Recollections of Army Staff Sergeant Howard Miskelly, 102d Infantry Division

By Bobby Harrison Jan 18, 2014

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Daily Journal Jackson Bureau

JACKSON – As a young man trudging on foot across central Europe in the Rhineland Campaign in World War II  – some of the fiercest fighting known to mankind – Howard Miskelly said he was not afraid.

“When you are 20 years old, you are not afraid of anything,” 88-year-old Miskelly said Friday at the Mississippi Capitol where nearly 70 years later he was awarded a Bronze Star for his sacrifice and bravery. “When I got home and thought about it, I was scared to death.”

Miskelly’s 102nd Army Division, where he rose to the rank of sergeant in the infantry, suffered 932 fatalities and more than 2,660 wounded in the fighting in Belgium, Holland and Germany.

Miskelly said he was fortunate – fortunate to survive the conflict, fortunate to succeed in business in his longtime hometown of Okolona and fortunate to have a family that carries on his accomplishments.

On the day he was inducted into the Army in September 1943, Miskelly said his aunt gave him a pocket-sized, steel-reinforced New Testament Bible. He said he carried the Bible through the conflict. The ragged Bible reads in faded letters on the front, “May this keep you safe from harm.”

He said the Bible ensured he would not be killed by a gunshot to the heart.

Miskelly, still active, had the Bible on Friday at the Mississippi Capitol where about 75 people, including Gov. Phil Bryant and U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper of Rankin County, attended a ceremony where Miskelly was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions in the bloody Rhineland Campaign.

Randy Reeves, executive director of the state Veterans Affairs Board, who officiated the ceremony, said Congress passed a law in the late 1940s to award the soldiers who fought in the bloody central European campaign a Bronze Star – the nation’s fourth highest military honor. He said the fact that Miskelly never received his award was brought to his attention by the governor.

Reeves said working with Harper’s congressional office, he ascertained that Miskelly was eligible for the award and put in motion the procedure to ensure he received it. Miskelly said he actually would received a second Bronze Star for his work in the occupation after the war.

“This is an award that is not given, but earned,” Bryant said Friday. The governor said Miskelly “never thought of himself as a hero,” but answered a call like so many others labeled as America’s greatest generation “to make sure the world would remain free.”

Bryant said what Miskelly is most proud of is not his heroics in World War II, but his five children and 13 grandchildren.

After Friday’s ceremony, Miskelly was willing to talk about the ordeal of first overpowering the Germans at the Roer River, then being blocked from crossing when the Germans opened a dam to flood the waterway. He said they huddled for weeks in minus 14-degree weather in a foxhole with nothing to eat but military rations before being able to proceed on their march toward Berlin.

Miskelly also was willing to talk about being grazed in the head – inches from what would surely have been a kill shot by friendly fire – and about the revolver he took from a German general or about countless other ordeals.

But what the Faulkner native would rather talk about is family and life after the war.

He said he was fortunate to return to Tippah County where “I married my high school sweetheart,” the former Ann Street of Ripley. He started his career as a teacher in Pontotoc and a part-time employee of a clothing store.

He later opened a successful clothing store in Okolona where he and his wife raised three boys and two girls.

The boys – Tommy, Chip and Oscar – wanted to open a clothing store in the Jackson area, but his parents objected, saying they should open a furniture store instead to take advantage of the numerous furniture manufacturers in Northeast Mississippi.

That store, Miskelly Furniture, is now one of the biggest in the Southeast.

Howard and Ann Miskelly moved from Okolona to a home on the Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point about three and a half years ago, where he admits he likes to play a little golf.

One of his daughters, Marty Ishee, also lives in West Point while another, Pam Carson, lives in Houston and works at Tupelo High School.

About eight years ago, Miskelly recounted the story of the Bible his aunt gave him in 1943 when he was inducted, saying, “This plus God Almighty brought me back to Faulkner, Mississippi, in April 1946. God did not stop there. He gave me a wonderful wife, and five fine children and we have lived happily since.”

On Friday, in the midst of the attention centered on him, he said his life has been more than he could have hoped.

“It is remarkable,” he said.

In Memory of Imogene Larson, Army Nurse Corp., Camp Maxey & ETO

Imogene Larson, age 93, died Thursday, September 12, 2013 in Mason City. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30am, Monday, September 16, 2013, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams Ave., Mason City. Interment will follow in Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, where full military honors will be provided by the Iowa Funeral Honor Guard and the Mason City Veterans.

