Patty Andrews, last surviving member of singing Andrews sisters, dead at 94
By Associated Press,
Published: January 30
LOS ANGELES — Patty Andrews, the last surviving member of the singing Andrews Sisters trio whose hits such as the rollicking “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B” and the poignant “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” captured the home-front spirit of World War II, died Wednesday. She was 94.
Andrews died of natural causes at her home in the Los Angeles suburb of Northridge, said family spokesman Alan Eichler in a statement.
Patty was the Andrews in the middle, the lead singer and chief clown, whose raucous jitterbugging delighted American servicemen abroad and audiences at home.
I received a phone call from a Rick Moore(sp), he left a voice mail and mentioned my website and stated he liked to talk to me and get more info about a certain vet, etc. Sounded very nice on the phone. Said he worked at Veteran's Affairs or something like that. Well he left a number and I called it. It was that group, but they said no one by that name worked there. Am a bit confused.
If you are the person who called me, please call back.
A gentleman recently wrote to me looking for specific info:
My uncle Robert Nichols was killed on February 7, 1945 in Echternach, Luxembourg.
I am trying to contact anyone who may have served with him. Please contact
Wayne Nichols
Thanks!
Wayne
I then wrote back requesting more info:
Robert was killed on February 7, 1945 in Echternach, Luxembourg along
with several other engineers on the Sauer River. I have been to Echternach
and found a plaque on the Sauer River where that were killed. I have
been trying to locate a book on the history of 160 Engineer Combat Unit
which I know exists. My uncle was from Kannapolis, North Carolina
and was 21 on December 31, 1944.
Please respond with any information relating to Robert's death, etc.
Thanks!
Wayne Nichols
Wayne,
In the meantime you can gather more info on the unit. Please see these previous posts on our forum, while you are still searching for specifics on Robert:
My dad, John Markell was in the 36th Combat Engineers from 1942-1945. Served in North Africa, Anzio, Sicily, Austria, France and Germany. He died 4 years ago in November of 2008. He had been the first sales mgr. for Schwans (Marshall, MN) so instead of a hearse for his last ride, my son and I drove him to the cemetery in a replica of Schwan's first ice cream truck. If you can use these photos, be my guest.
Dan Markell
Dear Dan:
First off our condolences on your loss. We keep losing all "our boys" at an alarming rate, and I must admit, I'm getting to the point when I hate to open my email, for fear of hearing about the passing of another engineer.
WOW, what a great story and a great photo! This really had to be something. I'm sure the town had never seen anything like this before. He certainly made a grand entrance to heaven to be with his buddies.
