756th Tank Battalion ASSOCIATION:
The 756th Tank Battalion's active veterans association
officially dissolved this past summer.
Unfortunately, many members can no longer attend the annual reunions, so the decision was made to retire to
colors and to split and donate the Association treasury money between the Disabled American Veterans and the
National Museum of the U.S. Army. Both organizations were sent $935.15. The DAV responded with an
acknowledgment on December 22nd, 2010 and the National Museum of the US Army responded on January 13,
2011 and January 19th, 2011. (See below). Note: addresses have been blocked for privacy reasons.
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In addition to the above certificate of acknowledgement, the National Museum of the U.S. Army included a form
for their program: Registry of the American Soldier. Anyone interested in honoring a soldier, please click on the
image below. A new window will open that you can either save (right click) or print. All instructions and addresses
are included on the form.
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On August 10th, 2010, five veterans of the 756th Tank Battalion attended a ceremony at the Patton Museum at
Fort Knox, Kentucky, to retire the battalion colors. All Association property was also donated to the Museum at
the same time. Here are some photos (click to enlarge) of that bittersweet event:
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The 756th Tank Battalion maintained an active Association for over 20 years. In 2010, the Association turned in
their book and photo collection and retired the battalion colors at the Patton Museum at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
No more annual reunions will take place.
The last reunion was held September 10-13, 2009 in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Only seven veterans could attend,
but participating family members and associates brought attendance closer to fifty. The members toured Cincinnati
and Northern Kentucky sites and enjoyed fine hospitality a the Drawbridge Inn. Many thanks to the Coombs family
for being such wonderful hosts!
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Veterans at the Patton Museum
(left to right): Richard Coombs, Gene
Palumbo, Clyde Guild, Robert Gill, and
Charles Pelley.
Veterans at the Patton Museum (left to
right): Pelley, Guild, Gill, Coombs, and
Palumbo hand over the battalion crest and
streamers to the director of the Patton
Museum.
Veterans at the Patton Museum (left to
right): Robert Gill, Clyde Guild, Charles
Pelley, Richard Coombs, and Gene
Palumbo climb aboard an M4A3 one last
time.
2009
Veterans at Fort Mitchell, Kentucky,
(left to right, back row): Robert Gill,
Richard Coombs, Charles Pelley, Clyde
Guild, (left to right, seated) Henry
Sanislow, Mike Sudvary, Dave Redle.
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PHOTOS FROM PAST REUNIONS:
(Click images to enlarge)
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2008
Veterans at the World War II
Memorial in Washington D.C. (left to
right): Richard Coombs, Clyde Guild,
Denis Hannan, Dave Redle, Gene Palumbo,
Robert Gill, Frank Cockerill.
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2007
Veterans at Huntington, West Virginia,
(left to right, back row): Denis Hannan,
Charles Pelley, Gene Palumbo, Mike
Sudvary, Robert Gill, (left to right,
seated):, Henry Sanislow, Jack Brown,
Frank Cockerill, Jack Deenihan, David
Redle, Clyde Guild. (Photo courtesy of
Russell Jones)
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2006
Veterans at Akron, Ohio, (left to right,
back row): Gene Palumbo, Richard
Coombs, Frank Cockerill, Denis Hannan,
Henry Sanislow, Robert Gill, Charles
Pelley, and Mike Sudvary. (left to right,
seated): Jack Brown, Sam Liberto, David
Redle, Clyde Guild.
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2005
Veterans at Fon-du-Lac,Wisconsin, (left
to right, back row): Marvin Kempf, Ralph
Donley, Robert Gill, Bud Fink, Joseph
Salvatore, Richard Coombs, Charles Pelley,
Denis Hannan, Henry Sanislow, and Paul
Taylor. (left to right, seated): Henry
Deicken, David Redle, Clyde Guild, and
Frank Cockerill.
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756th Tank Battalion Association Reunions of the Past...
