Charles Grant Ames

Lt. Colonel Charles G. Ames, 96, U.S. Army, Retired, departed on his Big PCS, 27 June 2011, He is survived by Ola, his wife of 70 years, a daughter Karen, her husband, Mike Stengel, and two grandchildren, Jennifer and Steven.

Chick was born at Tippiecanoe, Ohio, but grew up in the Ohio Valley at Bridgeport, across the river from Wheeling, WVa. Following graduation from High School, he worked in the Steel Mills until being drafted on 26 June 1941, six months after his marrage..

Chick took to Army life, and was selected for OCS following basic training. As a newly minted Second Lieutenant, he was assigned to an Armor Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and stayed in Armor and the newly formed Tank Destroyers, as an instructor, twice being pulled from combat assignments, to remain as an instructor, and promoted to Captain. Much to his chagrin, he never saw combat in WWII, and was honorably discharged in December 1945. He and Ola resumed life in the Ohio Valley, until October 1950, when he was recalled to active duty for the Korean conflict.

In Korea he was assigned to the 245th Tank Battalion, 45th Infantry Division. As Battalion Maintenance officer he saw action at Pork Chop Hill, Sand Bag Castle and Old Baldy. He was awarded a Bronze Star on two occasions for performance under fire and meritorious service. In October 1953, he was promoted to Major, and returned to the active reserve in August 1954. He was promoted to Lt. Colonel in September 1960.

Following his separation in 1954, he and his family re-located to Wichita, Kansas where he took an engineering position with Boeing. Boeing moved him to Seattle in 1958 where he remained in the engineering department until retirement in the early eighties. Colonel Ames and his family remained in Seattle, with winter excursions to Yuma, Arizona over the years.. Chick will be missed by many whose lives he touched.