THE COMMUNICATOR - 97th Signal Battalion Association

THE COMMUNICATOR
97th Signal Battalion Association
For Those Who Served 1942 to 1993
Published three times per
year: Issue 3, October 2011
The Communicator
Issued to members of the
97th Signal Battalion Association
as an informational guide
to activities of the Association,
and to further the comradeship
between active members; not
only for now but also in the
future.
Newsletter
publication dates:
The Newsletter will appear
three (3) times a year:
February, June and October.
Deadline for news etc.
1 Feb. 1. June 1 Oct. 1
Many members can also
read/print the newsletter online.
Those members without
a computer will receive a hard
copy. computer access will
receive a paper copy in the
mail.
Communication:
Secretary/Treasurer:
James A. Dykes,
1167 Oak Knoll Court,
Folsom, CA 95630
Tel.: (916) 984-4634
E-mail: 97sigbnsectrea@pacbell.net
Newsletter Co-editors
Walt & Melitta Fort
1048 Buckingham Dr.
Allentown, PA 18103-9785
Tel: (610)740-0808
E-mail: wmf97@rcn.com
Visit our Website:
www.97thsigbn.org
Our new WEBMASTER:
Jay Horvitz
jmhorvitz@comcast.net
President’s Message…
Hi Fellow Members,
Hope this finds all of you in as good HEALTH as POSSIBLE
since our last Newsletter.
We have welcomed back into our fold William Mitchell
and his wife. I only wish there were more.
I really feel sorry for all those people who have suffered
through the floods and intemperate weather. It‘s been a
tough year all around. Hopefully, Fall will bring some
good weather for all of us.
I want to remind all of you to send a short note to five
members who did not come to our last gathering in Rapid
City, and remind them of our next reunion in Myrtle
Beach next May.
What do you think about all this pre-election BS that is
going on We can only hope and pray that it will work out
for the best.
Well, that is about all I have to offer for now.
Take care and may God bless us all.
T&T
Happy Holidays to all :
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, and...
Any other holidays you celebrate.
President
A ndré A rceneaux
1

Administrative Notices/News
Attention
Please, send any
administrative news items
pertaining to memberships, change of addresses
(incl. e-mail), illnesses, deaths
notices...
only to :
Secretary/Treasurer: James Dykes
1167 Oak Knoll Court,
Folsom, CA 95630
Tel.: 916-984-4634
E-mail:
97sigbnsectrea@pacbell.net
Please, No Jokes and other Spam!!!
The Communicator ONLINE
How to read the current & older
NEWSLETTERS
http://www.97thsigbn.org/communicator
No password needed
Our new Webmaster:
Jay Horvitz; jmhorvitz@comcast.net
ACHTUNG:
Our Newsletter is available online; see above
The hard copies will be printed and sent out
by a new printing company.
The quality and service will be very much improved.
We also welcome our new
Webmaster: Jay Horvitz; e-mail: jmhorvitz@comcast.net
Association Financial Status
Period July 9 through August $10, 2011
Beginning Balance 07/09/11 $13, 50071
Total Deposits $ 40.00
Total Debits $ 962.18
Ending Balance
$12,578.53
Benevolence Fund $1,650.00
included in the ending balance
J. Dykes
To all Members:
We have been the Communicator Editors since 2000.
After 12 years, we have decided to resign from this
position.
The February and June editions will be our last issues.
It has been enjoyable - and also challenging sometimes,
but we took pride in producing a good Newsletter that
kept everyone informed about events, Association business,
and other newsworthy items.
We hope, other members will assume the position and
continue to keep the troops informed.
T&T
Walt & Melitta Fort
2

Welcome Back
Reactivated Member:
William H. & Margaret Mitchell
1521 W. Palmetto Fort
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464;
ROC 54-56 ;
further inf. Page 15
New
Members
We hope to see you at the
2012 Reunion in Myrtle Beach
Where in the World…
Finding 97th Army Buddies
Eugene Darmstedter is the Association
Membership Chairman. He asks that
each of us reach back in our memory
bank and come up with some names from
those days when we were in Germany. It’s
important to find more of our younger
guys who served from 1965 and later. We
have to use any type of search available
to us.
You may send names to Eugene via:
Tel: (716) 822-2380
E-mail: marygene@roadrunner.com
US Mail:
Eugene Darmstedter
4 Sunrise Drive
Blasdell, NY 14219
LAST NAME, MI. FIRST NAME ADDRESS DOB ASN
3

ill members…
...keep in touch
Taps
These members are ill, and
would appreciate cards, phone
calls, e-mails, etc.
We hope, many are on the way
to recovery, and/or are well
again!!!
John Kilburn
Manual Ortiz
Richard Holliday
George Zentner
Charlie Hornsby
Raymond Brown
If a member hears of another ill
member, please notify
Jimmy Dykes who will contact
Andy Whitton, so that he may
send get well wishes on behalf
of the Association.
Let’s all get/stay well
and
keep in touch!!!
Request :
We know that the families of
the ill members are often
overwhelmed with caring for
their spouse, family member
or a friend.
We think, the membership
would like to know how they
are doing, and we would like
to publish an update
every now and then in the
newsletter.
Rosie Roberts
Our longtime official CP room
hostess and all–around
helper has health problem,
and cannot attend any
reunions. Let her know, you
are thinking of her.
Remembering our
Comrades who
have taken their
Last Retreat
Francis J. LeBlanc, Aug. 20, 2010
Charles H. Keasler, no date
Claude B. Ross, May 4, 2011
David Secor, Sept. 7, 2011;
(He asked his granddaughter for this
message to be sent to everyone: ―The
old son of a bitch is finally gone!‖)
We also would like to remember our
Members’ spouses who passed away:
Johanna Young, wife of John Young
10/11/2010
“ Grow old with me,
the best is yet to be.”
Robert Browning
Ersilia and Ray Brandoli
celebrated their
60th Wedding Anniversary
in June 2011.
Congratulations
Anybody else have
an Anniversary
coming up
Please, let us know!
4

