The members of the 329th Chemical Company (Decontamination) Army Reserve Reunion Group will come to Natchez on July 3-6 from all over the United States to celebrate with their comrades and remember their deceased brothers. This year’s memorial service will be held at Macedonia Baptist Church on Minor Street at 3 p.m.

All are welcome to attend.

The 122nd Chemical Impregnating Company was activated at Chemical Warfare Service Training Center in Attalla, Ala., in February 1943. In 1944, the 122nd Chemical Impregnating Company was reassigned to the 122nd Chemical Processing Company. It was allotted to Organized Reserve Status and assigned to Third Army on July 14, 1947.

The 329th Processing Company was reassigned the 329th Chemical Company and was activated at Jackson as Decontamination in 1953. It changed location from Jackson to Natchez on July 20, 1955. It was reorganized in Natchez with the second and third platoons being stationed in Lorman on June 25, 1959.

The 2nd and 3rd platoons were relocated and consolidated to Natchez on Aug. 1, 1960.

The following persons were activated with the 329th in August 1961:

David H. Williams, John R. Collins, Edward G. Foresman, Bryant A. Reed, Walter B. Mackel, Jerry Graves, Leroy Graves, James L. Phipps, Charles Anderson, Joseph Davis, Wilbert Lloyd, Glasper Minor, Lee E. Minor, Willie M. Smith, Odie L. Butler, Cullen McCoy, Carl Williams, Rogers Adams III, Delorus F. Curtis, Ralph W. Jennings, Robert L. Taylor, Columbus Woods Jr., Willie E. Minor, Hosea Sanders, Walter L. Barnes, Sam Colston Jr., Ernest Cubit, Charles H. Holmes, Richard Jackson Jr., Robert L. Jackson, Freddie Johnson Jr., Vertie Johnson Jr., Wilbur O. Johnson Sr., Frank E. Jones, Walter Lucas, Louis Williams, Leroy Davis, Charles L. Dobbins, Frank Dobbins, Roosevelt Foster, John M. Hoskins, Rayford E. Mayberry, Edward G. McMorris, Elisha L. Quinn, James Robinson, Melvin L. Shelly, Herman B. Smith, Leonard L. Thomas Jr., Henry L. Winston, Charles E. Young, Franklin D.R. Davis Jr., Leon Davis, Shed Howard Jr., Billy Q. Malone, Jesse H. Moore, Cecil Hawkins, James T. Henderson and Lee O. Rice.

After completing its annual summer maneuvers in 1961, the unit was put on notification of possibly being moved to active duty status. In August 1961, the unit was notified of its active duty status and received orders transferring the unit to Fort McClellan, Ala. In July 1961, the unit was put on alert and made preparations to be transferred to Germany, but no orders were ever sent to confer the transfer.

In August 1962, the unit received orders sending it back to its home location in Natchez, where it was to assume non-active status. The unit’s location was changed from Natchez to Chattahoochee, Fla., on June 15, 1964.

After many meetings and social gatherings, the members of the unit, under the leadership of Rogers Adams and others, decided to establish the 329th Reunion Group. In 1989, the local committee met and decided to have its reunion in 1990. This reunion was so successful and enjoyable that a requires was made to have a reunion every two years, starting in 1991.

All are invited to attend the Memorial Service on Sunday, July 5, at 3 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church on Minor Street in Natchez.

 

Wilbur O. Johnson Sr. was company clerk and is a Natchez resident.