Carlyle Phillip Woelfer – Colonel, United States Army

From a contemporary press report:

Carlyle Phillip Woelfer, 83, a retired Army Colonel and member of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church in Lovettsville who had lived in the Washington area since 1997, died of renal failure August 26, 1999 at Frederick Memorial Hospital. He lived in Lovettsville.

Colonel Woelfer, who was born in Iowa, was a 1941 graduate of Kansas State University. He received a master’s degree in education and a doctorate in industrial-technical education from North Carolina State University. After retiring from the Army, he had served on North Carolina groups studying military impacts on the state and was active in volunteer work.

He served in the Illinois National Guard and in the regular Army before receiving his commission in 1941. He served as a company commander in the 42nd Infantry “Rainbow” Division in Europe during World War II, instructed Korean troops in Korea during the conflict there, and served as deputy senior adviser to a Vietnamese Army corps in 1967 and 1968. His last assignment, before retiring from active duty in 1972, was with the Fifth Army in Fort Sheridan, Ill.

His decorations included the Combat Infantry Badge with star, two awards of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with “V” device, the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit and the Army Commendation Medal.

His wife of 57 years, Helen Cunningham Woelfer, died May 1, 1999.

Survivors include four children, Suzanne W. Barnes of Laurel, Carl W. “Chuck” Woelfer of Long Beach, Calif., and Lilli A. Woelfer-Pearce and Roy F. Woelfer, both of Lovettsville; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

WOELFER, CARLYLE P., COL, USA (Ret.)

On Thursday, August 26, 1999, in Frederick, MD. COL CARLYLE P. WOELFER, USA (Ret.) of Lovettsville, VA. Beloved husband of the late Helen Cunningham Woelfer; and father of Carl W. Woelfer, Roy F. Woelfer, Suzanne W. Barnes and Lilli Woelfer-Pearce. Also survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral services to be conducted on Wednesday, September 8, 11 a.m. at the Fort Myer Chapel, with interment to follow at Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard