Veteran of the Month – Ernest Adelard Maynard

April 5, 2016


April 2016 Veteran of the Month

Name: Ernest Adelard Maynard

Place of Birth: Scitico section of Enfield, CT

Year of Birth: 1924

Military Branch of Service: United States Army

Enlisted, Commissioned, or drafted?: Enlisted, received card to sign up for draft, took the card to Army Recruit Station and signed up for Army

Service Dates: February 3, 1943 until 1952

Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant

Military Job: Communications – Radio- Wireman. Worked telephone switchboard. Asked to transfer to the kitchen as the Mess Sergeant because of organizational skills.

Duties:

  • Wire Duties – Lay wires and phones to each 155mm gun; teach new men how to work switchboard and phones, repairing each.
  • Instructor for all communications
  • Kitchen Duties – Schedule cook to make assigned meals; wake up bugler at 04:30; clean up all parts of the kitchen and dining room; keep everyone happy including officers and visitors.
  • Repair all vehicles plus drive trucks with supplies

Unit, Division, Battalion, Group, Ship, Etc.:
734th Field Artillary A Battery 3rd Army
92nd Armored Field Artillary 2nd Armored Division
38th Ordinance Medium Maintenance Company 8th Army

War, Operation, or Conflict served in:
European Theater of Operations, France
Battle of the Bulge, Luxemburg and Central Germany
South Korea from Pusan to Wonju

Locations of Service:
Fort Devens, MA; Fort Hood, TX; Camp Maxey TX; Camp Gerber, OK; England, France, Belgium, Germany, Korea

Battles/Campaigns:
American Theater European Theater of Operations
Korean War Campaign

Decorations:
Good Conduct Medal with two knots
American Campaign Medal
ETO (European Theater of Operations) with four (4) battle stars
World War II Victory Medal
German Occupation Medal
WWII Presidential Unit Citation
Belgium Fourragere from the Belgium Government
Army of Occupation with Clasp (Cold War Duty)
Appreciation Certificate from US Government for Cold War Duty
Appreciation Certificate from the French Government (Liberation of France)
Qualified as a Marksman with 45 caliber pistol
Qualified as an expert with rifle and carbine
State of Connecticut War Time Medal Award
Letter of Appreciation for WWII and Korean Duty from Secretary of State CT
Korean War Service Medal with three (3) battle stars
U.N. Korean War Service Medal
Korean Defense Medal
Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal
WWII NCO Association Remembrance Medal for WWII Duty

Combat or service-related injuries: None

Military Schools/Training: Aberdeen Proving Grounds

Name of Post: American Legion Post 80; Korean Veterans Association CT Chapter One; Amvets Post 18

Family info (spouse, children?):
Married to Jacqueline Giguere on November 3, 1951(deceased Nov 25, 2014). Two sons: Wayne Francis and Martin Allan, both married. Three grandchildren: Shaun, Amy and Kevin

Community activities: Active member of the Hazardville Fire Department for 32 years. Received the Savitt Fireman Unsung Hero’s Award by the State Fire Director in Hartford at the Bond Hotel in both 1957 and 1958 as Fireman of the Year. Retired as a Fire Commissioner in 1986.

Occupation after military service: Started as a carpenter but didn’t like it. Maynard then applied for Reserve School at Aberdeen Proving Ground, which led to him getting called back for the Korean War. Finally, Maynard settled at Monsanto Company for 32 years before retiring in 1986.

Volunteer work: Ernest started volunteering at the age of 12 and hasn’t stopped yet at almost 92 years of age. He continues to volunteer at the Enfield Senior Center and the Enfield Adult Day Care Center. In the past he worked with the Abused Women’s Program and is a member of the Enfield Historical Society. He volunteers each fall with Community Health Services as needed during the flu shot season and is a past member of the Enfield Commission on Aging. Ernest was also the Institutional Representative for the Boy Scouts of America Troop 93 out of Hazardville Fire Department.
He is a charter member of the Holy Name Society at St. Bernard’s Church in Hazardville and was a Minister of Hospitality at St Bernard’s.

Bio/Narrative/memorable events:
Besides hunting and fishing for the past 70 years, Ernest writes poetry as a hobby in his spare time. Most importantly, he cared for Jackie, his wife during the time she became ill and was always at her side. He has always been there for his two sons and their families.

During the July 4th celebration for the Town of Enfield in 2005, Ernest was honored with the Town of Enfield’s Patriot Award for his patriotism to community and country. He was the coordinator for the CT State War Time Service Medal thru the Enfield Senior Center. He was nominated by the Home & Community Health Services to receive the JCPenney Golden Rule Program Award for volunteering, an honor which prompted President Bill Clinton to send Ernest a letter in 1996 congratulating him for the nomination.

Ernest is a member of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, a yearly contributor to the WWII National Monument in Washington D.C. and is a member of the “Army Historical Foundation” in Arlington, VA supporting the cause to build a national army museum.