James Bennett Laubheimer

SGT in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co B, 2nd Platoon

ASN#13104004 Casualty: Wounded

Born 1921 in MD, Died 2005

Artist

County of enlistment: Baltimore, MD

Other residence(s): Baltimore, MD; Towson, MD; Lutherville, MD; White Hall, MD

United States Army, European Theatre of Operations

Occupation before the war: clerks, general office

College education before the war: Univ. of Baltimore 1 year

College education after the war: Univ. of Baltimore; Maryland Institute College of Art (bachelor's and master's)

Notes: Formerly Co C; rank changed from PVT in GA Roster to SGT per New York Area Leave List; photo courtesy Ancestry® and Towson High School

Source: 603rd Camouflage Engineer Roster provided by W. Anderson; 603rd reunion mailing list; Company C roster; Company B Names and Addresses roster

Jim Laubheimer was born on May 10, 1921 in Baltimore, MD, the youngest of three children. His father was an insurance salesman and later a salesman for a monument business.

The family moved to Towson, MD sometime in the 1930s and Jim graduated from Towson High School in 1938. By the time he registered for the draft, on February 16, 1942, he was living in Baltimore, working at Maryland Casualty Co., and attending night school at the Univ. of Baltimore. He enlisted on September 18, 1942, giving his occupation as "clerks, general office" and stating that he had completed one year of college.

Jim had developed an early interest in art. His daughter reported that "he was the youngest child, and to keep him quiet his parents gave him paper and pencils so he could draw." Like other artists, he found himself in the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion, serving in Europe with the unit. In his book Secret Soldiers, Philip Gerard quotes Jim about his experiences in the unit. "I entered as a boy, and came out with confidence that I could face anything that might confront me as a man. . . . I entered as a dreamer and emerged with a purpose and a real sense of direction." When Gerard asked him if there was a memorable moment that crystallized the experience, Jim responded: "It's when you realize these [one's fellow soldiers] are not just people that you're with but they're your family. And I remember when that happened. We were still at Fort Meade. And we'd been together maybe six or seven months. And we were all in a formation by the barracks. And you looked around at these guys and you knew them very well—you knew them better than you knew your own family. You realize, God, this is my family. I wouldn't have wanted to be transferred for anything."

In the book, Jim also described to Gerard an incident that happened in the winter of 1944-1945. He (by now with the rank of SGT) and two companions had settled in for the night in an empty farmhouse. "While the main body of Special Troops retired to Luxembourg City to prepare for the second phase of the operation . . . the three camoufleurs drove around the area collecting fake 75th Infantry Division road markers and making sure the Special Troops had left behind no telltale trace of their presence." In the farmhouse they were warming themselves before the fire, drinking coffee and heating up K rations, when they heard a jeep outside "and an American infantry lieutenant strode in, followed by two enlisted men. 'Hiya, fellows—good to see you,' the officer said, all smiles and good cheer. The enlisted men said nothing. Laubheimer's instinct told him something felt fishy." The lieutenant asked a lot of questions, and Jim and his companions were circumspect. Eventually the lieutenant and his team left. The next day Jim reported the incident at a roadblock. "'You've just been dealing with some Germans,' he was told. 'That's what they're doing, impersonating American soldiers.' All along the front . . . special squads of English-speaking Germans in captured American jeeps . . . were infiltrating the lines, gathering information, spreading rumors, changing road signs, sabotaging communications. . . . If indeed the strange GIs at the farmhouse had been Skorzeny commandos, Laubheimer and his squad were lucky to get out—they were the last Americans to leave the sector."

After his service in the unit, Jim went back to Pine Camp where he was due to be separated from the army. At his physical, Gerard continues, "the doctor noticed that one eye was still damaged from the blast of an artillery shell back in the autumn. The blast had temporarily blinded him, and he had his buddies lead him around by the hand for a couple of days until the sight gradually returned, first in one eye, then in both. Now the doctor wanted to keep him in the army a while longer, get him some medical attention. But Laubheimer was itching to get out. When the doctor left the room, Laubheimer got the orderly to sign him out."

After he was discharged, Jim returned to Baltimore and went back to school, studying law. His obituary reports that he was "working as a courier during the day, delivering large envelopes with legal documents to judges' chambers. 'The blank envelopes and long rides on the streetcar proved irresistible, as he sketched scenes along the way directly on the envelopes,' his daughter reported. 'Seeing the drawings, one judged asked him, "Son, why are you in law school?""

Soon after, Jim switched his studies to the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), where he earned both a bachelor's degree and a wife, marrying fellow student Suzanne Coffman in 1947, and graduating in 1950. He and Suzanne became the parents of a daughter, Jo.

He began his teaching career at Dundalk High School in Baltimore in 1950, and continued teaching there until he was promoted to supervisor of secondary art in 1965. He also taught summer and weekend classes at MICA, where he earned a master's degree and headed its evening school from 1959 to 1964.

In 1968 he was promoted to coordinator of art for Baltimore County public schools, a position he held until he retired in 1984.

Jim was a talented teacher and curriculum developer—his art curriculum became nationally acclaimed. He was also a talented artist—painting in oil, watercolor, and pastels; as well as drawing (with a special interest in caricature) and sculpting. His favorite art subjects were Baltimore rowhouses and busy street scenes, the Chesapeake Bay, and the barns and rolling countryside of rural Maryland.

Cowboys, watercolor

Wenona Harbor, Deal Island, oil painting, 1991

He exhibited his work in various shows throughout his career, and also served as an art show judge. In 1957, he earned second place in a contest to select a great seal for Baltimore County.

He was also an accomplished jazz band pianist and continued playing until near the end of his life. He died on February 27, 2005 and is buried at Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery in Towson, where he was a lifelong communicant.

After his death, the Baltimore County public schools established the James B. Laubheimer Art Scholarship in his name; awards are still granted (four awards in 2024) at the annual county high school art exhibition.