Memorial Day Part 3
Memorial Day Part 3
More on the 712th Tank Battalion's Roll of Honor
In Part 2 I only made it through Gerald Henehan, one of two sets of brothers who were allowed to serve in the same company, and in both cases one brother was killed. When I met Gerald’s brother Bob, who regularly came to reunions, he spoke matter of factly about his brother, but other members of C Company said that when he learned Gerald had been killed by a mine, Bob was distraught. Does time heal some wounds? I don’t know.
Bob Hodges: Another B Company member I was not familiar with. I’m going to have to re-read Louis Gruntz Jr’s “A Tank Gunner’s Story” and go through B Company in a future Substack.
William M. Hogue: Also a B Company tanker. His address in the battalion roster is given as General Delivery, Bowling Green, Kentucky, which reminds me of my interview with A Company veteran Reuben “Ruby” Goldstein. He showed me a booklet that was given to recruits and when I opened it I saw what looked like a signature and I said, “Wow, it was signed by a general.” Ruby seemed puzzled, looked at the signature, and said “General Delivery.” According to “A Tank Gunner’s Story,” both Bob Hodges and Bill Hogue were killed in the Falaise Gap.
Richard C. Howell: A member of Headquarters Company, Howell was killed on the battalion’s first day in combat, July 3, 1944. His widow and daughter, who was 2 years old when he died, came to the first couple of reunions I went to, in 1987 and 1989. His widow was from Gibland, Louisiana and witnessed the bullet-riddled car in which Bonnie and Clyde were killed, although the bodies had already been removed.
Edwin H. Jarusz: Jarusz was killed in Normandy by so-called friendly fire. In an odd twist of fate, Fred Putnam, the tanker who accidentally set off the machine gun, was later killed in action, as was one, and possibly two, other tankers whose mistakes similarly resulted in a fatality.
Claudis C. Jenkins: One of two crew members of the “light” tank that ran over a string of mines and flipped over near Perier, France, on July 27, 1944, during the battle of Seves Island.
Stanley J. Jezuit: Jezuit was one of four crew members of a D Company Stuart tank that was knocked out on August 12, 1944, in Avranches. The tank commander was Sergeant Everett McNulty, who replaced Harold Heckler when he was killed in a tragic accident on July 14.
Dee Johnson: Johnson of B Company was killed on January 12, 1945, in Doncols, Luxembourg, during the Battle of the Bulge, according to “A Tank Gunner’s Story.”
Gerald Kiballa: The assistant driver in Lieutenant Jim Flowers’ tank, Kiballa was killed on July 10, 1944, during the battle of Hill 122.
Frank M. Krusel: One of four B Company crew members killed when the tank commanded by Sergeant Tullio Micaloni ran over an explosive device with the equivalent of 400 pounds of TNT on July 26, 1944 during the battle of Seves Island, according to “A Tank Gunner’s Story.” An infantryman filling in for a missing crew member was also killed.
Marion B. Kubeczko: A member of Service Company, Marion “Shorty” Kubeczko was killed driving a tank recovery unit during the battle of Hill 122. His sergeant, Ed “Smoky” Stuever, always felt that Kubeczko’s name should have been added to the monument on Hill 122.
Andrew J. Lampman: A member of B Company on whom I have no information.
Buck W. Lee: A member of B Company, Buck Lee was killed at Doncols, Luxembourg.
Russell W. Levengood: An assistant driver/bow gunner in A Company, Levengood was killed on July 3, 1944, the battalion’s first day in combat, when his tank ran over a mine.
Wallace Lippincott, Jr. A lieutenant in A Company, Lippincott was killed on January 14, 1945 in Bras, Luxembourg. Decades later, militaria collector Norbert Morbe of Berle, Luxembourg found a canteen with Lieutenant Lippincott’s name etched in its side, and with the help of 90th Infantry Division veteran Vern Schmidt I was able to reunite his widow, Elizabeth Lippincott Pitner, with the canteen.
Wesley E. Lochard: The after action report for C Company on November 29, 1944 reads: 1944 reads. “3rd platoon captured Gross Hemmersdorf. One tank knocked out by bazooka, the tank commander being fatally machine gunned by the enemy as he got out of the tank.”
Fred Lockhart: A tank driver in C Company’s second platoon, Lockhart was killed on July 7 when his tank was knocked out by an 88.
Arnold L Lund: Lund had replaced my father, who replaced the first lieutenant in A Company to be killed. After losing three lieutenants (my father was wounded) in the first two months, platoon sergeant became the first of 14 members of the battalion to receive a battlefield commission.
Dale McGee: According to Find-a-Grave, Private Dale McGee, 29 years old, was killed on March 1, 1945, near Krautsheid, Germany. He left behind a wife and three children.
Alfred M. McLaughlin: A member of B Company, Alfred McLaughlin was also killed on March 9, most likely at Krautscheid.
(To be continued)
If you’re an early riser, I’ll be on the radio talking about D-Day with host Steve Parker tomorrow (Saturday, June 1) morning at 7:30 on WTIC-AM in Connecticut.