Lee William WHITESCARVER 1919 – 2002

Lee William WHITESCARVER was born on february 27, 1919, in Grand Island, Nebraska to Harry and Martha Whitescarver.

He attended schools in Pasadena, California and graduated high school in 1936.

A great-grandfather (Hermann Whistescarver) was born 12-26-1742 in Niederndorf, Germany.

Lee reported for duty in 1944 during world war II, as a rifleman in the US ARMY the 26 june 1944.

The Private 1st Class Lee W. Whitescarver, serial number 39591590.

He served with the 28th Infantry Division, 112th Infantry Regiment, III Batalion, Company K from August 1943 to december 1945.

The 28 ID US is the oldest American unit (created 1879). Its emblem is a red keystone symbolizing the state of Pennsylvania from which the division originates (Pennsylvania National Guard), hence its nickname “Keystone Division”, but also nicknamed by the Germans “Bloody Bucket Division” during the fighting in Hurtgen Forest.

Its motto is “Roll on”.

The 28th IDUS landed in Normandy on July 22, 1944, fighting in the ST Lô sector as part of Operation Cobra. On August 25, it crossed the Seine and entered Paris on the 29th. At the beginning of September, it crossed the Meuse, crossed the Belgian border, reached Luxembourg and on 9/11/1944 entered Germany, where it was given the task of securing the Hurtgen forest sector. It received the full force of the Ardennes counter-offensive. Because of the losses it suffered, it had to be withdrawn from the front. In January 1945, it was back in Alsace, where it played a major role in reducing the Colmar pocket from February 1 to 13, 1945. It continued to fight during the German campaign, ending its tour at Kaiserlautern.

Company K of the 3rd Battalion of the 28th IDUS arrived in Verdun on January 12, 1945. On the 17th, it left Verdun and took the train to Saint-Dié in the Vosges.
From January 20 to 31, 1945, it was in the Kayssersberg – Bennwihr sector.
On February 2, Compagnie K headed for Niedermorschwihr (through minefields and slippery roads), which it liberated after a short engagement in which it took 25 prisoners but suffered 8 casualties.
On February 3, it began its attack on Turckheim, but came under fire as it approached. Captain THOMAS was killed by sniper fire. German counter-attacks and mortar fire cost them 3 more dead and 21 wounded, but the company held on to its positions.
On February 4, 1945, Company K liberated and cleansed Turckheim before being relieved by French troops in the evening.
It joined the rest of the Battalion at Ingersheim, from where it set off the following day to take the villages of Zimmerbach and Walbach.
It remained in the Forge sector until February 13, marking the end of the fighting in the Colmar pocket.

Rich, his son, tells us about his father :

“His regiment was active in Normandy, Northern France, Belgium, Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes) to the Rhine River. At one point the 28th became part of geenral George Patton’s third army. Dad never talk much about the war, but he had some entertaining stories of ‘Ole Blood & Guts” Patton (“our blood his guts”).

After VE Day, Sgt Whitescarver was stationed at the 28th Infantry HQ Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Dad was just one of a few who could type so he was assigned to the research staff to create their historical&pictorial hardback album of the 28th’s role in wwII.”

Lee ended the war with the rank of staff/sergeant.

Lee, a self-taught painter, began painting homes after the war in the Pasadena area. Painting homes became a true love of his, and he had a real talent at painting and was considered a true craftsman by his customers and competitors. By 1955 Lee had expanded his painting business into one o the most successful and largest painting and contracting operations in eastern Los Angeles County. In 1956 Lee, Ethel, Rich(Skip) and Cynthia moved into one of several new homes Lee had just built in Glendora, California.

Then on March 28,1967 Lee and Ethel opened up village Color Center Inc. The store was a new concept, a specialty home decorating and paint store, and proved to be very successful. Soon afterwards it became the store competitors copied. Lee retired in 1981 and moved to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, because as he said “I never thawed out after that cold winter of 1944 in Belgium during the war”.

Lee was a loving and caring husband, father “great papa” to his grand children. A true friend to the many people who passed throught his life.He will be truly missed by those who knew him. Lee his survived by his wife Ethel and his son Richard (Skip) of Twin Falls, daughter Cynthia of Glendora, California, 4 grand daughters and one great grand daughter.

Lee died May 24, 2002 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Dear Mr. Whitescarver, we sincerely thank you and your comrades of the 28th DIUS for your unfailing commitment and your participation in the liberation of our country.

We will not forget you!

We thank Rich Whitescarver and his wife for sharing his family history and donating his father’s garrison cap.