Category: Company I

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Company I

This web page is dedicated to my Dad, Richard Keefe, and all the men who served with him in the 76th Infantry Division.

Company I
304th Infantry Regiment
76th Infantry Division

Camp McCoy, Wisconsin – November 1944
Photo courtesy of Jay Hamilton LTC USA (1921-2008)

Click on the image to see larger.

The Commissioned Officers of Company I. This picture was taken at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin in November of 1944.

(Left to Right) 2nd Lieutenant Steve Galanas, 2nd Lieutenant Richard Keefe, Captain Don Rue Hickman, 1st Lieutenant Donald Katz, 2nd Lieutenant Jay Hamilton

The following pictures were taken May of 1945, after V-E Day, while occupying the town of Schmölln, Germany.

Company Headquarter – May 1945

First Row – Bottom: S/Sgt. Lo Russo, 2nd Lt. William Richard, Capt. Donald Katz, 1st Lt. Richard Keefe, 1st Sgt. Anthony Fackelmann

Second Row: T/5 Raymond Martinez, Pfc. William Bankston, Sr., Pfc. Harold Suesse, T/4 Fong Him, Pfc. Marvin Trammel, Pfc. Jean Stephens, Pfc. Kenneth Hague, Pfc. Milton Schwartz

Third Row: Pfc. George Mortimer, Cpl. Earl Annis, Pfc. William Hedden, Pfc. Olland Seymour, Pfc. Thomas Geary, T/5 Malvin Leykauf, T/5 Philip Karas, Pfc. Elbert Dove, Pfc. Bernard Rosenburg

Not Pictured: T/5 James Bailey, Pfc. Tim Brooks, Pvt. Karl Cunningham, Pfc. Cleon Duke, Pfc. Frederick Echsner, Pfc. Fred Ethington, Sgt. Harvey Fowler, Pvt. Richard Gardner, S/Sgt. Philip Gillis, T/5 Anthony Grunder, Sgt. Donald Hawley, 1st Lt. Edward Hurley, Pfc. William Jones, Pfc. Ralph Kierski, Sgt. Jay Lachot, Pfc. Morris Levy, T/5 George Livernois, T/5 John Macomber, T/5 Lucien Nadeau, Pfc. Abel Parks, Pfc. Raymond Radtke, Pfc. Jack Sapoznik, Pfc. Elmer Slate, Pfc. James Thomson

First Platoon – May 1945

First Row – Bottom: S/Sgt. John Beardsmore, Pfc. Joseph Kopper, Pfc. Lester Ward, Pfc. Howard Kelly, Pfc. John Neggia, 1st Lt. Steve Galanes, Pfc. Tobias Gutierrez, T/5 Kermon Silver, Pfc. Julius Yellen, Pfc. James Quinn, Pfc. Arvel Rice, Pfc. Leroy Gansereit

Second Row: Sgt. Paul Kmett, Pfc. Lester Isaacs, Pfc. Robert Leonard, Pfc. Wilburn Rundle, T/5 Lawrence Beasley, Pfc. John Bozich, Pfc. Leonard Watson, Pfc. Douglas Johnson, Pfc. Edward Algas, T/5 Wallace Maze

Third Row: Pfc. Lloyd Brink, Pfc. Calvin Belue, Pfc. Richard Doucett, Pfc. Guy Stump Jr, Pfc. Richard Pfeiffer, Pfc. Ulysses Rogers Jr, Pfc. Joseph Kudyba, Pfc. Ernest Kaszian, Sgt. Zack Parsons, Pfc. Paul Henzarek

Fourth Row: S/Sgt. James Harris, S/Sgt. Sigmund Romanowski, Pfc. Joseph Todd Jr, S/Sgt. Thomas Rogers, Sgt. George Bailie, Pvt. Bobby Booz, Pfc. Carl Tillman, Pfc. John Pajor

Not Pictured: Sgt. Frank Favata, T/Sgt. Bernard Kelleher Jr, Cpl. Edwin Palmquist

Second Platoon – May 1945

First Row – Bottom: Pfc. Joseph Caroll, Pfc. Wayne Thompson, Pfc. George Blount, S/Sgt. Joseph Zellner, Sgt. Arthur Martinez, 2nd Lt. Jay Hamilton, S/Sgt. Palmer Kittelson, Pfc. Frederick Rosenberry, Pfc. Raymond Gold

