An Old Soldier Fades Away

On March 17th, two days after his 86th birthday, my father passed away. Of all his accomplishments in a long and productive life - faithful husband, devoted father, college graduate, chemical engineer, business owner, private pilot, etc - the landmark accomplishment of his life was serving his country in World War II as an Army combat medic.

So, if the mood suits you, please take a moment to raise a glass to the memory of:

Technician Fifth Class Paul M. Henry, Jr.
Medical Detachment, 354th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division
European Theater, September 15, 1944 to December 15, 1945

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This we'll defend,
Arthur Henry
Vi Shooter

We are diminished. Very sorry to hear of your father's passing.

I send my heartfelt sympathy to you and all of your family. God rest his soul.
Donzi

sorry for your loss Art, sometimes we forget our WW2 heros, sounds like a real awesome man, looks like he left a great impact on your life.
im glad you shared this personal momment with us, if theres anything i can do, feel free to call.
Chuck

TFC Paul M. Henry:

Thank you from all of us.

PD

We and our country are diminished by the loss of every one of these veterans.

VI......My heartfelt condolences on your loss....he sounds like he was truly one of "the Greatest Generation".....

Warmest Regards

Dan in NY

Salute Mr. Henry, Godspeed to your family.

They only fade away.....when we fail to remember.
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Hey VI,

Sorry for the loss of your hero.

Read more than once that soldiers in battle consider combat medics to be the bravest men on the field.

Regards,

LB

2K7 said what I always remember... They only fade away when we fail to remember.

Condolences to you and prayers for your family.

A glass is , and will be, raised to him and all the rest.

God Bless,

Emri

Sorry at the lost of your dad. I know you will treasure his memories.

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Originally Posted by Lancebear

Hey VI,

Sorry for the loss of your hero.

Read more than once that soldiers in battle consider combat medics to be the bravest men on the field.

Regards,

LB

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Combat Medics go up against the same dangers as Combat Infantrymen for the most part but don't get to carry arms and have to ignore the hell around them to help their squad mates. Until March, 1945 the Combat Medic didn't get any recognition in the form of combat pay ($10 a month) or badges like the Combat Infantrymen. The Combat Medical Badge on Dad's Ike jacket was a long time coming and came kind of late in my opinion.

I never saw anything scare Dad except the loss of Mom. He had me go first and decide if the casket would be open or closed. Looking at Mom in her casket was the only time I ever saw him with tears in his eyes. Everything else in life was to be faced (or faced down), as need be. Whatever fears he had, he faced stoically with no complaints.

Some of my memories from T/5 Henry:

Dad said the grease stain on his Medic's armband was from the German tank that ran over him (his training was to dive for the space between the tracks). One of his squad mates wasn't so lucky; the tank that he dove under stopped over him and sank in the mud.

Dad said he went through about six of the red cross helmets. When I asked why, he said, "The Germans kept shootin' at 'em." He lost one helmet when he tripped and it bounced into the road ahead of him and a German machine gunner ripped it up.

One time at the Great Western gun show, we saw a Johnson Light Machine Gun on display. It reminded him of a time that a certain gunner stopped shooting the LMG to switch helmets and tend the wounded stuck between opposing forces on the banks of a river. He never actually said who the gunner/Medic was.

When he took me to see the Catch-22 movie, his comment about the dis-embowelment scene was, "I've seen it. It happens sometimes."

His campaign ribbons were for "Bein' there." His Good Conduct Medal was for "Bein' good" (probably for his young bride's sake). He never commented on his Certificate of Merit from the Central Europe Campaign. The local Missouri paper said that Dad "gave no explanation of the award" though he kept the clipping that I'm holding now. I've also got his Mess Card from the USS Enterprise showing that he never missed a meal. Dad said that he got extra meals by borrowing Mess Cards off his seasick bunkies.

Dad was strict about muzzle discipline. One of his Oregon State ASTP classmates was shot in Europe by a squad member cleaning his rifle. He also taught me not to shoot up all my ammo while plinking. "Always walk back to the car with a loaded gun," he said to me once on one of our desert excursions.

Dad was deaf in one ear because the tank his infantry squad was by fired its big gun without warning the foot soldiers. Dad came to in an aid tent with a ruptured eardrum. He didn't get a Purple Heart because he didn't bleed from the injury and Army logic was that "friendly fire" that didn't produce blood didn't count even if the injury was permanent.

One day when we were walking in the snow near Lake Tahoe, Dad stopped and stared for a while at a tree ahead of us. Then he bent over and packed a snow ball and said, "See the crook in that tree? There's a sniper in it." At the count of five, his snowball was falling parallel to the tree trunk at the height of the "sniper's" perch.

I asked Dad once if it was just a story that a man's hair could turn white from fear. He said that after they were shelled one night, one of his squad did have black hair the night before and white hair in the morning. If it ain't true, it oughtta be.

During another shelling, the radioman made the mistake of telling the radio how much the shells were missing by. The next volley was right on top of the radioman.

When I was just a kid, Dad took me to the park near where he was born and showed me a monument with names covering all four sides. Names of men he'd known and gone to school with who gave their lives for their country. Dad never talked about fear or bravery; I don't think he thought the living had a right to.

