Information About The 2023 818th Reunion
Hello 818th Friends!
We are excited to host this year's reunion in the Quad Cities area of Iowa (Bettendorf & Davenport on the Iowa side of the Mississippi, Moline and Rock Island on the Illinois side of the Mississippi) July 13, 14 and 15! We have reserved a block of 10 rooms at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Davenport, Iowa. The room rate is $164/night including breakfast. The room rates are good for three days before July 13 and three days after July 15. The majority of these are king suites. There are two double-queen rooms available in the block at this time. If they have additional queen rooms open up they may add them to the block, but if you know you need a double-queen room, reserve it now! We personally visited this hotel a few weeks back and thought the location was ideal and it looked very nice.
Below is the information from our contact person as to how to make your reservation:
There are two ways your guests can book their rooms. They can call us directly at 563-344-2900 and ask for the 818 Tank Destroyer Battalion block, or they can use this link: Book 818 Tank Destroyer Battalion Rooms
As a reminder, we will hold these rooms until June 11th, at which point any unsold rooms will be released and the discounted rate will no longer be guaranteed.
As we have the last few reunions, we are not putting together an official itinerary. However, we have a few ideas in mind for sight-seeing in the area and have a good friend of ours working behind the scenes to give us a hand with a couple of things. As we get closer we may be in touch with additional information. We have also reserved the Executive Suite for use as our hospitality room so feel free to bring your memorabilia to share!
Please reserve your rooms as soon as possible, and if you have any questions or encounter any difficulties with the hotel, please reach out to us so that we can have our hotel contact, Chelsea, give us a hand. Looking forward to seeing all of you in July!
Best,
Jim and Theresa Mahoney
Family of Oscar H. Gingrich, Recon Co
For more information contact:
Jim Mahoney - 319-610-0948
Theresa Mahoney - 319-610-1031
Robert Bowles - 865-250-6559
Summary of The 2022 818th Reunion
Hello 818th Family,
Below is my summary letter for the 2022 818th reunion. Thanks for helping to keep this reunion alive. It was fun seeing some of you. I look forward to seeing even more at the 2023 reunion.
-Marilyn Jensen

Dear Descendants and Friends of the 818th Tank Destroyer Battalion,
The 64th Annual Reunion of our group took place as scheduled from July 14th-17th at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Rapid City SD. As always, it is fun to renew our “family friendships” and honor our veterans.
Family members of the following seven members of the 818th were present: T. Sgt. Wayne Bowles, Technician 5th Grade Oscar Harley Gingrich, Spec E6 Joe Goeden, Captain John A. Hauth, PFC John A. Micik, TEC 5 Raymond Schildt, and T4 Cecille Wax. The group celebrated each family’s veteran as well as all the heroes of the 818th.
On Friday morning, reunion attendees toured the outdoor exhibits at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. Individuals and families spent the rest of their time visiting the many tourism possibilities South Dakota offers, reminiscing about the 818th soldiers, and renewing the friendships that bond us as “the 818th family.”
At the meeting on Saturday morning, Robert Bowles led the group in the pledge of allegiance to our flag. Jim Mahoney read the list of 818th members who died in combat. The group is not aware of any member of the battalion who is still living. Best wishes were sent to two 818th wives- Mrs. Joe Goeden (Ethel) and Mrs. Raymond Schildt (Lola).
Theresa and Jim Mahoney graciously volunteered to host the 2023 reunion to be held in the “Quad Cities.” (Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline, Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa.) Theresa is the daughter of Oscar and Geneva Gingrich. The Proud Descendants of the 818th sincerely thank Theresa and Jim for agreeing to host us. We’re excited to reunite with our “818th family” in IA/IL.
Thank you for allowing us to be the hosts of the 64th 818th Reunion. We look forward to seeing you in 2023 for the 65th Reunion.
May God Bless Each of You and Especially May God Bless America!
-Marilyn & David Jensen

2022 Reunion in Rapid City, SD.
The 818th families had a great time in Rapid City, SD. This 2022 group photo was taken under the body of a B-1B bomber at the Air Museum outside or Ellsworth AFB. We look forward to seeing you all at the 818th reunion next year.
