LTC Charles W. STAM to TAPs

 LTC. Charles W. (Bill) STAM died 27 March 2009.  His son Chip posted the following on the Internet.  “My Father, Bill as he was known, was orphaned during the great depression. He had a very tough unimaginable childhood. In 1939, when he was 16, he was able to enlist in the Oklahoma National Guard. He rose to the rank of Sergeant and when the war in Europe broke out he was selected for Officers Candidate School. Upon receiving his commission he was assigned to the 45th infantry division and took part in the landing invasion in Southern France in a town called St. Maxime. He married my mother during the war and had 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandkids. He retired in 1966 during his tour with the 1st Air-Calvary. In 1980 my mother died and Bill soon remarried and moved to a ranch in NSW Australia. He had a rewarding full life and never forgot his Army family. He shared many stories with me that never glorified war, but only the love and respect he shared with his comrades and brothers in arms. He truly loved every enlisted man and officer that ever served our great nation in any branch of service. Even when arthritis and diabetes was taking its toll he would always pop tall and greet any serviceman US or Australian he would encounter.