Howard Thurlow Barr
Sergeant First Class, U. S. Army (4 December 1918 - 7 December 1975)
Howard Thurlow Barr was born at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina, the son of William Thurlow Barr and Edna (Fistere) Barr. He enlisted in the Army in 1935, beginning his post-basic training service in the Military Department of Hawaii. At the conclusion of his first enlistment, then Corporal Barr decided to pursue a civilian career; however, after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor in late 1941, Barr reenlisted. The Army assigned him to the European theater. During World War II, then Corporal Barr served under General George S. Patton’s Third Army in Northern France and the Rhineland.
Following World War II, Corporal Barr left military service, but he was recalled to active duty in 1953 for service during the Korean War. Barr reenlisted in 1956, serving two additional tours in Germany, with assignments at Fort Drum, New York, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During his service with the Army, Sergeant First Class Barr served in numerous capacities: cook, truck driver, infantry rifleman, military policeman, combat engineer, heavy equipment mechanic, and drill instructor.
Sergeant First Class Barr was awarded the following decorations: Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V,” Purple Heart Medal with gold oakleaf denoting second award, Good Conduct Medal with two silver knots denoting ten awards, National Defense Service Medal with oakleaf cluster denoting two awards, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Army of Occupation Medal. He was entitled to wear the Combat Infantryman's Badge (second award) and the Expert Rifle Qualification Badge.
Subsequent to his retirement in 1969, having served twenty-five years of honorable service, Sergeant First Class Barr moved his family to Trenton, New Jersey where he completed training as a draftsman. He later relocated his family to Williamsport, Pennsylvania where he passed away at the age of 57.
Sergeant First Class Barr is survived by his two daughters Bonnie and Patty, both of whom reside in Pennsylvania, and of course me … he was my uncle. It is an honor and a privilege for me to remember my Uncle Howard on this, his 91st birthday. He served his country and his family to the best of his ability, honorably, and well. I salute you, sir.
posted by Mustang @ 06:00
|
