Posted by Terry Powers on March 28, 2023:

Lucien E. Messinger III 1949 Cullum No. 17198-1949 | July 26, 2005 | Died in Alexandria, VA Inurned in Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium, Arlington, VA Lucien Eli Messinger, known as "Lou," was born in Providence, RI, the son of Lucien Eli Messinger, who had served in France in World War I and afterwards headed relief work for the American Relief Administration in Lithuania, helping thousands of starving children. Lou's grandfather and great-grandfather had served together with the Rhode Island Light Infantry throughout the Civil War. (Small correction. Lou's grandfather and great-grandfather had served together with the 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, Battery A.) In fact, a member of the Messinger family participated in every American war dating back to and including the Revolutionary War. It was not surprising that Lou considered a military career. Lou attended grade school in Toronto, Canada, but, with his sights set on West Point, he spent his high school years at Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, TN, where he graduated as an honor cadet in 1943. Upon graduation, he enlisted as a private in the Infantry and was slightly wounded while serving in Germany. Lou struggled with academics at the Academy but kept his eyes on his goal and graduated on 7 Jun 1949. That night he married Marion "Marnie" Casselden, of Toronto, in the Cadet Chapel. After honeymooning in a log cabin in his beloved Canadian woods, he started his career at Ft. Riley, KS, with a new wife, a new car, and a new dog, named B.J. Ducrot. In 1950, like most of his classmates, Lou fought in the Korean War. He was wounded there, and his daughter Sue was born while he was away. Typically, the family moved about every three years, increasing in size along the way. Skip was born at Ft. Dix, NJ; Steve and Glenn in West Berlin; and Rusty at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Lou's favorite assignment was "behind the Iron Curtain" in West Berlin, from 1955 to 1958. While tense at times, the work was fascinating and satisfying, as he served with both a company and in the office of the United States commander of Berlin. Friends still remember Santa Claus coming to their quarters and convincing their doubting children that he really did exist, even if he drove off in Lou Messinger's little green VW bug. Assignment to Tulane University to study nuclear physics was perhaps Lou's greatest challenge. He preferred being a soldier to being a student, but he struggled through. Lou's final move was to Alexandria, VA, where he served three years at Ft. Belvoir, three at the Pentagon, and then another three at Ft. Belvoir, interrupted by a year in Viet Nam to escort the Korean Tiger Division and then another year in Viet Nam. Virginia had become home for Lou, and in 1974 he retired there. Lou never liked to discuss citations or his experiences in three wars, but he believed he had served in an honorable profession. On 26 Jul 2005, Lou died, and his ashes were inurned at Arlington National Cemetery. At his funeral service, the chaplain's last words were from the West Point Alma Mater: "And when our work is done, Our course on earth is run, May it be said, 'Well done, be thou at peace.'"

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