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Razor or bullet, both became a close shave

By Staff | Jul 21, 2016

WWI soldier WILLIAM WERTMAN was from the White Deer Valley region and served in France.

WHITE DEER – The number 28 has special significance to the Wertman family. Three generations have served with the 28th Division out of Williamsport.

The tradition began with William Wertman, followed by son Paul William Wertman, and grandson William Reiter Wertman.

During World War I, William Wertman was attached to the American Expedition Forces (AEF). He and other Pennsylvanians were part of the 188th Machine Gun Battalion that served in France.

As it was with most soldiers, little was shared of their war experiences. However, son Paul “Willy” Wertman of Muncy had the following recollections. “While in France, soldiers shaved in the field in bivouac. This was done by holding a mirror in one hand and a razor in the other. My father was shaving when he spotted a sniper in the mirror. Just then, a bullet whizzed by his head and shattered the mirror.” A jovial conclusion by the son was, “You could say, had the sniper had been a little more accurate, I might not be here.”

Another recollection, also while William was in France, was an unexpected meeting with his younger brother Oliver. The brother, known as Junior or Tod, was with another unit and had the misfortune of having his money stolen. As the elder brother’s unit was passing by, Tod fell in with the line of march asking to borrow funds.

CAROL SHETLER/The Luminary The Centennial marking America's involvement in WWI begins April 2017. To that end, stories of soldiers from the Great War are being sought by Carol Sones Shetler. Several WWI veterans have already been showcased in The Luminary. A sample issue is free this week in the Shaffer building near the Third Street gate entrance at the Lycoming County Fair.

After the Armistice, William’s group remained stationed abroad where they were photographed February 3, 1919 at Saulxures, France.

Returning home to the White Deer Valley, William was again included in the butchering business with his father and brothers Tod and VanDorn.

With horse and wagon, they transported their product from their location near Alvira, to the curb market on the square in Williamsport. Paul said that, “The wagon was kept until about 20 years ago when sold to the owner of Kramm’s Nursing Home in Milton.”

William Wertman wed Charlotte Emma Forster, also of Brady Township. When four days old, first child Max died and was buried in the graveyard of the nearby Stone Church. Twelve years later, Paul William Wertman was born, the second and only surviving child, our informant.

A little more than two decades after giving time to serve in WWI, Wertman was asked to give again – this time it was his land.

In 1941, the Wertman property was among lands the government confiscated within a large portion of the White Deer Valley. Immediately an Ordinance Plant was constructed to supply weapons for the second World War. Up to this time, a statement often repeated was not to be. The Great War in which the Wertman brothers fought, was not “the war to end all wars.”

The family moved to the Port Penn section of Muncy where the new business site was owned by Bob O’Conner. The butchers had no retail shop but were wholesalers of meats furnished to vendors at the stalls of the indoor Grower’s Market in Williamsport.

Some names of those they supplied were, Smithgall & Ging, and Berrigan Brothers. “Customers making purchases from these stands often compared their meat saying one was better than the other. The joke was, the stands were both buying from Wertmans,” Paul said.

Paul recalled that his veteran father loved sports, especially baseball. Going to games and later listening to them. Paul said, “I was able to play on a Little League team sponsored by Sprout Waldron. I had the distinction of being one of the first Muncy teams playing in 1946 as I would have been age 12 that September.”

At age 85, William Wertman died and the WWI soldier was interred in the cemetery at Muncy.

Following the death of his father and uncles, VanDorn Wertman Senior continued in the business. Paul said, “When new regulations were made, it would have cost thousands of dollars in improvements. The irony was, no one was more of a clean freak than Van. With his own business at an end, he went to work at Springman’s Store in Pennsdale.”

And what of the 28th division in which the Wertman of WWI served? Decades later son Paul, representing the second generation, did his military duty. “I was what is commonly referred to as ‘The Six Month Wonder.’ I was stationed at Fort Knox the entire time, spent three and a half years with the National Guard doing annual summer camps and weekly meetings.”

Reflecting on his military duty, Paul said, ‘By the late 1950’s and early 60’s more than 300 weapons had the capability of taking tanks out. It was a vulnerable position.” Fortunately, Paul remained stateside with no additional active service.

Paul graduated from Penn State University in 1956 and from Dickinson Law School in 1959.

In 1962, Paul Wertman wed Lois Winder of Montgomery. Five years earlier, Lois had been widowed with a four-month old son. Paul adopted William Reiter Wertman, who graduated from Montgomery High School, Susquehanna University and the Dickinson Law School in Carlisle.

A career military man, William moved up the ranks to Major retiring after 30 years in the Reserves. Currently in Washington D.C. with the Veterans Administration, William represents the third generation of Wertman men soldiering with the 28th Division.

