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Harold L. German Camp Hill, PA QCWA # 1969 OOTC # 1696 |
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Harold Leedom "Hal" German was the oldest son of Maude Thomas and Harry German. He grew up in Smethport, PA, and graduated from high school there.
Harold attended the RCA Institute in New York City, where he received certification as a radio broadcast engineer. He was an amateur radio operator as well, and radio took him many places he never anticipated after his first contact in 1933.
He joined the Naval Reserve in 1934 as a Radioman 3RD class, later an Ensign. In 1939, following the discovery of a spy at the London Embassy, President Roosevelt directed the navy and army to train a small number of men to be dispatched to major embassies as communications and code personnel in lieu of State Department civilians. Harold was one of those selected and was stationed at the Court of St. James, London, throughout the Blitz. Reassigned to duty in Washington just before Pearl Harbor, he spent the rest of WWII there as a CNO code and watch officer in the U.S. Navy on White House liaison.
Harold was a Captain in the Naval Reserve, and commanded the Naval Reserve Centers in Harrisburg, PA, and in Roanoke, VA, during his career.
He married Marguerite Howard in Washington, DC, on April 29, 1942. After WWII, they lived most of their lives in the Harrisburg, PA, area. They had two children, a son and daughter.
After WWII, Harold worked as a manufacturers' sales representative for over 20 years, returning to radio in 1967 as Communications Officer for PA Civil Defense until retirement.
He was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg, and a former senior warden there. He was on the board of Goodwill Industries of Harrisburg, And he was a member of the Harrisburg Radio Amateurs Club; his call sign was W3IMN