R
E
U
N
I
O
N
S
We need more
helping hands with the
reunions: hosting
duties in the CP room,
etc.
Please consider being
a HOST for a reunion in the
years ahead. It’s never too
early!
If two or three members
get together to hold a reunion,
it would be so much
easier for everyone. The
more the merrier; it’s less
of a burden just for one
host, and can be lots of fun,
too.
By helping with some of the
tasks—like serving on the
reunion committee—
members will feel more
involved in the future of the
Association!
Get in touch with
Bob Sentell for
Guidelines.
Mark Your Calendars!
National Reunion
2012
being hosted by
Jonnie Albritton
At Myrtle Beach SC
Landmark Resort
May 6-12
Make your
Reservations early!
The Association has
established a ―BENEVOLENCE
FUND‖. This fund is used for any
of our members who are unable
to attend our reunions because of
financial considerations.
Should any of our comrades
wish to attend the reunions,
please contact our Benevolence
Fund Coordinators: Gilbert L.
MacDonald (El Paso, TX) or
Robert A. Sentell (St. Helen, MI).
Any information regarding this
plan is treated as ―Confidential‖,
and not made available to the
general membership.
If any member is aware of another
member being in need of
such assistance, please notify
one of the Fund Coordinators.
If a member who needs such
service, can arrive in the reunion
city, we will assist with the lodging
and banquet.
The Motto is: ― The Spirit of the
97th is Alive and Well‖.
Thank you!!!
Room Rates:
Single/Double Occupancy Rates plus Tax
Interior Hotel rooms: $50.00 per night
Ocean View rooms: $60.00 per night
Oceanfront rooms: $70.00 per night
Oceanfront Efficiencies: $72.00 per night
King Angle Ocean view
suites:
$70.00 per night
Double Angle Ocean view
Suites:
$72.00 per night
Oceanfront Suites: $75.00 per night
Deluxe Oceanfront Suites $80.00 per night
These rates are guaranteed during
the Reunion as well as five days
prior and after the Reunion.
Make reservations at 800-845-0658
and identify yourself as a member of
the 97th Sig. Association
Cut off date April 7, 2012
If your family needs to get in touch
with you please call: 843-448-9441
As of this date a Salt Water Marsh Explorer Cruise and a Historic City of Georgetown Tour are
planned. There will also be a Casino Boat for the Gamblers - to be planned by the individuals;
prices will be available at the Resort.
Shows information will be posted in the February Newsletter.
Registration and other information will be posted in the February Newsletter.
5

We really would like to publish Your Story; Please consider it!
We have had a few contributions in the Newsletter from some of our members about
their military service, especially those who have been in Germany during WWII.
It is so important to hear about members’ experiences which shaped their lives. Most have a
great reservoir of stories that would be interesting to the group.
We have published several of those accounts so far, and hope, it will be a regular feature with
many willing subjects. We invite any comments/suggestions.
If possible, we would like to do oral interviews (at the reunions would be a good opportunity),
but we have a mail-in form for written responses because some members are not able to attend
the reunions.
Below is the format for the interviews, and serves as a guideline for members to think about
when they are being interviewed or write their story. (It was formerly called Story Time).
Guide— line Questions
Why did you join, and how old were you
What was your occupation at the time
Where did you have your basic training, and other additional training
What and where was/were your assignments)
Why were you in the 97th Sig Bn
What was your experience in Europe and/or other parts of the world
When, where, how long
Where were you at the end of the war (if you are of that generation)
When did you come home
What did you do after you returned home
Looking back, what impact did this experience have on your future
Any additional information is welcome. We also would like pictures in uniform and a recent
photograph (original prints if possible for better reproduction; we will return them as soon as
possible.).
Page 6
Newsletter Title
6

