Page 88 - The History of Veterans at Highland Springs

EPIGMENIO QUINTANILLA JR.
HIGHLAND SPRINGS RESIDENT, ARMY
BY HELEN QUINTANILLA, WIDOW
Epigmenio Quintanilla Jr. Was born on May 29, 1933 in Laredo TX. He moved to Dallas around 1950 and graduated from Crosier technical high school in January 1953. He joined the United States army the following month in 1953.
After several months of basic training in Fort Ord, California, he was sent to St.Johann in Austria. His whole group had to take skiing lessons - as most of the guys were from the South, some from Hawaii!
In 1954 he was sent to the USAREUR Ordinance school in Fuessen, Germany, where he met his future wife Helen, who was an employee of the United States army. He fell in love with Helen and was able to come back to see her almost every weekend for many months. Which was some feat because of the great distance between St. Johann and Fuessen. He had to change trains in Salzburg, Munich, Buchloe, and Kaufenbeuren. It took p most of his Saturdays and it was the same thing going back to Austria. Epi and Helen finally got married on December 27, 1955 in Fuessen.
His travel time became somewhat easier after the us Army had to leave Austria in 1955 and he was transferred to Neu-Ulm. There he was able to join the Army band and things brightened up for him.
After the marriage in 1955 he was discharged at Fort Dix, NJ, on January 13, 1956 and sent home with a Good Conduct Medal. Helen was able to join him in Dallas, TX in May 1956, where they have lived ever since.
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