Norman Pohler

POHLER, Lt. Col. Norman G., age 84, died on Thursday, February 26, 2009. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Canton, Ohio. He graduated from Timken High School, Class of 1943, where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Bonnie Finnegan. He retired after 30 years of service in the U.S. Army, where he served during WWII, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. During WWII, he served with the Paratroopers, and went to Italy in 1944 with D Battery, 460th Parachute Field Artillery, 517th Parachute Infantry Combat Team. On August 15, 1944, he jumped in the combat invasion of southern France. Later he saw combat in the Battle of the Bulge. When the war ended in Europe, he joined the 82nd Airborne Division for occupation duty in Berlin. After the war, he graduated from Kent State University in 1950, where he received his degree in Business Administration and his Commission through R.O.T.C. He was assigned later as Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Dayton University, Dayton, Ohio. In December 1959, he was assigned as Commander to the 19th Quartermaster Company in the U.S. Army Storage Facility in Taegu, Korea. During Vietnam, he served as Chief of Operations Army Air force Exchange System, Vietnam Regional Exchange, in the 1968 TET Offensive. Throughout his career, he was stationed three times in Germany, as well as in Japan. He and his wife, Bonnie, recently moved to Columbus, Ohio from Virginia, where he spent three tours at Fort Lee. During his career, he earned the following awards: Combat Infantry Badge, Parachute Badge with Combat Jump, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal with two Oak leaf Clusters. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Bonnie (nee Finnegan); son, Mike (Sally) Pohler of Tallahassee, Fla.; daughters, Cindy (Joe) Menville of San Diego, Calif., and Sue Pohler of Columbus, Ohio; six grandchildren, Scott (Stephanie) Pohler of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and their children Sydney, Seth and Shane; Andrea (Jeremy) Ables and their daughter, Kaia; Dan (Marie) Menville and their daughter, Katey; J.R. Menville and his daughter, Madison; Todd (Kiley Flowers) Menville; and Laura (Bobby) Lambert. Friends may call at Southwick-Good & Fortkamp Funeral Chapel, 3100 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43202, from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, February 28. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., with date and details to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Ohio Health Homereach and Hospice, 404 E. Wilson Bridge Rd., Worthington, Ohio 43085, or to American Cancer Society, 870 Michigan Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43215. www.southwickfuneral.com
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.