Thanks, Dad. I'll always keep the best you gave me alive. And while I'm not a gin drinker like you, I will lift a glass of whiskey to you tonight and many times to come.

a long, honorable, productive life - a well-earned rest with all our forefathers who define the term "citizen-soldier"

We all sleep a little sounder because of the sacrifices that men like your father made. Although none of them will admit it, they are the giants of our nation, the men who made this country great and the world a better place.

His watch is over and now he can rest. Thank God for men like your father and for people like you who cherish their memories.

Vi,
Thanks for the story of your father. Our medics are definitely unsung heros. A friend of mine is a combat medic. They never forget their duty. She was driving to work and saw a car get run off the road into a pond. Without hesitation, she dove in and saved 2 women. I'm sure your dad was such a person. They never think of themselves as heros, but in our eyes, they will always stand tall as an example to us all..

VI,
My condolences on your loss. The Greatest Generation will live on in our hearts and minds forever.
God bless you and your family,
Don

Arthur,

Please accept my sincere sympathy for the passing of your Father. May it bring added peace to know that the comfort of your Father's love is never far away.

Don Wooldridge

West Point Class rings and dances with Big Bands may be what Hollywood wanted us to think of the "Long Grey Line" and officers

But it was was the young American boys from "Wherever U.S.A." who answered the call of the the 'Thin Red Line" and claimed the victory.

Requiescat in Pace

THANKS FOR SAVING THE WORLD

JERRY

My condolences to you and your family, you will be in my prayers this evening. And as you said, here is a toast to your father and mine (Herbert M. Hollinger, Capt. USAAC/AF 1939-1955) and all the WWII vets that have laid down to rest to be with their maker. They are in a better place and watching over us at this very moment. We must show them that their efforts and accomplishments in life were not in vain.

We are losing somewhere around 3000 and day. At that rate we had better start toasting every one of the fine WWII vets that fought for what we have today. And toast those that never came home and never had a proper life nor a chance to live it.

Art,
This was written for my Dad but I post it now in memory of yours. Please accept my heartfelt condolances for your loss.

The setting sun lights his aging brow
As around him loved ones quietly weep
Reminding him of a familiar parting long ago
When he left for his nation’s honor to keep
Now dim grows the light in his once youthful eyes.
“Do not weep”, whispers he, “All is well, all is well.”


The mournful trumpet calls in the gathering dark
“Strike the tent and cross the river, my son!”
He knows there is no retreat from this final march
So with disciplined step he enters the surging run
With one last backward glance his loved ones so very faint
“Do not fear”, says he, “All is well, all is well.”


The water is dark and cold, but the advance is swift
His eyes suddenly squint against the rising sun
Seeing familiar young men on that opposite bank
With canteen cups raised in salute they welcome him
And as he embraces his comrades old, ...clearly, sweetly
The trumpet calls “Welcome home, All is well, all is well.”

TR

In Memory
Sergeant Major (Ret.) Howard E. Rarick
1920-1999
Charlie Company, 1/506th PIR
101st Airborne Division
June 6th, 1944

and to all other veterans, whether of sixty years ago or who mustered out yesterday.

Without them this country would be in far worse shape. Those kids who march and squeal protests would, were it not for the veterans, be really hurting every day of their lives.

From the photograph it seems that your father had the Silver Star for valor. Did he ever explain how it was that he received that award?

The medal shown is the Bronze Star, not the Silver Star.

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Originally Posted by Fredtheobviouspseudonym

From the photograph it seems that your father had the Silver Star for valor. Did he ever explain how it was that he received that award?

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Rick is correct, that's a bronze star.

I asked Dad why he had one and he said, "The Army said I was entitled to it, so I thought I'd go ahead and accept it." In Dad's papers, I found a reference to an Army regulation that states that Army medical personnel who received a Combat Medical Badge in WWII combat were entitled to a bronze star as well. I guess the Army learned to appreciate Combat Medics after the fact.

On reviewing Dad's service record, I also found that he was entitled to the Army of Occupation (Germany) ribbon and medal; so I have asked for replacements to add to his jacket. Dad told me that, for a Medic, the occupation meant delivering a lot of babies as there was a shortage of doctors.

I also found Dad's Certificate of Merit which entitled him to wear the Merit Commendation Patch on his right sleeve. It states, "For devotion to duty and heroic achievement in action against the enemy from 16 March to 7 May 1945 as a medical aidman while attached to Company "C", 354th Infantry Regiment" (signed) Curtis D. Renfro, Colonel, 354th Infantry, Commanding.

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The Certificate of Merit was awarded by a soldier's commander for (my paraphrase from memory) outstanding performance in combat resulting in the conspicuous preservation of lives or materiel. Until 1918, a medal went along with it. You Korean Vets may think it should have a red background.

My condolences to you and bless your father.

SteveD

My condolences to you and your family.He was part of the "old breed" from WW2

Our condolences to you and yours in this hard time.God Bless

Cary

Thanks for bringing your father's passing to our attention. May he rest in peace. And let us take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the sacrifice he made to free us from tyranny. I express my sincere condolences to you and your family.

J.B.

A toast to your father and all those who surround him now. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family and friends at this time.

Lisa