Year:
|
Date:
|
City & State:
|
Host(s):
|
1987
|
9/30 - 10/04
|
Fresno, California
|
George Montgomery
|
1988
|
9/24 - 9/27
|
Fort Worth, Texas
|
Roy Anderson
|
1989
|
10/05 - 10/08
|
Akron, Ohio
|
David Redle
|
1990
|
9/20 - 9/23
|
Omaha, Nebraska
|
Frank Cockerill
|
1991
|
9/18 - 9/22
|
Louisville, Kentucky
|
James Blackwell
|
1992
|
9/17 - 9/20
|
St. Paul, Minnesota
|
Robert Kremer
|
1993
|
9/10 - 9/12
|
Williamsburg, Virginia
|
Ed Olson
|
1994
|
9/15 - 9/18
|
Paducah, Kentucky
|
Clarence Yeatts
|
1994
|
9/29 - 10/02
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Lancaster, Pennsylvania
|
Roy Kosanke
|
1995
|
9/21 - 9/24
|
Arlington, Virginia
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Denis Hannan / Ed Olson
|
1995
|
10/12 - 10/15
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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
|
Jack Brown / Roy Kosanke
|
1996
|
8/12 - 8/16
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Las Vegas, Nevada
|
George Montgomery
|
1996
|
9/19 - 9/22
|
St. Joseph, Missouri
|
Clarence Yeatts
|
1997
|
8/21 - 8/23
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Denver, Colorado
|
Herman Turpin
|
1998
|
9/10 - 9/13
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Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
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Henry Sanislow / Mike Sudvary
|
1999
|
9/17 - 9/19
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Springfield, Missouri
|
Clarence Yeatts
|
2000
|
9/21 - 9/23
|
San Diego, California
|
Bud Fink
|
2001
|
-- Reunion scheduled for Fort Knox cancelled due to the 9-11 attacks --
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2002
|
9/19 - 9/21
|
Fort Knox, Kentucky
|
Bud Fink
|
2003
|
9/25 - 9/27
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San Antonio, Texas
|
Herman Turpin
|
2004
|
9/16 - 9/18
|
Omaha, Nebraska
|
Frank Cockerill
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2005
|
9/15 - 9/17
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Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
|
Marvin Kempf
|
2006
|
9/16 - 9/16
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Akron, Ohio
|
David Redle
|
2007
|
9/13 - 9/15
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Huntington, West Virginia
|
Robert Gill
|
2008
|
9/11 - 9/14
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Washington D.C. area
|
Denis Hannan
|
2009
|
9/10 - 9/12
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Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
|
Richard Coombs
|
2010
|
Cancelled
|
Louisville, Kentucky
|
Coombs family
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756th Tank Battalion Official Repository for
Letters, Documents, Photos and Memorabilia...
If you have WWII or 756th Tank Battalion material that you are interested in preserving for future
generations, the Association selected the PATTON MUSEUM LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES as the "official"
repository choice. All material sent by you to the library and identified as "756th Tank Battalion" historical
material will forever be cataloged as such and made available for future researchers wishing to research the
756th Tank Battalion.
The Museum will proudly accept any "archival material" such as books, documents, papers, letters,
photographs and films. Any other object or "artifact" (such as a uniform, insignia, equipment, or weapon)
should be cleared ahead of time, as the Museum must consider storage space before acceptance.
2011 MUSEUM UPDATE...
The PATTON MUSEUM LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES and the Armor School are moving to Fort Benning,
Georgia. All 756th Tank Battalion material is currently in storage with the new ARMOR MUSEUM (part of
the National Infantry Museum). The museum building itself will be completed in the near future. Donations
are still being accepted to the 756th Tank Battalion collection but should coordinated through the webmaster.
Please e-mail jdanby@756tank.com if you have material you wish to donate. Once a permanent address is
published, it will be posted here.
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756th Tank Battalion Association "TAPS" List.