The CDA Rosary will commence at 2:30pm on Sunday, September 15th followed by visitation from 3-5pm, with the wake starting at 5:00pm at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd Street N.E., Mason City, Iowa.

Imogene was born on September 3, 1920, on the family farm, the daughter of Fred A. and Leocadia (Coyle) Cahalan. She was the 5th of 11 children. She attended country school in Cartersville and graduated in 1938 from Rockwell High School. She entered the Mercy School of Nursing at Loras College in Dubuque on her 19th birthday and graduated in 1942 as a Registered Nurse. She entered the Army Nurse Corp on February 23, 1943 and served at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Camp Walters and Camp Maxey in Texas; Camp Kilmer in New Jersey, and was stationed at 105th Evacuation Hospital in Bournemouth, England, for 2 ½ years. She returned to the United States to O’Reilly General Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, before being honorably discharged on August 18, 1946. Imogene worked at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, during the polio epidemic of 1946, before becoming a private duty nurse for Park and Mercy Hospitals in Mason City. In 1947, she began her career at Mercy Hospital in Mason City working mainly in the Nursery and Obstetrics units. She retired after 35 years as Head Nurse from Mercy in September 1982 assisting in over 20,000 births.

Imogene took great pride in being a WWII veteran and member of the VFW Honor Guard. She had the privilege of participating on the Honor Flight in 2010, to Washington, D.C., that recognized WWII Veterans. Imogene was a woman of great faith and conviction which sustained her throughout her life. She was a member of the St. Gregory Circle at Holy Family Catholic Church and the Catholic Daughters of America. She was a founding member of the RIBB club and a member of the neighborhood 500 card club for over 60 years. She was the recipient of the KIMT Giving Your Best Award reflecting her volunteer work in helping others. Because of her kind and giving nature, she had many lifelong friends. She will be remembered by her family as the “commander” who ruled with the point of a finger and loved with the tenderness of a hand on your back. Her legendary chip dip and RKT’s have been part of every family celebration.
Imogene married Vernon A. “Boots” Larson on April 3, 1948 at Holy Family Catholic Church. There were 7 children born to this union: Jeanne Marie; Thomas Vernon; Timothy Joseph; Jane Ann; Mary Elizabeth; Sue Ellen; and Janice Margaret .

Imogene is survived by her children; Jeanne Lessor of Mason City; Tom (Susan) Larson of Monte Vista, Co; Mary Beth (Don) Nelson of Mason City; Sue Sumners of Lakewood, CO; and Janice (Jeff) Barnes of Littleton, CO. She is also survived by her siblings, Mary Hoffman of Mason City; Bernadine (Adrian) Ferreira of Peru, IN; and Sally Cover, of Middlebury, IN. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, in addition to numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and special friend Janet Clemons.

Imogene was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and her son, Tim and daughter, Jane Ann; her brothers; Patrick, Ambrose “Jiggs” , Daniel, Jerry, and John Cahalan; and sisters; Rose (Campbell) and Bridget LaVonne “Bonnie" (Spahn).
The family would like to thank the staff of Good Shepherd Health Center and Hospice of North Iowa for their heartfelt concern for our mother and the dignity and respect they showed our mom and our entire family. 

In Memory of Harry McCracken, 99th Infantry Division

GREENSBURG, Pa. (Tribune News Service) — Harry McCracken lived a life of service, whether it was as an Army medic in World War II or as a volunteer firefighter back home.

While waiting to join the Marines, he was drafted into the Army in 1942. He was assigned to the 99th Infantry Division, 395th Infantry Regiment, and did his basic training at Camp Van Dorn, Miss.

While stationed at Camp Maxey, Texas, in 1944, he learned that his brother Milton had been taken prisoner by the Germans, so he tried to reassure his mother.

“My dad said, ‘Don't worry. I'll rescue him and bring him home,' ” said his daughter, Sharon Bone.

Mr. McCracken's unit arrived in Europe just in time for the Battle of the Bulge. While serving as a combat medic, he was injured in the leg from a strafing run by German aircraft.

“He was attending the people who were wounded and did not realize he'd been shot in the leg — until they were going back to their aid station. He looked down, and there was blood,” Bone said.

Mr. McCracken recovered and was present when his unit discovered the POW camp in Moosburg, Germany, where his brother was being held, and Mr. McCracken was able to fulfill his promise to his mother. His brother later returned home and died in 1999.

