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<em>Warren Tanner Whittemore</em> was born in Olean, New York on 14 August 1920, the son of Van C. Whittemore, director of the State Agricultural Institute of Technology and veteran of World War I, and Bessie G. Whittemore, former teacher.</p>
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Warren attended school in Canton, New York and was graduated valedictorian; he was active in athletics, Boy Scouts, 4H Club, public speaking. It was in his senior year that he first talked seriously of West Point. That summer his parents took him to see what it was like. He sent for a catalogue but would have to wait a year. In the meantime he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy.</p>
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The spring of 1939 Warren passed his mental and physical exams, receiving his appointment to West Point. He entered the academy on 1 July 1939 well prepared in academics. Consequently he found time to win his numerals in wrestling and play lacrosse. Other interests were the debating society, the <em>Pointer</em>, Hundredth Night Show, Camp Illumination Committee.</p>
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At the end of his plebe year in a letter home he wrote, “The dream of all, First Classmen Recognition for the poor tormented plebe—recognition is the acknowledgement of being able to take it and is the greatest thrill one can experience.”</p>
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He was enthusiastic about the Army and being a good pilot, so at graduation when he received his wings and commission from General Arnold it was the ultimate. He was assigned in successive stages to five air training bases stateside, receiving promotion to first lieutenant in December 1943. Overseas he was first stationed in Ireland, then in England flying B-24 Liberator bombers.</p>
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The family received a note written on D-Day saying he had just completed five missions over occupied territory. The next word was from the War Department stating he had been shot down 23 June 1944 and missing in action. Three months later he was located in Stalag Luft 3 POW Camp, Germany.</p>
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While Warren was a prisoner, Mr. Whittemore was informed his son had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, indicting an additional award of the air medal. Since they could not be formally awarded to Warren at that time, the decorations were presented to his father. The family was present.</p>
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After more than a year he was liberated by our men. His experiences were many, varied and painful. Home again. In 1946 he taught at MIT; in 1947-48 at Harvard. Late 1948 he resigned as a captain. Later Warren went to California where he met and married Diane DeLaire from Denver, Colorado.</p>
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Warren became press representative at MGM Studios for the premier showing and long Hollywood run of the award winning film “Ben Hur” and others. In 1968 Warren left the studios for engineering, and in 1971 he was sent to Portland where he eventually became business agent for the operating engineers of Oregon until his retirement 1 January 1986. Also, the final two years before his retirement he served on the city council of Portland.</p>
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Warren moved to Nevada in May 1986. He was taken ill in September and left us in November.</p>
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Warren was a generous, kind and loving husband and well-liked by his many friends and business associates.</p>
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I would like to end with one tribute sent to his associate by Louis Livingston, attorney for Providing Hospital, Portland. “Dear Dennis: I have just read the sad news about Warren’s death. As you know, I valued Warren’s friendship highly. Despite the fact that we sat on different sides of the negotiation table, I always found him to be a man of great integrity and extraordinary good humor. In other words, the very best qualities. It was a loss to all when he retired and a much deeper loss now that he is gone.”</p>