The following are the names of 756th Tank Battalion members who has since passed away. Most were
Association members, but others have been listed at the request of their families or friends...
|
NAME / Company
|
DATE OF DEATH
|
Affiliation/Source
|
Harvey F. Abbot (D)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Richard L. Adlard (B)
|
8/22/1997
|
Association
|
Roy Anderson (B)
|
6/27/2011
|
Association
|
Bennie B Angerer (H)
|
1/9/1997
|
Association
|
Edwin Y. Arnold (H)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Leroy F. Banham (H)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Thomas Barber (B)
|
1974
|
Association
|
Lee P. Barnes (D)
|
9/16/2007
|
Family
|
Carrol E. Barnhart
|
1/7/1996
|
Association
|
Louis H. Berggheger
|
7/10/2004
|
Association
|
James H. Blackwell (B)
|
1/21/1996
|
Association
|
George A. Boutilier (A)
|
4/18/1999
|
Association
|
John J. Bostwick
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Howard J. Bowers (Sv)
|
2/3/1996
|
Association
|
Bedford Brown (H,A)
|
3/25/1991
|
Association
|
Bertie L. Bulen (B)
|
5/15/1993
|
Association
|
Jack E. Burger (B)
|
9/9/2001
|
Association
|
Modestino Cafaro (H)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Frank R. Cockerill, Jr. (B)
|
5/19/2009
|
Association
|
Doyle Cody
|
1/6/2003
|
Association
|
Charles H. Coleman (B)
|
8/1976
|
Association
|
Roy Collins (H)
|
11/11/2009
|
Association
|
Ansel M. Colvin (H)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Donald W. Conklin
|
8/16/1995
|
Association
|
Roger Cornell
|
11/15/1999
|
Association
|
Ned S. Cox (A)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Joseph Cutrone (B)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
George C. Davis (B)
|
12/23/1995
|
Association
|
Marioin A. Davis (A)
|
1/20/2009
|
Association
|
John L. Deicken
|
1/11/1991
|
Association
|
Billy J. Donelson (D)
|
3/22/1997
|
Association
|
John H. Dooley (A)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Ralph Donley (H)
|
5/29/2011
|
Association
|
Calvin Eaton
|
1/15/2003
|
Association
|
Thomas R. Ellison
|
11/13/2003
|
Association
|
William R. Engfer (B, A)
|
4/7/1991
|
Association
|
Victor M. Essy (Sv)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Roger Fazendin (B)
|
1/13/1993
|
Association
|
George Felegy (C)
|
6/19/2000
|
Association
|
Donald A. Freeman (C)
|
8/29/1992
|
Association
|
Tomas Garcia (A)
|
1998
|
Association
|
Barney Gaugler (C)
|
1/5/2003
|
Association
|
Raymond S. Getz (B)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Henry E. Gohde (B)
|
1997
|
Association
|
James W. Gilkerson (B)
|
3/12/1996
|
Association
|
George M. Gillispie (A)
|
9/22/1995
|
Assocation
|
Porfirio Gonzalez (A)
|
10/17/2003
|
Association
|
Bedford B. Grass (H)
|
9/26/1996
|
Association
|
James (Giacomo) Guarino (A)
|
10/02/2007
|
Association
|
Hugh M. Habenicht
|
10/17/1995
|
Association
|
John M. Hamilton (B)
|
3/2/2000
|
Association
|
Louis F. Hamp (C)
|
3/7/2002
|
Association
|
Denis Hannan (Med)
|
2/5/2010
|
Association
|
James Haspel (B)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Stephen J. Horvath (C)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Wallace R. Hudgins
|
4/4/1992
|
Association
|
Horace D. Hunsaker (A)
|
5/5/2001
|
Association
|
Raymond T. Johnson (A)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Ralph Jones (Sv)
|
1/14/1995
|
Association
|
Vernon D. Judy (B)
|
5/10/2000
|
Association
|
Theodore A. Kartheiser (H)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Marvin Kempf (A)
