Wayne John Scholl

West Point, 1965

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by CSM (Ret.) John H. Hess on April 29, 2001:

It was 21 years ago that I had the pleasure and honor to meet, the then Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Scholl when he assumed command of the 65th Combat Engineer Battalion, 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. As his Command Sergeant Major, I came to know a man that was both a professional and an informed leader who genuinely cared about the well being of others. His strong professional attitude radiated to all of us in his command and caused us to respond with our full, best efforts. In my 26 plus years service I've come to know and respect many a commander from Platoon Leader to General, but none more so then Colonel Scholl. The impression he made on me was immediate and permanent. The first full day he was in the unit he called me into his office and we talked, for what must have been an hour or two, about the unit and the men in it. He wanted to know everything; from my thoughts about the officers and enlisted men to, how could we make things better. It was during this time that he then gave me a letter he had written, explaining how he felt about my role as the Command Sergeant Major in the unit and where I fit into the scheme of things. Not just as his senior enlisted advisor, but as an intrinsic part of his command, and in the three years we were together, no stronger bond could have been made between a Command Sergeant Major and a Commander. He was methodical and extremely conscientious about everything in the unit, from F-Quad on Schofield Barracks to field duty on the big island of Hawaii and Team Spirit in Korea; but at the same time he was the most down to earth person I have ever known. He was mentor; always there if I needed his counsel and I did, but I think the thing that set him apart from others is that he always made you feel important. The many wonderful times my wife and I shared with Colonel Scholl and his wife Susan in their home, at military functions or just having dinner at the Hale Koa, are etched indelibly in Judy's and my memory. They were some of the best times in our lives and he will be sorely missed, but we will never ever forget him or his family and those wonderful times we had together. In ending I would like to say something I read once. "The storms of life will gather and the bitter winds assail, Yet beyond the depths of anguish is a love that cannot fail." Goodbye Sir, Till we meet again. .

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