Story by John "Jack" Tisdell

"JACK’S MEMOIRS"

I was born on July 13, 1920 in Memorial Hospital Worcester, Mass.  In I923 and 1924 two boys were born to my family. They both died shortly after birth and never came home, so I never did see them. Respectively they were named   Donald, and George P. Tisdell Jr. My parents were George P. Tisdell, born in Worcester on December 14, 1893. He died September 23, 1955. My mother, Marie J. Jensen, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on January 31, 1891. She came to U.S. at the age of 14.  She died on Feb 5, 1965.

Early Years
My early years were spent partly in Worcester and Shrewsbury. My father had a camp on Lake Quinsigomond which he converted to a year round home in l923. We lived there until returning to live in the Tatnuck area of Worcester in 1926. We lived there until we moved to Berkmans St. in Worcester in 1932. My family lived there until 1950 when they moved to Tucson, Arizona. My school year started with Kindergarten and 1st grade when we lived in Shrewsbury. Upon moving to Worcester in late l926, I transferred to 1st grade at Tatnuck School and went there through the 6th grade. Upon  moving to Berkmans St. I attended 7th and 8th grades at Midland St. School in Worcester.  At Midland St. I played on the baseball team. I pitched and played first base.   After finishing grammar school I attended Classical High School in Worcester. I continued my baseball, playing 2nd base, outfield and pitching. In my senior year I coached the grammar school team at Midland St.  I also played basketball as a guard. I was not particularly good as a basketball player but was a good set shot man. While I was in High School I joined the National Guard. This required one evening drill a week, and two weeks camp in the summer. I became proficient in rifle marksmanship and had attained the rank of Sergeant when we were called to active military duty in l941.

The War Years
After graduating from high school I attended New England School of Accounting, in Worcester.  I left there in the middle of my second year when the National Guard was called to active duty for a years training, this was January 1941. In July, that year was changed to eighteen months. 