Harry E. McCracken of Penn Township died Wednesday, May 2, 2018, at Walden's View Personal Care Home. He was 95.

Born in Westmoreland City on May 16, 1922, he was a son of the late Frank and Cora M. (Dullinger) McCracken. He proposed to his wife, Doris, upon his return from the war, marrying her on May 8, 1946.

Mr. McCracken's wartime exploits are documented in the book “ They Say There Was a War ,” an oral history told by 56 World War II veterans, and the Pennsylvania Cable Network documentary “World War II — In Their Own Words.”

He was active with the 99th Infantry Division Historical Society, including as convention chairman and archives chairman. The society posted a tribute to Mr. McCracken on its Facebook page.

Back in the States, he went to work for Westinghouse Electric Corp., East Pittsburgh, and got involved in volunteer work. He joined the Westmoreland City Volunteer Fire Department, which he served as chief in the late 1970s and early '80s, said his son, Daniel.

“First and foremost, he was a Christian man — Christ was above anything else in his life,” his son said. “That's probably where the volunteerism came from.”

Mr. McCracken was instrumental in the founding of North Huntingdon Rescue 8 and was a life member of Penn Township Rescue 6. He worked with state Rep. John Laudadio Sr. to change the way the state distributed money to local volunteer fire departments, his children said.

“He ended up getting that money more evenly distributed among the fire departments” based on municipality of residence instead of mailing address, Bone said.

For his years of volunteer work, he was nominated for the Jefferson Award by Westinghouse SURE and received the award in 2013.

Mr. McCracken is survived by three children, Sharon L. Bone and her husband, William, of North Huntingdon, Virginia McCracken Stump of Westmoreland City and Daniel McCracken and his wife, Pamela, of Manor; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the William Snyder Funeral Home, 521 Main St., Irwin, where a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday. Interment with military honors will follow in Brush Creek Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Camp Van Dorn World War II Museum, 138 E. Main St., Centreville, MS 39631.

shuba@tribweb.com

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In Memory of William "Bill" J. Bishop, 793rd Military Police Battalion

William "Bill" J. Bishop, 89, of Allegan and Kalamazoo, MI died peacefully on April 7, 2013, at the Wings Home - Hospice, in Allegan. He was born in Allegan, MI on January 31, 1924, the son of Carl Wm Bishop and Mizpah Marcella (VanKeuren) Bishop.

He attended Kalamazoo Central High School until the outbreak of World War II. After his enlistment, he trained at Camp Maxey, TX as part of the 793rd Military Police Battalion. He was then deployed to the European front performing port security in Antwerp Belgium and Marseilles, France.

After three years, he returned to Michigan to be with his wife, Virginia (Nuyen) Bishop. Bill worked at Kelley Ink Company in Kalamazoo for many years and finished his working career with Rockwell Corporation in Allegan. While living in Kalamazoo, he was part of the charter organizers of the Westwood Little League and was an active member of that organization. Bill (or as he liked to be known as "Wild" Bill) loved to hunt and fish.

He was a devoted father spending endless hours with his four children. Among his "favorite" things to do was going out for breakfast and kidding with the waitresses that served him. Bill is survived by two sons Roger (Virginia) Bishop, Larry (Judy) Bishop; two daughters, Janet Westcott and Diane (Paul) Bartz. He also leaves behind his life partner of many years, Patti Oram; brother, Frank (Virgil) Bishop, Julia Blair, and Patricia Getty. He was preceded in death by his sister, Virginia Llewellyn. Bill was the proud grandfather of ten children and great-grandfather of five, and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Bill's life will be held at the Gorden Funeral Residence, Allegan Chapel, 528 Trowbridge Street, Allegan, MI on Saturday, April 13, 2013. A visitation will be held by his children starting at 10 AM followed by a Memorial Service at 11 AM. A private military inurnment will be conducted at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, MI. Anyone wishing to make a contribution in lieu of flowers can do so through donations to the Disabled Veterans Association and/or the Wings Home (www.wingshome.org). 

In Memory of Alvin Martin Labens, 99th Infantry Division

Alvin Martin Labens passed away Sunday night, January 25, 2015. He was born November 28th, 1923 to Harry and Lillian Hochstein Labens. In his formative years, he participated in the Boy Scouts attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Clarksdale High School where he was a member of the band and graduated in 1941. He attended LSU majoring in forestry and was a member of Phi Epsilon Pi social fraternity.

