Lorel Wayne Roestel, age 95, passed away on February 28, 2020 in Spokane surrounded by his loving family.
He was born August 13, 1924 in Spokane to Lorel and Ethel (Matson) Roestel. He married Beverly Watkins in 1947 and started a family raising seven children on a farm out on the Palouse. In 1962 they moved to Snoqualmie Valley, they returned again to Spokane in 2013 until his passing.
His life revolved around his love for his family and his faith in his Creator Jehovah God. Grandpa loved spending time with his family of 7 children, 27 grandchildren, 37 1/2 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren!!
He is survived by his sons Larry, Terry & David Roestel; his daughters, Sheryl Ripley, Mollee Raney and Pam Hillemann. He is preceded in death by his wife Beverly H. Roestel and by his son Garry J. Roestel.
John and Virginia Neggia – 2004 76th Division Reunion – Grand Rapids, Michigan
Mr. Neggia served with my Dad in Company I – 304th Infantry Regiment – 76th Division. Part of Patton’s 3rd Army.
They were both only 18 years old when they started training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin in the summer of 1944 (now Fort McCoy).
The following picture was taken in Schmölln, Germany in the spring of 1945. It’s the First Platoon of Company I – and in the front row is Private 1st Class John Neggia. (Click on the image to see larger.)
1st Platoon was led by 2nd Lt. Steve Galanes, who is pictured just to the left of the Company I flag (and one to the right of Private 1st Class John Neggia).
Mr. Neggia told me the following story regarding this picture.
Upon hearing that they had to report to have their pictures taken with the Platoon, John Neggia and his friend Pfc. Tobias Gutierrez (sitting to the right of Galanas) headed off to find something/anything better to do. As they were walking off they happened upon Lt. Galanes who promptly turned them around and marched them back over to the field where it was taking place – and then made them sit on either side of him for when the picture was taken.
Neggia said he was annoyed at the time, but grateful now after all these years to have a photo where he’s pictured with his Platoon.
John Neggia keeps active in part by sharing his remembrances of the War at memorial services and other gatherings saluting our Veterans. Here are just a few of the most recent.
Handan Veterans Honored at Special Memorial Dedication Interviewed by WDVM-TV – 2015
Современные даркнет-маркетплейсы представляют собой сложные экономические системы с широким ассортиментом. Категории товаров могут варьироваться от цифровых продуктов и услуг до различных физических предметов. На площадке маркетплейс Кракен купить представлены лоты от тысяч независимых продавцов со всего мира.
Frank Mucedola (1921-2007) served as a Tech Sergeant in I-304-76. A musician in civilian life, he established the Frank Mucedola Accordian School in Auburn, New York and has toured with the world-renowned Mantovani Orchestra.
The following article originally ran in The Auburn Citizen August 24, 2003
The 76th Infantry Division received its “Baptism of Fire” during the battle of the Bulge.
After crossing into Germany from Belgium and Luxembourg, the division was the spearhead of General George S. Patton’s 3rd Army final drive across central Germany and were among the first troops to make contact with the Soviet Red Army in the vicinity of Chemnitz, Germany, in May 1945.
The 76th Division had gone further east into Germany than any other American unit.
When Germany was divided into East and West, the 76th Division found itself in the East and was subsequently pulled back into the Western Zone.
However, between May and August 1945, when the Russians arrived, the 76th Division was on occupation duty in Schmolln, Thuringen, Germany.
From August 1945 until the Berlin wall fell, schools in occupied East Germany were required to teach students that Germany had been liberated from the Nazis by “The Glorious Red Army.”
The pre-1945 generation knew better, but kept silent out of fear of reprisals.
When the 76th Division was relieved of its occupation duties in August 1945, it was deactivated and its troops were reassigned to other units slated for the invasion of Japan which, for a brief time, was still at war with the United States.
Fortunately, that assignment never materialized as the atomic bomb ended the war and the troops were sent home.
