Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 24, 1953 Page: 1 of 12
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VOL. 1 No. 37
General Farrand officially open
ed the 1953 Chest Drive here at
Fort Hood with the purchase of
the first ticket in the Subscription
Benefit Saturday morning at Thea
ter No. 1. Mrs. Roy W. Cole repre
senting the Officers' Wives Club
made the sale which \Vas witnessed
by over a thousand officers assem
bled for the kick off meeting.
The Subscription Benefit has been
established as a means of raising
funds for the 1953 chest. It is open
to members of the military estab
lishment of Fort Hood Killeen Base
and Gray AFB. Also included are
employees of non appropriated
funds and the Post Exchange but
not concessionaires or their em-
iloyees explained General Far-
md.
'The Fort Hood Chest Drive is
one of the most important activi
ties
even including training—
conducted here at Fort Hood" said
General Farrand. "Through this
fund we take care of our own and
Military Police
Investigating
Soldiers Death
(PIO) Military police are in
vestigating the death of a 22-year-
old soldier who suffered a gunshot
wound while stationed on his guard
post late Friday night and died a
few minutes after midnight at the
Fort Hood Station hospital.
Balistics tests are being made
in Austin to determine whether the
bullet which killed Pfc. Mines J.
Pierron of Company "A" 100th
Tank Battalion was discharged
from the .45 caliber pistol with
which he was armed on his guard
post.
From the nature of the wound
military police theorized that the
pistol apparently was accidentally
discharged as Pierron either re
moved it or returned it to its hol
ster. The bullet pierced his left
hand and entered his lower abdo-
ien. The mishap occurred at 11:50
m. and Pierron died at 12:15
a.m.
na
•Pi
Pierron's home address was Box
458 Grand Caillourte Houma La.
where his father Albert V. Pierron.
lives.
He entered the army on Jan
uary 14 1953. and underwent basic
training with the 21st Training
Company of Reserve Command
North Fort Hood.
'Old Ironsides'
Name Officially
Given To 1st AD
PIO—It's official now!
"Old Ironsides" has been ap
proved by the Department of the
Army as the traditional designa
tion of the 1st Armored Divi
sion.
The nickname which has iden
tified the Division since it was
activated on July 15 1940 was
given official recognition by the
office of the Chief of Military
History in Washington.
Top-ranking officers of the Di
vision believe the official adop
tion of the nickname will help
establish ties between the pres
ent organization and the "Old
Ironsides" which played a large
part in the destruction of Ger-
man-Italian
forces in North Af-
Ifrica and fought the full length
of the ruggedltalian Peninsula
the rugged Italian Peninsula
Sale Of First Benefit Ticket
Launches
353
improve the welfare of all of Hood's
personnel" he continued.
"To operate as we have in the
past we will need a fund of $38000
this year. To secure this amount
about $12000 in prizes will be giv
en away through the sale of bene
fit tickets followed by a public
drawing. To cover all the incident
als and prizes it will be necessary
to raise $5000 during this year's
di'ive."
HOOD'S NEW
CHAPLAINS
BEGIN DUTY
PIO Two Chaplains Capt.
Harvey F. Kochner and Lt. Rich
ard R. Willhelm both Catholic
have reported for duty with the
1st Armored Division.
The addition of Vie two new
chaplains brings the total number
of chaplains in the 1st Armored
Division to its highest mark in
more than a year according to
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) James J. Mc-
Goohan Division Chaplain.
Chaplain Kochner entered the
service in 1951 from St. Louis Mo.
After six months at Camp McCoy
Wis. he reported for duty with
1 5 I an 3
Infantry Division in Korea.
While he was in Korea he receiv
ed the Bronze Star for outstanding
service. Chaplain Kochner is as
signed to the 17th Armor Group
of the 1st Armored Division.
Chaplain Willhelm entered the
service from Dayton Ohio and
comes to the 1st Armored Divi
sion straight from his parish work.
After a period of orientation he
will be assigned to Division Ar
tillery.
Class Number 29
Completes Course
At NCO Academy
Brig. Gen. Edward G. Farrand
1st Armored Division Commander
and Commandant of the NCO Aca
demy was principal speaker at the
graduation exercises of class No.
29 of the NCO Course. He present
ed diplomas to honor graduates.