My Story
By Ray Brandoli
The 97th Signal Battalion Association
is made up of former members of the U.S. Army who
served in Germany. Following WWII.
For many years, members have been requested to document
their individual experiences for the Association‘s
Archives, under the title ―My Story‖.
I never responded because I personally felt that there was
nothing noteworthy about my experiences.
Even though I have been giving an interesting talk over
the years, of conditions that existed in America during
WWII, and in Germany after the war, it was not until recently
that I realized that MY STORY might be interesting
to others after all. This certainly was an extremely important
time in history.
For those who served with me, this is as much their Story
as it is mine.
I dedicate ―MY STORY‖ to my good friends of the 97th Signal
Battalion Association and to my wonderful family, especially
my grandchildren.
I hope this Story, if nothing else, will give them a better
insight into:
Service in the Military.
The US Army of occupation experience in Germany.
The Injustice of discrimination.
How history provides great hope for the future.
Raymond A. Brandoli
―C‖ Troop/VHF Radio 97th Signal Battalion
Third Army
Lagarde Kaserne Bamberg, Germany Bavaria
97th Signal School Instructor
―C‖ Troop Signal Supply Sergeant
Service in U.S. Army October 1945 to December 1946
U.S. Army of Occupation, Germany,
March 1946 to November 1946
U.S. Constabulary Squadron beginning July 1946
Rank achieved July 1946 T/3 (4 Stripes)
Memberships: Veterans of Foreign Wars and The American
Legion
My Hometown was Springfield, Massachusetts,
home of the great Springfield
Armory where the famous
―Springfield‖ and the ―Garand‖ Gas
operated M-1 Rifles were developed.
Due to a quirk in the Springfield school system I enrolled
in Worcester Polytechnic Institute, with a scholarship, at
the early age of 16, to study Mechanical Engineering.
With no summer vacations during the war, and by requesting
my draft board be moved from Springfield to
Worcester (which delayed my induction by 3 months),
I was able to enter the Army at age 18, with 2 full years of
Engineering College. As it turned out this had a big effect
on my short career in the Army.
My 4 months of basic infantry training at Ft. McClellan,
Alabama began in October 1945, with the war having
just ended in June.
Coming from New England, where I was used to Winter
temperatures, which were regularly below freezing, I
expected the winter in Alabama, temperature wise, to
be a breeze. As it turned out, the steady, cold humid air,
hovering around 32 degrees, made it the most uncomfortable
winter of my life. Living outdoors, from sun up
to sun down, and many times through the night, I was
always chilled to the bone, even though I wore every bit
of winter clothing I owned.
A large contingent of our training battalion was of Japanese
descent from Hawaii. At that time, while Hawaii was
a territory and not one of our states, it‘s citizens were
Americans. These Japanese Americans were a great, fun
loving group. Coming from the pleasant climate of Hawaii,
the cold, damp weather was a real problem for
them.
Early in the war, our enemy, the Japanese, gained the
reputation as ruthless, sadistic warriors. A ―Jap‘ submarine
shelled one of our major cities on the West Coast. In
addition, they floated thousands of incendiary paper balloons,
via the prevailing west to east to west winds, into
the thick forests of the Pacific Northwest, where many
harmless fires were started.
Cont‘d next page
Page 7
Newsletter Title
7

Immediately following the loss of a good part of our Naval
Fleet at Pearl harbor, the Japanese began conquering most of
the islands in the Pacific, all down to Australia, including the
Philippines.
One of the most frightening things that happened, only six
months after Pearl Harbor, was the landing of 2500 crack Japanese
troops on the beaches of Kiska and Attu, the western
most point of the Aleutian chain of Islands in Alaska.
The only Americans available to respond to this invasion were
Army troops training in California for desert warfare. They
were immediately sent, with only desert clothing to wear, to
one of the worst climates in North America.
Many thousands of Americans, Canadians and Russians fought
on land, at sea, and in the air. Scores of ships, aircraft and
thousands of lives were lost to dislodge the Japanese over a 15
months period. It was the only campaign of WWII fought on
American soil.
The psychological effect of this invasion, so close to home, was
devastating. The cumulative effect of all these incidents resulted
in a distorted fear of all Japanese by all Americans.
This led to one of the blackest periods in American history. All
Americans of Japanese descent in the USA, on the West coast,
were taken out of their homes and imprisoned in internment
camps. Their homes and property were confiscated.
This was a terrible injustice, and it was only recently that Congress
passed a law awarding token payments to the families of
this victims.
During basic training, our formations were required to line up
by descending height. Consequently, because of their short
stature, the Hawaiians (J/A‘s: Japanese Americans) were always
at the tail end of all lines.
On long hikes, where each man was required to stick close to
the man ahead of him, the J/A‘s were victims of the ―accordion
effect‖ which occurs at the tail end of a long column of walking
men. They would find themselves, one minute running the
fastest they could to keep up, and the next minute coming to a
complete standstill, waiting for the column to string out again.
Ten miles of this running and stopping, with a full pack on your
back, the 8 pound M-1 rifle over your shoulder, a heavy ammunition
belt around your waist, your helmet falling off at
times, and the training cadre screaming at you continuously,
to ―close up‖, did not help your disposition. The J/A‘s were
angry, frustrated and exhausted during these exercises.
They also suffered badly in the hand to hand combat exercises.
While they were strong and wiry, the were at a big disadvantage
in wrestling and bayonet fighting due to their small
size. This had to have been the case in actual combat in the
Pacific.
Overall, all of the training was high grade; intense and
thorough. If you paid attention and followed instructions ,
you learned how to do things right.
Weapons training was a good example. I had never fired a
rifle in my life. We spent weeks and weeks dry firing the
M-1 rifle in all positions; prone, kneeling, standing and
squatting. All adjustments for instance, elevation and
windage and the exact position of each bullet hole in the
target was recorded in my log. At the end of training I was
called into the C.O.‘s office and split a $25.00 prize for first
place with another trainee, who had years of rifle training
competition behind him. I give credit to the Army for their
training. I just followed the training procedures.
I cannot close out this basic training section without mentioning
my first introduction to the young men of the deep
South, who were in my training battalion. They were from
Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. Just about
everything about them took me completely by surprise.
They were still fighting Civil War, partly in jest, but partly
in all seriousness. We Northerners were called ―Yankees‖
and they proudly called themselves ―Rebels‖. They had
unbelievable contempt and hatred of all ―Negros‖
Upon first meeting them, they were ―Hillbillies‖ to me.
I soon got to know them well. They turned out to be a fun
loving, irreverent wild bunch who loved their country music.
In spite of brutal, strenuous training every day, we usually
did some serious wrestling with each other during the 10
minute breaks, instead of resting. They were in good shape
and tough.
In the exercises to crawl, run and attack I was usually
picked to be the leader. We did that for hours in open
fields. While we were under observation at all times, we
could ―dog it‖ by lying down and resting, more than getting
up, running and attacking. Thoroughly enjoying this
game to Cowboys and Indians, I was always a bit over zealous
at the expense of my squad of nine rebels. Consequently,
we were on the move without too much rest. They
yelled , threatened and swore at me the whole time, and
I just laughed all the while.
One other aspect of my first exposure to the Deep South,
which must be mentioned, is my shock at the way black
people were treated in town. Many of my best friends in
my neighborhood at home and in high school were black
and I never thought anything of it.
In Anniston, Alabama, ―Whites Only‖ signs were everywhere,
on drinking fountains, public toilets, etc.
The black people were not allowed in the front of the
buses. The whites were always on their case to push to the
rear of the bus. The black people had to give way on the
sidewalks, and in many instances had to cross over to the
other side of the road.
If you were a Northerner you had to fall in line with the
customs or you would be in serious trouble. A few times -
on impulse—I began to offer my seat to an elderly black
lady, and then realized my mistake.
Cont.‘d next page
Page 8
Newsletter Title
8

