I recently purchased vintage 35mm film cameras to add to my working collection. One of those was an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP. On the bottom of this camera was a metal tag with a name and address. That name tag led me on a fun journey of the history behind the lens.
“Colonel Herbert Bland Allen was born Herbert A. Jones in Oklahoma in 1921 and was subsequently adopted by his stepfather, Lon C. Allen. A young Herbert Allen attended the Missouri Military Academy, graduating in 1939. However, he did not immediately receive an officer’s commission due to being underage at the time. In 1942 Colonel Allen was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry and was assigned as an Infantry Platoon Leader at Camp Wolters, Texas.
Battle of the Bulge and Remagen Bridge crossing
In 1943 he was promoted to Captain and a Company Commander in the 395th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. He participated in the Allied invasion of Northern France, the Battle of the Bulge, and combat operations in Germany and Austria. Following the famous Remagen Bridge crossing, he served as the Executive Officer of the 1st Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment until Germany’s surrender.
He was promoted to Major in 1945 and assigned to the staff of the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. In 1946 he was detailed to Military Intelligence in Austria until his return to the United States in 1947.
Upon deciding to make the Army a career, he voluntarily reduced grade to Captain. In 1949 he was restored to the rank of Major and assigned to the 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division. In 1951 he qualified as a Parachutist and was assigned to the Pentagon.
History Behind the Lens
Korea
His promotion to Lieutenant Colonel came in 1952, and after completing the Command and General Staff College in 1954, he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 34th Infantry Division of the 24th Infantry Division in Korea. He went on to serve at Camp Zama, Japan, in 1956.
In 1958 Colonel Allen served as Professor of Military Science at the University of Maryland, then at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin.
He was promoted to Colonel in 1963, and returned to Korea, where he served in the 1st Cavalry Division, then commanded the 2nd Battle Group, 12th Cavalry Division. He later attended the Army War College, then was assigned to the Pentagon working on Military Personnel Policy for the Secretary of Defense.
From 1968 to 1971, Colonel Allen’s next assignment was to the Staff at Headquarters of Allied Forces, Southern Europe, in Naples, Italy.
vietnam
Colonel Allen went to Vietnam, serving as the Senior Military Advisor to the Phung Huong-Phoenix program in Vietnam’s Military Assistance Command. Upon his return a year later, he became Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel at 3rd Army Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia, and then at the newly activated Headquarters Forces Command in 1973.
In 1975 Colonel Allen was assigned as the Post Commander of Fort Sheridan, Illinois, where he served until his retirement in 1978.
Colonel and Mrs. Allen subsequently settled in Clarksville, Tennessee. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star with “V” valor device, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, ETO Medal with three campaign stars. World War Two Victory Medal, World War Two Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Vietnam Service Medal with three campaign stars, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, and Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.”
I pulled this information from Bryan G HERE!
History Behind the Lens
