Family man Glass follows in dad's footsteps at Third Army

Courtesy Photo | Lt. Col. Scott Glass, Logistics Operations Plans Branch chief, Third Army, serves with the same "Patton's Own" that his father did over 75 years ago.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

04.28.2010

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Central   

By Cpl. Brandon Babbitt

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - As an infantryman in WWII, Royce Glass was part of one of the most challenging achievements in American military history as a member of Gen. George Patton's Third Army. His division was one of the first to pivot and move north to engage the German forces surrounding Bastonge, Belgium.

Today, his son, Lt. Col. Scott Glass, Logistics Operations Plans Branch chief, Third Army, is serving with the same Third Army his father did in WWII, only this time in support of commanding general Lt. Gen. William Webster's Drawdown in Iraq and Buildup in Afghanistan.

Glass Sr., one of four sons who fought in WWII and a native of Greensboro, Ga., was a "replacement," in Patton's Own, which meant he would go into a unit after a Soldier was wounded or killed.

The elder Glass, who fought in many battles in WWII, was tested like never before in the winter of 1944 as a member of Third Army.

German forces made one last desperate offensive while hoping to change the momentum of the war. However, they were unsuccessful as Glass Sr. and fellow Third Army Soldiers held their ground in Belgium's Ardennes Forest, leading to the eventual surrender of Adolf Hitler's regime.

This Battle, known as, "The Battle of the Bulge," tested Glass as he dealt with extreme hardships of cold, distance, exhaustion and German soldiers.

As part of America's "Greatest Generation," Glass Sr., won the Bronze Star for Valor, two Purple Hearts in the European Theater and won the admiration of a son who knew he wanted to serve at a young age.

"He lost his best friend who was killed next to him," explained Glass. "That is an inspiration from which we can all draw strength from."

Glass said his father returned after the war to be a "humble man" while taking a job as butcher in small town Georgia.

He became a devoted husband to his wife Hilda, loving father of three sons, patient Little League coach and a man who never lost his temper - except that time his sons burned down his beehives … by mistake.

He was a guy that people in trouble and needing help could always call on day or night for help.

Glass Jr. is married and has two sons with military aspirations of their own. They are currently involved in the Reserve Officer Training Course and Jr. ROTC at their respected schools.

"My wife, Paige and I are so proud of our boys' Michael and Matthew," said Glass. "My daddy attended the commissioning ceremony for me and cried like a baby. I too, can see myself getting very emotional if one of my sons ever fulfills their goal of becoming a commissioned officer."

Glass and his father are both Third Army veterans, both have served overseas in wartime with Third Army and both have spent significant times of military service at Fort McPherson.

Glass's father spent his first days in the military at the post in downtown Atlanta, Ga. in 1943.

As for Glass Jr., he will probably spend his final days in the Army at McPherson when his career concludes.

The son, who along with his father, compares the team sport of baseball to that of the military, reflects on his father's life and feels overcome with a joyful emotion

"My father was and still is the greatest man I ever knew," said Glass. "If I live to be as respected as he was, I think I will have done well."

Though Glass's responsibilities are different than his father's were with the same organization 75 years ago, he still takes pride in his job here, much like his father did in WWII.

"Militarily, what he wanted then and what I want now is to hold up our end of any job," said Glass.

Lt. Col. Scott Glass joined the Georgia Army National Guard in 1981. He enrolled in Army ROTC at the University of Georgia and graduated from UGA and with a commission as a second lieutenant into the U.S. Army in June 1984. After training at the Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox, Ky., he was assigned to the USA Training Center - Engineer at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

On assignment to Fort Riley, Kan., he served in the 4th Battalion, 37th Armor as a platoon leader and later after transfer to the Quartermaster Corps served as an executive officer of a Heavy Maintenance Company and Battalion S-3 in the 201st Forward Support Battalion. After the Quartermaster Officer Advanced Course, he was posted to Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as a Logistic Plans officer with the 82nd Airborne Division during the Persian Gulf War and latter as Adjutant of the 82nd Airborne Division Support Command. He commanded a company and later served as Battalion S-3 of the 528th Special Operations Support Battalion.

He and his family returned to Georgia from 1994-1996 to assist the 148th Support Battalion of the Georgia National Guard as Senior Quartermaster Trainer. From 1996-1998, Glass served with the 22nd Area Support Group as the operations officer and also commanded the airborne Forward Support Company in the Southeastern European Task Force. After attending the Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, he returned to Fort Bragg as the Logistics officer for the XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery, and then subsequently as Division Parachute Officer for the 82nd Airborne Division and Division Support Command S-3. After these assignments he was assigned to Belgium with duty as the US Army Garrison-Chievres' Operations officer and to NATO's Army detachment as Army Element G-4 and chief of Staff.

After return from Belgium, Glass served for two years as the chief of the Airborne/Airlift Action Office at the Army Capabilities Integration Center at Fort Monroe, Va. In July of 2009 he joined the staff of 3rd Army in Fort McPherson prior to reporting for duty at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, as chief of Logistics Plans.

Note: As a young Armor officer in 1986-1988, Glass served in 4th Battalion 37th Armor. That unit in 1944 relieved the U.S. forces encircled at Bastogne, Belgium. Glass' father in 1944-1945 was fighting 5 miles west of Bastogne.

• Date Taken: 04.28.2010
• Date Posted: 04.28.2010 02:22
• Story ID: 48794
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW