Ben Allgor
Photo: Ben and Connie Allgor relaxing near Traverse City, MI. 08/09/2003
After a little over two years in the Michigan Air National Guard, I enlisted in the Army for the Nike Ajax Fire Control System Maintenance course. In Sept. of 1957 I
arrived at Ft. Bliss and started school. I was at RCRC from Aug. 1958 until it closed in June 1959. I was assigned to an IFC (I forget which) where I decided to work in the supply van to keep busy. I then went to McGregor Range until March of 1960. At this time they were clearing out our crowded MOS, so I went to Ft. Gordon, GA for three months retraining to Field Radio Repair, and then to Verdun France for 3 years. In France I was in charge of the signal repair department in the Verdun General Depot, and I was able to get some good jobs designing and building special equipment (mobile PA System, depot intercom system, war room electronic clock).After Verdun I went to Sacramento Army Depot in CA for 6 months, and then headed home. At home I started working as an electronics technician ($1.50/hr). It took me two jobs and two years to get back to the take-home pay that I had in the Army, but eventually I was Vice President of Engineering at Allen Testproducts which was the biggest manufacturer of automotive diagnostic equipment in the U.S. After 30 years there I left to go into consulting. Now I am semi-retired and still doing some consulting.
I was married just before I left McGregor Range, and had two kids later. After 20 years that marriage ended. I then met and married my wife Connie (in the picture). We have now been married 21 years, and still going. We have four children (an Engineer, Social Worker, Nurse-Midwife, Teacher) and six grandchildren.
The picture was taken in front of my brother-in-law's cabin in the area of Traverse City Michigan. We were on a little get-away.
Ben Allgor
01/08/59 Ben Allgor, top left, received his College GED Certificate in the RCRC Chapel.
Photo was taken 8 Jan 59. This is a group of people that receive GED certificates from General George W. Power, CG, 1st GM Brigade. The officers in the picture from left to right are Col. A. Kopzsak, CO 2nd GM GP, Lt. Col. McCarthy, RC Rng Bn Cmdr., Brig Gen George W. Power, CG 1st GM Brigade. The EM were not identified, but I have another paper that gives the following names of men receiving certificates.
College Level GED:
Allgor, Clarence B., Altringer, John J., Vrshek, Keneth M.
High School GED:
Bobo, Joe L., Brock, Daniel M., Copperwheat, Peter D., Edwards, Richard W.,
Koppang, Roger D., Martin, Charlie H., Miller, Kenneth C., Purnell, Henry E.,
Radcliff, Gary D., Reid, Bobby C., Salansky, Ronald L., Sawyer, L.D., Schliessman, Allen E., Shropshire, Spellman, Smith, Robert L., Steidl, Nicholas, Summerville, Ben,
Swann, Orman E., Torres, Santiago H., Watson, Woodrow, Williams, Julian D.
This list gives 24 names, but only 15 men are in the picture. I am on the left end, but I can’t identify anyone else. It does show the inside of the chapel.
Ben