|
8/8/2009
|
Association
|
Marvin King (B)
|
12/14/1998
|
Assocation
|
Clifford E. Kirkland (C)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Karl K. Kincaid (B)
|
11/2/2001
|
Association
|
Roy R. Kosanke (B)
|
11/18/1996
|
Association
|
Stanley J. Kotarski (A, D)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Robert F. Kremer (B, D)
|
7/11/1997
|
Association
|
Martin Kuklis (B)
|
3/23/1989
|
Association
|
Charles E. Landgraff (H)
|
12/3/1994
|
Association
|
Raymond L. Leonard (B)
|
7/14/1990
|
Assocation
|
French G. Lewis (H, A, C)
|
11/23/2004
|
Association
|
Jacob D. Littreal (A)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
David Loeb (H, C)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Oscar S. Long (H)
|
5/16/1999
|
Association
|
Howard A Mahurin
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Maynard T. Marine
|
9/20/2001
|
Association
|
David L McConaghey (A)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Anthony F. Melfi
|
wartime
|
Association
|
George Montgomery (B, D)
|
10/9/1999
|
Association
|
Rex Nall (C)
|
4/21/2008
|
Association
|
Raymond D. Norris (H)
|
7/16/1997
|
Association
|
Anthony L. Notaroberto (B)
|
1995
|
Association
|
Carl R. Nowlin (C)
|
6/2/1996
|
Association
|
Alvin Nusz (B)
|
8/29/1999
|
Association
|
Philip Olivia (Sv)
|
9/28/1999
|
Association
|
Haskell O. Oliver (B)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Charles M. Olson (A)
|
12/17/2002
|
Association
|
Edwin B. Olson (C, H)
|
5/5/2011
|
Association
|
Vincent P. O'Malley (Sv)
|
11/15/1996
|
Association
|
Robert E. Padgett (B)
|
9/21/1991
|
Association
|
Gene W. Patsch (A)
|
1/1/2000
|
Association
|
Moultrie Patten (C, A, B)
|
3/25/2009
|
Association
|
Julian Peckham (D)
|
10/9/1997
|
Association
|
Yrineo H. Pena (A)
|
12/2/2007
|
Association
|
Frank Piotrowski (H, C)
|
1/21/2000
|
Association
|
Winton M. Pflugrad (C)
|
1/26/1981
|
Association
|
Ricard E. Pitman (C)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
James C. Quarles (A)
|
3/10/2002
|
Association
|
Paul M. Ranspach (B, D)
|
4/26/2003
|
Association
|
Joel Roth (D)
|
6/5/2003
|
Association
|
John Roth (B)
|
5/26/2002
|
Association
|
Eugene H. Rule (B)
|
4/26/1998
|
Association
|
Edward J. Sadowski (B)
|
5/1994
|
Association
|
Henry Sanislow (B)
|
11/24/2011
|
Association
|
Ruben Savaloja
|
1/27/1995
|
Association
|
Fred L. Schmidt (H)
|
8/18/1998
|
Association
|
John P. Sherlock
|
1/15/1995
|
Association
|
Ralph Slusser (B)
|
6/24/2000
|
Association
|
Foster Smith
|
10/21/2000
|
Association
|
Frank P. Souden (B)
|
4/3/1996
|
Association
|
Albert F. Spillard (C)
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Mike Sudvary (H, A)
|
12/17/2011
|
Association
|
Paul L. Taylor (B)
|
12/25/2005
|
Association
|
Osgood Tower
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Willis A. Trafton (A)
|
4/3/1994
|
Association
|
Herman L. Turpin (H, A)
|
10/29/2005
|
Association
|
Refugio Vasquez (H, Sv)
|
12/27/1991
|
Association
|
James T. Vaughn (B)
|
4/28/1996
|
Association
|
Armando Vignolo (B)
|
3/14/2005
|
Association
|
Albert C. Voegele (C)
|
5/9/2001
|
Association
|
Wilbur W. Wagner (H)
|
6/17/1996
|
Association
|
Cullen Ward (Sv)
|
6/1997
|
Association
|
Robert L. Weimer
|
unknown
|
Association
|
Charles M. Wilkinson (B)
|
6/20/2008
|
Association
|
Clarence E. Yeatts
|
2005
|
Association
|
Lawrence M. Wolfe
|
11/4/1996
|
Association
|
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