Ben Wilson, Jr.
Division Headquarters

I have recently returned, along with my wife, Florence, from the France-Germany tour which was sponsored by the 36th Division Association, and conducted by Carl Strom and TM Travel Associates.

This tour brought back many memories of long ago, and one of the highlights was a visit to the sight of the memorial dedicated to the 442 Regiment combat team for their rescue of the famed "lost battalion" of World War II, on that high wooded ridge in France.

As I stood looking at the monument while the tour members were taking pictures, I recalled a subsequent event that took place in which I had a small part and related to the famous relief of this battalion. I have never told this story before and possibly you may recall something of this too.

While those of us who served at Division Headquarters didn’t really have many opportunities to become heroes, every now and then an interesting assignment would come along as it did in this instance.

Not long after this occurrence of the "Lost Battalion" rescue, General Dahlquist wished to recognize the 442nd combat team. He gave General Stack the charge to come up with something appropriate. It was decided to present the 442nd with a plaque. General Stack called in the G-1, Lt. Col. Robert M. Travis (awards and decorations) and as Special Service officer, I was contacted to assist in procuring the plaque and forming the text of the inscription to be placed thereon.

After the text was agreed upon and approved, I contacted the French Liaison officer to 36th Division Hq. from an adjourning French Unit, and we journeyed back to Besancon where the Special Service Section was publishing the T-Patch under the direction of F. Bill Jary.

After a time we were able to find an engraver who agreed to make the plaque and engrave it. In those day of shortages of materials we were happy to secure the services of a man who was recommended by no less than the mayor of Besancon.

There was a catch though—he could not read, write, nor speak English, and would have to work from the prepared typed text, which he said he could do. In due course the plaque was prepared, inscribed, and was a beautiful work of art. I picked it up and returned it to the Division G-1 as the presentation was scheduled and cut and published.

In the text was the phrase "With Utmost Courage", etc. When we checked the original script and the engraving, it had come out "With Upmost Courage". When this was discovered, I was almost treated to one of General Stack’s thorough reaming outs and those who knew him will recall that he was most capable in this aspect.

Fortunately, the G-1, Bob Travis came to my rescue with a dictionary and it was agreed that the UTMOST and UPMOST meant about the same under the circumstances, and it also was too late to make a change in the inscribed text.

So the plaque was duly presented to the 442nd Reg. Combat Team, with just a tiny error—that was never noticed. But—let me say, having stood on that ridge forty years later—that "Upmost was the Utmost" for a job more than well done.