Many years later, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the people of Schmolln in the former East Germany wanted to correct what they knew was a historical lie. They were not liberated from the Nazis by the Soviet Army, but by the 76th Infantry Division of the United States Army.
On April 13, 2003, the people of Schmolln erected a memorial to the 76th Division to show their appreciation.
I am one of the nine Auburnians who served in the 76th Infantry Division during World War II and am grateful that the people of Schmolln have honored us with their thoughtfulness.
-Frank Mucedola
Auburnians who served in the 76th Division in WWII
George P. Diehl Paul J. DiFabion Ronald P. Hart Robert T. Mott Frank Mucedola James Napoli George T Ryan James Smith Paul A. Tripociano
Pictures from a 2003 Veterans Tour that included Schmölln.
Veterans of the 76th Division @2003 Anne Adams@2003 Charles Themar
Inscription on plaque:
THIS PLAQUE RESPECTFULLY PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE OF SCHMOLLN, THURINGEN, GERMANY BY THE 76TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND COMPANY I, 304TH INFANTRY REGIMENT UNITED STATES ARMY WHO SERVED IN THIS CITY FROM MAY TO JULY 1945 “THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING US” 76TH INFANTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATION APRIL 13, 2003
Postscript
Dave Keefe
In 2010 David Keefe, a US Marine and grandson to Richard Keefe (I-304-76), visited Schmölln to honor his Grandfather’s service in the War and to see the plaque firsthand. Here’s the video he took.
Brig. Gen. Don Rue Hickman was the original Captain of I-304-76. He’s the Captain they trained with at Camp McCoy before going overseas, and the Captain they first saw battle with going into the Siegfried Line in February of 1945. In March of 1945 Hickman would be transferred up to the 304th Battalion to be replaced as Captain of Company I by then Lt. Donald Katz (who would be promoted to Captain).
The following article appeared in Utah’s Daily Herald September 28, 2005 in honor of Don Rue Hickman after his death.
General Loses Battle With Cancer, Declines Arlington by Heidi Toth
Retired Brig. Gen. Don Rue Hickman did many memorable things in his life. He was a highly decorated veteran of three wars, he played college basketball and he wrote an autobiography.
But what his daughters loved most about their father was his relationship with their mother. He treated his wife of 53 years like a queen from the day he got married until Saturday September 24, 2005, when he died of cancer. Watching that made his four children realize how important their mother was.
DeAnn Giles, Mary Higbee, Pamela Norris and Judy Clark all returned to Provo and gathered with family members, including their mother, LoRee Hickman, to remember, honor and say goodbye to their father, who had battled cancer for 11 years. They returned here because Hickman had given up his plot in Arlington National Cemetery so he could be buried in his home state of Utah, close enough to BYU to enjoy the football games.
“He was the most avid BYU fan you could know,” said his grandson, Joseph Higbee.
Hickman also was a great patriot, Clark said. He served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, rising from a drafted private to a general before retiring to Utah. She always remembers her father when she hears Toby Keith’s “American Soldier” on the radio.
“Every time I get to that I think it’s men like him that make it so we can sleep in peace tonight,” she said.
That loyalty stretched to aspects of his life, and his family’s life, as well.
“He wanted us to always sustain our leaders, because they’re doing the very best they can,” Giles said.
“Even if he didn’t agree with them politically, he’d always sustain them,” Norris added.
Despite his years in the military, most of it spent commanding others, Hickman did not bring his military style home with him, Higbee said.
“Even though he was an officer in three wars, he was able to set that aside as a father and be tender and kind and not demanding as he might be with soldiers,” she said.
He also stressed honesty and integrity to his daughters, and helped them to love and learn their heritage. Hickman loved people; Norris said when he was on trips as a general, he would stop at people’s homes who needed help or had contacted him about something.
An interesting thing about her father’s career was that he never planned to be in the military, his daughters said. He planned to coach and teach. Then he was drafted.
“He told himself, ‘You’re going to follow through or fall apart,’ ” Clark said. “He made a decision to be strong.”