Top honors of 72 graduating stu
dents were lst/Place SFC Robert
J. Cadigan H&S Co. 509th Tk. Bn.
with an average of 94.41 2nd
Place Pvt. Daniel J. Kitson
Co. 123rd AOB with an average of
.91.68 3rd. Place Pvt. George. E.
Ropp D. Btry. 2nd AAA Bn. with
an average of 91.51. Maj. W. H.
Garner Commanding Officer of
the 509th Tk. Bn. and Lt. F. E.
Dean Company Commander H&S
Co. 509th Tk. Bn. attended the
graduation and expressed their
congratulations to Sergeant First
Class Cadigan.
General Farrand also addressed
opening ceremonies of Class No.
30 the same day. A new feature of
Class No. 30 is the enrollment of
five students from Fort Sam Hous
ton. This is the first time any stu
dents from another post have at
tended the course.
In other graduating ceremonies
Lt. Col. Donald P. Boyer Assistant
Commandant of the NCO Academy
addressed and presented diplomas
to Class No. 22 of the Small Arms
Course. First place honor graduate
was Pvt. Edward Fields A Co.
81st Recon. Bn. with an average
of 99.8. In second was Pvt. Howard
an average of 98.8.
L. Keen H&S Co. 701st AIB with
Chest Drive
General Farrand introduced Col.
Laurence Varner chairman of the
sixteen man operating committee
who explained the system of award
ing prizes to military units and
civilian sections having the highest
per capita sales in the different
strength categories.
These incentive prizes will in
clude television sets and radios to
be awarded in each of the cate
gories. The winners must enter the
prizes on the Unit Property Book
Colonel Varner added.
Lt. Col. Paul W. Herbst commit
tee treasurer told the group that
tickets could be obtained from
him or Lt. Herman Greathouse at
the Finance Office Building No.
19.
Tickets will be issued in books
of 50 each initially to organizations
and activities on the basis of one
and a half tickets per man. For
every 50 tickets sold the stubs
and $49.00 will be turned in. The
remaining dollar is the salesman's
incentive.
The date of the drawing has not
been definitely set but campaign
officials believe the prizes will be
awarded during half time cere
monies of the annual Armistice
Day football game. Participants
will not be required to be present
at the drawing to win a prize. The
prizes are now on display at Thea
ter No. 1.
TI&E Offices
Open Evenings
As Of Monday
Continued benefits offered by the
Troop Information and Education
fields here at Fort Hood were again
evident with the opening of the
1st Armored Division TI&E office
and lounge next week from 6 to
8 p. m. Monday through Thurs
day.
The purpose of this move is to
assist and advise all interested per
sonnel here on Post in education
al opportunities and to also ac
cept enrollment in USAFI cours
es according to Capt. E. E. Fried
man Division I&E officer.
The recently decorated TI&E of
fice and lounge is located in build
ing number 38 on 50th Street be
tween Headquarters and Battal
ion Avenues.
Captain Friedman pointed out
that the Division TI&E rooms are
being used as a supplement to the
Post offices which will also be
open evenings during the week.
All of the actual testing is being
done at the Post TI&E building
but any assistance or advice that
is desired can be secured at the
division office he added.
Auto Inspection
Being Conducted
In Safety Move
PIO Inspection stations began
checking motor vehicles last Tues
day for safety features required
by the state of Texas.
Upon passage of the inspection
car owners are issued a certificate
for $1 which is valid until one year
from the date of issuance.
All owners of privately owned
vehicles bearing Fort Hood decals
are required to have evidence of
a safety inspection either from
their home states or from Texas
before November 10. After th at
date cars without stickers will be
barred from entering the post and
post registrations will be cancelled.
FORT HOOD TEXAS THURSDAY SEPT. 24 1953
Armored Giant
To Be Shown
At Waco Fair
PIO Central Texans will get
a peek at one of the world's most
modern armored giants when the
Heart 'O Texas Fair opens its doors
September 26.
Military authorities at the spraw
ling Texas post announced today
that the 48 tank will be among
the exhibits Fort Hood will present
to fair visitors.
The 48 which only recently
arrived at Fort Hood will be pre
sented by members of the 1st Tank
Battalion of the 1st Armored Divi
sion. The vehicle was produced
by the Chrysler Corporation in co
operation with Army Ordnance.
World War II veterans will rec
ognize the reliable 4 tank
among the exhibits on Sunday. It
will be manned by personnel of
the 509th Tank Battalion.
