Farewell AL Kincer 48th Combat Engineer

[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.

 

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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.