Our Neighborhood Veterans

Lyman Stambaugh

Spec 4 U.S. Army, Co. A 2nd Battle Group 28th Inf., 24th Div.

by Jim Houck, Jr. Born December 15, 1936, in Thurmont in the old Rouzer Home Place (still standing today) to Maurice Melvin and Ethel Favorite Stambaugh, was a son they named Lyman. Lyman had four sisters: Francis, Doris, Lois, and Cecelia; and a brother named Charles, who died at an early age; and a stepbrother, Lee, who was killed in Korea in 1951, and is buried at Creagerstown, Maryland. The family moved to Woodsboro, Maryland, and Lyman went to school there through the third grade. His family then moved back to Thurmont, where Lyman was born. Lyman finished his schooling at Thurmont, where he excelled at playing baseball for the school team for three years, starting as short stop the first year and moving to third baseman for his last two years. He also subbed for the catcher, losing two teeth, and he was also on the school’s soccer team until he graduated in 1955. Lyman delivered newspapers and then started to work for Vernon Myers at the old Shell station in 1953, while in high school, and then continued to work there after graduating school. In December 1959, Lyman joined the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne and went to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for four weeks of basic training; he then went on to Fort Hood, Texas, where he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division (Lyman didn’t like jumping from planes, so they left him out of that). Following that assignment, he went to Fort Dix with orders for Korea; however, after the orders were changed, he went to Fort Hamilton and was put on the U.S. Darvy for fourteen days, headed for Germany. He was to be stationed right outside of Munich, Germany, in a little place called Henri Concern, and then was assigned to Berlin, where he pulled guard duty while the Berlin Wall was being finished. He then returned to Munich, Germany; while there, he took leave to visit Spain (Barcelona, Madrid) and ran with the bulls. He was then sent to Cairo, Egypt, for some problems that needed police action. Lyman was getting ready for discharge in 1961, but the Bay of Pigs incident developed. He was put on an airplane and flown to the Congo, where he was squad leader for a while, but he didn’t like it. He then went to Rome, Italy, where he was inoculated before he could return to Germany. When Lyman returned to Germany, he was awarded the CIB Badge—a Good Conduct Badge—and a Sharpshooter Badge. Lyman got out in May 1962. However, at that time, it was mandatory to stay in the reserves, in case there would be a call to action in Vietnam, if necessary. A full Honorable Discharge was awarded to Lyman in 1965. Lyman returned to Thurmont and went back to work for Vernon Myers at the gas station. He decided to go to work for Moore’s Business Forms, where he stayed for thirty-one years and then retired. After retiring, he went back to work at Moore’s for another fourteen years as a temporary employee, for a total of forty-four years. He also continued to work for Vernon Myers fourteen years part-time, while working full-time for Moore’s. Lyman has been married forty-nine years to Betty Lou Smith Stambaugh and has two children: Kim Cromwell, and her husband, Jim; and Lyman C. Stambaugh, and his wife, Carol. Lyman also has three grandchildren: Jamie West and husband, Curtis; Megan Miller and Corey; Samantha Stambaugh; and a great grandson, Curtis C. J. West. He remembers his first car was a 1941 Chevrolet with vacuum shift. He met his love, Betty Lou Smith, at Donald Lewis’s Confectionary on the square, where she worked behind the counter. I’m sure if that old Chevy could talk, it would tell a lot of stories. Lyman, Betty Lou, and the kids lived in Sabillasville, Maryland, for thirty-four years, and then moved within walking distance of his full-time job. Lyman is a life member of AMVETS Post 7 Thurmont and a life member of the American Legion Thurmont, where he was Post Commander for two years in 1985 and 1986. He is a member of Post 7 Honor Guard and marches in most parades, stands guard at funerals, and fires at graveside services. He is a life member of South Mountain Rod and Gun Club, and likes to fish and hunt. He is seventy-five years old, going on fifty, and I am proud to know him. He is energetic, intelligent, funny, and an extremely pleasant and easy-going man. I can picture him at one hundred years old, marching in parades with that big smile on his face. Thank God for such a positive good-hearted Veteran as Lyman Stambaugh. God Bless the United States of America, God Bless the American Veteran, and God Bless You.

Lyman Stambaugh, Spec 4 U.S. Army

Courtesy Photo