Second Row: S/Sgt. Wilson Thompson, Pfc. Charles Simmons, Pfc. Mark Tomasek, Pfc. Martin Silverman, Pvt. Kenneth Beckman, Pvt. Samuel Morbit, Pfc. Carl Canterbury, Pfc. John Needum, Pvt. Charles Banks Jr, Pfc. Lorel Roestel, S/Sgt. Roland Dubois

Third Row: Sgt. Michael Sapalik Jr, Pfc. James Wood, Pfc. Ernest Lege, Pfc. Alphie Gagnon, Pfc. Peter Motherway, Pfc. Clarence Hornsby, Pfc. Jack Adams, Cpl. Bernard Rish, T/5 Robert Laselle

Fourth Row: Cpl. Charles Hawk, Pfc. Larry Gleaton, Pfc. Johnny Cochran, Pfc. Jack Burns, Pvt. Martin Gorneault Jr, Pfc. Curtis Fellure, Pfc. Hugh Maguire, Pfc. John Odgers Jr. Pfc. Harry Paff, Pvt. George Bergen

Not Pictured: Pvt. Herman Hahler, Pvt. Kenneth Obrecht, 2nd Lt. Charles Sands III, Pfc. Francis Schott, T/5 Olvin Stephens, Pvt. Albert Sutton

Third Platoon – May 1945

First Row – Bottom: S/Sgt. Silvio Zinicola, S/Sgt. Anthont DiMare, Pfc. Jesse Slovacek, Pfc. George Bowden, Pfc. Paul Sanderson, Pfc. Wayne Hardy, Pvt. Alphie Leblond, Pfc. Robert Wendell, Pfc. Leo Goldenstein, Pfc. R. G. Johnston, Pfc. William Norford, Sgt. James Mulligan

Second Row: S/Sgt. Walter Williams, S/Sgt. James Cotton, Pfc. Kenneth Morgan, Pfc. Salvador Vasquez, Pfc. Henry Kopinski, Pfc. Glendon McGee, Pfc. William Bowles, Pfc. Manuel Rivera, Pfc. Lewis Maker, Pfc. Thomas Fichera, Cpl. Joseph Grasso, Pfc. Donald Trexler

Third Row: S/Sgt. George Hatcher, Pfc. Harold Sharp, Pfc. James Turner, Pfc. Clarence Deaton, Pfc. Woodrow Dunn, Cpl. Arthur Carlson, T/4 Robert Steiger, Pvt. Clifford Dilla, Pfc. Curtis Spencer, Pvt. Donald Howland, Sgt. Verner Drake

Not Pictured: Pfc. Frank Ceniceros, Pvt. Marvin Gerstin, Pfc, Pedro Lopez, T/Sgt. Frank Mucedola, Pfc. Ashel Shults Jr, Pfc. Eugene Tortolano

Weapons Platoon – May 1945

First Row – Bottom: Sgt. Theodore Pleasants, Pfc. Richard Cook, Pfc. Edward Borgoyn, Pvt. Charles Pawlowski, Pfc. Malcolm Kerr, Sgt. Eugene Sharp, Pfc. Myron Chaderjian, Pfc. William Brockerman, Pfc. Frederick Hannon, /Sgt. William Neil

Second Row: Sgt. Donald Pessimier, Pfc. Ted Cook, Pfc. Ben Hensley, Pvt. Alfred Gwara, Pfc. George Kline, Cpl. Irwin Cohen, T/5 Samuel Jones, Pfc. Jesse Addington, Pfc. William Davis, Pfc. Donald Hepfer

Third Row: Sgt. John Scott Jr, Pfc. Norman Alderman, Pfc. Wesley Simmons, Pfc. Norman White, Pfc. Keith Hier, Cpl. Howard Landefeld, Pfc. Richard Hooley, Pfc. John Jardini, Pfc. Dale Roth, Pfc. Frederick Stefansen

Not Pictured: 1st Lt. Robert Conrad, S/Sgt. Charles Miller, Sgt. Ernest Wagganer

The following video includes pictures of my Dad’s, pics from Don Katz and also Jay Hamilton.

Links

German City Honors 76th Division – Frank Mucedola

Schmölln, Germany – Then and Now

John Neggia I-304-76

Lt Richard Keefe – Nuremberg, Germany

Memorial Day: Robert Lee 1925-1945

Richard Keefe 1925-1992

Brig. Gen. Don Rue Hickman 1918-2005

Frank Mucedola 1921-2007

Jay M. Hamilton 1921-2008

Donald Katz 1916-2011

Lorel Wayne Roestel 1924-2020

Roll of Honor – Those Killed in Action

Unless otherwise specified, the preceding pictures are courtesy of Don Katz. Don Katz began with I-304-76 as a First Lieutenant. By the war’s end he would be Captain of Company I.

