3653rd Company, Washburn, WI: F-5

For a better view of the photos, visit this link to see the original pages.

MEMBERS

Reading from left to right:

FIRST ROW: Gordon W. MILLS, Vernon N. JOHNSTON, Wayne N. SCHOLFIELD, Roy B. JOHNSON, Harold F. GRUDT, Kenneth W. DeLONG, Bernard M. HAMMAR, Clarence P. VANDERSCHAEGEN.

SECOND ROW: John V. KOLODZIEJ, Victor ADLER, Arnold C. OLDS, Lawrence A. SIMINGTON, James A. GUTMANN, Peter KARABA, Jr., Edmund G. GLINIECKI, Floyd W. PETERSON, Jude A. WRAY, Oswald K. OMSTED, Robert D. HALDERSON, Arthur L. WICHART, Ralph B. AIKIN, Lloyd W. WIELAND, Joseph N. SCOTT, Roy V. NORDQUIST.

THIRD ROW: Peter MIKULA, Roland G. KISLING, Archie F. EINIECHNER, Theodore N. McINTYRE, William W. TAYLOR, Adolph J. JENSON, Linden L. TISCHMAN, Charles B. PETESCH, Lionel R. JOHNSON, Mike J. BALEN, Arnold B. MAGNUSON, Steve REVAK, Edward J. JILEK, Edwin A. GUSTIN.

FOURTH ROW: Ebert J. NELSON, John G. BUVALA, Arthur S. ANDERSON, Raymond C. SCOTT, Gordon W. RYAN, Joseph GRUTTADAURO, Nick POLKOSKI, Walter J. KNOWLES, Jr., Leonard W. MEYSEMBOURG, Noah PELTIER, George W. STENSLAND, Alex J. LEGACY, Raymond A. BALEN, Gus H. BOWERS, Rudolph GAGO, Elmer NELSON.

OFFICERS

Capt. Lauris M. EEK, Air-Res. - Commanding Officer
First Lt. Herman W. BIERITZ, Jr., Sig-Res. - Junior Officer
Dr. Raymond B. T. SWEANY, M. D. - Camp Surgeon
Mr. Paul L. DAUGHERTY - Educational Adviser

TECHNICAL PERSONNEL

J. Pemble ORCUTT - Project Superintendent
Richard W. SMITH, Arnold K. STEELMAN, Melvin C. JOHNSON, Rheuben V. SMITH, Bernard F. PERSELLS, Jr.

MEMBERS

Reading from left to right:

FIRST ROW: Coland C. McDONALD, Otto J. KAUFMANN, Jack RICHARDSON, Anthony P. MOTIL, Frank W. WASHNEISKI, Jr., Sylvester F. WIMMER, Charles H. TROTT, Reuben M. UNTINEN, John W. DOYLE, Douglas E. GARREAU, Ralph R. LAUDAHL, Gordon A. TEIGE, Iver J. KNUTSON.

SECOND ROW: Edward J. VUKADIN, James P. O'BRIEN, John H. McGARRY, Louis A. BOLKA, Benjamin P. STENER, Merton C. McGILTON, Calvin H. VANDERHYDE, Joseph B. O'BRIEN, William J. WHEELER, Raymond L. ANDERSON, Delbert N. STUMBAUGH, Alfred O. HOFF, Floyd ALLEN, Angelo P. PRARIZZI, Anton J. ORSONI, George P. PLUSKOTA.

THIRD ROW: Ervin O. NORDIN, Paul J. MAZUR, Adam B. WOITKIELEVICZ, George E. MARINCEL, Edward S. OSTROWSKI, Mike BUBASH, Robert F. HAIDINGER, Michael LATVIS, Richard E. NORDQUIST, Ernest STUDDEN, Charles H. EVANS, John O. KENTALA, Elder A. KUBLEY, J. Stanley KRANTZ.

