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Russell W. Porter, 90, 1/394, Murrysville PA, died Nov. 25, 2009. He was awarded a Bronze Star. Survivors include his wife, Mary; two children; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Robert H. Parks, 84, K/395, Tulsa OK, died Nov. 24, 2009. After the war he earned a degree in petroleum engineering at the University of Tulsa. He retired in 1985. Survivors include his wife, Claralynn; two children; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Louis J. Manus, 101, Q/394, Lynnwood WA, died Oct. 26, 2009. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserves, and called to active duty in July 1941. During the Battle of the Bulge, he was the Regimental Quartermaster (S4) for the 394th Infantry Regiment. He received the Bronze Star for preventing the capture of the regimental supply train by the German Army. He was involved in the liberation of POW camps holding American and Russian POWs. He remained in the Army Reserves after the war, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1960. He joined the faculty of Washington State University, where he taught dairy science and conducted research, retiring in 1973 as an associate professor. After retirement he served as a consultant to many large and small dairies. He is survived by three children; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Willis H. Sellhorn, 84, K/393, Sun City West AZ, died Nov. 1, 2009. He joined the division shortly before the Bulge. He was in Ken Hoffman’s squad in the 1st Platoon and got back to the mortars position then back to battalion and avoided capture of the front defensive line on the first day of the Bulge. He later was wounded and evacuated. Before retirement he was employed by Omaha Public Power. Survivors include five children; nine grandchildren; and 12 grandchildren.

John J. McGuire, 87, D/393, Overland Park KS, died May 2, 2007. He served as a master sergeant in the 99th Infantry Division, receiving the Bronze Star. He was an expert marksman and retired from the Army in 1962. He is survived by his wife, Lynn.

Albert R. Elby, 85, K/393, Sierra Madre CA, died Dec. 22, 2009. He was assigned to the 99th in March 1944, from ASTP at Louisiana State University. He was in the Battle of the Bulge and became a POW the first day when K Company was surrounded by two German regiments. After four months he escaped near the end of the war in Europe. He is survived by his wife, Ida; four children; and 10 grandchildren.

Carl L. Johnson, 86, K/393, Hot Springs AR, died Oct. 23, 2009. He was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. He attended Henderson State University and was a member of the golf team. After the war he graduated from the University of Arkansas. He was owner and manager of Johnson Cleaners for 60 years. Survivors include his wife, Jerry; and a daughter.

Marshall B. Lee, 87, M/395, Yorktown IN, died Oct. 25, 2009. He was a staff sergeant heading an HMG section, serving in the Bulge with 3rd Battalion 395th, which received a Presidential Unit Citation for that action. He also was awarded a Silver Star. He was employed by Warner Gear Division. Survivors include two children and four grandchildren.

Clyde R. Davis, 91, K/393, Uncasville CT, died Nov. 15, 2008. He was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge and earned a Purple Heart. Survivors include two daughters; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Irving Warnasch, L/395, Casselberry FL, died Dec. 29, 2008. He was a rifleman earning a Bronze Star. Survivors include his wife, Margaret; three children; and four grandchildren.

Leo J. Spyra, 87, A/393, Wheeling WV, died Sept. 23, 2009. He was a retired employee of Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel. Survivors include two children and a grandson.

Cornie Van Gorp, 85, I/393, Pella IA, died Nov. 6, 2009. He was an ASTP student at Louisiana State University and transferred to the 99th at Camp Maxey TX. He fought all the way from the Bulge to the end of the war in Germany and was awarded the Bronze Star. Survivors include his wife Helen; son; and stepson.

James E. Lutz, 87, M/394, Churchton MD, died Dec. 2, 2009. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was captured. He received the Purple Heart. He worked for General Electric until his retirement in 1980. Survivors include five children; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Charles Cicero, H/394, Littleton CO, died Nov. 23, 2009. He was awarded a Bronze Star and had been to conventions in Pittsburgh and San Antonio. He also attended several annual meetings of the Remagen Bridge Society in Denver CO, with his grandson. Survivors include his wife; two children; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Al Nelson, I/393, represented the 99th at the funeral and burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

Fred Verdicchio, 88, A/371, Willow Grove PA, died Aug. 15, 2009. Survivors include his wife, Genevieve.

