Taps
Truman Aldridge, Sv/393, Columbus MS, died Aug. 4, 2002. A corporal, he served three years in the 99th and was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He was a carpenter and later became owner/manager of a lumber store. He and his wife, Daisy, had two children.
Roy E. Rutherford, I/394, Big Stone Gap VA, died Sept. 19, 2002. He was a coal miner. Survivors include his wife, Lovell, and their children. Military graveside rites were held with full honors.
Raymond E. Oswald, 80, W. Alexandria OH, a staff sergeant in 395th Anti Tank Co., died Aug. 17, 2002, in an accident. Retired after 42 years with GM, he also was a farmer. Survivors include his wife, Charlotte, two sons, three grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
Jim Henderson, 81, a technical sergeant in the medics (unit not listed), died July 4, 2002, at Franklin PA. He also served in the Korean War for two years as a sergeant first class. He retired in 1978 after 38 years with U.S. Steel Chemical Lab. He is survived by his wife, Thelma, two sons, and grandchildren. Burial was in Jefferson Memorial Park, Pittsburgh.
William L. Jones, 84, D/395, died Dec. 11, 2002, at the VA Medical Center, Charlottesville VA, of a stroke. Survivors include his wife, Thelma, and one daughter. He was a retired minister, postal letter carrier, and owned and operated a country store.
Joseph F. Noppenberger, 80, C/372, died Jan. 1, 2003, at his home in Columbus OH, from a malignant brain tumor. He was a past president of Columbus Golfers Assn. Survivors include his wife, Althea, son, daughters, and grandchildren. Cpl. Noppenberger was a member of a 155 gun crew, Col. Charles Biggio (then a lieutenant) was his superior officer and said, "Joe was one of the finest cannoneers in C Battery.
Charles E. Deakin, 83, A/924, Toledo OH, died Dec. 9, 2002, at Kokomo IN. He retired after a career in bakery marketing. He was a staff sergeant in the 924th FA. Survivors include his wife, Mary Jane, one daughter, and grandson.
William Hagan, 80, I/395, Mentor OH, died Nov. 2, 2002. He was wounded March 5, 1945, in Germany. He was retired from furniture sales. Survivors include his wife, Clarice, three children, and four grandchildren.
Nicholas P. Collaros, Q/393, Cleveland OH, died May 9, 2002. He was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen, on Dec. 31, 2001. They were well known in the 99th, having attended many conventions.
John McDonald Wren, G/395, died May 18, 2002, at Torrance CA. He and his wife, Jean, and their daughter were on the 1990 99th tour to Europe. He practiced law for more than 40 years. She works in the area of conservatorship on behalf of the disabled, with the VA Administration.
Roy Eldon House, B/393, died Jan. 5, 2003, following a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. A BAR man, he received the Silver Star. He also was wounded. He and his wife, Mary Jane, attended the dedication of the 99th Monument at Krinkelt. He was a consulting petroleum geologist who had lived and worked all over the world, including Bolivia and Singapore. Former 99th president Al Nelson of the Denver area was an honorary casket bearer. They were fellow geologists and fellow Checkerboard veterans.
Harold Boulden, A/393, Pagosa Lake CO, died June 26, 2002. Survivors include his wife and two children.
James White, 78, E/395, died Sept. 13, 2002, from lung cancer at his home in Hotchkiss CO. He received two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star in combat. He volunteered for a night patrol in front of Elsenborn Ridge. The patrol was ambushed and he was captured. Jim was a gifted artist. He graduated from Oklahoma State in architecture and had lived in the scenic Rockies of Colorado since 1951. Survivors include a son, daughter, two sisters, and four grandchildren.
Paul Shade, L/393, died Oct. 4, 2002. He resided at Bethesda MD.
Walter N. Kellogg, E/394, Dallas TX, died Sept. 28, 2002 at Tulsa OK, from injuries suffered in an automobile accident at Talihina OK. Survivors include his wife, Marguerite, and daughter. Walter was in the ASTP before coming to the 99th.
Harry Rowlinson, 83, a graduate of University of Delaware, joined the 99th at Camp Maxey, attended OCS at Ft. Benning, and returned to the 99th for combat in Europe. Later, he married his wife Ingeborg in Europe. He remained in the Army Reserve, graduated from Southern Methodist University Law School, advanced in rank to colonel, was active in Masonic work, and lived at Plano TX. Survivors include his wife, daughter, and two grandchldren.
James L. Corbin, 80, K/393, Cleveland OH, died Dec. 2, 2002, following heart surgery. He was a Jeep driver in the fourth platoon, with the company from Van Dorn through VE-Day. After liberating the POW camp at Moosburg he was instrumental in liberating two K/393 men who joined the company (against Patton's orders) for two days and getting them back before being listed as AWOL. Corbin attended the Pittsburgh Convention last year. Survivors include a son and two daughters as well as 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. His wife, Jean, died five years ago.
Howbert A. Steele, 77, L/393, died Aug. 22, 2002, at McAllen TX. He was with the 99th from November 1942, until September 1945. He suffered from frozen feet. He married Olga Ruth Fluitt in 1950. They had lived in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Mexico as a newspaper editor, school teacher, and attorney. In 1973 he was elected municipal judge at McAllen and retired in 1988. He and Olga then traveled, going to Europe where he suffered a major stoke. He later had bladder cancer, a heart attack with bypass surgery, diabetes, and prostate cancer. Survivors include his wife, one brother, one sister, five children, 24 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Dale Clark, I/393, and his wife, Evelyn, died. She died in May, and he June 14, 2002. Military graveside honors were at Chillicothe OH. They attended many reunions, bringing a new GI web belt to one and presenting it to Al Nelson. When Dale was wounded Dec. 17, 1944, Al used his belt as a tourniquet when Dale's foot was shot off. He "returned" Al's belt at the 99th convention.
Carl Breniser, G/394, machine gun staff sergeant died Sept. 7, 2002, at Canton OH, from heart failure. He and his wife, Ruth, resided in Strassburg OH. He was a retired storekeeper for the railroad. The Ohio Military Museum has a display case of items donated by Carl.
Raymond Talbird, 87, A/395, died at Fernandina Beach FL. He was a comptroller for ITT Rayonier, Southeastern Timber Division until he retired. Survivors include two sons and five grandchildren.
Devon Lewis, 1BN HQ/394, Michigan City IN, died July 22, 2002. Survivors include his wife, Carol, two stepchildren, brother, and others. A retired machinist, he enjoyed singing barbershop harmony, and working in veteran organizations. He received the Purple Heart for wounds.
Robert L. McKenny, 87, a lieutenant colonel in Hq/370 FA, died Oct. 9, 2002. He retired from the National Guard and as director of data systems for the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors. Survivors include his wife, Genevieve, three children, and 15 grandchildren. His son, Laurence McKenny, of 76 Knollwood Blvd., Clawson MI 48017, would like to hear from any 99'ers who knew his father.
