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"Sumterite recalls service with Third Army"

An article written for the Sumter Item by Joe Perry / Posted: Friday, May 20, 2011

Reynolds still has a sword that was given to him by a French family during WWII. The family needed shoes for their daughter's christening and Reynolds had a pair sent over. The Third Army veteran keeps the sword, which dates to 1825, mounted above his fireplace.

"We didn't know we were part of the Third Army. We just shipped out."

William Evans Reynolds remains humble about his part in history, and the 94-year-old Sumter resident can still recall his service in the European Theater during WWII and what it was like to be around Gen. George Patton.

As the Third Army (ARCENT) begins its final push in making a new home at Shaw Air Force Base with today's grand opening of Patton Hall, Reynolds has a hard time explaining the essence and impact of the Third Army's legendary leader.

When France was liberated from the yoke of Nazi Germany, the French were ecstatic toward their American compatriots. Children lined the streets and would say "chocolat pour moi, cigarettes pour papa" - chocolate for me and cigarettes for father.

"Vous General Patton avec le Troisieme Armee," the awestruck French added, which roughly translates to "And you are with General Patton's Third Army."

"And I thought, man, that was high cotton," Reynolds said, unable to contain a broad smile.

WANDERLUST

A Florence native, Reynolds entered Clemson College in 1935, but found himself unable to concentrate as thoughts of travel stoked his curiosity.

"And I just said, well, if I can get out. ..."

A buddy recommended he make his way to Baltimore to join the Merchant Marines. So he did.

A few dollars later, he belonged to the seaman's union.

"And they'd call for jobs all over the world," he said. "They said, 'you don't mind being a mess boy?' And I said, 'whatever it takes to travel.'"

He was soon aboard a ship that would make its way to New York before calling in South America. He was told if he under-performed, he would be "dumped in New York," but apparently an English steward found favor in his work and Reynolds sailed for a faraway coast.

"We said, 'Lord, help us.' We scrubbed decks, polished brass - it just went on and on."

SODA JERK

After about three months, Reynolds returned to South Carolina. By then, his family had settled in Sumter. His father, William "Duke" Reynolds, was a conductor on the Atlantic Coast Line rail line and had suffered severe injuries in a train wreck. Once William Reynolds had re-gained his health, he was offered a shorter route - Sumter to Columbia and back.

As Evans Reynolds had worked in Zeigler's Drug Store in Florence, he obtained a job at Mitchells' Drug Store in Sumter upon his return.

He loved it.

"You know, the fascinating part was we knew every girl within 50 miles in every direction," he said, laughing at the thought. "All the teenaged girls liked to hang out there. There were cars parked up and down Main Street, and they were always loaded with girls."

Bud Korn came in one day and hired him to build cabinets at Korn Industries.

But it didn't last.

SHAVETAIL

Not long after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Reynolds expressed to his parents his desire to join the infantry. As his father was back on his feet, he was cleared to go. So he enlisted in the U.S. Army and found himself in basic training at Camp Wheeler, Ga.

"Anyway, I did what I had to do," he said. "My Clemson training helped me so."

At that time, Clemson was an agricultural and military school, and all the male students wore uniforms and were required to perform basic drills.

Reynolds, a corporal, was sent to Aberdeen, Calif., for officer candidate school, from which he emerged as a "shavetail," or second lieutenant.

Sellers of untrained mules had most of their tales shaved to alert the buyer that what was being purchased was essentially an ignorant jackass. Thus, "shavetails" were equated as naive and awkward soldiers.

"And he'll kick you and knock you, so that's what they called me," he said, grinning. "But the thing about it, I thought I knew it all."

At Aberdeen, Reynolds and 50 or 60 fellow shavetails were compelled to draw from a hat their next assignment. Reynolds picked Fort Knox. One of his buddies picked Fort Jackson and tried to switch.

Reynolds refused.

"The funny thing about the luck of the draw - the luck of the draw never proved so," he said.

While stationed at Fort Knox, Henry Petronas, a fellow solider, invited him along on a double date. They were to meet their dates at the bus station. When he first spotted Doris Jane Eddleman getting off a bus, he caught his breath and stopped in his tracks.

"She stepped off the bus and I took one look at her, and I said 'Evans, to hell with all this," he said, doubled over with laughter,