Training and Pre-Battle Era
Initially, we were stationed at Camp Edwards Cape Cod. When we first arrived we were a small unit of about 50 men. In the course of a few weeks we were filled out to a full strength unit of 6 Officers and 187 enlisted men.  We put these new people through 13 weeks of basic training followed by about another 10 weeks of intensive advanced training. Now, supposedly, we were seasoned soldiers and we moved temporarily to Fort Devens. We spent several weeks of maneuvers against the 1st Infantry Division. Most of this activity was carried out in rural New Hampshire. Eventually we returned to Camp Edwards. In September we headed for maneuvers in the Carolinas.  Most of us had never been beyond New York. Now we were traveling by motor convoy with overnight stays in fields in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.  On the fourth day we arrived in North Carolina, and established a tent base camp in a peach orchard. This was only used on weekends as we were part of a huge military maneuver during the week. There were about 15 Infantry divisions involved in the maneuvers which covered a good portion of both North and South Carolina. This activity lasted until December 1. We were given weekend passes and usually went to Greensboro, High Point or Concord.  We headed back to Camp Edwards on December 2, again by truck convoy. We arrived on December 6. We would spend several days cleaning equipment and then would be given leave over Christmas and New Years. However, that all changed the following day when Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese. As it turned out, half of us got 5 day pass over Christmas, and the other half over New Years. Now were at war and it was a whole new ball game.
Shortly after the first of the year, we were advised that we would be converted from a square division to a triangular division (a square division had four infantry regiments and the triangular division had 3 Infantry regiments. This meant we would lose one regiment. We all wondered who it would be and when would it go? We didn’t have long to wait; it was the 182nd Infantry along with supporting units. The 182nd was under strength, and each of the remaining regiments would provide 15 men per company who would be given their traveling ticket. That night the 6 company officers along with me as the Acting 1st Sgt went over the company roster. Obviously, we selected individuals whom we considered problems. I’m sure other units also weeded out their rosters of problems. I’m glad I wasn’t the one on the receiving end getting this load of undesirables.
In the morning the captain had me assemble the company, announced to the gathering that we had met the previous evening and decided that the only fair way to handle this was to put the names of all the members in a hat and draw 15 names. The 1st sergeant will now read the names. After I read the names of the 15 individuals, a voice in the rear called out "Boy, that was some hat!"  The departing members were set to pack their belongings, and then transportation was provided to their new unit.  The 182nd and attached units shipped out in a few days. They eventually arrived in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. There, a new Division was formed with 2 other regiments who had been departing units from other divisions. This New Division was named the Americal Division, (The name being a derivative of American and Caledonia.) We remained in training at Camp Edwards for about another month, and then went on coast patrol duty. The regiment was covering a geographic coastal area from Maine to Rhode Island. We (my company) were headquartered at Fort Rodman in New Bedford. We were covering the beaches form Popponesset on Cape Cod, to the Saconnet River which borders Mass. and RI.  We had isolated outposts which could visually cover massive areas of coastline during the day. Patrols would walk the beach at night, on the alert for any saboteurs landing from submarines. People were not allowed on the beaches at night. Our soldiers carried loaded guns and would warn any beach goers police to pick them up. Once or twice someone decided to make a break for it. One shot over their head, if they didn’t stop then the next shot was for real.  Fortunately, in our operating area he had no second shots. People realized we meant business.  Also, no boats could go in the area. We would give a warning shot and then go for real.
We had on incident along the Sakonnet River where we also provided security for some Coast Artillery Batteries (16 INCH harbor Defense Guns).  Waters outside the Gun area were restricted, no boats allowed in the area. One Night a boat proceeded into the restricted area; our people fired one shot then opened up with a machine gun. They put several shots through the cabin, wounding a couple of Coast Guardsmen. The Coast Guard filed a complaint with the Navy regarding our actions. They were told that we acted according to orders. And the Coast Guard had no business going into clearly marked restricted waters.
My duties were primarily in the Headquarters during the day, at night I would visit outposts to ascertain that things were under control. I was one of the few who knew the location of all our beach outposts. On alternating nights I would visit the units between the Cape and New Bedford, and the next night the units between New Bedford and the Sakonnet River. I happened to be at the Sakonnet River outpost when we shot at the Coast Guard boat.  
I had been interviewed for Officer Training and was accepted. In June. I received my orders to report to Fort Benning, Georgia for OCS. We started with a class of 250. It was rigorous training both physically and emotionally. You were under the gun at all times with Tactical officers right on your tail for any mistake. Every 3 weeks you rated the classmates in your platoon. The rating covered various things: physical fitness, leadership, assimilated knowledge, getting along with others; you always wondered how you made out with your peers. Once a month we were reviewed by the tactical officers who considered their own observations, plus the remarks and rating by your peers.  I apparently made out OK as I graduated.  Our class graduated 125 out of the original 250.  They tell us that was the normal rate of attrition.

On Leave: Engagement and Family Time
Other things happened in the preceding year. At Xmas I gave Mary her Hope Chest, and the following April (1942) I gave her a diamond engagement ring for her birthday. After graduating from OCS, I had a ten day leave and came home. A lot of us had plane reservations, but we were delayed in being released from Benning and missed our Plane connections. We went to the railroad station in Atlanta; the only thing available was day coach. I gave them my name for a Pullman in case they had a cancellation. The clerk asked me if I was related to some bigwig in Atlanta whose last name was Tisdell.  I said he’s my uncle. 10 minutes later I was paged in the RR station. They suddenly had a lower berth for me in the Pullman. I was the only one in my group who got a Pullman. They said who do you know? I told them about my phantom uncle! I said I don’t know who he is, but the name meant something to the railroad people.
While I was home on leave, I visited my cousin Marion who was badly injured in the Coconut Grove fire in Boston. Of a party of eight in their group, Marion and one other girl were injured but alive. The other six in their group perished in the fire. The fire was in late November, Marion got out of Boston City Hospital in March.

With the 83rd Division
After my leave, I reported for duty with the 83rd Division at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.  I was assigned as a platoon leader with Co L of the 329rth Infantry. Over a period of time most of the Regiment’s company grade officers were shipped out as replacements. I was lucky and stayed with L Co until the last time I was wounded in France in mid summer 1944. Over a period of time I became Company executive officer, and ultimately through combat attrition, I became Company Commander.

