Third Quarterly 97th Engineer Newsletter, 2013:
Updated: 1 September 2013
LOST AND FOUND ENGINEERS AND FRIENDS: (August 17)
Due to recent activity to post additional names from newsletters, this section might soon become more active. If you know of someone who served in the 97th EBC and who is not on our roster, please ask them to email the editor or Larry Castleman:
Engineers contacted this quarter:
- LTC Thomas E. Gioiosa, Commander, 97th Engineer Battalion, January 1969–28 February 1970, Ft. Riley.
- LTC Fred W. Aron, Commander, 97th Engineer Battalion, 28 February 1970–December 1970, FT Riley.
- 1LT John Ray Scrimpsher, Platoon/Company Commander, C Co., 1967–1969 Pirmasens/Ft. Riley.
- CPT Thomas H. Meadows, C Co, S–3, Germany, 1966-67.
- LT Larry R. Garner, D Co, 1968, Ft Riley.
- LT Terry Wayne Wolfe, HHC,1969–70, Fort Riley.
- CPT Ronald M. Wells, XO, 97th Engr Bn (Const), Ft. Riley.
- LT Mark A. Wehrspann, B Co, 1968-69, Fort Riley.
- CPT Delbert E. Duncklee. XO, 97th Engr Bn, 1969–70.
- MAJ Martin M. Rogers, XO/Commander, 97th Engineer Battalion, 1970.
- CPT Diarmuid B. Dunne, Commander C Co., 1970–71.
- LTC Ancil R. Pressley (Colonel retired), Commander, 97th Engineer Battalion, when the battalion inactivated.
- CPT Edward A. Canright (LTC retired), Commander, HHC, 97th Engineer Battalion, which changed designation on the day the 97th Engr Bn inactivated]
Contact with men who served in France, especially those with whom I personally worked, is a pleasure. While looking at a few older photos looking for information I ran across the photo below of SFC Elwood C. Cornwell. Having his full name it was a simple matter of locating and speaking with Elwood, who is now on our contact list. Back then he was a Sergeant First Class, but CWO Cornwell served in Vietnam and accepted promotion to warrant officer status for service during the war. Mister Cornwell said he had lots of orders and other historical papers he could share:
Captain Louis V. Genuario, who was Commander of Delta Company, 1960-61, died January 10, 2004. Our condolences to his family and friends. LTC (Retired) Genuario’s obituary: 97th Engr Obituary Page.
97TH ENGINEER BATTALION CREST ON ORDER:
John Neil Jednoralski, who served with the 97th Engr Bn (Const) at Fort Riley, Kansas, July thru November 1970, before going to Vietnam, now has 25 sets of battalion crests ordered. Anyone desiring a set can contact Neil at Jednoralski Enterprises: jednoralski.enterprises@cox.net.
THE 97TH CONSTRUCTOR NEWSLETTER, 1967—DEACTIVATION:
Stephen Dupont, a United States Air Force Master Sergeant, retired, and the son of Colonel Albert A. Dupont, shared with us extensive photographs and a collection of The 97th CONSTRUCTOR Newsletter, a monthly publication authorized by the Department of the Army and expertly published by a staff located at battalion headquarters. Other editions were shared by LTC Thomas Gioiosa and LTC Ancil Pressley.
As time permits, Larry Castleman will reduce copies of the newsletter from poor quality copies to typed volumes easily read and indexed. He and I are now discussing how to best accomplish our goal and keep the character of the newsletter. This is tedious, time–consuming work for Larry, but then the resultant text portions deemed useful, historical and informative will be reintroduced with as many scans of original photographs as we have on hand. There are many names and lists of officers and enlisted men so we should have a good source for research by anyone who visits the 97th EBC web site. Some of the better reproductions might also be re–scanned and reclaimed, if possible. As we make them available, you will see them listed in a separate index page by location and edition number.
Anyone interested in graphics work, please contact the editor.
Below is a representation of an in–progress newsletter’s cover, as they will appear when viewed:
ENGINEERS LIKE BEER:
A fellow engineer who served in Verdun, France, came to the Southeast recently and enjoyed a vacation with his wife in Georgia and then meandered along the way back to Colorado. While in Georgia he discovered a beer made in Mississippi and tried to order some to take back home, but there were no supplies immediately available. So, being a good engineer, he improvised and asked a friend to help locate some. It became a joint challenge for two old scrounges. However, with a “Task Too Great” for immediate gratification and a backorder established (sound familiar?) the wait was a few weeks. Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company in Kiln, Mississippi, has a couple of new fans. Their Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale is the first beer in the world, to their knowledge, made with whole roasted pecans. While this is not an official endorsement here is a photo of Harry Puncec with an obviously “satisfied customer” grin:
