Farewell AL Kincer 48th Combat Engineer

[Walt's Daughter]

Thanks kiddo! Greatly appreciated.

 

PS Should have known you were Catholic too!

[206thmpco]

Back from church & added you & the VI Corps "family" too.

Especially asked my grandparents Marion & Michael for their prayers for Mr. Kincer.

(They were married 96 years ago today on the Feast of the Assumption.)

 

Yup Marion, it's the greatest gift I ever got. I owe BIG time for it, because it

took the sacrifices & prayers of so many people to get me in a condition in order

to receive it - parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, grt grandparents,

and probably alot of people that I don't even know (I'm a nincompoop, so you

can see why it took so many people). One of the biggest debts I owe is to

my brother Fran who was killed in a car accident August 27, 1971. He was 17

and I was 18. Months afer his death, he saved me. Might sound like it's

time for the men with the nets & white coats, but I know beyond doubt it

was him. That's a story for - where's the beer symbol?

(Do we have a symbol for "beer keg"?) Anyway, I'm sure that when I see Fran

again, he's gonna say: "Well, there you are - you nitwit! I had LOTS of trouble getting

you to pay attention!"

[rennog]

Best wishes from Luxembourg Mr. Kincer you're in my prayer's.

Martin

[moose]

Regards and best wishes from the Screaming Eagles LHG here in England.

[Walt's Daughter]

I am pretty shook right now. Just got an email from Diana and Deborah (his daughters) this morning, letting me know that Al is near death. They wanted to know about the biography he had submitted to me.

 

It took me a long time before I could respond, but finally sent off a letter to them regarding the info they wanted regarding their father.

 

It is very hard for me to type this right now, and I don't know how much I will be around today for everyone else. This has hit me very hard, and will take some time to sink in.

 

There is one thing that I want to share with all of you because it really shows the kind of man that AL IS. This is an excerpt from his page. Be prepared to have a hanky ready. It took all my strength to copy and paste it here. I also sent a copy to the family.

 

=============================================

 

THE BELL

 

September 26, 2004

 

In 1991 Florian Schreiner, a sergeant in my company died in Plain Wisconsin. I talked to Mary, his wife and asked if she wanted me to attend the funeral. Florian and I were very close during and after the war. My wife and I left San Antonio on Saturday and by driving 700 miles each day we were in Madison Sunday night. We arrived in Plain the next morning.

 

Marion's Note: Al sent me a copy of the eulogy he had given at his friend's funeral. It is very touching to say the least.

 

Eulogy

 

I would like to tell you the story of THE BELL. I am Lt/Col Alfred Kincer. I first met Florian Schreiner in 1942. I was his platoon commander and later his Company Commander.

It was a cold day in the late winter of 1942. Several eager Lieutenants of the 48th Engineer Regiment were watching as a large group of replacements arrived. We were ready to get along with the training of our platoons so we could get into the fray. I noticed one recruit that seemed to stand a little taller, a little straighter with broader shoulders than the rest. He had a little grin on his face, and as I caught his eye, he looked directly at me and seemed to be thinking, "you may train me in the ways of the army Lieutenant but you will find out that I am as good a man as you." I looked at him and knew that here was a leader, and that he would be one of my Sergeants.

 

A few weeks later, I was reassigned to the Regimental Motor Pool as the Motor Officer. Some one in Co. B, in their infinite wisdom assigned this born leader as a truck driver. His comment was "I will be the best truck driver in the regiment". Perhaps this was fortunate for both of us, for we came to respect each other very much. I knew that he would not stay a truck driver for long.

 

One Saturday morning as the Battalion was standing a formal inspection I was informed that something was hidden in the toolbox of Schriener’ truck. With every one standing at attention, I walked behind his truck, opened the toolbox and there wrapped in an old towel was THE BELL. I took the bell in hand and slowly walked to the inspection line, facing Schreiner, I raised it high and rang it loudly. Do you think you still have that weekend pass coming? I asked. He slowly reached into his pocket, handed the pass to me, with that wonderful grin still on his face. I refolded the pass, put it back into his pocket saying "you deserve the pass, you have the best truck in the Battalion".

 

After we arrived in Italy I was reassigned to Co. B as the commander of the first platoon. At last, He was in my platoon. In January 1944, we were involved in an infantry attack on Mt. Portia. We took the hill with losses after two days. Sgt. Schreiner was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. He, along with his platoon Sgt. Tommy Googoo were the first to reach the top of the mountain. He always led his squad he never asked a man to do something that he would not do. A few days later after we had come down from the mountain, he came to me and said "Lieutenant don't you think we should ring THE BELL for our good luck. We rang the BELL.

 

A couple of months later Sgt Schreiner was seriously wounded as we were assisting in building the Bailey bridges across the Rapido river in the assault on the town of Cassino, Italy. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action. Several weeks later when he returned from the hospital, I went to him and for our good luck, again we rang THE BELL.