Shortly after joining the 83rd, I, along with several other officers, were sent to 2nd Army Ranger School at Camp Forest, Tennesee. The course lasted about 3 weeks and we returned to Atterbury. The Division Commander, Frank Milburn, decided to put the whole division through a modified Ranger course. General Milburn decided that at sometime in the future every division would have a ranger company, so we would be prepared for any transition that might take place. To start the training he had to have a Ranger demonstration platoon. This was a picked unit and I was the platoon commander, As such I occasionally had conversation with the General. He was a stickler for training and would always remind me or anybody else within hearing range that at sometime in the past he had been the football coach at West Point. Training a unit was like training a football team; repeat the play continuously in practice until it becomes letter perfect.  He would tell me what a fine unit the Ranger platoon was. It should be as I had the pick of the finest forty men in the division. The special unit was great while it lasted. We broke up and returned to our respective units in about 2months. Rangers within division never became a reality. Ultimately 5 Ranger Battalions were organized, and became Special Forces under the control of the theatre commander, i.e. Eisenhower in Europe and MacArthur in the Pacific.
We continued our unit training until it became time for Tennessee maneuvers, (June to Mid Sept 1943).  After maneuvers, we went to Camp Breckinridge in Kentucky. Here, the bulk of our officers got shipped out. Also both the 4th and 8th Divisions were shipping out and needed to fill vacancies within their units. 1/2 of our enlisted men went to these units. We decided that we were fated to be a replacement unit.  Not so, our ranks were filled up with replacements from the 65th Division at Camp Shelby, Miss.  These replacements had only 7 weeks of basic training. We had about a month getting acclimated with these new people. Then we shipped out.  Fortunately, we had about 6 months in England and Wales to get them into reasonably good shape.

Transport to Normandy
Come D Day, we heard about the landings, and then got word to be ready to move out. We marched down to the local railroad station late in the day and headed for parts unknown. It turned out to be the port of Plymouth. We checked equipment to be sure it was all OK. We had a defective part in one machine gun. I went to one of several Ordnance locations to get a part for the gun.  No parts were available.  However, if I certified we lost a gun in transit, I could get a new gun. We had suddenly lost 2 machine guns and 3 Browning Automatic, (B A R’s) Rifles. We were well stocked with these special weapons when we arrived in Normandy. We landed on Omaha Beach (Our Battalion was the only unit of the 83rd to land at that time). The rest of the division did not land for 2 weeks because of bad weather in the channel. We were attached to the 101st Airborne Division. We primarily provided their flank security as the 9th Division was moving on Cherbourg and we were blocking the exposed flanks of both divisions. I got my first purple heart just off Omaha.  We were moving thru an area cleared of mines when some clown was in a hurry to get around us.  He went outside the cleared area and tripped a mine. He, along with a couple of our people, were killed, I got a minor piece of the mine in the calf of my left leg. I got 1st aid in the aid station and sent on my way with an oversized band aid. It wasn’t much of an injury but rated a purple heart.  Later in Normandy, I got hit by a mortar fragment resulting in 3 stitches and a hospital stay for a few days, Purple Heart #2.

The Big Battle in Normandy
The rest of the division came ashore on June 22 and relieved the 101st. We reverted to control from our own division.  The division was in a holding position because of a lack of supplies (The bad weather in the channel). We would be in this situation until July 4, when the assault against the Germans was resumed.
What a day that was! We were in perhaps the biggest battle of NORMANDY. WE WERE given an objective about a thousand yards to our front. We jumped off with a full strength Company (6 Officers and 187 enlisted men. As it turned out, the Germans also jumped off with an objective of putting us back in the sea. They threw everything at us (Tanks, Artillery, Mortars, paratroopers etc). One thing they didn’t have was airpower. With terrific support from our air force, Bombing and strafing, we managed to repulse the German attack and eventually reach our objective. Then, our Battalion got cut off and surrounded. This happened because adjacent units of ours were unable to advance. We got ringed in by our artillery who kept the Germans from overrunning us. Once we had daylight, we again got support from our air force. Eventually, units from our 4th Infantry Division broke thru the German lines and relieved us.
It was a costly 2 days for us. When the 4th got through to us, My Company was down to 2 Officers and 37 enlisted men. At the time the 4th relieved us, their assistant Division Commander Brigadier General Teddy Roosevelt (the former president’s son) was with them, and he was walking around as if it was a leisure stroll. I said "General, Germans are in the forward hedgerow and you should take cover." He replied, son when you’re my age, and you’re a grandfather things won’t bother you nearly as much.” I can understand why he was an inspiration to his 1st Division men in Africa and Sicily, and 4th Division men in Normandy. He was dead a few days later from a heart attack.