Additional displays will include
a model aid station manned by
members of the 47th Armored
Medical Battalion a signal display
from the 141st Armored Signal Com
pany and an engineer exhibit
sponsored by the 16th Armored
Engineer Battalion.
Wacoans will remember ele
ments of the latter unit for their
part in rescue operations follow
ing the May tornado.
A chemical display a model field
kitchen the 2nd AAAs huge
searchlight and a pack howitzer
from the 27th Armored Field Ar
tillery will complete the list of nine
displays from Fort Hood.
The popular and colorful 1st
Armored Division jeep band wi'l
add to the pre fair parade Satur
day but will not be on hand for
the fair opening September 26.
9-Man Team At
Fort Hood In
IG Inspection
A nine-man inspection team from
Fourth Army Headquarters Fort
Sam Houston is entering the final
stage of the annual IG inspection
here at Fort Hood today after three
days of close scrutinization.
Tomorrow's critique scheduled
for 1330 hours in the conference
room of Post Headquarters will of
ficially end the inspection tour.
Yesterday at 1700 hours at sev
eral central locations a complaint
session was held to clear up points
of difference and misunderstanding
and to provide an opportunity for
the airing of ideas on suggested im
provements in operation.
Objective of this week's inspec
tion was the examination of Post
activities and the various head
quarters sections. Troop units
which are inspected locally are not
under observation.
The inspection team arrived at
the Fort Hood Air Strip at 0830
hours Monday. The members of
the team ore Col. W. R. Hensey
Jr. Col. M. E. Cordell Col. C. K.
Darling Col. T. J. Ryan Lt. Col.
J. R. Davis Lt. Col. G. E. Smith
Lt. Col. M. R. Warren Maj. E. L.
Roy and WOJG M. L. Carroll.
509th Honored
HOPEFUL CONTESTANTS IN THE "Driver of the Month" con
gest examine the pennant to be displayed by the winning driver.
"Pictured left to right are Cpl. Charles W. McNutt H&S Co 702nd
AIB representing CCB PFC Otis Fleeton Co 2nd AAA repre
senting Division Artillery and Sgt. George L. Marshall of the
4005th ASU Enlisted Detachment.
Famed Calvary Unit
Celebrates Birthday
The 509th Tank Battalion hold
er of one of the proudest histories
of any organization in the 1st Arm
ored Division celebrated its 87t.h
birthday at Fort Hood Monday with
a full day of activities. Attending
the ceremonies were many civilian
ing military guests.
With the battalion soon to recieve
new men Gen. Burger told mem
bers of the 509th that they would be
the core of the organization in the
near future.
"The 509th is going to experien
ce growing pains soon and you
men will need to understand all
aspects of the operation of your
unit if you want to be successful
in having an organization that is
ready to perform its asigned task"
he pointed out.
'It will be up to you to show
the new men what the motto of
the 509th Tank Battalion 'We Can
—We Will' has meant in the past
and means now" General Burg
er said.
Present also for the welcoming
ceremony were Col. Roy W. Cole
commander of CCB Col. Donald
W. Thackeray commander of CCA
Col. James E. King commander
of the 17th Cavalry Group Col.
Alfred H. Hopkins commander
of the 1st Armored Division Trains
and Lt. Col. Donald P. Boyer As
sistant Commandant of the NCO
Academy.
The 509th Tank Battalion now
commanded by Maj. W. H. Garner
can boast of once being under the
leadership of "Teddy" Roosevelt
during the famous Cuban campaign
of the Spanish American War.
Organized by an act of Congress
on the 21st September 1866 the
new unit was named the Ninth
Cavalry Regiment with headquar
ters in Greenville La. Originally
organized to participate in Indian
BRIG. GEN. VONNA F. BURGER Assistant Division Commander
of the 1st Armored Division addresses visitors and guests of the
509th Tank Battalion Monday on the 87th birthday of the famous
unit. Other activities at the 509th on its organiation day
fee and doughnut* served at H&S Company a battalion footna
game and a half-day holiday for members of the battalion.
Army Photo by Trentacosta)
were
cof
§mtiwl
Fort Hood's 'Driver Of Month'
To Be Announced Saturday
Mmmk
wars the regiment fought the Com-
anches in New Mexico the Utes
in Montana and at Pine Ridge as
an all Negro unit.
A welcoming period first on the
schedule of events for the day in
cluded remarks brought by Brig.
