Colonel John K. (Ken) Addison - 249th Engineer

[Walt's Daughter]

Here is the obituary of a man in the 249th Engineer Combat Battalion.

 

Mike

 

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http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanantoni...te=0&type=1

 

Colonel John K. (Ken) Addison passed away after a long illness on Wednesday, August 12, 2009. Colonel Addison was born in Lorane, near Eugene, Oregon on August 19, 1915 and was the sixth of eight children to Edmund S. and Madge B. Addison. He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Shirley S. Addison and two sons, John K. Jr., of San Francisco and James David of Tucson. After high school in Lorane and three years of work in the family logging and lumber business, he entered Oregon State University, and graduated in 1941 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. At graduation he was called to active duty in the Army Corps of Engineers as a 2nd Lieutenant. After duty with the 10th Engineers, Third Infantry Division and 318th Engineer Battalion, 93rd Infantry Division, he was given command of the 249th Engineer Combat Battalion in May, 1943, then being activated. Doing well at the Command and General Staff School prompted this command assignment in the junior grade of Captain. The Battalion was sent to Europe in June, 1944, crossing the Channel in August and joining Patton's Third Army in the race across Europe. During the Battle of the Bulge the unit did a short stint as infantry. The defining assignments were the Rhine River crossing at Oppenheim and Mainz where two major float bridges were built in these assault crossings. Following the war the Battalion remained in Europe building a displaced persons camp near Czechoslovakia and was deactivated in November, '45. This had been a unique and successful command under Addison, the only commander. He was awarded two Bronze Stars., the French Croix de Guerre, with Palme and the Legion of Merit. Colonel Addison stayed in the service as a regular officer finally retiring in 1966, taking a job as Chief Construction Engineer, for airports, in the State of Alaska. In his late stage of life, he was honored by one of his old sergeants, who had become very wealthy in the business world, by naming a scholarship program in Addison's name and that of the 249th Engineer Combat Battalion. The 249th Engineer Battalion remains active as a member of the Regular Army Forces, a mark of distinction. Visitation will be Tuesday, August 18th from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Porter Loring Mortuary on McCullough Avenue.

 

GRAVESIDE SERVICE WEDNESDAY

AUGUST 19, 2009

11:00 A.M.

FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY 1520 HARRY

WURZBACH RD.

 

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Mike:

 

Thank you for providing the details. Our condolences to all! Another great WWII engineer has passed on....