Wadlow's commanding officer praises previous experience

By SHERRY GREMINGER
Daily Journal Managing Editor

Published: Monday, February 08, 2010
Updated: Monday, February 8, 2010 10:43 AM CST

When Robert Wadlow was transferred to the 3rd Armored Division during World War II, his commanding officer told him that his six years in the Boy Scouts had given him more training than he received during his military basic training.

“I was sent to Camp (Fort) Campbell in Kentucky for my basic training,” Wadlow said. “When I got there, they sent me to the major and he told me that this was a new camp and it didn’t have an obstacle course. Because I was a carpenter, he put me in charge of building one.”

Wadlow said that officers would bring in troops and they would report to him and they began building the course.

“Of course, being in the Army, they switch you around all over the place and sure enough, they transferred me to the 3rd Armored Division.

“Since I was a new man, the commanding officer called me in. He looked over my papers and asked me what kind of training I had.”

Wadlow told the officer that he had only had about a week and a half of training because he had been doing construction and the officer said, “We’re going overseas.”

The Park Hills man said the officer then began checking his records and said that the records showed Wadlow had been in Scouts for six years.

Wadlow continued, “He said, ‘You had all that Scout training where you learned to put on bandages and tie up legs and arms? Well, Wadlow, you’ve got more training to be a medic than anything else because of that training,’

“So,” Wadlow said, “They made me a medic.”

Wadlow became ill and did not ship out with his division, instead served in Hawaii where he continued with his skills as a carpenter. After the war, he became a teacher, taught and coached basketball in the Bootheel and then building trades at Leadbelt Vo-Technical School, now UniTec.

He served on the Central Board of Education and is still active as a member of the Elvins Senior Apartments.

Wadlow, who is 86 this year, said that he belonged to Flat River Troop 112 and that their troop was fairly large and they met in the school gymnasium.

He remembered that Lloyd Dunn was his assistant Scout master and that he and Dunn would ride their bikes out to St. Francis River many Saturdays after they got off work where they and the rest of the troop would spend the weekend camping and scouting.

“Scouting was good for me. After all, I learned more there than I did in basic training,” Wadlow said.

The Daily Journal will be honoring Scouting on their 100th anniversary by telling the stories of local Scouts.

If you have stories of how scouting shaped your life, the Daily Journal would like to share those with our readers.

If you are an Eagle Scout, tell us a little about yourself. If you are currently a member of Boy Scouts, tell us about your troop and your favorite activities.

If you are a leader, tell us what your troop or pack is doing, not only to celebrate the anniversary but also how they help in the community.

Share your stories by contacting Sherry Greminger at sgreminger@dailyjournalonline.com or at 573-431-2010, ext. 115.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was founded by Chicago publisher William Boyce on Feb. 8, 1910.  Boyce's key contribution was to organize the BSA as a business. He incorporated the organization (in Washington, DC, rather than Chicago), recruited key youth professionals (in particular from the YMCA) to design and operate the program, and he provided key funding for the infant organization.

Sherry Greminger is managing editor of the Daily Journal and may be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 115 or at sgreminger@dailyjournalonline.com

Archives Web Site Marketplace Obits Babies Jobs