THEODORE IRA SPAULDING

Theodore Ira Spaulding was born September 28, 1913 to John Ira and Louisa (Sherritt) Spaulding at Sherwood, ND. He grew up in Sherwood and graduated from Sherwood High School in 1931. In his youth he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and later a member of the United Methodist Church. When Ted was twelve years old he began his working career. He sold magazines and newspapers and pulled a wagon around Sherwood delivering milk for his family's dairy. From 1931 through 1938 he worked in the Sherwood Creamery.

At the age of twenty, Ted rode on a freight train to Montana where he worked in a coal mine for a short time and again took a freight train (riding in a box car) to Washington State where he picked apples in an orchard. He moved on to San Francisco, CA, where he attended Heald's Business College and worked as a long- shoreman. He was employed at Seal's Stadium for a year before moving to Dutch Flat, CA, where he mined gold in the Trixie Gold Mine. He moved to Phoenix, AZ and drove a truck for the Arizona Express between Phoenix and Los Angeles for a year.

In 1936 he returned to San Francisco where he was employed as a clerk for the John's Manville Corporation. Ted then moved to Salinas, CA and attended Salinas College, now Hartnell, for two years, from 1938 to 1940. He was elected student body president both years and in his second year he won the American Legion Award for "male graduate of the year".

In 1940 he attended the University of California at Berkeley for one semester before being mobilized with the California National Guard. He was transferred to Ft. Lewis, WA in the spring of 1941 where he attended Officer's Training School, and graduated as a second lieutenant in the Salinas 194th Tank Battalion. The battalion was sent to Ft. Stotsenberg, Philippine Islands,in September 1941. Ted served in the combat infantry from December 1941 through April 8, 1942 when the U.S.-Philippine forces were ordered to surrender to Japan. He was on the infamous "Death March" after which he spent three and one half years in Japanese prisoner of war camps O'Donnell, Cabanatuan #1 and #3 and Bilibid. He was on three of the Japanese "Hell Ships" traveling to Japan. The prisoners were transported to work in Japanese labor camps. They were in Inchon, Korea at the time they were liberated.

After arriving at home in North Dakota, Ted married Ardes E. Holmberg February 3, 1946 at Minot, ND. Ted remained in the U.S. Army until 1953 when he moved to South Dakota The Spauldings were stationed in Swannanoa, NC (Army Hospital); Ft. McClellan, AL; Ft. Jackson, SC; Camp Carson, CO; and three years at Fort Ord, CA. In 1950 Ted trained recruits called out for the Korean War at Camp Carson. He had previously been assigned as Army advisor to the South Dakota National Guard and m 1950 they purchased their farm and land near Huron, SD.

His next and last Army assignment was as Army advisor to the Iowa National Guard. In 1958 Ted requested a discharge from the Army, which was made possible by President Truman. He returned to Huron where he entered the South Dakota National Guard. In 1978he retired from the National Guard as Brigadier General, Assistant Adjutant General after thirty-seven years in the service of his country, twelve in the active Army. Ted graduated from Huron College in 1955 and taught at Huron Senior High School, Huron Junior High School, and Miller High School and for a short time was principal and teacher at Custer School.

For thirty years he operated an Angus cattle business on his farm. He served as state supervisor for the Selective Service for ten years, from 1966-76. Ted was elected to the South Dakota State Senate where he served for two years. He also served on the Oahe Conservancy Board for four years and later was appointed to the State Board of Charities and Corrections, which he continued for nine years, including two years as chairman. He was on the Huron College Board of Trustees for a time and a member of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota as well as a member of the Huron School Board. Ted was on the Valley Township Board in 1954. He was in the Huron Elks Lodge in 1954-56 and in the Huron Kiwanis Club in the 1970's. He was a member of the National Guard Association, and the South Dakota Guard Association. Ted was a Mason and a Shriner, a member of the Tyrian Masonic Lodge at Sherwood, ND, and the ZaGaZig Shrine of Des Moines, IA.

Ted won many medals, some of which were the Purple Heart, Philippine Defense Medal, Prisoner of War Medal for Honorable Service, Combat Infantry Badge, Legion of Merit, Presidential Unit Citation with two Oak Leaf Clusters for performance during the Philippine Campaign, Pacific Campaign Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Medal. He also received the Selective Service Award for Meritorious Service. He received the Commandant's Award for Meritorious Service to the South Dakota Military Academy during its existence. In 1962 the Huron Chamber of Commerce voted him as "Boss of the Year" as a result of his leadership in the National Guard. Ted was a member of the American Legion, the 149th Armor Regiment, Seaside, CA, Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was a faithful member of the Survivors of Bataan and Corregidor organization.

He had an article published in the National Guard magazine and he and his wife, Ardes, wrote a book, "Itchy Feet,"about Ted's and their family experiences.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Ardes; two daughters, Deborah and her husband, Randy Lincoln, and Rebecca and her husband, Rodney Freeman; two sons, T Mark and his wife, Lisa Spaulding, and Matthew and his wife, Jodi Spaulding; thirteen grand-children; one great-grandson; two brothers and one sister. Ted was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Maxine Anderson; one brother, Bill Spaulding; and one grandson, Randall Lincoln, Jr. Ted died Friday evening, January 4, 2002 at his home after a long illness. He had attained the age of eighty-eight years, three months and seven days.