Allan W. Howerton

During my last trip in the US, on July 31, 2013, I had the honor of visiting WW2 veteran Allan Howerton who served with the 84th Division.

Allan Wilford Howerton was a rifleman, messenger and company communications sergeant with Company K, 335th Infantry Regiment of the 84th Infantry Divisionthe and was in combat during the last six months of the war in Europe and took part in the Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe Campaigns. Before assignment to the 335th Infantry Regiment of the 84th Division he was a student at Drexel University in the Army Specialized Training Program.
Not long before, studying under the banner of what was jokingly called "the flaming pisspot," the ASTP-boys, so labeled by the "old guys," had dreamed of commissions and significant roles in rebuilding Europe after the war. They were also, until the Army ended the program because of the need for more men on the front lines, escaping combat.

Following VE-Day he studied at Shrivenham American University in England. After the war he attended the University of Denver earning a Bachalor degree in international relations and a Master in education plus graduate study in economics. He had a long career as a federal civil servant with the U.S. Civil Service Commission. He was Vice Chairman of the Fairfax County (Virginia) Civil Service Commission; a founder, general manager, and talk-show host of a local cable television channel; and has served as a vestryman and long-time lector at St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

Allan Howerton during his basic training with the
7th Medical Training Battalion

Allan send this picture to his parents

Allan Howerton 1945

 


Allan proudly shows his uniform. Look at the "ASTP" patch on the right sleeve of his shirt. He was a student at Drexel University in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). "In the 84th, we were a diverse group: grizzled regular army sergeants, draftees, a few volunteers (not plentiful in the infantry), and "mad as hell" college kids from the discontinued Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) chagrined to have wound up as lowly foot soldiers" he said.


Allan show me his Scrapbook with several sets of sergeant stripes, a combat infantry badge, a Presidential Unit Citation, a multi-colored campaign badge graced by three clusters, a set of three green felt hash marks, signifying overseas service, several pages of poorly typed post-war notes on yellowing paper, a rolled-up photograph, long and rectangular, of a rifle company, ...


A set of snapshots of American GI's and virile young men

Some of his German souvenirs, a torn swastika and a handsome book of classy German script and glossy black and white photographs extoling the virtues of Adolph Hitler



Within the confines of a small brown suitcase another world lingers: a portrait of a dark-haired young woman, Mary's picture in its battered folder with that of Ernie Pyle, a smear of foxhole mud still on the leatherette


Allan sining my Scrapbook. He is still living with his wife Joan, a Registered Nurse, in Alexandria, Virginia.


Thanks to Allan an his wife Joan for the hospitality.
It was nice to meet and talk with you.