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Taps

  • Clifford Savage, 89, M/393, Olive Branch MS, died March 6, 2009. He served as a machine gunner during the Battle of the Bulge. He was captured Dec. 16, 1944, and liberated April 29, 1945. As a prisoner of war, he was wounded and received the Purple Heart and POW medal for his service. He proudly carried the U.S. flag in the 2006 and 2007 Memorial Day parades in Washington, D.C. After the war he worked for Southern Painting Company and later founded Modern Painting Company in Memphis TN, with his brother. Survivors include five children; 17 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
  • James Y. Sedlecky, H/395, Garfield Heights OH, died July 18, 2008.
  • William C. Reddick Jr., C/395, Garland TX, died Feb. 20, 2007. After the war he worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas TX, for 50 years.
  • Joseph Fedor, Q/099, Loveland OH, died Jan. 14, 2008, on his 94th birthday. He enjoyed attending 99th conventions.
  • Curtis T. Hibbard, I/393, Maitland FL, died March 28, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Margaret.
  • Floyd Cavender, 2/393, Hagerstown MD, died March 8, 2009.
  • Kenneth L. McCauley, 87, D/393, Rouseville PA, died July 15, 2008.
  • Johnathan Hostetler, 86, 1/394, Elyria OH, died Dec. 26, 2008. He was in the communications platoon and served as a translator and radio operator. At the end of the war, he served in the Military Police at the Nuremberg Trials and because of his knowledge of the German language was assigned to Hermann Goering. After the war, he was employed by General Motors in Parma OH, retiring after 33 years. Survivors include his wife, Ruth; four children; and two grandsons.
  • Paul M. Coughlin, B/393, Buckhannon WV, died Feb. 13, 2009. He was a staff sergeant and squad leader in the company. He was with the cadre at Camp Van Dorn MS. He was awarded a Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge. He was evacuated to England after the Battle of the Bulge and attached to several units in France until his discharge in 1946. After the war, he was a bricklayer until his retirement in 1986. Survivors include his wife, Betty; four children; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
  • Edgar “Hank” Barr Jr., 86, C/924, of Lebanon PA, died Jan. 12, 2009. After the war he was employed at the Lebanon Steel Foundry for more than 40 years. He also was a co-founder of the Rural Security Fire Company, and remained an active member until his death. He enjoyed attending 99th conventions with family members. He is survived by three children; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
  • Samuel Wise Jr., 88, Q/395, Altamonte Springs FL, died Jan. 22, 2009. He served as a communications officer and earned a Bronze Star for his service. After the war, he worked for the Durion Company at Dayton OH, for more than 40 years. In retirement, he and his wife Jackie enjoyed traveling, photography and ballroom dancing. The couple settled in Nashville TN, where they ran a cleaning business and honky-tonk on Lower Broadway for 12 years. Sammy and Jackie attended many 99th conventions, were part of the Nashville committee in 1999, and will be remembered for their colorful, matching outfits. He is survived by his wife Jackie of Apopka FL, and one daughter.
  • Reid Merritt, 82, C/394, Lawrenceville GA, died Aug. 18, 2008. He was a lawyer, district attorney, then a superior court judge in Gwinnett County GA, retiring in 1986. Survivors include his wife, Lee; five children; and 12 grandchildren.
  • Frank E. Hoffman, 92, E/395, Richmond VA, died March 9, 2009. He was a staff sergeant, wounded at the Battle of the Bulge and sent to Paris to recover. He earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He was employed at Reynolds Metals. He enjoyed keeping up with his E Company buddies and enjoyed reading the Checkerboard. Survivors include his wife, Arlene.
  • Charles J. Kuhn, 90, A/324, Erie PA, died Jan. 19, 2009. He was wounded March 14, 1945, losing his left arm at the Remagen Bridge. He received a Purple Heart. He enjoyed attending 99th conventions until his health deteriorated. In 2005, he traveled to Europe where he revisited the battlefields. Survivors include a daughter and grandson.
  • Seymour “Sy” Saffer, 92, Orange Park FL, died March 7, 2009. He was a first lieutenant in B and L Companies, 395th. On Dec. 13, 1944, he was wounded, but continued to serve until his discharge in May 1946. He was awarded a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. He shared his war experiences numerous times in the pages of the Checkerboard. His uniform is on display at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, Pittsburgh PA. Survivors include his wife, Harriett; two children; and a granddaughter.
  • William M. Hannafan, 85, A/324, Glen Ellyn IL, died Feb. 24, 2009. He had basic training with the 608th Engineer Light Equipment Company, then went to ASTP at Hendrix College, Conway AR. He was transferred to the 324th Engineers. On Dec. 22, 1944, he was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge at Elsenborn, then wound up assigned to the Air Force. Survivors include three children; four grandchildren; and three step-grandchildren.
  • Richard M. Cade, 84, I/395, Slaton TX, died Dec. 6, 2008. He was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries received during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he taught Ag-Econ for a number of years and was a cotton farmer when he retired in 2006.
  • Donald D. Kimball, 85, K/395, Rumford ME, died June 17, 2008. He is survived by his wife, Joan.
  • Joseph A. Hickey, 84, C/395, Metuchen NJ, died Jan. 28, 2009. He was a BAR man in his platoon and was awarded the Bronze Star. He was one of the last American soldiers to cross the Remagen Bridge before it collapsed. He worked at Chevron Oil Company for 33 years before his retirement. He and his wife, Elsie were regular attendees of the annual conventions. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
  • Arthur Betts Sr., E/393, Chicago IL, died Jan. 31, 2009. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Ruhr Pocket, and Rhine crossing and earned a Bronze Star.
  • Frank W. Meyer, 5/MED, Paris TX, died Dec. 26, 2008. He is survived by his wife, Annebell; three children; and six grandchildren.
  • Stanley F. Rutana, 90, H/393, New Springfield OH, died July 22, 2008. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and earned three Bronze Stars. After the war, he was a professional driver for 44 years at CCC Highway. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; and three daughters.
  • Sam Isgro, 90, AT/395, Hamilton OH, died Nov. 8, 2008. He was a retired grocery clerk. Survivors include five sons.
  • Elmer E. Clouse, 82, I/394, Newville PA, died Nov. 3, 2008. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and half of his platoon was lost crossing the Rhine on the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen. He was co-owner of a feed mill until 1981. Survivors include four children; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
  • Aubrey L. Mitcherson, 83, D/394, Edgemont AR, died Feb. 2, 2009. He was wounded twice in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He was a farmer and in the grocery store business. In 1966, he and his wife, Mildred established a motel and restaurant business in Pine Bluff and Dumas AR, where they worked side by side for 27 years. Survivors include his wife; three children; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
  • Paul America Tolovi, 89, S/099, Arlington VA, died Jan. 16, 2009. He served in three campaigns during World War II, and in England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea and Washington, D.C., until 1967, retiring with the rank of SGM. Subsequent to his military service, he worked for the Defense Communications Agency, which became the Defense Information Systems Agency in Arlington VA, as an archivist until the time of his death. He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise.
  • John F. McGilvray, 83, 1/393, Bolton Landing NY, died Jan. 23, 2009. He was in the ASTP at Louisiana State University, then went to Camp Maxey TX, where he joined the 99th. After the war he spent most of his professional life as a resident and project engineer with a consulting engineering firm in Rochester NY, and Harrisburg PA. He is survived by two stepsons; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
  • Albert Aguzzi, E/393, Cleveland OH, died May 14, 2008. He attended many 99th conventions and was a good friend of Jim Fennie, Tom Wilson and Mike Strollo. Survivors include his wife, Anne, a daughter and grandson.
  • Elmer Mohrmann, 87, C/370, Delanco NJ, died Oct. 22, 2008. Survivors include his wife, Norma; two sons; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
  • Richard King, 84, F/394, White Bear Lake MN, died Feb. 7, 2009. He was awarded a Purple Heart for action during the Battle of the Bulge. He was quoted extensively in Robert Humphrey’s book, “Once Upon a Time in War.” Survivors include four daughters; four sons; 26 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Other deaths

  • Joyce Coulter, 78, wife of past-president and sergeant-at-arms Jesse Coulter of Charlotte NC, died Jan. 31, 2009. She and Jesse hosted the Charlotte convention in 1997. They also were regular attendees at conventions, along with their three nephews and wives. She was a real estate broker until her retirement, then was employed at her daughter’s law firm. Survivors include her husband, Jesse, and daughter, Janice.

Last modified May 19, 2009

 

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