After the outbreak of World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army reserve and was called to duty May of 1943. After completing basic training, he was placed in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and returned to LSU to study engineering.

When ASTP was terminated in March of 1944, he was transferred to the 99th Infantry Division at Camp Maxey, TX. In September the 99th Division embarked for England and in November was moved to the Belgium-German border.

On December 17, the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, his company was attacked by two German regiments. During the "orderly" withdrawal he and two other enlisted men were separated from their company, which had been diminished from over 200 men to just 18. He was hospitalized in March and when the war ended in May, he opted for an honorable discharge in 1946. He joined in the Merchant Marines and worked his way back to the United States. His military citations included the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, Good Conduct medal, European Theater medal with three stars and Victory medal.

He returned to LSU for a year before transferring to Southern College of Optometry in Memphis where he met Rebecca "Becky" Novick. They were married April 1, 1951. He maintained his optometry practice in Clarksdale, MS for 47 years before retiring to Memphis, TN.

He was an active in the Lions Club, the Exchange Club, and was a member and secretary for the Coahoma County Conservation League for 37 years, as well as a member of Masonic Lodge 286. He served as president for B'nai Brith Temple Israel. He was an outdoorsman, who enjoyed hunting, fishing and the peace and companionship those activities provided. He loved his family and was never happier than when everyone was gathered together.

He is survived by his wife, Becky, whose smile would brighten his day when his pain was constant; brothers Maurice and his wife Charlotte, and Malcolm; son Steven Labens, his wife Cathy; son Darryl Labens, his wife Mary; and daughter Valarie Labens, who did so much for him, and her partner Tom Ligon; granddaughters, Leila Labens, Lanie Labens and Lili Labens.

In Memory of Erling O. Olsson, 125th Infantry Regiment

Erling O. Olsson, age 90, of Marquette, Michigan, formerly of Parkers Prairie, died Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at the D.J. Jacobetti Veteran's Home in Marquette.

Erling Olaf Olsson was born September 10, 1922, to Manuel and Minnie Olsson in Minneapolis. He attended public schools in South Minneapolis and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1940. He enrolled in the Institute of Technology at the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1940. 

In view of the times, he thought it best to also enroll in the ROTC program which offered a stipend if one got into the Advanced Corps. He also joined the Civilian Reserve Corps, in action status. His unit was called to active duty April 9, 1943, but he and a friend were held back for lack of proper sized shoes at Fort Snelling. Later, they rode a troop train to Camp Wallace, Texas, near Galveston for Basic Training and training on the 40 mm artillery unit in defense against strafing type aircraft. There was not much need for anti-aircraft artillery so there was no room in the officer candidate school. While waiting he was assigned to the government sponsored ASTP program at the U of M to pursue the technical program begun earlier. He received orders to Officer Candidate School at Camp Davis, North Carolina on January 1, 1944, upon being commissioned First Lieutenant, he was briefly assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas. 

During this time, he took a short leave to be married to EthelMae Lysaker May 20, 1944, in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, and together they traveled back to Fort Bliss. Again, as control of the air war gained, there was no need for an A.A. officer so he was transferred to the Infantry Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia, to learn infantry tactics and weaponry. Two months later, orders were received assigning Erling to Camp Maxey in Paris, Texas, as a training officer in the 125th Infantry Regiment. He received orders a short time later for the overseas assignment from Fort Meade, Maryland. From the Replacement Depot at Naples, Italy, he was assigned to the 338th Regiment and 83rd Infantry Division as a platoon leader. 

At this state of the war, he was assigned near Pisa, Italy in the North Apennines, from there they crossed the PO Valley and into the Southern Alps by war's end. Erling had enough points to be sent back to the USA for release, however, he continued to be in the Reserve and with the Korean War was recalled to active duty at the Headquarters for guided missiles and A.A. School at Fort Bliss. He was assigned to be commander of the HQ Bly of the 98th Anti-aircraft Artillery group as part of the Northern Hemisphere Defense (Alaska). After the requisite time he was returned to home again at which time he gave up is Reserve Commission. Erling returned to the U of M to complete his work for his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering Degree. For his service to his country, Erling received the Bronze Star with Cluster, the EAME Theater Medal with two Bronze Stars, the American Theater Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Victory Medal and the Meritorious Unit Service Plaque.