FOURTH ROW: Woodrow W. CARLSON, Romy J. MOURS, John WANNENMACHER, Harold E. GLAMPE, Bernard M. HAMMAR, Myron P. NEUMANN, Philip E. RILEY, Robert W. POLGLASE, Lyle H. McCLUSKEY, Harvey F. CHAPIN, Bert L. HOSKINS, John A. JARCHOW, Harold J. LOCK, Alfred O. CHAPIN, Kalervo A. WUORISALO, Joseph S. BRANDIS, Marvin S. CARLSON.

MEMBERS NOT IN PICTURE: Orval F. ANDERSON, Robert A. BOWER, James C. CONKLIN, kWalter R. CONSIE, Robert H. FRANK, Clyde C. HALVERSON, John KAAN, John J. KANE, Rudolph J. LAMPI, Walter J. MEIVES, Leo J. POTTER, Edward G. RHIENSCHMIDT, Raymond F. ROHLEDER, Floyd E. SANDQUIST, melvin D. THIERER, Marvin W. TOPPING, Frank S. TRACZYK, Leondard TURCZYNSKI, John B. VAN BECK, Joe W. VLASATY, James A. WELLS, Roy H. WOLFE.

History

On June 16, 1935, two Companies were formed from Company 1606, at Camp Brinks, a tent camp seventeen miles west of Washburn, Wisconsin. The new Company was designated company 3653, and I. G. Drischel, a Captain of the Infantry Reserve, was put in command. August 1 the new Company moved to Camp Horseshoe, another tent camp located in the Moquah Unit of the Chequamegon National Forest, twenty-five miles west of Ashland, Wisconsin.

The planting of Jack Pine and Norway Pine seedlings, fire hazard reduction, scalping or preparation for future planting, were the chief projects at the new camp.

During the last week in September an electrical power plant was installed, the entire camp wired, wooden floors installed in the tents, and a thirty-foot water tank erected.

The educational and recreational program was supervised by Charles Wierach, Educational Advisor. The Company won the pennant for baseball in the Seventhy Sub-District in 1935.

The Company moved to Camp Taylor Lake, near Grand View, Wisconsin, November 5, 1935, for the winter months. This was their first camp with barracks, and as it was a new camp, much work was required to clear and level the camp grounds.

Captain Drischel was transferred and R. N. Valentine, a First Lieutenant of the Infantry Reserve, took command of the Company November 22, 1935.

Timber stand improvement, lake surveys, roadside clean-up, and fire hazard reduction were the main projects at Camp Taylor Lake.

Orders came on May 1, 1936, to move to Camp Brinks and the main body of the Company moved May 17.

Field planting of pine seedlings was the first project to receive attention. Other field activities were road maintenance, fire hazard reduction, improvement of recreational centers, and fire fighting.

During the summer months there were several severe forest fires in the region surrounding Camp Brinks. The most destructive of these fires was the Moquah fire that started near Iron River and spread rapidly into the Moquah Unit of the Chequamegon National Forest in which the camp is located. Acts of heroism and endurance were so common during the various fires that they were passed over as merely a part of the day's work and were considered as such by the men.

November 4, 1936, the Company moved to Camp Cable, one of the most modern camps int he district, located ten miles east of Cable, Wisconsin.

The major projects at Camp Cable were: Timber stand improvement, fire hazard reduction, lake surveys, the establishment of several picnic and camp grounds, pre-cultural and post-cultural surveys.

Due to the modern equipment, class rooms and other factors that the Company had not enjoyed in the past, a better educational program was organized and carried on at Camp Cable, than had previously been possible.

May 3, 1937, the Company moved to Camp Brinks for the third time, and work was begun immediately planting pine seedlings. Other activities were timber stand improvement, fire hazard reduction, fire fighting, road maintenance, and park improvement.

Lieut. Ralph N. Valentine, Company Commander, resigned and Lieut. H. W. Bieritz, of the Signal Reserve, took command May 27, 1937.

The present personnel of the Company includes Lieut. H. W. Bieritz, Commanding Officer; Lieut. Thomas Maquire, of the Signal Reserve, Second in Command; Doctor Raymond B. T. Sweany, Company Physician; J. P. Orcutt, Camp Superintendent, and Paul L. Daugherty, Educational Adviser.