Wounded Badly
A couple of days later I picked up a few mortar fragments in my left upper arm. They cleaned it out in a field hospital. 3 stitches, a couple of days rest and I was back to my unit. We, as a unit went into reserve, picked up more replacements and did some training to get them ready for combat. In a few more days (July 25), we broke out of Normandy, 3rd Armored and our 83rd Spearheaded the 3rd Army drive which took us into Brittany. In the general area of St Malo, we got involved in a battle with some German armor. A tank got a good shot towards us with its cannon. I got chewed up pretty badly. My right leg had multiple wounds, my left leg had minor wounds, my right lower arm was broken where a piece of shrapnel went thru my arm and chewed up the Ulna. I was initially treated in 2 hospitals in France, and then shipped to England.
On the LST crossing the channel to England I was given a can of C rations for a meal. With a cast and broken arm I couldn't open the can. A sailor came through calling my name. He was a person I had played baseball against in high school. He saw my problem, went to the ship's kitchen, got soup and a sandwich and fed me. Other wounded on the ship thought I must have been a VIP with all this service. No, just a guy who was lucky enough to be recognized by the sailor and given a big boost. I landed in Southhampton, England and spent overnight in a hospital. The next morning we were put on a hospital train and shipped to a hospital in the interior. I was under continuous treatment in that hospital until late September and we were than shipped to another hospital in Axminster in Devoshire on the southwest coastal area of England. I was there until January and than shipped to U.S. for further treatment. I eventually wound up at the general hospital at Fort Devens.

Getting Married on Leave
I was ambulatory and would have a 20 day combat leave before getting additional treatment (Mary and I got married during this leave).  There were not too many places available to go with the war on so we went to New York for a week.  We went to some Broadway Shows and did some Night Clubbing. I still had 10 more days of leave time and Mary had to return to work in Hartford. I went to Hartford with her. For lack of nothing else to do during the daytime, I painted her office. I said get the School Dept to buy the paint and brushes I’ll do the painting. The school was glad to get a fresh paint job.
I eventually had to return to the hospital at Fort Devens, had some dental work done, and a couple of minor operations to remove a few small pieces of shrapnel from my legs. In April I was released from the hospital with orders to report to a re-distribution station in Atlantic City. This happened to occur as spring break was taking place in the schools. Mary was able to go with me to Atlantic City. The Army had taken over some resort hotels and I was put up at the St.Denis. Mary stayed with me for a big cost of $1.00 a day (Meal Cost).  We had a great time there for a week, and then Mary went back to Hartford.