Erling had a long and storied career as a chemical engineer that took him to Illinois for his entire working life. He was employed as a project engineer for M&O Paper briefly before moving on to Archer Daniels Midland, Ashland Oil and Sherex Chemical. Upon his retirement in 1985, the CEO spoke highly of Erling, telling that he probably knew more about plastics than anyone in the United States. Following retirement, Erling and his wife, Ethel moved to the 150 year old family heritage farm in Parkers Prairie, Minnesota for 25 years of active community life among family and dear friends. He was a multi-faceted man, always a strong congregational leader in the Lutheran Churches. He loved his animals, especially his Labrador Retrievers and adopted cats. He was a fine gardener, producing vegetables for the family. He, the chemist, always had a wine-making operation going. He was also an artist, watercolorist, and wood carver. He read every inch of the newspaper. Best of all, he was a powerful man who devoted all of who he was to his small family. His wife, EthelMae "Lee" died in 2009, after 60 years of life together. Erling moved to Marquette, Michigan, following the death of his wife, to be closer to his daughter, Leslie. He lived and received excellent care at the D.J. Jacobetti Veteran's Home for the past three years.

He is survived by his two children, Leslie Olsson White and Matt Olsson both of Marquette; and two grandsons, Daniel (Alexandra) White of Portland, Oregon and David White of Orlando, Florida.

In Memory of Robert Arthur DeLap, 1267th Combat Engineers

Robert Arthur DeLap was delivered safely home on Feb. 24, 2015, after a long and remarkable life. Born May 14, 1923, in Sioux City, Iowa, Bob was raised together with his older brother George by his mother, Lillian Vanvick, in a family home that also included his grandfather, aunts, uncles and cousins. As Bob started college, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the U.S. entered the Second World War. With guidance from his Lutheran pastor, Rev. L. E. Tallakson, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Army, but was allowed to continue his education at Augustana College (Sioux Falls, S.D.) for another year and a half. He was then assigned to the Army Specialized Training Program for technical training in the Army Air Corps. During this program, he studied chemistry, taught by his future father-in-law, Professor J.H. Jensen, at Northern State Teachers College (now Northern State University) in Aberdeen, S.D.; and Bob met his future spouse, Marjorie Lucille Jensen. Because of increasing Army needs for infantry, Bob was subsequently sent to Camp Maxey in Texas for training. His unit, the 1267th Combat Engineers, served with the 23rd Corps in Germany near the end of the war in Europe, building bridges to help supply the Allied Army and provide relief to starving people in Germany during mop-up operations. In mid-1945, Bob's unit was sent to the Philippines to maintain roads on mountains near remaining Japanese holdouts. Bob was discharged and returned home in the spring of 1946. Bob and Lucille were married on June 27, 1946. After completing his college studies at Augustana followed by graduate work in New Mexico, Bob joined The Dow Chemical Co. in Midland as an analytical chemist. He worked at Dow from 1949 until his retirement in 1982. Over their years together, Bob and Lucille provided a loving home for their five children, Amy Jendrzejewski (Andrew), Robert J. DeLap (Linda), Patricia Fineman (Robert), Ronald DeLap (Donna Marie) and Elizabeth Lenington (Kenneth). Bob and Lucille were faithful members of Trinity Lutheran Church. Continuing to reside at their home in Midland in retirement, they enjoyed many activities together, including walking, bicycling, cross country skiing, bridge and square dancing. Bob also enjoyed softball and bowling in his younger years, and was a regular golfer with other Dow retirees for many years. Lucille passed away on June 22, 2011, having been tenderly cared for by Bob through her final illness, with help from daughter Patricia. Patricia also lovingly attended to Bob's care when he resided in Haslett, Mich., as he came to the end of his time in this world. Bob and Lucille are survived by their five children; twelve grandchildren, Ingrid Jendrzejewski, Rachel Jendrzejewski, Margaret DeLap, Benjamin Fineman, Matthew DeLap, Andrew DeLap, Rebekah Zuniga, Micah DeLap, Sarabeth Deter, William Deter, Neal Wagner, Eric Lenington; and 11 great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Bob will take place 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 from the Trinity Lutheran Church, with Pastor Gerald Ferguson officiating. Interment will take place in the Midland Cemetery at 2 p.m., with military honors presented by the Midland Area Veterans and the U.S. Department of the Army. Bob's family will receive friends at the church on Friday, from 10 a.m. until time of the service. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Trinity Lutheran Church or the donor's favorite charity. Funeral services have been entrusted to the care of the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Home.