Taken from the 1981 Gray Centennial book
George Warren Campbell was born November 2, 1921, the son of Floyd Crawford Campbell and Lida Grey (Sheets) Campbell.
He entered the military service (Army) on April 21, 1945, and took field artillery training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and also radio repair (specialized training) at Fort Sill. He was assigned to the 16th Constabulary Unit in Berlin, Germany on January 1, 1945.
He was promoted to Master Sgt. (temporary rank) on December 1, 1945 in charge of 6700 military personnel aboard a Swedish liner (a sister ship of the Gripsholm) while transferring from Camp Shanks, New York, to Bremerhaven, Germany.
He was Operations Sergeant at the 16th Constabulary at Berlin, Germany when the Berlin Airlift took place June 1946.
On July 15, 1946, while inspecting the radio at the Berlin Coca Cola bottling plant, he had the privilege of donating 4 cases of Coca
Cola to General Zhukov, the Russian Commanding General of Berlin, a very close friend of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Commanding
General of the U.S. Forces European Theater.
George was the son of Floyd and Lida (Sheets) Campbell.
George's brother, Howard, served in the US Navy during WWII.
Summary from discharge papers: George's home address at the time of his enlistment was Gray, Iowa. Born on November 2, 1921, he entered into service April 21, 1945, at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. As a Private he served five months at FA basic training, as a Corporal he served four months as a Radio Repairman, and he last served with the rank of T/4 for nine months as a Clerk Typist. As a Radio Repairman he installed, inspected, tested, and repaired amplitude modulated or frequency modulated radio transmitters and receivers related equipment. His military education was spent at Field artillery School Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, at Radio Mechanic's school for five weeks in October 1945. He also had Government Defense Schooling at Manning in 1945.
George's background was a farm mechanic and farmer from 1938 to 1945, where he assisted the operation of 280 acre farm, raising general crops and livestock…he also drove truck, tractor, and vaccinated livestock.
He served with the HQ TRP 16th Constabulary Squadron and received the Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), Lapel button, and one overseas service bar. His unit was demobilized June 29, 1946, and separation on October 23, 1946, at the Separation Center Fort Sheridan, Illinois. His mustering out pay was $300 with travel pay of $24.55. George was discharged November 1, 1946 at 1:20 p.m.
Family Veteran history ---
ALLEN LEE CAMPBELL
Allen Lee Campbell, son of George and Grace (Lawson) Campbell, served in the Air Force from January 14, 1971, through March 27, 1980.
He attended basic training 6 weeks at Lackland AFB, Texas, in March of 1971; trained at Communications Center Specialist School for 13 weeks at
Sheppard AFB, Texas, in May 1971; attended non-commissioned officers leadership school, Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina, in January 1975
and graduated second in the class, winning Academic Achievement Award and Air Traffic Control Operator training for 19 weeks at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, in August 1978.
He was stationed at Ent. AFB, Colorado, in 1971-72; RAF, Bentwaters, England, 1972-74; Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina, 1974-78; England AFB, Alexandria Louisiana, 1978-80.
He was awarded: Outstanding Unit Award with 1 oak leaf cluster; good conduct medal with 2 oakleaf clusters; Longevity medal with 2 oakleaf clusters;
National Defense Campaign medal; Expert Small Arms Weapon medal; NCO Academy Graduate Medal; was selected outstanding NCO of the quarter twice;
and nominated for 2 aircraft saves in February, 1980.
George Warren Campbell, 85, of Audubon died Friday, June 29, 2007, at Friendship Home in Audubon. Funeral service was held Tuesday, July 3, at First United Methodist Church in Audubon with the Revs. Dwayne Ferguson and Kathy Cramer officiating.
Casket bearers were Matt Campbell, Ethan Campbell, Tim Campbell, Todd Campbell, Phillip Campbell and Bobby Testroet. Honorary casket bearer was Harry Hass.
Burial was in Maple Grove Cemetery at Audubon. The Manning Veterans of Foreign Wars and Audubon American Legion posts gave military honors.
Kessler Funeral Home of Audubon was in charge of arrangements.
A son of Floyd Crawford and Lida Grey (Sheets) Campbell, he was born November 2, 1921, at his parents' home in Lincoln Township near Manning, was baptized and confirmed at Manning Presbyterian Church, attended Lincoln Township No. 2 rural school and Gray High School and graduated from Manning High School in 1938. Mr. Campbell then helped operate his family's farm.
He and Julia Grace Lawson were married November 2, 1942, at Gray Methodist Church.
Mr. Campbell was inducted into the Army during World War II and served as a radio repairman and clerk in Germany. He was honorably discharged October 23, 1946, and returned to Gray.
The Campbells farmed west of Gray. They later bought a farm near Gray and also operated the family farm. Mr. Campbell operated a grain, dairy and livestock farm until he retired in the late 1980s then helped his son Harry farm for several years. The Campbells were a Farm Bureau Family of the Month and hosted three farm trainees from Japan.
He was a member of Gray United Methodist Church and taught Sunday School, served on the church council and was a lay leader. He belonged to the Manning VFW and Audubon American legion posts. He was a member of Farm Bureau, was a 4-H member and leader and served with Elderbridge Agency on Aging, the landfill commission and Audubon Airport Authority.
Mr. Campbell was mayor of Gray during the city's centennial in 1981. He helped organize Friendship Home in Audubon and helped with the Gray School consolidation. He coached Little League baseball and never missed a Pearl Harbor reunion supper at Manning for over 60 years.
Survivors include his wife, Julia, of Audubon; eight children and their spouses: Harry and Dianne Campbell of Manning, Allen and Donna Campbell of Pueblo West, Colo., Warren and Cheryl Campbell of Sac City, Suzanne and Larry Burkholder of West Lake Village, Calif., Rosemary and Greg Vandervort of Poway, Calif., Lida and Mike Olsen of Sumner, Shirley and Kent Weber of Marne and Bev and Tom Testroet of Audubon; grandchildren: Matthew Campbell of Washington, D.C., Michelle Campbell of Fort Worth, Texas, Ethan Campbell and wife Heather Campbell of Fort Worth, Hope Blum and husband Craig of Manning, Adam Campbell of Manning, Jennifer Campbell and Brian Olivas of Phoenix, Ariz., Julie Tippmann and husband Robert of Hagen, Germany, Phillip Campbell and wife Donia of Mitchellville, Tim Campbell and Adrienne Brito of Commerce City, Colo., Todd Campbell of Elko, Nev., Laura McMahon of West Branch, Lisa Kalaher and husband Nathan of Sioux City, Leslie Burkholder of San Diego, Calif., Sara Duggan and husband Alan of Kensington, Australia, Emily Vandervort of Poway, Calif., Tina Vandervort of Poway, Jodi Olsen of Waterloo, Katie Olsen of Sumner, Jason Olsen of Sumner, Rachel Blum and husband Kevin of Manilla, Sam Weber of Sioux City, Josh Weber of Marne, Bobby Testroet of Audubon, Shelli Brand of Audubon and Danny Testroet of Audubon; eight great-grandchildren; a sister, Mary Keat, of Denison; two sisters-in-law: Marie Campbell of Omaha, Neb., and Wanda Tigges of Carroll; and a brother-in-law, Roy "Sam" Lawson, and his wife, Lois, of Audubon.
Mr. Campbell was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, Samuel and Hazel Lawson; two brothers: Frank Campbell and Howard Campbell; a sister, Dorothy Mae Campbell, in infancy; a sister-in-law, Edith Stoberl, and her husband, Reuben; and two brothers-in-law: Aldred Tigges and Kenneth Keat.