Page 21 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2019- Online Magazine

WWII

task force split up, husband died at age 38, and
but the Germans soon she returned to Lockney in
caught up to them, and, 1964. She and Lon became
according to Lon, “we re-acquainted, and they
were out of ammunition finally married in 1967 but
and had to surrender.” never had children. Through
The liberators had the years, Lon worked at
now become POW’s the Lockney Gin, the Tye
themselves. Company and the Lockney
Co-op.
Of the 300 men of the
task force, three were Lois heard about the Texas
killed, 35 made it back South Plains Honor Flight
to Allied territory, and the rest were taken prisoner. and encouraged Lon to go. Although he was unable
Conditions at the camp were miserable. The winter of to make the 2013 flight, he was able to go in 2014 with
1944 was considered one of the coldest on record. The his nephew, Jerry Morgan, as his guardian. Referring
seven 5-room buildings each were crowded with two to his short but difficult time in Germany, Lon said,
hundred men. The average temperature in the rooms “I was scared from the time I got there until the time
at any time was estimated to be 20 °F. Food was just I left.”
as scarce as heat. Most men in the camp suffered
dramatic weight loss.
Gen. Patton said later, “I can say this, that
throughout the campaign in Europe I know of no
error I made except that of failing to send a combat
command to take Hammelburg.” The 14th Armored
Division finally liberated the camp on April 6, 1945.

Colvin said after being liberated, he and a buddy
“liberated” an old car and drove around Germany
and France for a time until they tried to “steal
some gasoline from a German farmer.” They had
to flee when they were caught by the farmer, and
Lon “shot a hole in the tractor’s gas tank when he
refused to give them any gas.” He noted that they
were “only 19 years old, and it was war time.” Lon
eventually made his way back to an Allied camp
where he “was de-loused and had to wait 12 hours
to get a shower.” He left France on a liberty ship
and arrived back in the states on June 12, 1945. He
was separated from the Army on April 28, 1946. He
took a train to Ft. Worth and a bus back to Lockney.

Back in Lockney, he returned to farming and
was awarded his delayed high school diploma in
1946. During this time, he met Lois Morgan. Lois
remembered that “he used to come out and visit
my dad and brother, so I knew of him.” However,
Lois married another man and left Lockney. Her

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