I would like to thank Don Katz and the following veterans who have graciously assisted me in my research.

Jay Hamilton
Don Rue Hickman
Lester Isaacs
Sam Jones
Frank Mucedola
John Neggia

If interested to see the catalyst for how this research and web page came together, check out: 
Company I – Patreon

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Company I

Roll of Honor I-304-76

In memory of the soldiers who were killed in action.

Company I
304 Infantry Regiment
76 Infantry Division

JOHN H. BRADY SR., Pvt.
CALVIN R. CRAIG, Pfc
ROBERTSON DEWHURST JR., Pfc.
FOSTER G. FELKER, T/5
GEORGE L. GAREY, T/5
ROBERT L. GRAVES, Pfc.
KENNETH L. HOBBS, Cpl.
HERMAN W. HOORMANN, Pvt.
HURSHEL JOBE, Pfc.
JOHN A. KLIMOWITCH, Pvt.
CHARLES M. KLINK, S/Sgt.
GUY R. LABER, Pfc.
STANLEY J. LOCKE, T/5
JACK McKENNA, Pfc.
RICHARD A. NEISLER, S/Sgt.
WALTER M. NOGAS, T/Sgt.S
EDWIN L. PETERSON, Pfc.
EDWARD R. PINA, Pfc.
EVAN D. ROADEN, Pfc.
LAWRENCE B. STANDIFER, Pfc.
EUGENE TINKER, Pvt.

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Company I

Brig. Gen. Don Rue Hickman 1918-2005

Brig. Gen. Don Rue Hickman

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.”

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Veterans Day

Here’s to my Dad on Veterans Day.
Richard J. Keefe (1925-1992)
Part of Patton’s 3rd Army in World War II.

And here’s a video I made awhile back honoring the men who served with him in I-304-76.

For more on Company I, check out my website at jimkeefe.com

-Jim Keefe

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Lieutenant Richard Keefe – Nuremberg, Germany

Lieutenant Richard Keefe
Lieutenant Richard Keefe

After the end of World War II my Dad was stationed in Germany until the fall of 1946 and eventually served as the Headquarters Company Commander, 1st Division, 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry. A point of distinction was that this put him in command for a time of the motor pool for the International Military Tribunal at the Nuremberg Trials.

Here’s an excerpt from a letter home to his sister Pat from April 1946.

I think I told you I am now commanding officer of the Court House Motor Pool.

I have so much property it isn’t funny. I am signed for over 200 vehicles. Everything from 4 ton wreckers worth $20,000 to Packards, Buicks, Fords, Jeeps, 2 1/2 ton trucks, 100 civilian box’s making over 300 vehicles. I’m waiting for me to mess things up and then it will be a toss up to see if Goering or I get hung 1st.

Sunday I went through the prison. All information about it is so secret so I will stop here. It was very interesting and after it is all over I’ll tell you about it. No press men or correspondents can get near the Place.

We are very short of officers in the Battalion now and are kept very busy. I’ll close now as Johnson just came in from the Grand Hotel and is talking to me so I can’t concentrate.

Love to All,
Dick

The folowing are picture found on the internet of Nurenburg circa 1946.
Note: Pictures are linked to their source when called for.

Grand Hotel - Nuremberg, Germany, 1945-1946.
Grand Hotel – Nuremberg, Germany, 1945-1946.
The Palace of Justice on Fürther Strasse - East wing.
The Palace of Justice on Fürther Strasse – East wing.
Prison cell block, Nuremberg, 1946
Prison cell block, Nuremberg, 1946
The Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials
Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials - 1946
Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials – 1946
The Palace of Justice in Nuremberg on the day the judgement of the International Military Tribunal was handed down. Nuremberg, Germany, October 1, 1946.
The Palace of Justice in Nuremberg on the day the judgement of the International Military Tribunal was handed down. Nuremberg, Germany, October 1, 1946.

The following are videos that were taken about a year earlier than the timeframe my Dad served in the 1st Division. As Nuremberg was considered the ceremonial birthplace of the Nazi Party, hosting the Party’s annual propaganda rallies, it was considered a fitting place to hold the war trials and mark the Party’s symbolic demise.

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