Gen. Vonna F. Burger Assistant
Division Commander of the 1st I During the Phillipine Insurrec-
Armored Division. Uion the Regiment was stationed
in the Islands as a dismounted cal
vary unit and remained there until
the rebellion ended.
battalion crest
The 509th came to Fort Hood in
1952 to participate in EXERCISE
LONGHORN and moved to Fort
Hood permanently at the comple
tion of the operation. Since that
time the 509th Tank Battalion har
been attached to the 1st Armored
Division at Fort Hood.
CUB SCOUTS
PREPARING
PET PARADE
Fort Hood's Cub Scout Pack Com
mittee is making plans for the First
Annual Pet Show to be held at
Prichard Field Friday night start
ing at 6:30 p. m.
All cub scouts as well as their
brothers and sisters are eligible
to enter. There will be a wide
variety of classes ranging from
'Friendliest" to "Most Spots."
Any pet can be entered whether
its a collie pup or a horned toad
but according to Lt. Col. George
C. Coburn Post veterinarian all
dogs and cats should be brought
by the Veterinary Clinic for a health
check before they are registered.
Capt. and Mrs. William T. Price
are chairmen of the committee
making arrangements for the show.
Other members are Mrs. Donald
W. Thackery Mrs. Paul R. Steckla
and Mrs. George L. Cook.
The committee members want
all the Fort Hood young folks to
enter this pet show. Colonel Co-
burn has offered to lend a couple
of dogs to anyone that wants to
take part in the affair but who is
not an owner of a pet.
Cub Scout Sign-up
To Finish Monday
Monday Sept. 28 will be the last
regular registration date for Fort
Hood's Cub Scout Pack No. Ill
according to officials of the Pack
Committee.
Boys ranging in age from 8
through 11 who register on or be
fore this date will attend the Bay
lor Vanderbilt football game in
Waco Oct. 17 en masse without
charge.
Monday the registration will be
from 1900 to 2100 hours in Build
ing No. 416 next door to the Spe-
'cial Service Nursery.
The pennant is in the shape and
color of an armored division patch
and bears the wording "Driver
Award: PM." The "PM" stands
for preventive maihtenarice.
Yesterday the contestants as
sembled behind the Division Ord
nance Office where the judging
was conducted under the supervis
ion of Lt. Col. Oscar O. Tonetti
chairman of the judging committee.
Phases of the judging included
a thorough inspection of each of
the vehicles by a crack Ordnance
inspection team a written exami
nation pertaining to driving admin
istered by the Post transportation
officer and the Division Provost
Marshal and an actual road test
to demonstrate the practical ap
plication.
The Ninth Cavalry gained fame
in the Spanish American war as
the unit to capture the Block House
of San Juan Hill Santiago Cuba.
This was perhaps the proudest ac
tion in the history of the Regiment
and is incorporated in the present Division Trains 505th Signal Group
Assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Di
vision in October 1940 the unit
was inactivated in North Africa
in March 1944. Converted to Ar
mor it was redesignated the 509th
Tank Battalion (Heavy) and re
lieved from the 2nd Cavalry. The
unit was reactivated at Camp Polk
La. on November 1 1950.
The major commands represent
ed in the contest finals were CCA
CCB Keserve Command Divarty
m1 A AA A fiTT TP nlicin
1 1A4A nVi
ancl 4005th ASU Enlisted Detach
ment.
Two of the contestants were in
terviewed immediately following
the judging concerning their views
on the chances of wanning and the
value of the preventive mainten
ance contest itself.
Cpl. James E. Vestal of A Co.
123rd Ord. Bn. who represented
Division Trains reported that he
was keeping his fingers crossed as
to the outcome. "I'd sure like to
win" he said "for myself as well
as the battalion. I've put out a lit
tle more on the thing than the
maintenance I usually pull and so
has everybody else I think."
"I believe one of the reasons
that I've come this far in the con
test" Corporal Vestal continued
"is that I drove a truck in civilian
life. My brother and I owned five
trailer trucks and believe me when
you're paying for replacement
parts out of your own pocket you
learn that preventive maintenance
means."
"The competition was mighty
stiff in Division Trains because I
believe all of the battalions took
the contest seriously."
CCA's honor driver was PFC
Jack D. Beal of H&S Co. 4th Tk.
