Agent Jack
By Robert Hutton
Rex W. Huggins
John Robertson

Rex W. Huggins

Rex Wilmath Huggins
from Long Beach,California
Staff Sergeant (39166076)
2 Company 1 Regiment
born 18.5.1916 Kansas
graduated high school
driver/chauffeur in civilian life
enlisted 16.10.1941 Los Angeles,California
married Katharine Clerke (1927-2014)
died 17.2.1988 Long Beach,California
cremated and ashes scattered at sea

photo source Eric Morgensen
Rex was my next door neighbor when I was growing up in Long Beach Ca. He was always so nice to us kids on the street and was quick to offer up his swimming pool during warm summer days. Rex, his wife Katy and the rest of their family were very generous with their time and often hosted get togethers where everyone was welcomed.
I remember a scar that Rex had on his leg and my father told me the story about it that Rex told him. Apparently he was wounded by shrapnel during fighting at Monte Casino and had to be removed from action on a stretcher. As the story goes, Rex was carried by German prisoners one of which lost his grip dropping Rex causing him to fall to the ground. Rex said that one of the Americans told him if he dropped it again he was a dead man. True to his word he shot and killed the prisoner when he dropped it again.
Rex said he felt bad for the prisoner as he knew he was tired and scared. The way I understood it from what my dad told me is that Rex wished that the prisoner wasn’t shot and he felt bad about it long after, though it wasn’t his fault nor could he have prevented it. Rex said that he heard the American that shot the prisoner later died from a direct mortar hit and the only traces of him were pieces of his uniform in the trees.
Rex was a very good man and I wish I had been old enough to get him to tell more stories. God bless him and his family and I am so grateful for people like him.
 

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