 

As the war progressed and our luck held up we rang THE BELL several more times including the day the war was over. We were in Berchtesgaden at the time.

 

When Mary called last Friday and told me that Bub had died I knew then that I must go to Plain and for my very good friend, my companion in arms, one of the bravest soldiers that I had ever known, that I must ring THE BELL one more time.

 

This is added...

 

When I rang the bell over his casket, several women began to cry, in fact there were several loud Boo-Hoos. The church was packed, upward of 500 people. The small town of Plain is west of Madison I think the entire town turned out. Mary, the four children and eight brothers were elated that I did the eulogy and that I had driven 1300 miles to be there. Most of the 500 people came around at the dinner that followed and shook my hand. It was very satisfying to me to know that I had pleased Mary and the rest and that WE had rung The Bell.

[206thmpco]

Oh Marion, my heart goes out to Al's daughters and to you too.

You surely must be like a daughter to him as well.

I pray that the Lord will take him quickly into Paradise and

I'm certain that Florian will be ringing The Bell there to greet him.

 

mary ann

[roque_riojas]

So SGT. SCHREINER'S CREW WERE THE ONES WHO BUILT THE BAILEY BRIDGE WE

CROSSED WHEN WE ATTACKED AND TOOK THE TOWN OF CASSINO. I SALUTE THE

SGT. (Slow). Al Kincer, my prayers go with you for your recovery.

Roque of the 34th.

[Walt's Daughter]

It is with the deepest regret that I have to inform you of the passing of my dear friend, Al. He passed away last night, Wednesday, August 22, 2007. His daughter said that he died peacefully at home. If you knew Al, please take a moment to honor his memory.

 

My dearest friend, you shall be missed more than I can ever express. Thank you for being my friend, and for sharing and caring so much. I shall never, ever forget you. You have touched my heart and soul. I hope to see you someday again, and we shall have that toast we never got around too. Love ya forever, M

[Walt's Daughter]

Received the following note from a fellow 48th'er last night.

 

To All,

 

Al Kincer died Wednesday, August 22nd. Funeral will be Friday August 24th.

Condolences may be sent by email to the Kincer family at the Angelus Funeral Home in San Antonio, Texas

 

Email: TheAngelusFuneralHome@Juno.com

 

Web Page: http://www.theangelusfuneralhome.com/

 

Due to time constraint, Elizabeth says no flowers.

 

Max Jonah

 

=================

I have decided that when I go down to the hospitality suite this morning, I will have everyone there add a note to an email and send it to the family from the entire gang. When I saw Max's note I felt relieved because now I could directly contact the family at the funeral home. That was very comforting for me, as I'm sure it will be for the rest of his gang who is here today.

[Walt's Daughter]

I would like to share the email I sent to the family this morning:

 

Dear Kincer family:

 

I wish to express my sincerest condolences. I have so much to say about my dear friend Al, so it's very difficult for me this morning to find all the right words...

 

Al and I became friends three years ago when I began my research into my father's WWII unit. Since that very first day, Al not only became a very close friend, but a mentor and father-like figure. He was an integral part of my life and helped me construct a precise history of the VI Corps Engineers. His story graces the pages of our website, and has become one of the more frequented memoirs.

 

I always looked forward to his almost daily emails, as they were filled with laughter, wisdom, personal insight, and of course a score of information regarding the 48th Combat Engineers and VI Corps. If I didn't hear from him for a few days, I would jot off a quick note to make sure all was okay. For me he was like a daily cup of coffee; hard to go without.

 

I regret that he will never be able to read the book I am writing on the engineers, for he was looking forward to seeing it in print. But please know that his many wonderful words will grace the pages, and "my boys" and he will always be remembered by subsequent generations. I plan on dedicating the book to my father, and to my dear friend, Al.

 

Al, thank you for your friendship, your generosity, and inspiration. Even though I attempted to tell you how how grateful I was to know you, you may never truly know what you meant to me. I shall miss you tremendously and not a day shall pass when I don't look at your photo and think how lucky I was to have you in my life. If you gave your family HALF the pleasure you have given me, then I can imagine how happy they were to have you in their lives.

 

When I awoke this morning I was feeling blue because you were not able to be here with us at the 48th Reunion. But as I grabbed my laptop and headed across my hotel room, something caught my eye. I glanced down on the dark green carpeting and there sat a lone little silver heart, the size of a pea. For some reason I felt comforted and as silly as it may seem to some, I took it as a sign that you were still with me this lovely summer day.

 

You shall forever remain in my heart. With love and admiration,

Marion

 

Marion Chard

Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek

540th Combat Engineer WWII

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com

http://www.6thcorpsmusic.us