Saturday, April 22, 2023

A Combat Infantryman Turned Pharmacist: A C-Company, 385th Regiment Veteran’s Story











T/5 Edward H-U-S-N-I served in 1st Squad, 3d Platoon, C-Company, 385th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division.  Born in New Jersey on March 6th, 1926, he grew up in Jersey City and had quite the social scene being dubbed his classes “Woman Hater” (??) in his yearbook superlatives. He voluntarily enlisted March 10th 1944 just 4 days after turning 18. Upon completion of basic, he was stationed at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin and upon movement orders East, staged at Camp Miles Standish with the 385th for their voyage across the Atlantic in the S.S. Sea Owl on Thanksgiving Day 1944. The 385th crossed the English Channel and landed at Le Harve, France on January 12th, 1945. His platoon entered in to combat in mid-February on the Siegfried Line between Luxembourg and Germany. He raced through Germany with the 76th until V-E Day where he served on Occupation Duty near Zwickau. The 76th was deactivated in August 31st and he was then transferred to Bolbec, France where he served as a guard at a German PW camp.


Upon returning home, Edward graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in Pharmacy, was married in 1956, and opened up his on pharmacy which he would retire from in the 1970s. He and his wife had two daughters and he passed away in 2013 at the age of 87.

This uniform was purchased directly from his son and remains in untouched condition. Of particular interest is the dog tag chain stitched around the mighty Onaway and ADSEC patches.

Thanks for looking and thank you Edward for your service and sacrifice 🇺🇸






An Iowan Turned Infantryman: An H-Co, 385th Regiment, 76th Infantry Division Vet












Corporal Delbert M. P-O-R-T-E-R was born April 14, 1919 the son of Robert and Linnie (Messerly) Porter in Colfax Township, Webster County. He attended country school and graduated from the Fort Dodge High School with the class of 1938. On January 12, 1939 Delbert was united in marriage to Elaine "Billie" Treloar.


On April 14, 1944 Delbert was inducted into the United States Army serving his country in H-Co, 385th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division in Gen. Patton's 3rd Army. During his tour he received the following decorations and citations: 2x Overseas Service Bars, the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with 3x Bronze Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Medal and the WWII Victory Medal. Delbert was honorably discharged on January 5, 1946.

Delbert had a passion for cooking and loved to be in the kitchen and owned and operated Porters Poultry Place from 1942-1964 and Del Porter's Pancake Feast from 1965-1982.

He passed away at the age of 90 on Sunday, May 31, 2009.