But like everything in life, these bad experiences always serve
a purpose. When the Civil Rights Movement began in America,
I fully understood the reasons behind it.
What I never could understand, was the difference in the ability
of the Southerner to display that wonderful, warm, ―Southern
Hospitality‖ one minute to whites, and the next minute demonstrate
such ugly hate and mistreatment of Blacks.
I recently listened to an interview of a black WWII Army veteran
who was stationed in the States at a German POW camp.
Because they were white, the Germans lined up for chow ahead
of the black American soldiers.
Moving on, upon completion of combat training, we travelled by
train to New York Harbor via Fort Dix, New Jersey for Embarkation
to join the U.S. Army of Occupation in Germany. The mindset
of us young Americans, heading for Germany, was interesting.
From ages 14 to 18 years we lived through 4 years of WWII.
These were 4 years of fear, especially for the young.
We had all taken part, as boy scouts, in repeated black-out air
raid drills; lights of all big cities on the seacoast, such as Boston
and New York, were blacked out at night time. From the shores
of New Jersey, American oil tankers attacked by German submarines,
could be burning and sinking; 56 ships were sunk in
one year in the Gulf of Mexico; German spies coming ashore in
New England were captured; all the major countries in Europe
were falling like a deck of cards to the German military machine,
which could not be stopped.
In addition to the above, radio programs, newspapers, magazines,
movies, cartoons and comedians continually reinforced
how powerful and evil the Germans were; particularly the Nazis.
The continuous, repetitive message during my teens influenced
me to hate everything German, including the language, the music
and the German people themselves. Interestingly, we never
felt that way about our German-American friends.
So, even though we were headed for Germany as Victors, the
years of fear and hatred were foremost in my mind.
The trip on the Lehigh Victory Troop Ship, by way of the North
Atlantic in Mid-Winter, was a very interesting but miserable experience.
The chow line and sleeping quarters were in the hold
of the ship. Our bunks were stacked 4 or 5 high with hardly
enough room to roll over. While everything was clean, the smell
was sickening. Many of us spent the day on deck in the bitter
cold.
The waves were enormous. The bow of the ship rose up, out of
the water and then plunged downward into the next wave. When
the bow was up, the stern dipped underwater by about 3 feet at
the railing. When the stern rose out of the water, the propeller
started to over speed and the ship vibrated from bow to stern.
This went on day after day.
Our Lehigh was only 9 month old. While it was not impressive to
look at, it had a displacement of 15,000 tons and was very powerful
and fast. It was powered by two 6,60 Horsepower steam
turbines which drove the ship at 17 knots, as well as a 4,000
horsepower reversing turbine.
I was deathly sick the entire 13 days at sea. I felt that we
travelled more miles up and down than forward. I thanked
the Lord that I did not join the Navy.
Abandon ship drills were conducted regularly. We were
warned that the Atlantic was still a dangerous place for
shipping because there were still a number of rogue mines
that had broken away from their moorings and were floating
free. The drills to abandon ship were not too reassuring.
I began to understand why torpedoed troop ships
went down all with all hands on board. It was not a good
feeling.
Our Ship finally arrived at Le Havre, France on March 1946.
The harbor was littered with sunken ships of all kinds. The
waterfront buildings were destroyed. It seemed the whole
population of adults, children and infants faced us at the
dock, hands waving, pleading for food, soap, candy, cigarettes,
etc. I later learned that the items were not necessarily
consumed but were sold or exchanged on the black
market to great advantage.
On the day of arrival we were dispersed to one of the
many ―Cigarette Camps‖, to await train transportation to
Germany. I waited at Camp Phillip Morris. It was damp and
cold. The French citizens were allowed to pick garbage
throughout the camp. It was disheartening to see families,
including children of all ages, scantily clothed, virtually in
rags, scavenging. But it was a bonanza for them.
After four days our train arrived for the trip, via Paris, to
Germany. Our passenger train had unheated cars but
somehow had an open fire on a landing outdoors. As it
turned out I never got anywhere near that fire.
At all the train stops through France and Germany I saw the
same conditions that existed at the docks and at the cigarette
camps; civilian populations who where badly in need
of food and clothing, as well as the other basic essentials of
life, begging for food.
It was during this arrival in war torn Europe, that I first
learned that there was not a more generous person than
an American G.I.
CONT.‘D NEXT PAGE
Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 9
9

The Repl. Depot (Replacement Depot) I arrived at, was located
in Bamberg, Germany, Bavaria, about 25 kilometers
north of Nürnberg. It was here that various Army Units
cherry picked the new replacements to replace combat
veterans, who were beginning to leave in large numbers.
Officers of the 97th Signal Battalion arrived, and only interviewed
recruits who had at least a high school education. I
was selected because of my 2 years of engineering college.
Needless to say, that same day I was transported to the Lagarde
Kaserne, home of the 97th, in Bamberg.
At the 97th, after a second interview by another team of officers,
I was ―asked‖ to teach in a new Battalion Signal
School. Being a timid person at that time, and a little frightened,
I replied with a ―thank you‖. One hour later a stack of
manuals were delivered to my room, at which time I was
informed that I would be teaching ―Algebra‖ and
―Fundamentals of Electricity‖ to all new members of the
97th.
The teaching turned out to be a great experience. In addition,
I got to meet all the guys who eventually became VHF
radio operators some of whom I visited out at their stations,
all around the American Military Zone.
To my surprise, Instructing came easy to me. It did take a
while to get used to the officers; they came into the rear of
the classroom, stood singly or in groups, to observe, and
then left. This was very intimidating at first, but I soon got
used to it. All during the teaching period, I would teach in
the morning, and then in the afternoon, prepare my lessons
for the following day. Weekdays I was only required to
stand reveille in the morning and assembly before evening
chow.
In July, 1946, the U.S. Constabulary was formed. Overnight,
30,000 soldiers became ―Constabulary Troopers‖, members
of a new elite ―Lightening Bolt‖ Soldiers/Police force.
We had yellow scarves, colorful helmets and polished
boots.
Our motto was ―Mobility, Vigilance and Justice.‖The Purpose
was to control strategic borders, suppress riots and
Guerilla action; seize contraband, and in general address
occupation problems which weren‘t going well. This was
the last Army organization ever to use horses.
American news media headlines of ―American Bungling in
Germany‖, were extremely critical of the President and the
Military, for mishandling the Peace; just as it is now, relating
to Iraq.
First of all, ―Denazification‖ was not proceeding well. Just
six months before I arrived, General Patton lost command of
his 3rd Army Because he kept too many Nazis in Power; in
spite of Eisenhower‘s order to purge them, Patton felt the
whole system would collapse if leaders were taken out too
quickly.
Pockets of resistance by Nazi‘s existed into 1947. Some 40
American soldiers were killed during that period. During
my weekend hitchhiking throughout the American Zone, I
was warned to be very careful in Nürnberg and Munich.
Most of Nürnberg was declared ―off limits‖.
Secondly, the U>S> was unable to adequately feed the German
population. We were unable to maintain even 1000
calories per day. Badly needed Army truck drivers, including
those of the 97th, were assigned to assist the Germans to
harvest their crops of potatoes, turnips, etc. Because German
farmers were not even allowed to own weapons for
hunting, the wild boar population grew out of control. They
became a serious threat to the underfed population by consuming
the crops before they could be harvested.
To pick up their food, the German people stood in long lines
every day, hour after hour. Each line was for a different type
of food, such as vegetables, flour, and meat on occasion.
(It wasn‘t until August of 1946, almost a year and a half after
Germany surrendered, that the first shipments of whole milk
from Denmark only for expectant mothers, children under
sixteen and hospital patients.)
At the same time, G.I.‘s had a field day hunting for deer,
wild boar and water fowl. Much of the game was given to
local farmers in the villages. I went duck and deer hunting
with some combat vets of the 97th, and on the way back to
Bamberg, we turned over our game to a German farmer. I
also went boar hunting on the estate of Schwanberg Schloss,
- our VHF radio station site– in the mountains above Kitzingen.
The wild boars we were hunting were viscous and dangerous.
Even though I had a Thompson Submachine gun, I
was scared to death. Thankfully, we never met one.
A hunting trip with a few of the 97th combat vets was an experience.
They had no compassion for Germans. Driving in
a weapons carrier at high speed, in the rain, on unpaved
roads, we drove through flocks of geese, village after village.
Long lines of Germans were walking along the muddy roads
between villages. When they heard our truck coming, everyone,
including old men and women, scattered up both
banks of the road to keep from being hit or sprayed with
mud.
Page 10
Newsletter Title
10

