Biographies

Robert Epperson

Robert D. Epperson received his commission as 2nd Lt in the Air Force in 1968. After completing graduate work at Washington State University, he entered active duty in 1972 as a 1st Lt conducting research on napalm and other flame weapons at Eglin AFB, FL. Capt...

Arthur William (Bill) Jasper

Arthur William Jasper was born in Philadelphia on June 3, 1925. He lived in Philly for about five months, after which his family moved to the far out (at that time) suburbs, right next to the farming country. With an intense interest in agriculture, he spent every...

Robert M. Frank

I was born in New York City (Manhattan) on August 4, 1925, and was raised some 20 plus miles out on Long Island in Woodmere. I started playing piano at age 5 or 6. I was pretty good too - such that I had been planning to go to Julliard or some music school. WWII...

Richard Manchester

Dick was born August 5, 1925 in Baltimore. He attended schools in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and graduated from Hollidaysburg (PA) High School in June 1943. He entered the Army in September 1943, enrolled in ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program). His basic...

Tom Stafford

Thomas (Tom) Stafford was born in Washington, DC (June 1923) and raised in Petersburg, VA (Colonial Heights) where he lived during all of his early years. Tom was drafted (March 1943) out of college (Virginia Polytechnic Institute) into the Army during World War II....

John E. McAuliffe

John McAuliffe was born in Brooklyn, New York, and at the age of twelve moved to Worcester, Massachusetts. He served as Private First Class, a squad member of an 81mm mortar section with Company M, 347th Infantry Regiment of the 87th Infantry Division during World War...

George E. Ferris

I was born in Ottumwa, IA in 1919 and moved to Kansas City when I was 6 months old. I married a girl that I had met on her birthday, VJ Day. We have been married since March 2, 1946. I have three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. On March 3, 1994 we decided...

Cecil G. Davis, Jr.

Cecil was drafted from Eagle Rock, CA and sent to Camp Wallace, TX for basic training. There he passed a test for ASTP and was sent to Texas A&M. The war worsened and he ended up at Fort Jackson, SC in the 87th. After being discharged at Camp Shelby, Mississippi,...

Mitchell Kaidy

An ASTP cadet in 1943-44, Mitchell Kaidy joined the 87th Division in March, 1944, serving until its demobilization. After the war he received a journalism education and has worked for three daily newspapers, a television station and public radio in Upstate New York....

James R. McGhee

James R McGhee was a junior 2nd Lieutenant when he joined the 334th FA at Camp McCain, Mississippi, not long out of OCS. He served in various capacities in Service and C Batteries before winding up with A Battery at Fort Jackson, SC. He joined them as a Forward...