Off to Alabama
The Colonel in charge of the center in Atlantic City called me in and said they had a vacancy to fill at the center and would I like the assignment. Of course I said yes. He said that because I was on a 6 months limited service assignment there shouldn’t be any problem getting a release from my combat duty assignment and they would teletype the Pentagon and ask for my release. The answer came back:  "This officer has valuable combat experience and is being assigned to the Infantry replacement training center at Fort Rucker, Alabama."
I went to Rucker and got assigned as a Training Company Commander. Here we go back in the cycle of training new recruits. This lasted for a few days and I was told to report to the Commanding General of the Training center. I was puzzled. What had I done that I have to go see the General? I arrived at the headquarters, and another officer was also reporting as I was. We both said, "What’s up?" We soon knew. We were ushered into the General who said, "I understand that you two, along with me are the first overseas combat veterans assigned." He said to me what are you doing?  I told him I’m currently assigned as a Company Commander of a training Company. The other officer with me was on a similar assignment.  The General replied "I assume you both have had similar assignments in the past and don’t particularly like doing this again." We both agreed. He said as of now you are relieved of these assignments and are assigned to my staff. I was assigned as an assistant G3, which is the Operations and Training section of the staff. I was put in charge of transportation and pooled weapons assignment for the seven training Regiments. In other words all requests for transportation and pooled weapons for each regiment's use in the following weeks training would be routed through me for scheduling.  The first thing for each week was to assign a Jeep for my use. I basically spent one day a week arranging transportation, and one day scheduling pooled weapons (these included machine guns, mortars anti tank guns, and 105mm cannons.) What did I do the rest of he week? The jeep I assigned to myself was used to tour the training area and rate the training that was being given on these crew served weapons.
When school got out in Hartford, Mary was planning to join me in Alabama. The nearest town to the army base was Ozark. I went looking around for an apartment. I was lucky and found a place with a kitchen, bedroom and sitting area with a shared bathroom. It wasn’t everything we’d like, but much better then many other  availabilities. Mary eventually arrived. She accepted the fact that living facilities weren’t as good as she would prefer, but we’d get along OK. Generally during the day, Mary would come to the base and have lunch at the Officers club and socialize with other wives. There was a nice swimming pool at the Club and she made good use of it. I told her be careful of the sun, we’re not too far from the tropic line. Not more than 10 minutes initially in the sun. She thought I was overly protective and stayed in the sun by the pool for 20 minutes.  I was up most of the night rubbing sun tan lotion on her. After that, she was more careful. We generally had evening dinner at the club. The personnel (cooks, waiters etc) were Austrian prisoners of war.  They were great; meals were terrific as was service. Generally, I was home every night, however, about once a month I was the headquarters duty officer. As such, I had to stay overnight at the base.
Shortly after VJ Day we received word that the base would be closing and we would be reassigned to another base.  Not knowing where I'd be going, we decided that, Mary, being pregnant, would go home. I managed to get reservations out of Montgomery, Alabama, on an American Air lines for a flight to Boston with a change in both Atlanta and Washington DC.  Mary said "Do I look pregnant?” I said “no, nobody will realize it." Ha ha, on the flight out of Atlanta the pilot asked the flight attendant to check and see if the pregnant woman was ok. Mary no longer believed me when I said she didn't show as pregnant!

1945 - the Early Post War Years

I eventually got the word that my new assignment was to a training center at Camp Blanding in Florida.

Florida
I reported in and was assigned to a training Battalion. The Battalion Commander was an overseas returnee, and most of the officers had never left the states. He assigned me as Athletic and recreation officer for the Battalion. I said I don’t know much about those duties. No problem, a Sergeant (a Professional athlete runs the program). He schedules baseball game, boxing matches, wrestling matches and various other recreational activities. Don’t interfere, let him run the show, just approve the schedules and sit back and relax. Such a deal! I arrived there in September. My 6 months limited duty was up in November and I had to report to the hospital for a physical. I was ok and reclassified for general duty. I had to report to personnel for assignment. I had plenty of point accumulation and could be discharged. I didn't necessarily want to get out at that time, and said what's available. The personnel guy said we have a call for 60 officers for overseas assignment. We only have 34  qualified, if you stay you’ll be the 35th. My answer: "I'll take my assignment to the Reserve and return to civilian life." I had 3 months accumulated leave time, so my discharge would not be effective until February. I would be home on full pay and allowances until February than transferred to the reserve.

Back Home
I arrived home in early November figuring to take life easy for a while. However, after a few days (We were saying with Mary’s family) my father-in-law came home for lunch, he looked at me and said, "What are you doing to keep occupied?" I said, "Not  much." He was a coal and oil dealer and said he was short of help at the coal yard, could I give him a hand. I got into old clothes and I took off with him for a new adventure that lasted for several months. I helped load coal onto trucks, and sometimes went out on deliveries.
The delivery to a cellar wasn't bad. We would but a chute into a cellar window, raise the body of the truck, drop the coal into the chute, and it would slide into the coal bin in the cellar. However, sometimes it was a 2nd or 3rd floor delivery by hand. The coal would be put in hundred pound canvas baskets and carried on your back to make the delivery.
I didn’t go out on the coal truck very often, but this work kept you in shape. For the most part I drove an oil delivery truck. Generally a heating oil delivery was about 200 gallons. You connected your tank to a hose which was connected to a pipe connected to the storage tank, and pumped the oil into the house.  On occasion I helped install oil burners. I also learned enough about oil burners so I could go out on service calls on out of order burners. Many of these were at night on an overtime basis. With overtime, I was netting about 70-75 dollars weekly. In 1945-46 this was above average pay. Also until February, I was still drawing my full pay and allowances as an army Captain.
In January I returned to a semester at Clark University. This lasted about 2 weeks when I got a notice from the army to report to the hospital at Fort Devens for a new physical because they weren't satisfied with my separation physical in Florida. I went to the Dean and told him the circumstances and thought I would be gone for a few days. The few days turned out to be 2 months as a patient at Fort Devens. It was ridiculous. I was assigned to a bed in a ward. If you weren't checked out in the AM, you were free to go. I went back to Worcester every PM and some times working a PM at the Coal yard. In the two months at Fort Devens I stayed over one night because of a snow storm.  When I finally was OK'd, the semester at Clark was impossible to rejoin. I worked at the coal yard, and I had applied for a job at the Telephone Company.

Working Life with the Telephone Company
I was hired in June as a coin telephone collector and worked at that for about 6 months, then was promoted to a job in the sale and servicing department. We handled business accounts, anything from small companies with a few telephones to large ones with large switchboards. I initially worked on small stuff. There were four classifications of employees in the department each with a different pay scale. After 2 plus years in the Department, I had advanced to the top scale and was the representative handling the largest customers. (I had 5 in Worcester, 1 in Southbridge, and one in Fitchburg. These seven with all their activities kept me busy full time.  In 1951 I went on my first manager’s job. The Korean war was on and I was appointed the manager of the Telco Government facilities at Fort Devens. I had that job for a year, then manager in Leominster.  After being there a few months, I went on to be a manager at Greenfield. A little over a year in Greenfield, I then went to Holyoke in 1954 then to Lynn in l955.
Aside from a 4 months stint as Acting District Manager in Haverhill, I stayed as Lynn Manager until February 1965. At that time I was appointed District Manager for the Brockton District. In that position I was responsible for company operations in the area that covered the managers in Brockton, Fall River, Taunton and Plymouth. I stayed on that job until July1966 at which time I was transferred to Boston where I assumed the newly created position as district manager for coin Telephone operation in the Northeast, Southeast and Western Divisions of Massachusetts. In this position I was responsible for coin collection and coin sales in those areas of Massachusetts. On this job, I had a Coin collection manager in each of the three Divisions. My manager for Northeast was based in Salem, Southeast was headquartered in Brockton, and Western Division was located in Springfield. I had   one sales Manager who operated from my Boston Office. He was responsible for the Departments sales people and sales activities throughout the three divisions. I had a Counterpart who had the same job covering the North and South Metropolitan Boston Divisions. The Boston operation was not running too effectively with high absence figures resulting in excessive overtime and a bloated number of employees because of absenteeism. My boss called me in one day in 1970 and said you’re familiar with the Boston problems. You are taking over the Metropolitan operation and get it back on track. I knew I had my problems with some marginal managers. I had a meeting with the managers and outlined the problems. It appeared the employees instead of the managers were running things. From now on things will change. We have personnel policies that obviously are not being followed.  I outlined plans for correcting deficiencies. Have a meeting with your people and outline their responsibilities and what we expect for attendance. If you’re not capable of running your job, you can be replaced.  I forcibly retired one manager who was plain lazy and not doing his job. The others got the word and our absence rate dropped from 8 percent to less than the two percent objective.  This didn’t happen overnight, and with absence under control we were able to reduce the Boston area work force by 6 people. We did this by not replacing losses which occurred through transfers or promotions.
We now had an effective work force working together as a team. I stayed on this position until 1978. At that time we assumed responsibility for Coin Operations throughout our 5 State operating area and we became a separate operating department within the company. We had a General Manager operating the organization and I became Division Staff Manager heading the department staff. On my staff I had a budget manager, Security Manager, Staff Manager Sales, Supply manager, Installation and Repair supervisors. Also there were Security supervisors and clerical help. One of the more important managers I had was a Computer Staff analyst who kept me informed regarding computer needs related to enhancements and new programs. One of his most important achievements was coming up with a completely new operating system, which if put into use would save us a considerable amount of operating revenue. The problem: getting permission to scrap our present system and get the capital improvement money to buy and implement a new program.. He was a pretty knowledgeable guy, and wrote up a detailed process to prove the expense. I had to go to a top level meeting to approve the project. I was not that conversant with computers that I could answer the many questions that would arise. The solution: I would introduce the program, and take him to the meeting with me to answer technical questions. It worked, we got the capital money and approval for the program .I was planning to retire in July l980 and would not be around to see the finalization of the new Computer Operation. However, my associates kept me informed after I retired. The program was a complete success and projected operating savings were realized.

