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<em>Carl William Kohls</em> was born in Milwaukee, WI, to Rudolf and Elisa Kohls. Placed in an orphanage for a year after the early death of his mother in November 1913, his maiden aunt, Minnie Hermann, reared her nephews Carl and Eugene.</p>
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Attending several elementary schools and Riverside High School, he took great pride in playing guard on the high school football team. It won the city championship his last two years.</p>
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While in school, he formed a strong desire to attend West Point. After working a few years, he joined the Wisconsin National Guard in 1925 to attend the West Point Preparatory School at Ft. Sheridan, IL. His grades were not high enough to get a National Guard appointment, so he continued at the prep school. Taking the Civil Service Examination for Senator Robert La Follette’s first appointment to West Point, he placed first, entering the Academy on 1 Jul 1927.</p>
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He played on the plebe football team until his right knee was practically demolished. The next year he found he would have to forgo football to have success in academics. Although he enjoyed being a member of the Cadet Choir for 3 years, it did not take the place of football.</p>
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Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 11th Infantry at Ft. Sheridan. Among 9 officers of his class assigned there, he loved the assignments given to him and was highly pleased when his company commander told him that he and Sam Jones were the top of the group. He had been a buck private at the Academy while the others had worn chevrons.</p>
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The Civilian Conservation Corps was started in 1933, and the V Corps area established one central camp to process all enrollees. The 11th Infantry furnished part of the staff.</p>
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Carl became the Executive Officer in the Supply Department. On 26 Feb 1935, CPT Leslie E Lawrence, his immediate superior, wrote on his efficiency report, “This officer is without exception the finest officer of his grade that I have come in contact with. He discharged his rather difficult duties in an admirable fashion and gave freely and generously of his time and efforts to a degree far greater than might be expected.”</p>
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Ordered to the Philippines, he was the last bachelor officer to be assigned to Petit Barrecho, Zamboango on Mindanao, finishing the tour at Ft. William McKinley, Luzon. Next, he went to the Infantry School at Ft. Benning, GA.</p>
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Transferring to the Quartermaster Corps, he served at Ft. Huachuca, AZ, as the Assistant Constructing Quartermaster. A short tour at Ft. Sill, OK, preceded his assignment as Division Quartermaster, 101st Airborne Division, at Camp Claiborne, LA, in July 1943. After the Division moved to Ft. Bragg, NC, he was Division G-4, after promotion to lieutenant colonel. In September 1943, the 101st was shipped to Great Britain and Carl served with the division throughout the entire European Campaign. Before its deactivation, he attended the next-to-last short course at the Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS, and was retained as an instructor in the Logistics School. In 1949, he was head of the School Division of the Quartermaster School. After a short tour, he went to the Quartermaster Section, Ryukyus Command, Okinawa. In December 1950, he was Staff Quartermaster for the Ryukyus Command, after promotion to colonel.</p>
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Leaving Okinawa, he went to the Ogden General Depot in Utah, but transferred in November 1954 as Quartermaster, X Corps, Ft. Riley, KS.</p>
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The life of X Corps was short-lived. He remained at Ft. Riley as Post Quartermaster until July 1957, when he went to command the Metz Quartermaster Depot in France.</p>
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Within a few months, he assumed command of the Ingrandes General Depot, due to the sudden relief of the former commander.</p>
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The Sous Prefet, Maurice Planque, stationed in Chatellerault, became his close friend, introducing himself and Carl as “two brothers of Chatellerault.” The Order of the Black Star was bestowed on him by the French government and he was made a member of the Descartes Society of France. When the mayor said, at a departure banquet honoring Carl, “You have established better relations with the people of France than any of your predecessors,” it climaxed a feeling of great warmth Carl had developed for the people of the host country and made him feel he had been an excellent ambassador.</p>
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After his last assignment as Post Quartermaster at Ft. Bliss, TX, he retired on 31 Jul 1961. He received the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star for his work in planning the Invasion of France and the Holland Campaign and was awarded the Commendation Medal for his work at Ft. Riley, KS, and Ft. Bliss, TX.</p>
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After an unfortunate marriage and divorce, he married Doris M. Burris in Phoenix, AZ, on 19 Dec 1953. She formed the basis of the most wonderful part of his life.</p>
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Carl decided to take up teaching and, in September 1964, became a mathematics instructor in the Ysleta Independent School District. He continued for 20 years, retiring in 1984 with 25 years of teaching (5 years purchased from the Texas School System for Army duty in WWII).</p>
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Throughout Carl’s life, West Point’s motto, “Duty Honor, Country,” was an integral part of his character. He was proud he was a West Pointer and tried to conduct himself by the standards established at the Academy.</p>
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Carl died, after a lengthy illness, with dignity with his wife and loved ones at his side.</p>
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