Vernon Alwin Garrett
Military
The man on the far right is 1LT Vernon A. Garrett Commander of the detachment 466th Bomb Group collection
466th BG Historian
Object Number - UPL 16965 - Men of the 61st Station Compliment Squadron detachment, the station MP's and base security, getting their mail. The man on the far right is 1LT...
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Air base
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Sealy, TX 77474, USA | 26 June 1917 | |
|
Enlisted |
San Antonio, TX, USA | 8 April 1941 | |
|
Died |
Houston, TX, USA | 11 August 2008 | Buddy was preceded in death by his wife of 40 years Edwina Marie McDowell Garrett; daughter Dana Michele Garrett; mother Louise Tuttle Garrett; father Roy Garrett; brother Lewis Leroy Garrett. He is survived by his loving and devoted daughters Patricia Crabtree and Sandra Crumpler; sons-in law Robert Crabtree and Milton Crumpler; granddaughter Chelsea Crabtree; grandsons Chris Crumpler, Matt Crumpler; and nephew Tom Garrett. Buddy graduated from Sealy High School in 1935 where he participated and excelled in sports. He lettered in track and football. He was Captain of the Football team where he lettered all four years. In 1934 he placed first in the 440 yd dash, first in the mile relay and third in the broad jump. He won district in 1934 in tennis. After high school, he attended Shreiner Institute in Kerrville Texas on a football scholarship. On April 8, 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Army/Air Corps later known as the Air Force. Attended Basic Training in San Antonio. Assigned to Camp Wallace Texas Corps of Military Police on Galveston Island. Appt. to OCS and commissioned as a Second Lt. Chemical Warfare Service on April 3, 1943 at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland. Was assigned to Mc Dill Field in Florida prior to overseas duty. On September 14, 1943 was sent to European Theatre of Operations and later to England with the 8th Army-Air Force in WW II. He was a member of the 466th Attlebridge Arsenal. Served as Second Lt. Prison Police officer and promoted to First Lt. Provost Marshal. Later, promoted to rank of Captain. On December 9, 1945, he was discharged from the service. On September 7, 1945, at the military base in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Captain Vernon Garrett married Army Nurse Corps Captain Emma Edwina Marie McDowell. At the time, she was only one of 30 women to reach the rank of Captain in the Nurse Corps. She served under General George Patton in the invasion of North Africa. She would receive a Purple Heart for her injuries received during the tour of duty. Buddy and Marie met while stationed at Camp Wallace, Texas prior to the war. During their 40 years of marriage, Marie and Buddy would raise three daughters. His "girls" as he often referred to them were his whole world. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. A devoted person dedicated to family, God and country. He had a kind and fun loving personality. He was a gentleman. The love, care, compassion and dedication to his family were always evident. His wit and humor would always bring a smile to those around him. His friends were true life long friends. In his later years, his grandchildren were a source of his pride, love and attention. A visit never ended without a status report on Chelsea, Chris and Matt. His conversations with friends always carried loving thoughts and stories of his grandchildren. He once said in your fading years, you are glad to have them. Their love and their lives were a source of pride and enjoyment for him. His life always included his wife, daughters and grandchildren. Buddy first worked as a welder's helper on pipelines in Texas. His father, Roy, worked for Magnolia which later became Mobil Oil. After leaving the pipelines, Buddy worked for the American Rice Growers Association in Katy, Texas as a grader and truck weigher. In 1945, after completing his military service, he resumed his duties with the American Rice Growers Association. In June, 1946, he went to work for Converted Rice as a Rough Rice Buyer. Company was later known as Uncle Ben's. Buddy earned the nickname Dean of Rice Buyers from his coworkers for his technical knowledge and love of the rice business. He was seen daily at the rice offices and mills of Eagle Lake, El Campo, Garwood, Katy, Richmond/Rosenberg, Bay City and many others. Often times when his young daughters were growing up, Buddy would bring them to the rice offices and mills and show them the business. His dedication, love and enjoyment for his job as a rice buyer were evident in his work and daily life. Besides his family, his job was his life and something he would always cherish and hold in high regard even after retirement. After 37 years in the rice business, in June, 1983, Buddy retired from Uncle Ben's. Even after retirement, the days of the rice business were still so much a part of his life and discussed often as he would check the daily market reports. Even up until his final days, Buddy would discuss and evaluate what the market was doing. He would join the monthly breakfast club with some of the other Uncle Ben's retirees and stay in touch with those he so fondly remembered in his days as a buyer in the rice business. They were so very important to his life. His patriotism and service to his country were so dear to his heart. His pride in his military service was evident from the stories he would recall. Buddy's hobby was his gardening. He loved flowers and working in his yard at his home of 53 years. Many days were spent tending his roses and various flowers and watching the various birds which would feed in his sanctuary he called the backyard. Our daddy was a remarkable man whose example guided us; whose wisdom pointed us in the right direction and whose love we will carry with us through every turn in the road. The things he gave us through the years of life have been some of the most priceless gifts any person could have ever received. Thank you with all our hearts for giving them to us. We will always love you. He will be dearly missed by so many but never, ever be forgotten. Pallbearers: Ron Caffey, Sonny McCann, D.E. Smith, Tom Garrett, Milton Crumpler, Robert W. Crabtree, Chris Crumpler, Matt Crumpler. Honorary Pallbearers: George Gideon, Chelsea Marie Crabtree, Maggie Selman. |
|
Buried |
Houston, TX, USA | 14 August 2008 | Memorial Oaks Cemetery Houston Harris County Texas, USA |
Revisions
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit roster in the book ATTLEBRIDGE ARSENAL by Wassom & Brassfield, p345