Sam Carter – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army

9 December 2006:

Lieutenant Colonel Col. Sam Carter, a retired Army man known for his more than 26 years of military service that spanned almost all of World War II, including D-Day, died Wednesday. He was 93.

“He answered his last roll call,” said Norma Carter, his wife of more than 66 years.

The couple met at Syracuse University, where Colonel Carter was in the ROTC.

“He was such a handsome young man,” Mrs. Carter said Friday afternoon.

The couple graduated in June 1939 and married in October of 1940.

Two years later, Colonel Carter was sent to war, seeing 443 days of combat over 35 months. He served as a commanding officer for D Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. After the war he served on the Clemency Board at the Pentagon reviewing 33,000 court martial cases held during the war in Europe.

Colonel Carter was proud of his service and spoke about it vividly. The couple’s Old Manatee home is decorated with photographs and plaques commemorating his service. He stayed active in his retirement with the First Division Society and served as president of the East Bradenton Civic Association.

“He’s always been direct and outspoken,” his wife said. “He was open-minded and determined.”

Colonel Carter volunteered with the Manatee Village Historical Park and lived in Bradenton for 41 years, in a house not far from the Manatee River. The couple’s move to Bradenton was then their 29th move in 24 years of marriage.

Robert Pelot, of Pelot’s Pharmacy, met Carter through Manatee United Methodist Church.

“There’s a lot of respect for Mr. Carter,” Pelot said. “I appreciate him for his service.”

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Manatee Village Historical Park. Interment, with full military honors, is scheduled for 1 p.m. February 5, 2007, at Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the 1st Division Scholarship Fund (for children of service personnel in the division), at 1933 Morris Road, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422.

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