Greased Lightning
Bill Landwehr’s Lifelong Passion for Cars
Article in the Life Times
A Missourian Publication November 2010
When Washington area
resident Bill Landwehr
left home to serve his
country in the U.S. Army,
the thing he missed the
most was his 1946 Ford
pickup truck.
He had purchased the
truck with a Cadillac motor
the year before and
described it as ― a kid‘s
dream.‖ In fact, Landwehr
had worked all summer helping out with the wheat harvest
in Kansas to save up enough money to buy the truck for
about $300.
Landwehr was excited about his purchase, but his father was
not. Landwehr remembers his father wishing that he would
have saved the money instead.
When Landwehr left for the Army, he parked the truck at his
dad‘s house.
However, when Landwehr returned in 1963 from the service,
he was in for a surprise.
―I thought about it (the truck) all the time and how much fun it
would be to drive that truck,‖ Landwehr recalled. ― I came
home and that truck was gone.‖ His dad had sold it for just
$25.00 . ―And I didn't even get the $25.00,‖ Landwehr
remarked.
The ‗46 Ford was one of the many cares that comes to mind
when Landwehr thinks back on how he got interested in cars
as a hobby in his retirement.
However, his passion for cars sometimes led him down dangerous
roads, including a time that was not so much a neardeath
experience, but an actual death experience, at least for
a short time. ‖ had just purchased a ‗47 Plymouth coupe.‖
After working overtime one Saturday night in 1968 at the
Chrysler plant in Fenton, he decided to take the coupe for
a ride ― because I thought about it all night long.‖
Landwehr decided to drive his car out onto Interstate 44.
―I got to Eureka, and I fell asleep. By that time it was 4o‘clock
in the morning,‖
He recalled hitting a bridge embankment, which flipped his
car upside down. ―I landed upside down in my car,‖ on railroad
tracks. ― I laid there for over an hour or maybe as much
as two hours.‖ While he was still in the car, he said that he
remembers hearing a train whistle. The train engineer could
not stop, so the train ended up cutting the car in half and
pushing one half of the for some time down the tracks.
―I stayed in the half that was actually pushed by the front of
the train.‖
Eventually he fell out of the car onto gravel near the tracks
and a witness fortunately spotted him. ―By the time an ambulance
had gotten there, they pronounced me dead because I
was clinically dead,‖ noting that he had no pulse, no heartbeat
and no sign of breathing. He was taken to a hospital,
where he was revived. Doctors found a vein that had not collapsed
and pumped blood into it, which restarted his heart.
― The first 45 days in the hospital, I laid flat on my back.
couldn‘t sit up because of my hip and shoulder.‖ Twenty of
those days he was quarantined. He stayed a total of 68 days in
the hospital. His wife, Laverne,
whom he met in 1963 and married in
1964, sat by his bedside all the time
he was in the hospital Landwehr was
out of work for about two years and
eight months, but he returned to
Chrysler after that to work until he
retired in 1990. His death experience,
however, did not deter him
from continuing to find cars he
loved. Before he retired, he found a
‘48 Chrysler and installed a 328 engine.
He and his wife drove the
drove the Chrysler to car shows
around the nation.
At age 67, he still bUys old, rusty cars, and fixes them up and
makes them look new again.
Landwehr‘s love for cars has even been passed down to his two
sons, Brad and Brett. In addition to his two sons, he has two
daughters, nine grandchildren and three step grandchildren.
Bill Landwehr was born and raised in the Washington area and
attended the high school there.
After he retired from Chrysler he and his wife bought Triple D
Cleaners with three locations in Union, Pacific and Washington.
They sold the business in 1995. Both have been active in the
community for several years.
Before they met, Bill Landwehr served in Germany in the 97th
Signal Battalion, 7th Army, from January 1961 to June 1963. ―The
Berlin Wall went up at that time. It also was the time of the Cuban
Missile Crisis.
He was a member of the Washington American Legion Post 218
Honor Guard for 28 years, and was the commander from 1995-
96and commander of the Missouri American Legion Ninth district
from 1996-97.
He attended the American Legion Leadership Conference in
1996 at Fort Leonard Wood. ―We got to see the same barracks
we slept in during training‖
Landwehr and his wife were also members of the Washington
Kiwanis Club.
Landwehr rides his bicycle nearly every day and has ridden up
to 15 miles at one time.
Bill, this is a
great tribute
to you, your
family and
your service to
the Military
and your Community.
Bill on wheels
in his youth
I
11
Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 11

It was
different
when we
were
stationed
there
We are missing you at the REUNIONS
We hope
to see
you
and
many,
many
other
members
again
at the
Reunions
12
Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 12

