widow Louise is in a
Nursing home with Alzheimer’s
Jonathon Sessions, Grandson
contact info is:
573-443-1555
Taps
Lt Leroy Lance 16 June 1922-19 Jan 2008
A”
Btry 320 GFA WWII Goodland, KS
Joe V Paduck 07 May 1935- 24 Mar 2008
“B” Btry 320 55/56
M/Sgt Ret Hubert L Dabbs Oct. 10, 1928/Jul. 2, 2009
Born in
“C” Btry 320
51/53
Edwin R “Bob” Hart
Passed away Tuesday morning April 28, 2009
“A” Btry WWII Glider Field Artillery
I now have in my hands a WWII
Glider Field Artillery “A” Battery Roster with home town addresses on it. It
must have been given to me by one of the original 320th GFA guys we
found many years ago. It has home town addresses on 140 of the guys that served
in “A” Btry 320 GFA from 42/45. I have just completed adding all these guys to
the data base and have started searching for them.
Many of these WWII Veterans
are now deceased but a few I have visited with are Richard A Frisby from
I called and talked to Edward
J Schnetzler from
I received my yearly call
from Carlton Johnson again this year. I was having trouble hearing
I also stopped in
Webmaster Notes July 2009
Well, another two years have passed and how the time
has flown. Can we not all remember back
when as children an adult would say to us something like, “Just wait, you’ll
see; time will fly by the older you get!”
Man, were they RIGHT! Time for
another
Two years since we put the website online! I hope it has done some good for some of you
in helping you keep in touch with a buddy, or finding a resource you needed, or
maybe just seeing a picture of an old friend.
I do what I can with everything you send me. I would ask that you send more pictures from
the past – or present (please identify people and places where you can and send
along a commentary). If there are links that are helpful to you and you think
others could benefit from them let me know and I’ll put it on the web. If you have stories or contacts with buddies
it doesn’t have to wait for a Newsletter.
We can establish our own online Newsletter for posting up to date news
about you, your family, your unit, buddies; just about anything.
The 320th Website was established so that
we could have a better and faster way to communicate within our
organization. I took on the job of
Webmaster because no one else volunteered….or maybe it was that everyone else
took a step backward except me. Anyhow,
there are people in the 320th org who are very familiar with website
authoring. As a matter of fact, one of
our members even won an award for Systems Engineer of the Year a few years
ago. So, even though our website has
been authored by an amateur, me, it will likely stay in the same basic format
unless and until someone steps forward who has more expertise in the field than
I do. But, it still can be used very
effectively for its designated purpose meanwhile without a lot of glitz and
glitter. If any of you who are the
experts would like to help make the website better than it is now and volunteer
your time to do the work, not just give advice, I sure would be happy for the
help.
Your Webmaster Tom “Waldo” Walinski