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 Ralph E. Sincere
August 13, 2006
Ralph E. Sincere, 97, formerly of New Hampshire Avenue, died Sunday, Aug. 13, after a long illness at Hillcrest Commons, where he had lived for the past three years.
Born in Pittsfield on Oct. 9, 1908, son of Frederick and Lena Laber Sincere, he attended Pittsfield schools and was a Pittsfield High School graduate.
Mr. Sincere was an Army veteran of World War II, serving as a combat infantryman with the 423rd Infantry Regiment, 106 Division. He served at the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium.
Mr. Sincere was a longtime employee of General Electric Co., retiring in 1974.
He was member of the Morningside Baptist Church, where he formerly served as a deacon.
Mr. Sincere was a 50-year member of the Berkshire Hills Country Club, and was known for his golfing prowess. He also enjoyed reading and was a Red Sox fan, and he took an active interest in the affairs of his large extended family.
Mr. Sincere leaves his companion, Ellen Jane Wood of Pittsfield, with whom he resided.
FUNERAL NOTICE -- The funeral for Mr. Ralph Sincere, who died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, will be held Thursday, Aug. 17, at 11 a.m. at the WELLINGTON FUNERAL HOME, 200 East St., Pittsfield, MA 01201, with the Rev. Suzanna Zacher, pastor of Morningside Baptist Church, officiating.
Burial will follow in Pittsfield Cemetery. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Morningside Baptist Church in care of the funeral home. He also leaves a sister-in-law, Muriel Jenks, a brother-in-law, Foster McRell, and many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Sincere joined the U.S. Army, where he served with distinction, during World War II, as a combat infantryman with the 423rd Infantry Regiment, 106 Division. In the last major battle of World War II, The Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium, the 423rd Infantry regiment suffered casualties of about 90 percent and the remaining 200 men were faced with surrender when suffering from frostbite and dehydration, they ran out of ammunition and food.
Mr. Sincere was one out of 57 men who chose to fight out as independent individuals, rather than surrender. They fought anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, scavenging rations and weapons from the battlefield. The most noteworthy accomplishment made by the men of the 423rd infantry and the 106 Division was their ability to bear the brunt of the surpass German attack and stall its advance for six days until major Allied reinforcements could arrive to drive the German army back into Germany.
Except for a small number of more experienced soldiers, such as Mr. Sincere, most of American soldiers were "green troops" with no combat experience. The ability of these American troops to fight on long after losing most of their officers and the command structure is often cited as an example of the value of having an army that is composed of resilient, but more independent troops.
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