Retirement
After I retired I went to work part time for Richie Greehan as a clerk in a little Peach convenience store. It worked out fine for seven years. Mary and I would take periodic trips for two or more weeks, and the job would be there when I returned. We had great trips. Over the years we toured England, Scandinavia, Hawaii,  Alaska, West Coast, Canadian Rockies, Utah, Wyoming, and Yellowstone. Mary got sick on the Yellowstone tour and never fully recovered. She was an invalid on Oxygen for the next 2 1/2 years. After she died in l999 I kept our Condo and lived alone. I continued to travel visiting the kids (Libby in Georgia, Washington State, and Chicago. Steve  in Tennessee. Anne and John live nearby, and David in VT didn't require travel.)  In December 1999, I visited Steve in Tennessee and had a heart attack while I was there, I wound up having a quadruple bypass on Jan 4, 2000. It was successful and I returned home 3 1/2 months later I continued to maintain my condo. I had an emergency call system in case I had a sudden problem. I never used it. I continued to visit the far away kids (Steve in TN and Libby in Chicago.  However, I discontinued the long drives and flew to my destinations).   I  sold the Condo in the Fall of 2002 and moved to an apartment in an assisted living complex.
Since Mary died, I became very active in 83rd Infantry Division Association. I spent 3 years as president of the Boston Chapter, 1 year as 1st Vice president of the National organization, and I’m finishing my 3rd year as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Organization. I go to all the National Conventions. I have a companion when I go to the conventions.  My daughter, Anne, goes with me. She is well known in the organization and has been a big help in assisting us in some of our projects. Since 1999 the conventions have been in Louisville, KY, The Catskills in NY, Hampton, Va., Myrtle Beach, S.C., Cincinnati, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Paducah, KY, Nashville, IN, Washington, D.C., and Carlisle, PA.

Kids
I would be remiss if I didn't give proper credit to my children who have been a great support to me. Credit for their training and upbringing goes to their mother who was there all the time to supervise their activities.  I was too busy trying to climb the corporate ladder over a long period of time, and too late I recognized I had put too great a burden of responsibility on Mary in spending so much time on the job (after hours activities such a Chamber of Commerce, Red Cross, Community Chest Etc.). The company wanted representation and I gave it at the expense of my family. My children are all successful in their careers, not from my help, but.from the guidance they received from their mother. I'm sure she is in heaven rejoicing in a job well done.

Thank you Mary you have been a wonderful wife and partner.

