WINTER, 1989 - 70th Infantry Division Association

ArchivesAll Trailblazers-especially those whohave joined recently- are invited to sendin material for these Archives. Tell whereand when you joined, and then left, theservice. What has been your post-war occupation?What's your wife's name andhow many children, or grandchildren, doyou have? What organizations have youbeen active in as a civilian?Describe your most scary, most interesting,most humorous, most astounding,most-anything military experience. Whatdecorations were you awarded? Civic officesand awards, elected positions andanything else that you think might interestyour old Army buddies.Armand Boucher, H/274, and his wifeIrene have been back to Europe six timesand one every trip travelled through Germany.In Wiesbaden, he and four otherGls operated the 274th Regimental EnlistedMen's Club.Armand is president of an electricalwire company in Muskegon, Michigan.The Bouchers have two daughters andthree grandkids.He may be the only * opera singer in theAssociation. But whether he's alone or hascompany, Donald Pentz, B/884, has animpressive musical hobby. He's a memberof three professional opera companies,Baltimore, Philadelphia Lyric Opera andPhilly Grand Opera. He was also a soloist,choir director and amateur actor in drama ·and musicals.He was one of the aviation cadets whocame to the 70th in their unhappy fall of'43. He had served in the Field Artillery,with ASTP in Indiana, Infantry, CombatEngineers, Army Air Corps and the paratroopsbefore becoming a 70th artilleryman.As a civilian he's a designer of electricalmerchanisms. His wife Betty presentedhim with a son and two daughters who inturn have produced three grandchildren.*Although Edwin Neill, C/275, wasmarried, the father of two sons and workingwith single men, he still received PresidentialGreetings from his draft board andwas sent to Adair.An equal surprise was when he movedto Leonard Wood- and found his wifeMarie was there ahead of him.12In Philipps bourg he was• temporarilyblinded by facial wounds and losing bloodfast. Sgt. John Mercy lived up to hisname; he came out under fire and got Ed tothe aid station in the church. He creditssurgeons at Vitell Hospital in Marseillesand Crile General in Cleveland with ''themost skillful job" he saw in service."Personnel psychologist" * is the interestingjob description that James Schmittowns. (Jim: We don't have your companyor regiment. Plz send!) So he's been headof employment for several major corporationsin San Diego, where he has threechildren and a grandchild.He joined the Trailblazers at Frankfurtand later went to the 3rd Division. He'sactive in the V.F.W., Elks, Eagles, Mooseand American Legion and is a member ofthe American Psychological Associationand the New York Academy of Sciences.Willie Prejean, * C/274, is rejoicing atmaking contact with old 70th buddies. Hejust hadn't known about the Association!But Willie maintained contact with themilitary as a civilian long after the snowshad melted at Wingen.He was a civilian training instructor forthe Army until he retired as a Civil ServiceGS-12. He served at Fort Lee in the Richmond,Virginia area from '51 to '65. In'66, '68 and '71 he travelled throughoutVietnam, Korea, Japan and Okinawa. Hevisited not only Army but Navy, Air Forceand Marine camps and often ran into hisformer students.He doen't think he can make the Nashvilleto-do but sends greetings to all his oldmates.A retired accounting * supervisor for theSt. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District,Horace Gibson, HQ/725 , remains activein his church and the Masonic order. Hewas a pre-Pearl Harbor member of the 30thField Artllery at Camp Roberts, California.He also served with the 9lst Divisionand the 80th Air Base Group of the AirForce.He has two "happiest experiences":Being discharged Dec. 24, 1945; beingdischarged August 1952. He and his wifeMargaret have a daughter.*In the cadre for the 70th MPs was JohnMcKenny, who's a new member of theAssociation. He was with the 7th ServiceCommand at Camp Crowder, Missouri,and then at Camp Roberts, California, andthe 508th MP Battalion. He'd like to hearfrom any old MP buddies. So drop him anote at 811 9th Street, New Brighton,Pennsylvania 15066. He's a funeral directorthere. He and his wife Betty have adaughter and three grandkids.*Arthur Plunk, Jr. L/276, attachesthree business cards to his Archives form.They show his service and promotions inthe Department of General Services of theState of California, where he rose to constructionsupervisor. He joined us at LeonardWood. With his wife Zula, he has threesons, a daughter and three grandchildren.They now live in Mountain Grove, Missouri.*Unhappy military experiences?"None!" says Hans Nollan, C/275. Hedoes remember the Battle of Philippsbourg,but as a "memorable" experience,not an unhappy one.Hans joined the 70th at Adair and afterhostilities served with the 3rd Division. Atool designer, he lives in Hillsdale, Michigan,with his wife Charlotte. They have ason and a daughter and a grandchild.Daniel Mays, Cannon/274, * couldn'tforget his 21st birthday if he wanted to. Hecelebrated it in Paris, France.He entered the Army in March, '43, andtook his basic with the 44th Division. Thenhe went to ASTP for pilot training and,like a couple thousand others, was bumpedinto the 70th at Adair.Danny had five minor league contractsin professional baseball with the PittsburghPirates. Now retired, he was adesign and tool-and-die maker with CaterpillarTractor Co.He married Dorothy Sterner in 1950 inGlen Rock, Pennsylvania, where they stilllive. They have three sons and two daughtersand three grandchildren.Danny is a Mason and Shriner, a lifemember of the Society of ProfessionalBaseball Players and has won the AmericanLegion Good Citizenship Award andthe Distinguished Service Award of theJaycees.*Stanley Muniz of the 370th MedicalBattalion joined the 'Blazers at Adair. Hestayed right in the health-care field as acivilian optician.His worst memory is the death of hisbest friend, shot while serving as a litterbearer.Stan and his wife Norma Jean havea son and grandson.70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER