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Otis James Vanderpool

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Otis James Vanderpool

Birth
Olathe, Montrose County, Colorado, USA
Death
6 Mar 2004 (aged 85)
Olathe, Montrose County, Colorado, USA
Burial
Olathe, Montrose County, Colorado, USA Add to Map
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When Otis and Ervin Vanderpool left the cornfields of Olathe for the army, they had never traveled beyond western Colorado. At 21 years old, Otis was still working on the family farm. Ervin, his older brother by 10 years, figured he had better join alongside his little brother. Everyone in K Company remembered the Vanderpools. Ervin was known for buying candy bars at the PX and then reselling them on the battlefield for 5 cents more than he paid. He was also known for sticking next to his little brother. Otis was quick and smart for his age and was a sergeant during the bulk of the fighting. During a battle in the Vosges Mountains of France, near the German border, battalion commander Felix Sparks heard that K Company was in trouble and ran over to see what he could do. He rushed up a hill, only to see Otis on a stretcher, his leg blown off at the knee. When he made it to the front, he never told Ervin about his brother's injury. He didn't have time. The older brother was shot in the stomach and died on the battlefield. he could have been promoted and would never had been in that battle. Officers had talked of promoting Ervin, sending him to battalion headquarters, but he refused to listen. He wouldn't accept a promotion. He wanted to stay near his brother Otis.
T SGT
World War II
When Otis and Ervin Vanderpool left the cornfields of Olathe for the army, they had never traveled beyond western Colorado. At 21 years old, Otis was still working on the family farm. Ervin, his older brother by 10 years, figured he had better join alongside his little brother. Everyone in K Company remembered the Vanderpools. Ervin was known for buying candy bars at the PX and then reselling them on the battlefield for 5 cents more than he paid. He was also known for sticking next to his little brother. Otis was quick and smart for his age and was a sergeant during the bulk of the fighting. During a battle in the Vosges Mountains of France, near the German border, battalion commander Felix Sparks heard that K Company was in trouble and ran over to see what he could do. He rushed up a hill, only to see Otis on a stretcher, his leg blown off at the knee. When he made it to the front, he never told Ervin about his brother's injury. He didn't have time. The older brother was shot in the stomach and died on the battlefield. he could have been promoted and would never had been in that battle. Officers had talked of promoting Ervin, sending him to battalion headquarters, but he refused to listen. He wouldn't accept a promotion. He wanted to stay near his brother Otis.
T SGT
World War II

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