Adult Children
 Over the years we were blessed with 5 wonderful children, John, the eldest, was born on Dec 6,1945. He was a good child and teen age athlete. However, at the age of  14 he lost an eye in an unfortunate BB gun accident. He recovered and got interested  in pharmacy. He went to Mass. College of Pharmacy and became a registered pharmacist. This lasted for a few years than he left retail pharmacy after  two holdups by drug addicts.  He then went to work as a representative of a major  pharmaceutical manufacturer. He was obviously successful as he became manager of Activities in Northern New England (Maine, NH, and Vermont.
He married in his final year of college. The marriage which ended in divorce, resulted in three children, Elaine, Karen, and Geoff. He later met a wonderful widow, Darlene with 2 girls, Lisa and Theresa, and over the years John and Darlene have enjoyed a successful marriage. He retired in 2006. He sold his home on Baboosic Lake and bought a condominium.  He and Darlene recently returned from a trip to Australia and New Zealand. They are in the process of scheduling more interesting trips. Between them they have 5 grandchildren.. His daughter, Elaine, has one child, Kacey, who is my only biological great grandchild, but I have 4 other step great grandsons! Darlene’s daughter, Theresa, has 4 sons, David, Joshua, Ryan and Jacob.
Anne is a Nurse Practitioner currently working at St Vincent Hospital in Worcester. She previously did similar work for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates formerly Harvard Community Health Plan. When they got into financial difficulty they obviously had to cut back on employees. Anne, with about eleven years with them, was at the top of the payscale. She was laid off as one of their money saving units while she was out on medical leave with a herniated cervical disc. After that she worked nights for several years as a neonatal nurse in Special Care Nursery at Lowell General Hospital and Beverly Hospital. She also worked as a home care nurse doing mother baby visits. When the job of running an OBS-GYN Clinic at St Vincent's, she took it.
Steve is a CPA and currently is a partner in a management consulting company. He is married to Ellen and they have two wonderful sons, Ben, who is a lawyer and a business man, and John who is a sports announcer.       
Libby is our traveler, and is married to Terry, a pilot.  She has a couple of Masters Degrees and a Doctorate. She has worked at various colleges in Michigan, New Orleans, Georgia, Seattle, WA., Chicago and currently teaching in Masters and Doctorate programs at Penn State University.
David went to college in Vermont and never left the state. He is a High School teacher, and is married to Betsy, and they also have two wonderful boys, James and Andrew.
So including all my children, grandchildren, stepgranchildren, and great grandchildren, I have 5 children, 9 grandchildren, 5 great grand children.  I've been a lucky man!

Langdon Place
I am still residing in the same Assisted living facility. I play Bingo, Poker, Bowl, and participate in various activities at the center I still go to 83rd reunions.
Last year it was in Carlisle, PA. Anne goes with me. This year it is in Valley Forge. I plan to go if physically OK. I no longer drive, I gave up my license. Anne and John have graciously driven me to Drs, Dentists, Shopping etc. I try not to impose too much.

Addendum  (by Anne M. Tisdell)
I never felt that dad imposed.  I was happy to help him.  He was a good man!
Unfortunately, Dad fractured his pelvis at 2:15 am on May 24, 2009 due to falling while getting to the bathroom.  Due to his health issues, the fracture was allowed to heal via bedrest.  He eventually went to Rehab at Greenbriar where he worked really diligently to regain his strength.  While at Greenbriar, he had his 89th birthday.  His recovery was complicated by transient ischemic attacks (TIA's) and 2 strokes which occurred 7/4/2009.  He was released to Langdon Place 8/18/2009 much to his relief.  He was moved to a room by the nurses’ station as he needed more supervision and help and could no longer live independently.  He had a mild heart attack 8/25/09 and he decided at that time that he wanted no more ER visits and wanted to do Hospice care. He has unfortunately deteriorated in his mental acuity and has become difficult to manage at times.  The staff at Langdon has the advantage of having known him prior to his recent illness.  They love and respect him.  This is reflected in the loving care that they give him.  The week of October 5, he became unwilling to take his pills.  He has become more lethargic and sleeps most of the time.  October 10th, he was awake the whole day, but not in the correct year.  He was communicative when spoken to, but had his delusions.  In all likelihood, the end is near and I pray that he passes from this life peacefully to be with mom and our creator.  Dad, you are a great man.  You are a Hero, a great father, a loyal friend, and humanitarian.  We are all going to miss you, but we wish you peace and God Speed!  He passed away 11/16/2009.  

 

Thanks to Anne Tisdell for the story and the photos about her dad.