Officer. Alaska Highway. Company A, E and H&S. WW2, Korean and Vietnam Veteran.
Born: 28 September 1918, Pittsburgh, PA. Died: 5 March 1995, Annandale, Fairfax, VA. Enlisted: 13 June 1941, Greenville, PA. Discharged: 22 December 1946.
2 Lt. Engr-Res. 24 May 40; accepted 24 May 40; A.D. 16 June 40; to 29 June 40 and from 13 June 41; 1Lt A.U.S. 6 July 42; Capt. A.U.S. 6 May 43; Capt. Engr-Res 29 Oct. 46; accepted 29 Oct 46; reld A.D. 22 Dec 46; Maj. Engr-Res (inactive) 22 Jan. 47–1Lt. Q.M.C. 19 June 47 with rank from 7 Dec. 44; accepted 25 July 47; T.C. 25 July 47.
During WW2, he served with the 97th Engineer Regiment building the northern section of the Alaska Highway and also served in North Africa with the 7th Army during the invasion of Southern France. During the Korean War, he was the transportation officer with the 45th and 40th Infantry divisions. He was head of a transportation command in Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive.
Colonel Howell graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1940 with a BS Degree in mechanical engineering. He also graduated from the Army Command and Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, the Traffic Institute of Northwestern University and the Army’s engineer, transportation and chemical schools.
He retired from active duty in 1972 as the deputy director for distribution and transportation of the Army Material Command. As a civilian, he was a consultant for companies in the Washington D.C. area.
He was awarded the following military decorations, four Legions of Merit, two Bronze stars and two Army Commendation Medals. He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity, the Scabbard and Blade honor fraternity, the National Defense Transportation Association and the Military Order of the World Wars.
In the book Pioneer Road by Donna Blasor-Bernhardt, Lt. Howell told a story about the 1st Sgt of Company E. “…I do remember when the 1st Sergeant threw the cook head first into a fire barrel to sober him up after he had become drunk from drinking all the vanilla extract in camp.”
His father was Spencer P. Howell and his mother was Sarah D. Howell. He was married to Mary Louise Batteiger for 48 years and they had a daughter, Nina Howell Smith of Annandale, and a son, Spencer D. of Munich.
Serial #O-393340 (1941-1946) and #O-045937 (1946 -present)