CHARLES E. PREBLE Jr.

PREBLE CHARLES E. PREBLE, JR. Retired Army Colonel Col. Charles E. Preble, Jr., 90, the son of the late Charles E. and Elizabeth M. Concannon Preble of Melrose, MA died October 26, 2013 at his home in Annandale, Va. Col Preble is a native of Boston, MA and resident of Northern Virginia since 1954. He enlisted in the Army as a private in 1942 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry in 1943. In World War II he served with the 91st Infantry Division in Italy. Postwar assignments included service in the 82d Airborne Division, the Infantry School faculty and the NATO Command in Turkey where he was stricken with acute poliomyelitis in 1953 (the year Salk discovered his vaccine) After seven months of rehab in military hospitals he was permitted to remain on active duty for another 18 years. Post rehab assignments include Office of the Army Chief of Staff in the Pentagon, Command and General Staff College faculty, and Senior Military Advisor for the Army's "think tank", the Research Analysis Corporation in Mclean, VA. When he retired from the Army in 1972 he was a deputy division chief in the R&D directorate of the Army Material Command Headquarters. He was a graduate of the University of Maryland and the Army Command and General Staff College. Upon retiring from the Army he served 18 years as a middle manager for Control Data Corporation of Rockville, MD and Aiken Advanced Systems of Alexandria, VA. His decorations include the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. He was a Senior Parachutist and an Army Aviator. He was a member of the Military Order of World Wars, the Military Officers Assn of America, the Disabled American Veterans, the 82d Abn Div Assn and the National Eagle Scout Assn. He was Vice President of The Polio Society, a former President of the Camelot Civic Assn of Annandale and a member of St Michaels Catholic Church for over 30 years. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 35 years, Mary (Walsh) Preble. Survivors include a daughter, Margaret (Preble) Sansone of Virginia Beach, VA, a grandson, Timothy Preble Sansone, son-in-law, Paul Sansone, two step children, six step-grandchildren and four step-great grandchildren. His first wife, Margaret (Edens) Preble, died in 1971 and a daughter, Mary, died in 1975. Family will receive friends on Saturday, November 2, 2013 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Rd. Fairfax 22032. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael Catholic Church, 7401 St. Michael's Lane. Annandale, 22003 on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 10 a.m. Funeral services will be held at The Old Post Army Chapel, Fort Myer, VA on a date yet to be determined. Interment with full military honors will follow at Arlington National Cemetery. www.fmh.comwww.fmh.com