Jack Richard Schram

SGT in 3133rd Signal Service Co

ASN#15307470

Born 1922 in OH, Died 2011

County of residence at enlistment: Miami County, OH

Other residence(s): Covington, OH; East Lansing, MI; Berkley, MI; Troy, MI

United States Army, European Theatre of Operations

Occupation before the war: student

College education before the war: Ohio State Univ.

College education after the war: Ohio State Univ.

Notes: Rank changed from T/5 to SGT per 1946 Army press release; SGT in 1944 Christmas Program

Source: 3133rd Program, 15 Sep 1944; 3133rd roster from 10th Mountain Division Museum at Fort Drum; AES 1944 Christmas Dinner Program

Jack Schram was born on July 21, 1922 in Covington, OH, the older of two sons born to a farm family. In 1940 he graduated from Newton Township High School in Pleasant Hill, OH where he met his future wife, Nena.

Jack won a $240 scholarship to Ohio State University in Columbus—one of only two scholarships awarded to his graduating class and just about enough to cover room, board, and fees for his freshman year. At OSU he studied agriculture and was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma agricultural fraternity and ROTC.

Jack registered for the draft on June 30, 1942 and enlisted on February 13, 1943, after completing two and a half years of study at Ohio State. He was first sent to Kenyon College in Gambier, OH for a year-long Army Air Force course in meteorology, and then became the meteorologist for the 3133 Signal Service Company. He saw service in Italy during the war—an April, 1945 newspaper article quotes him on life in Italy: "interesting and exciting, although quite dangerous."

After the war was over, Jack was assigned to a message center in northern Italy and was able to squeeze in some course work at the University of Florence. He also visited parts of Italy, Switzerland, and France before returning to the US; he was discharged on February 6, 1946 with the rank of SGT.

Jack went back to farm work for a few months and then returned to Ohio State with another scholarship in tow, this one from the Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation in Cleveland. Just before classes started, he married his high school sweetheart, Nena Jean Cain. They would go on to have three children: Lynn, Jane, and Carol.

He completed a BS in agriculture in June, 1947, and a BS in agricultural engineering in August, 1947. During that year he also served as president of Alpha Gamma Sigma, and as president of the student branch of the American Society of Engineers at OSU. Due to his wartime hiatus from school, his younger brother (by six and a half years!) had gotten old enough for college and they were able to study together at OSU for a year.

After graduation, Jack was offered a job teaching agricultural engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, where he spent two years. While there, he and a colleague developed a unique method of using farm tractors to operate electric milking machines during power failures—using only shop odds and ends and equipment that most dairy farmers already owned.

Jack then began a 35-year career at Ford Tractor and Implements in Birmingham, MI. He held jobs in many different areas including engineering, sales, training, and service management, wrapping up his career as North American Government and OEM Sales Manager. During this time the family lived in Berkley, MI until 1978 and then in Troy, MI.

In his volunteer life, Jack served as president of the PTA for the Berkley schools and as a Cub Scout leader. In Troy, he was an active volunteer with the library system, the CATV advisory committee, and the continuing education advisory committee. He also served as an officer of his homeowners' association.

He was also active in the Berkley Elks Club, the Freemasons, the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, and the Troy Woodworkers and regional Metro Carvers.

In his later years he especially enjoyed his Monday morning carving group, solving wooden puzzles, lunching with friends and fellow engineers, and piecing difficult jigsaw puzzles.

Jack died on July 4, 2011 in Troy MI. His remains, and those of his wife, were transferred to the Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium in Arlington, VA on May 8, 2024, the 79^th anniversary of V-E Day.