Bn. He thought that "this contest
has kept vehicles in running con
dition that use to stay deadlined
in ordnance. Sure it's taken a lit
tle more time—I think all the driv
ers that took part in the contest
put in some overtime hours—but I
think that the saving on parts and
labor—repair time will be worth
it."
"Of course" he added "I would
like to win myself but right now
I would say that whoever the judg
es do pick deserve the honor. I
know I put in a little night work
and I guess the rest did too. In the
long run I know that everyone will
win."
Land actually to be taken in the
Fort Hood expansion has been
more clearly defined and a speed
up in land acquisition can be ex
pected now according to infor
mation revealed last week by Con
gressman W. R. Poage.
Land north of Nolanville and
south of the natural gas pipeline
which cuts "'across that area will
not be taken Mr. Poage was in
formed by Col. Henry Hallock ar
my district engineer. Some tracts
which overlap the pipeline will oe
taken but the bulk of the land
south of the pipeline will not be
taken.
The area north of Owl creek and
south of The Flat formerly known
as Priority Four will be taken.
Some of the area south of The
Flat was cut out last year at Mr.
iPoage's request.
—12 Pages
Thursday's Finals
End First Contest
Competition in the current "Driver of the Month" contest reached its
highest pitch yesterday as the first month's award winner was selected
from major command contestants. The winner will be revealed some
time before the scheduled presentation ceremonies at 0700 hours Sat
urday.
In Saturday morning's ceremony the best driver of any vehicle of
capacity less than two and a half tons will be given a cash award of
$15.00 and a three-day pass.
In addition the "Driver of the
Month" will be presented with a
distinctive pennant to be attached
to his vehicle. The banner will be
displayed during the thirty-day pe
riod to denote the honor bestowed
upon the driver through superior
driving and maintenance accom
plishments.
Classes Open
Here On Post
For Personnel
Instructors from Mary Hardin-
Baylor College at Belton began
classes in English History and Ge
eral Psychology at the Nursing
Arts Classroom Bldg. 3202 at the
Post Hospital on Monday night
September 14.
These classes are open to all
personnel both officer and enlist
ed. Courses may be transferred
to other colleges for credit towards
a degree. Tuition for these cours
es must be paid in part by the
student. However government
assistance will be given enlisted
personnel for 75 per cent of the
tuition cost and for 50 per cent of
the tuition cost for officers through
the grade of First Lieutenant.
The classes meet one night each
week for a period of two and one-
half hours. For additional informa
tion phone Post I&E officer tele
phone number 2403.
505th Signal
Gets 'Welcome'
From General
The 505th Signal Group received
its official welcome to Fort Hood
last Wednesday when General Ed
ward G. Farrand division com
mander addressed the newly ar
rived unit in a brief ceremony held
at theatre number three.
In his message General Farrand
expressed his belief that although
the new unit which has been sta
tioned at Camp San Luis Obispo
California may now seem compar-
itively small it will grow rapidly
with the addition of new replace
ments.
The General went on to explain
what the Battalion should expect
while stationed here at Fort Hood
and the Division Commander point
ed out that although "some of the
tasks may be new and difficult
just as many will be familiar and
not so difficult!"
General Farrand then briefly re
lated the history of Fort Hood and
encouraged the men to "go to the
Post Library and read as much
as possible" concerning their ne^v
home as well as the 1st AD.
A special invitation to go out for
the post football team was given
to all "gridders" as the General
went on to outline the excellent
athletic facilities for the troops.
In closing General Farrand ex
pressed his hopes that the new ad
dition to the '"family" would be
come outstanding while here at
Fort Hood and grow into a sharp
smart fighting unit.
Hood Expansion Area Defined
With Acquisition Speed-up Due
'Colonel Hallock promises that
there will be no delay in taking
the land" Mr. Poage said. "'He
informs me that he is sending in
appraisers where needed and that
all landowners affected will be no
tified by letter at once."
Mr. Poage has for some months
been urging that there be no delay
in taking the land once it was de
termined what was to be taken
so that landowners would have
as much time as possible to re
locate.
Congressman Poage conferred
last Thursday with Brig. Gen. Ed
ward G. Farrand Commanding
General of the 1st Armored Divi
sion and Fort Hood after receiving
the new information from the dist
rict engineer.
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Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 24, 1953, newspaper, September 24, 1953; Temple, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254350/m1/1/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Casey Memorial Library.