Elmer Mohrmann, C/370, Delanco NJ, died Oct. 22, 2008. Survivors include his wife, Norma; two sons; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Lewis Miller, 87, B/393, Latrobe PA, died Oct. 26, 2009. He was in the Battle of the Bulge and received a Purple Heart. He worked as a funeral director. Survivors include a son, Lewis Miller Jr.

Frank T. Miller, 87, S/099, Spring Hill FL, died Dec. 17, 2009. He was a regular attendee at 99th conventions.

Michael Geary Lloyd, age unknown, M/324, Redwood City CA, died Feb. 27, 2010. He was awarded a Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He enjoyed attending 99th conventions. Survivors include a daughter.

Milton Hild, 85, A/394, LaVernia TX, died Dec. 1, 2009. He was a staff sergeant. Survivors include three children; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Haskell “Hack” Wolff, 87, H/394, Dumas AR, died Jan. 16, 2010. He was a corporal in an 81mm mortar squad where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Bronze Star. A graduate of Dumas (AR) High School, he was valedictorian, Student Body president and captain of the football team. He attended the University of Arkansas and was a member of the Razorback football team. After the war he returned to Dumas and the family department store, eventually becoming the proprietor. He was active in civic affairs, receiving the Man of the Year award in 2007. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; son; daughter; and grandson.

Robert H. Parks, 85, K/395, Tulsa OK, died Nov. 24, 2009. A petroleum engineer, he retired from the oil and gas industry where he worked for 43 years. Survivors include his wife, Claralynn; two children; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Eugene Averitte, 86, M/395, Tar Heel NC, died May 28, 2009. He was awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a rural mail carrier for more than 40 years. Survivors include his wife, Sara Emily; four daughters; and five grandchildren.

W.S. “Bill” Barron Jr., 85, Dallas TX, died Jan. 19, 2010. He attended Texas A&M University and Baylor University before serving three years in the 99th. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he returned to Baylor where he earned a BBA degree with honors in 1947 and a LL.B with honors from Baylor Law School in 1950. An attorney for 50 years, his practice focused on real estate and oil and gas law. Survivors include four daughters; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Kenneth Smith, 85, I/395, Schley VA, died Jan. 27, 2010. Survivors include his wife, Jean; four daughters; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Henry Raczkowski, 84, C/395, Sarasota FL, died Jan. 28, 2010. He is survived by a son and three grandchildren.

Lafe Reese Edmunds, 85, Manassas VA, died Feb. 20, 2010. He was a member of the 393rd. He was educated at the University of Utah and Ohio State University and taught biology at Mississippi State University. He moved to the Washington, D.C., area in 1956 and served for many years as a science education administrator with the National Science Foundation, retiring in 1981. Survivors include his wife, June; three children; and seven grandchildren.

Other deaths

Hunter Lauer, son of MG Walter Lauer, died April 22, 2009 at Stockton CA. He is survived by his wife, Vera.

Mimi Prager, Douglasville GA, wife of George Prager, L/395, died Jan. 28, 2010. She was born in Iglau (Jichlava) Czechoslovakia and became a war bride in 1946, in Hirschaid, Bavaria, before coming to the U.S. Mimi and George enjoyed attending 99th conventions and she was a great friend of the 99th. In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter and son.

Iris Harris, 81, wife of Howard (Chuck) Harris, K/393, Rancho Bernardo CA, died Feb. 12, 2010. She was a registered dietician. In addition to her husband, she is survived by five children; and 10 grandchildren. She attended many 99th conventions with Chuck.

Last modified April 16, 2010

 

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