OFFICERS, SECRETARY/TREASURER and DIRECTORS
As of June 1, 2011
President (2011-2013
André Arceneaux
306 State St.
Lafayette, LA 70506-4217
Tel. (337-233-6345)
Vice – President (2011-2013)
Jonnie Albritton
2404 Bradford Dr. 6D
Wilson, NC 27896-1786
Tel.: 252-243-6584
Secretary/Treasurer
James A. Dykes
1167 Oak Knoll Court
Folsom, CA 95630
Tel.: (916)984-4634
Past Presidents
Donald K. Adams
Gilbert L. MacDonald
John J. Truffa
Paul W. Muuss
Harvey L. Spencer
Edward R. O’Mara
Emilio F. Bandiero
Eugene L. Darmstedter
Charles R. Hornsby, Jr.
Robert A. Sentell
Meir Horvitz
BOARD of DIRECTORS
George A. Case (2010 –2014)
102 S. 18th Street
Clear Lake, IA 50428
Tel. (641) 357-7569
Stephen G. Fenner (2010-2014)
2120 Hivley St.
Sarasota, FL 34231-6820
Tel. (941)924-4583
Andrew P. Whitton (2011-2013)
70 Blanchard Rd.
Marlton, NJ 080853-2943
Tel.: 856-983-7587
Hartwell Lawrence (2010-2012)
365 Orion CT,
Merritt Island, FL 32952
Tel.: 321-453-1857
Jerry Dyson (2010-2012)
654 Girard Str.
Washington, DC
Tel. (202) 265-6225
Victor L. Brown (2011-2013
P.O. Box # 93
Chandler, OK 74834-0093
Tel.: 405-258-0330 & 405-258-7389
Chaplains
Andrew Whitton
70 Blanchard Road
Marlton, NJ 08053
Tel. (856) 983-7587
Bernard L. Carter
2519 Deerfield Drive
Petersburg, VA 23805
Tel. (804) 732-0732
Sales & Promotions
Supply Sergeant
George A. Case
102 S. 18th Street
Clear Lake, IA 50428
Tel. 641-357-7569
Recorder
Avery Harris
3103 Wildwood Dr.
Huntsville, AL 35801
Tel. (256)-539-8897 (cell)
Reunion & Hospitality
Coordinator
Robert A. Sentell
9562 W. Pleasant St.
St. Helen, MI 48656
Tel. (989) 389-3149
Newsletter
Walt & Melitta Fort
1048 Buckingham Drive
Allentown, PA 18103
Tel. (610) 740-0808
Benevolence
Gilbert L. MacDonald
4704 Roundrock Drive
El Paso, TX 79924
Tel. (915) 821-6475
Robert A. Sentell
9562 W. Pleasant St.
St. Helen, MI 48656
Tel. (989) 389-3149
Historian &
Public Information
Director
Open
Position
Anybody
willing to volunteer
13

REQUEST for MEMBERSHIP
PAYMENT/RENEWAL of DUES
As required by the 97th SIGNAL BATTALION ASSOCIATION By-Laws,
I hereby request that I be admitted as an active Member in the 97th Signal Battalion Association.
Dues are ten dollars ($10) per year, payable January 1 of the dues year.
To participate in the decision-making processes of the Association, Members must be current in their dues.
MEMBER’S NAME_____________________________________________________________________
SPOUSE’S NAME______________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE_________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE NO._______________________________________________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS______________________________________________________________________
97TH SERVICE: FROM__________TO_________ COMPANY/PLATOON________________________
My Dues are enclosed for the years:
2012_______2013_______2014_______2015_______2016_______
The Association also offers a LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP of $125.00_______
Lifetime dues may be paid in five (5) consecutive monthly payments of $25.00 each.
LIFETIME dues payments: 1.______2.______3.______4._____5._____
Please make checks payable to: 97th Signal Battalion Association
Mail payment with completed form to the Association Secretary:
James Dykes, 1167 Oak Knoll Court, Folsom, CA 95630
Important
Don’t forget to
renew your membership!
To receive the ROSTER and
COMMUNICATOR you have to be
up to date with your dues.
Also, please check e-mail and other
addresses; it’s vital we get the
CORRECT information.
ADDRESS CHANGE
Cut out form below and send to Secretay
NAME: _____________________________________________________________________________________
OLD ADDRESS:______________________________________________________________________________
NEW ADDRESS:______________________________________________________________________________
EFFECTIVE DATE:_____________ TEL.: #________________E-MAIL ADDRESS:____________________
14

All Members: Entries for the Membership ROSTER:
New e-mail addresses and address changes/ corrections are published as they become available. Make
corrections/changes in your member roster.
Add new member addresses to your roster as they are published in the newsletter.
Note: Sometimes these additions or changes are received after the cut-off date; they will be published in the
subsequent newsletter.
When you change your address, telephone # (indicate if unlisted/unpublished), your e-mail or any pertinent
item, please inform the Secretary/Treasurer of these changes. We try very hard to keep the Active Roster up
to date at all times.
Also, please instruct a family member or friend to inform the Association when you pass on
to your last retreat.
Jimmy Dykes, Keeper of the Roster;
Membership News & Services
e-mail 97th business only: 97sigbnsectrea@pacbell.net
Where is my Newsletter
We hear quite often from members who have not received their Newsletter.
Reasons:
I did not pay my dues!
Please, remember to keep your membership up to date!!! Dues to be paid January of each year.
This guarantees your receipt of the Newsletter.
Most of the time it is from our “Snowbirds” who neglect to give notice of having two addresses.
ATTENTION ―SNOWBIRDS‖
All 97th Members heading south or other directions for the winter are reminded to advise us of ANY address change; ASAP,
even if it is only a TEMPORARY address.
Any changes are to be sent to James Dykes in enough time for mailing.
Note: Because the 97th Newsletter is sent as standard, non-profit bulk mail, THE POST OFFICE DOES NOT FORWARD IT
TO YOUR NEW ADDRESS—even if you notify them of the change.
We don’t want ANYONE to miss all the great things that are happening in the Association!
Use below form—print or type your address as it appears on YOUR mailing label and send it to:
SECRETARY/TREASURER : James A. Dykes, 1167 Oak Knoll Court, Folsom, CA 95630; Tel.: 916-984-4634
NAME:
OLD ADDRESS
NEW ADRESS
STREET
CITY
STATE/ZIP
DATE: FROM
TO
REMARKS:
CUT OUT FORM AND SEND TO THE SECRETARY!
15