Jesse L. Brown, C. Company, passed Dec. 12, 2020
Jesse L. Brown, 96, of Gardner, KS, formerly of Baldwin City, KS died Saturday, December 12, 2020 at his home.
He was born July 18, 1924 in Ola, AR the son of Dee Lester Brown and Lydia Mae (Crawley) Brown. Jesse attended schools in Muskogee, OK and was drafted into the military just prior to his graduation. In the early 2000's Jesse was a proud recipient of A High School Diploma from Gardner-Edgerton High School.
On March 12, 1943 Jesse entered into service for his country during World War II in the United States Army. He served almost his entire four years in the European Theater of the war. He was a member of a tank destroyer battalion under General Patton. His first active Battle was Normandy on June 14, 1944. He was also in the Battle of Rhineland, Northern France, and Central Europe attaining the rank of Corporal. He was decorated with two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Theatre Ribbon, and European Theatre Ribbon with five bronze service stars, and the World War II victory Medal.
Jesse worked construction throughout his life with a good portion of that time working for JE Dunn Construction. That included supervising a major Hospital addition. That move to Branson lasted twenty years and proved to be a wonderful home experience.
Jesse was a member of Grace Baptist Church, Gardner, KS; Palmyra Masonic Lodge, Baldwin City, KS and the American Legion. Jesse spent many hours helping other in need during his life. Jesse and Linda volunteered and served others through the of Jesse' life
He was married to Barb Workman in May of 1947. Barb passed away in 1961. In November of 1975 Jesse married Donna Hunt. She preceded him in death in 2011. On August 21, 2018 he married Linda Shelley. She survives of their home.
Jesse is preceded in death by his parents; son and daughter-in-law Jesse Robert Brown and his wife, Becky; his first two wives, Barb and Donna; an infant daughter, Janet Marie Brown; step daughter , Linda Crotchett and his six siblings; Wyatt Cowan Brown, Morris Brown, Jake Cowing Brown, Claud Brown, Flory Mae Johnson, Dora Mae Johnson.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Shelley Brown, Gardner, KS; three children, Janey Wiseman and her husband, Pat, Baldwin City, KS, Bruce Brown and his wife, Sue, Baldwin City, KS, Jeanne Ann Romero and her husband, Chris, Lawrence, KS; two step children, Don Hunt and his wife, Kristy, Olathe, KS, Barbara Farris and her husband, Mark, Pomona, KS; sixteen grandchildren; and eighteen great grandchildren.
Following Covid-19 guidelines graveside funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 18, 2020, at Oakwood Cemetery, Baldwin City, KS. The service will be live streamed on the funeral home Facebook page for friends wanting to pay their respects. The family suggests memorials to Harvesters or Douglas County Humane Society. Memorials may be sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 64, Baldwin City, Kansas, 66006. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.
My most vivid memories from World War II
Cpl CECIL W. LANGERMAN - Hdq Co.
"The sky was lit up with flames when our company was bombed at night near Verdun, France. We became covered with debris from delayed bombs while sleeping in our pup tents."
Read more ...
Recent 818th Obituaries
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Daniel Checchia passed away 25 December 2019
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John Cannon, C Co, Passed away October 10, 2018
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Irene Ritter passes December 25, 2017
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Pat Stel passed away 13 December 2017
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Dennis Rae Langland passes at age 66
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John E. McGowan passed away April 25th, 2017
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John Rivers passed away at age 96
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Samual Peter Arbutina passed away Nov. 9, 2016
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Babe Stel passed away September 7, 2015
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Raymond J. Schildt, age 100, of Seward (NE) passes
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Antoinette Buesing passed away Sept. 22, 2014
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James Wilson Miller, 94, passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2014
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Crispin C. Rosales passed away Feb. 8, 2014
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Juanita Crook passed away December 19th, 2013
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Wally Wilken, age 88, passed away April 8th 2013
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