Razor or bullet, both became a close shave

By Staff | Jul 21, 2016

WWI soldier WILLIAM WERTMAN was from the White Deer Valley region and served in France.

WHITE DEER – The number 28 has special significance to the Wertman family. Three generations have served with the 28th Division out of Williamsport.

The tradition began with William Wertman, followed by son Paul William Wertman, and grandson William Reiter Wertman.

During World War I, William Wertman was attached to the American Expedition Forces (AEF). He and other Pennsylvanians were part of the 188th Machine Gun Battalion that served in France.

As it was with most soldiers, little was shared of their war experiences. However, son Paul “Willy” Wertman of Muncy had the following recollections. “While in France, soldiers shaved in the field in bivouac. This was done by holding a mirror in one hand and a razor in the other. My father was shaving when he spotted a sniper in the mirror. Just then, a bullet whizzed by his head and shattered the mirror.” A jovial conclusion by the son was, “You could say, had the sniper had been a little more accurate, I might not be here.”

Another recollection, also while William was in France, was an unexpected meeting with his younger brother Oliver. The brother, known as Junior or Tod, was with another unit and had the misfortune of having his money stolen. As the elder brother’s unit was passing by, Tod fell in with the line of march asking to borrow funds.

CAROL SHETLER/The Luminary The Centennial marking America's involvement in WWI begins April 2017. To that end, stories of soldiers from the Great War are being sought by Carol Sones Shetler. Several WWI veterans have already been showcased in The Luminary. A sample issue is free this week in the Shaffer building near the Third Street gate entrance at the Lycoming County Fair.

After the Armistice, William’s group remained stationed abroad where they were photographed February 3, 1919 at Saulxures, France.

Returning home to the White Deer Valley, William was again included in the butchering business with his father and brothers Tod and VanDorn.

With horse and wagon, they transported their product from their location near Alvira, to the curb market on the square in Williamsport. Paul said that, “The wagon was kept until about 20 years ago when sold to the owner of Kramm’s Nursing Home in Milton.”

William Wertman wed Charlotte Emma Forster, also of Brady Township. When four days old, first child Max died and was buried in the graveyard of the nearby Stone Church. Twelve years later, Paul William Wertman was born, the second and only surviving child, our informant.

A little more than two decades after giving time to serve in WWI, Wertman was asked to give again – this time it was his land.

In 1941, the Wertman property was among lands the government confiscated within a large portion of the White Deer Valley. Immediately an Ordinance Plant was constructed to supply weapons for the second World War. Up to this time, a statement often repeated was not to be. The Great War in which the Wertman brothers fought, was not “the war to end all wars.”

The family moved to the Port Penn section of Muncy where the new business site was owned by Bob O’Conner. The butchers had no retail shop but were wholesalers of meats furnished to vendors at the stalls of the indoor Grower’s Market in Williamsport.

Some names of those they supplied were, Smithgall & Ging, and Berrigan Brothers. “Customers making purchases from these stands often compared their meat saying one was better than the other. The joke was, the stands were both buying from Wertmans,” Paul said.

Paul recalled that his veteran father loved sports, especially baseball. Going to games and later listening to them. Paul said, “I was able to play on a Little League team sponsored by Sprout Waldron. I had the distinction of being one of the first Muncy teams playing in 1946 as I would have been age 12 that September.”

At age 85, William Wertman died and the WWI soldier was interred in the cemetery at Muncy.

Following the death of his father and uncles, VanDorn Wertman Senior continued in the business. Paul said, “When new regulations were made, it would have cost thousands of dollars in improvements. The irony was, no one was more of a clean freak than Van. With his own business at an end, he went to work at Springman’s Store in Pennsdale.”

And what of the 28th division in which the Wertman of WWI served? Decades later son Paul, representing the second generation, did his military duty. “I was what is commonly referred to as ‘The Six Month Wonder.’ I was stationed at Fort Knox the entire time, spent three and a half years with the National Guard doing annual summer camps and weekly meetings.”

Reflecting on his military duty, Paul said, ‘By the late 1950’s and early 60’s more than 300 weapons had the capability of taking tanks out. It was a vulnerable position.” Fortunately, Paul remained stateside with no additional active service.

Paul graduated from Penn State University in 1956 and from Dickinson Law School in 1959.

In 1962, Paul Wertman wed Lois Winder of Montgomery. Five years earlier, Lois had been widowed with a four-month old son. Paul adopted William Reiter Wertman, who graduated from Montgomery High School, Susquehanna University and the Dickinson Law School in Carlisle.

A career military man, William moved up the ranks to Major retiring after 30 years in the Reserves. Currently in Washington D.C. with the Veterans Administration, William represents the third generation of Wertman men soldiering with the 28th Division.