HOWARD E MONTGOMERY

JOINS CONGRESSMAN SOLOMON AS GRAND MARSHALL

OF HONOR ROLL PARADE JULY 27TH IN CAMBRIDGE

by Dave Thornton

Forty-four years ago, Howard E. Montgomery of Brookside Drive, was a 22 year old Private in the US Army, assigned to duty with the Second Infantry Division in Korea.

He was hale and hearty, enough of a "spit and polish" soldier to have been in the Honor Guard duty at his previous station.

But while on patrol deep behind enemy lines in the frozen wastes of North Korea, Howard was hit up by a Chinese grenade and permanently disabled.

On July 27th this Disabled American Veteran will join Congressman Gerald B. Solomon as Grand Marshall of the parade, when Old Cambridge unveils the second wall of a permanent honor roll listing the names of some 1,200 local veterans.

The plaques of the second wall of the Honor Roll will be unveiled at Memorial Park on Main St. at ll a.m. Lunch for parade participants will follow, at Capt. Maxson Post.

Four bands will provide musical entertainment in Monument Park throughout the afternoon and evening. In the event of rain, the bands will play under the pavilion at Capt. Maxson Post.

REBUILT LIFE

The Chinese grenade knocked Howard Montgomery out of the Korean War. But it couldn't keep him down. With the help of the Veterans Administration and the Washington County Veterans Services Office, Howard has been able to beat the odds and put together a satisfying life.

Howard arrived in Korea the Fall of 1952. By then, General MacArthur's brilliant invasion at Inchon had routed the North Korean invaders. The Communist Chinese hordes had poured over the Yalu River and driven off the UN forces.

The Americans had halted the advance and President Truman had sacked MacArthur, rather than use atomic weapons to defeat the Chinese.

When Howard arrived, the two armies jousted like irritable knights across an yet undeclared truce line.

DEADLY GAME

Howard went to the front, assigned to the 38th Regt. It was in the line north of Seoul near four gnawed-over landmarks in a generally decimated "moon-scape". Veterans remember them as "Old Baldy", "Arrowhead" and "T-Bone", and "Pork Chop Hill".

Both sides played the deadly game of sending patrols deep into the enemy's territory to capture prisoners and gather intelligence.

On December 4, 1952, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the Front. On December 6, 1952 Howard went out on patrol 15 miles into the enemy defenses.

It was bitter cold. The eight enlisted men and one officer wore the latest in arctic camo gear.

It was in those sub-zero Korean winters that American Gis learned yet another use for the ubiquitous steel "pot". They burned charcoal in their helmets for heat and cooking.

TOLD TO PUSH ON

Howard's patrol had orders to recon a small village, take prisoners, if possible, and return to their own lines.

They did the recon and found no enemy. But the lieutenant wanted prisoners. He ordered the patrol to push on.

Howard was on point. Right behind him came a young man from Ohio. The patrol moved slowly up a ridge out of the village.

No one saw the grenade thrown. Never saw it until it exploded. And there was no follow-up attack. Just an enemy grenade rolled down the slope. When it got between Howard and the Ohioan, it exploded.

The Ohioan received a shattered knee; he would limp the rest of his life.

Howard's back and entire left side took the blast. Muscle, sinew and nerve endings in his back, arm and leg were mangled.

That was 44 years ago. But even today, his body contains enough steel splinters to set off an airport metal detector.

LONG REHAB

Howard doesn't remember much about the hit or the evacuation. When he finally reaching the US lines, he remembers an old Colonel spreading his great-coat over him.

After months of treatment, he was sent Stateside and discharged. In April of 1953 he arrived home and immediately checked into the Albany Veterans Hospital (now Stratton VA Medical Center).

When he gained out-patient status, Howard began to build a life. His childhood sweetheart had waited. That same year he married Emily Leslie of Cobble Hill.

With one side of his body is hay-wire, Howard couldn't return to farm work; likewise, with milk hauling. In those days milk was transported in heavy cans.

He did some construction work with Martin Rogers and had a few good years at Reis' Mills.

COMPLICATIONS

But the Chinese grenade had left Howard with permanent disability. Originally rated at 80 percent, it would soon be increased to 100 percent.

While on Okinawa under-going emergency treatment for his wounds, some of Howard's numerous transfusions were with "raw blood".

A blood disease developed. Doctors "washed" Howard's blood 49 times, to no avail. He had become a "bleeder"; his blood would no longer properly clot.

And that is further complicated by the on-set of diabetes.

So, for 44 years Howard has received treatment at the VA hospital. Emily drove him until the Albany traffic grew too intense. Now Howard is a regular on the daily van run, provided for Washington County Vets by the County Veterans Services Agency.

HAS A LIFE

Thanks to the Federal programs which are available to all Veterans, but especially to those wounded in combat, Howard and Emily were able to have a life. They raised two kids, Stephen and Debora, both of whom graduated from Cambridge Central. They are proud of their three grand-kids. And they enjoy their nice home on the bank of the Ashgrove Brook.

Howard's father died in 1985, but his mother, Lucy, still lives on King Road. Howard's brothers, James and Remier, also saw military service. James is a Navy Vet of WW II. Remier is a Vietnam Marine. Two nephews also served in Vietnam.

VA GOES ON AND ON

Like most DAVs, Howard E. Montgomery isn't a complainer.

But the trips to the VA go on and on, for through the VA this grateful Nation will fulfill Howard's medical needs for as long as he lives.

"Thank God for the VA. We have so much to be thankful for," Emily says. But, she reminds us, "Howard pays for it every day of his life!"

There is really no way that this Nation can ever "compensate" our combat-wounded Veterans for their lost youth and their sacrificed health and well-being.

That is why Capt. Maxson Post is honoring Howard E. Montgomery.

It is why Gerald Solomon works so hard for Veterans programs at the Federal level.

And why Congressman Solomon is so proud to join Howard Montgomery as Grand Marshal of the Cambridge parade on July 27th.