There are additions/changes /corrections of addresses, telephone numbers and e -mail addresses all the
time. If you have changed any of the above— or if we have made a typographical error— please send
your corrections to Secretary :
James Dykes, 1167 Oak Knoll Court, Folsom, CA 95630;
e-mail: 97sigbnsectrea@pacbell.net
E-mail Additions/Changes
*NEW MEMBERS / FIRST-TIME E-mail
** LIFETIME MEMBERS *** CHANGE
*Stephen Nute
***Gary Jordan
grampynute@yahoo.com
g_jordan1@cox.net
*** Charles Pizzi chuckpizzi@att.net
*** Tom Mcmahon trmc128@yahoo.com
*** Pete Alvarado alva9599@att.net
* Robert Cleary rcleary123@gmail.com
* Edward Wallace eightyduce57@gmail
*** Dave Harris dch397th@aol.com
*** Pete Alvarado alva9599@att.net
*** David & Carol
Rogers
crwaukazoo1@aol.com
*** Ron Clegg ron@ronclegg.com
*** Edward Wallace eightyduce57@gmail.com
*** Thomas Hoover tom@atrsys.com
* William Mitchell mitch280@comcast.net
Address, telephone & e-mail changes & corrections
are printed in each issue.
Please check and make entries in your rosters.
Address & Tel.changes:
Joseph A. Berretto, 18 Leila Jean Drive, Bristol RI
02809; Tel.: 401-253-7989
Francis Leblanc, P.O. BOX #121, Freeburg, MO
6503500121
Leonard Mueller, 2434 Crossings Circle; Davidson,
MI 48423-8646
Donald K. Damon, Old # 956-383-4624;
New Tel. # 956-383-4324
David Secor, all correspondence directed to:
c/o Carrie Wiles, 11781 Cold Brook Drive, Monrovia,
MD 21774
Robert J. Bossi, 3958 N. 9th St. Coeur D’Alene ID.
Tel; 83815-6339
Billy J. Jackson, 817 John D. Odom Rd. Room 211,
Dothan, AL. 36303 –6232
David A. Prior, 41253 Xenon Way, Zephyrhills,
FL 33540
Raymond L. Macholtz, 4460 Hackmore Way.
AZ 86024
Walter Baney, 2118 Emkay Dr. Ottawa Hills
OH, 43606-2541
Ernest Barnhart, 2605 Saint Louis Rd.,
Jefferson City MO. 85101-4453
Paul R. Grice, 2382 Hidden Pine Lane, NE,
Palm Bay FL, 32905-4733
Thomas E. Hoover, 27 Cedar Woods Circle,
Doylestown, PA 18901-2412
William H. Mitchell, 1521 W. Palmetto Fort,
Mt. Pleasant SC 29464; Tel.: 843-884-4789
16

Keep your Phone Number Safe Online
Yes, You Can Be Anonymous
http://www.babble.ly
Earlier Medical Information researched
by Roland Martin
Giving out your phone number online isn’t very smart.
You never know who could end up with it.
At best you’ll be getting more telemarketing calls.
Unfortunately, sometimes it’s unavoidable. Selling items
on Craigslist or e-Bay is a good example. You want buyers
to be able to contact you.
That’s were today’s Cool Site comes in. It lets you hide
your phone number behind a cryptic link.
The link is what you share online.
If someone wants to call you, they click the link.
The service then connects them to you anonymously.
The caller never sees your phone number.
You don’t need to start an account to create a link.
But if you want to manage your links later, it is recommended.
This lets you disconnect links when you’re
done with them. Creating an account is free.
This one is most interesting, but not really computer
related:
Visit the Sistine Chapel Online—You can view a highresolution
virtual tour of the chapel + and—to zoom and
key ―M‖ to change the mouse movement mode. Hold
down left m button and move the cursor around the room
There is also sound. Amazing!
http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sisitina_vr/index.h
tml
Both tips came from our Computer User Group
Newsletter. (And they are safe).
Telephone numbers and websites you need to
know:
1. For information relat ing to TFL: Telephone: 1-866-
773-0404 (TDD: 1-866-773-0405)
Web site: www.tricare4u.com This information also
appears on the Explanation of Benefits form sent by
Tricare.
2. 2. For information relating to Tricare Management
Facility (TMA) for any questions concerning military
health care:
Web site: www.tricare.osd.mil
3. For prescription drug questions:
Telephone: 1-866-363-8779 DD: 1-877-363-1303
Web site: www.express-scripts.com/tricare
Mailing address: Express scripts, PO Box 60903,
Phoenix, AZ 85082-0903
More detailed information has been published in earlier
editions of the Communicator.
Anyone who needs more detailed info can get it at either
the web sites, from their old Communicator copies, or
even from me.
P.S.: I would be remiss if there was not a note added
here in deep appreciation for all the work many of did
during our campaign to get the Tricare for Life Medicare
Supplement enacted.
That was truly a great accomplishment.
Thank you all very much.
T&T Roland
T&T
Roland
17

Page 18
Newsletter Title
18