Hellcat News, (Springfield, Ill.), Vol. 36, No. 3, Ed. 1, November 1981 Page: 5 of 26
26 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this newspaper.
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Saturday. He wrote a few letters
that winter and always remarked
how he enjoyed the reunions. We
did expect him in Kankakee, but
word got out that he was too sick
to come. When we arrived back in
Mass. on the next Monday, we got
a call from Fay, his wife, telling
me that Dean had passed away on
August 1st, 1981. She had held off
telling us until after the reunion.
They thought of us "A" Co. first,
before their sorrow. She kept the
news to herself so it wouldn't put
a "damper" on our get-together.
While at Kankakee, I met an-
other 44th Tanker by the name of
Pete Larco, "C" Co. We discussed
the possibility of the 44th going to
Michigan in 1983. He was really
keyed up on meeting all the
fellows and we had quite a chat.
Another friend was made in 15
minutes of talk. He was one of us.
On or about the first of Septem-
ber, I received a letter telling of
the death of Pete Larco. Another
friend whom I had talked to and
joked with in Kankakee. Fellows,
do yourselves a favor. Get out the
pen and paper and get a letter off
to that buddy who has been
waiting so long to get a letter. If
you don't like to write how about
the wife or someone else doing it
for you.
Some of you think I'm on that
same old subject again and again,
but believe me, if you don't read
some of the other Unit reps.
columns. They are pleading the
same thing that I'm preaching. So
how about it? Get pen in hand and
get a word off to all your 44th
buddies through the column.
Don and May Malmfeldt "B",
write that as usual they had a
great time in Kankakee, and look
forward to "making it to Massa-
chusetts in 1982." Don had to
print because as he puts it:
"Arthur-itis, Charlie-horse, Ben-
Gay and Willie-live", fellows he'd
like to see take off, are still at his
household.
Don Malmfeldt is our new
Chaplain, so any of you want to
get word to him his address is:
3624 Hunter Rd., Kansas City,
Mo. 64129.
Jim and Martine Wilson "Hq"
send word that the farming is
right on schedule and they started
their tobacco harvest right after
they returned from Kankakee.
They claim that with another two
weeks of good weather they'll
have everything under control.
They are still working on some
remodeling and that should also
be finished soon
Charlie and Lea Parnell "D"
who were mighty proud to have
21 from "D" Co. at the reunion,
will be pleased to read that I have
Mennino all set to help me with
the 1982 reunion in Springfield.
Charlie, I've got the hook into him
now and I'll be darned if he'll get
away. He's set to take a trip to
NOV. 1981
HELLCAT N EWS
Page 5
Co. "A" 44th Tank Battalion. Ethel Cartier, Merna
Rodgers, Slyvia Blake, Louise Emmett, Caroline Spargur,
Merna Hoffman, Millie Solowey, Vivian Engelke, Ruby,
Marguerite Heinze, Virginia Brown, Eva Nell Hunter and
Joyce Eaton.
Ray Cartier, Richard Rodgers, Buddie Cain, Ed Eaton,
Merle Jackson, Howard Emmett, Paul Engelke, Francis
Heinze, Glenn LaFond, Claude Spargur, John Blake, John
Brown, John Solowey, and Mark Hunter.
Springfield soon to look over what
is available in that area, with me.
Glad you and the Naylors had a
nice trip home. Charlie was proud
to have nine first timers at the
reunion, and as Charlie says,
"There is nothing in the whole
world like seeing these fellows
again after all these years. I was
like a starving man at a picnic."
Merve and Martha Herndon "B"
are pleased that we are the host
for next year and have offered to
help us in any way possible. They
look forward to the trip East and
were nice enough to say that a lot
of the 44th Tankers are also
looking forward to seeing us in
Mass. in '82.
Phone call received from Bud
Barber "A" on September 14th at
6:20 right in the middle of a junior
tornado. What a mess! We had
lost our power and the trees were
falling like dominos and the wind
and hail were playing a tune on
my house. Here's a fellow who
wants to know what happened at
the reunion and all the latest
news. Being in construction, it's
hard for these people to get the
time off. The connection was
broken once and I thought "well,
that was that" but low and
behold, he called back and got
through. That alone is a miracle in
this area, a phone call getting
through in a storm. It was a
wonderful surprise and I hope I
filled in all the details. He did ask
for a photo of "A" but he will have
to wait, as the negatives are at
the printers now. He and his wife
Norma, hope to make it in Massa-
chusetts in '82.
Another phone call again from
an "A" Co. man, Ed Drennon, and
he also wanted to know all about
what had gone on. He had his
reservations in at Kankakee, but
just could not make it. Ed sends
good wishes to all and certainly
missed being with the 44th this
year and also hopes to make it to
Mass. in '82. He spoke of George
Rodgers once of "A" but later of
"Hq", would like to come also. So
you fellows of "A" who remember
George, and you of "Hq" - how
about writing him a line and get
him with us for next year? We do
have to get busy and write to
these former 44th Tankers. We
want them with us. Ed tells me
that both he and Virginia are fine.
Virginia hasn't been up to 100%
but is doing much better now.
How about sending a card or
letter or both, and letting them
know they were missed. Address:
Ed Drennon, 1724 DuPont, Col-
umbia, S.C. 29206.
Marv and Mary Ann Novotne
"Hq" sent all the news of what
has gone on since they left
Kankakee. Mary Ann takes the
movies at the reunions and at
Kankakee she asked me about her
camera. Seems someone who bor-
rowed it at home in Mich., drop-
ped it and she didn't know if it
was "perking" or not. So us
EXPERTS, Marv, myself and a
few others came to the conclusion
that the camera was O.K. Mary
Ann did not trust our thorough
exam so went out and bought a
NEW movie camera. Guess what,
Marv says the old one works just
fine. Mary Ann says her new one
has telephoto so she's happy. Now
that's what I call dedication. She
wanted to be sure she recorded
the 8th reunion. She and Marv
have all the wood inside that
they'll need for the winter and are
now working on getting wood to
season, for the next year. All is
well and they both send a big
"HELLO" to all the 44th family.
Word from Lee Pearlman "Sv"
who has been in the typesetting
business for 11 years, says "hello"
to all his "Sv" Co. buddies. He
also sent word that he had placed
a call to Irv Weinberger "Sv" and
found out from Irv's partner that
Irv had passed away. He has also
received a letter from Frank
Chmiel since he joined the Hellcat
group. (Sorry he sent no address
on Irv Weinberger.)
Today's mail brought the news
that "Boots" and Marguerite
Heinze, plus Jack and Sylvia
Blake traveled together to see
Virg Carmen and they all had a
nice visit. Heinze and Blake are
working on Virg to get to Massa-
chusetts in '82. Hope so. Every
year someone asks the same
question: "Where's Virgil Car-
men?" These are all "A" Co.
fellows.
All this information was in a
letter from Howard and Louise
Emmett. They had a nice trip
home and have been busy with
meeting and talking to old bud-
dies. They had received a phone
call on Saturday, September 12th
at 1:45 P.M. and who was it but
Marshall Brown, also of "A" Co.
He was passing through Chicago
on business and decided to make a
call. Marshall says he could not
find a steady job in East Chesa-
peak - he's only been with the
same company for 42 years. They
had a great talk with the promise
of a visit the next time he was in
Chicago. Marshall was Larry
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Twelfth Armored Division Association (U.S.). Hellcat News, (Springfield, Ill.), Vol. 36, No. 3, Ed. 1, November 1981, newspaper, November 1981; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth410234/m1/5/: accessed June 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum.