1st Lt Onore E. Case Biography-1
1st Lt Onore "Casey" Case & his Junghans Watch
Onore Elder “Casey” Case (1926-2014) was a distinguished career Army soldier, enlisting as a Private in 1944 and retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1971. He was born in Italy, and emigrated with his family to Colorado as a young boy. Tragically, Onore’s mother died when he was ten; because of the Depression, his father was unable to take care of Onore and his two younger brothers. Onore was placed in Denver’s J. K. Mullens Catholic boys home, and graduated from their high school in 1944.
He served his country in WW2, in Cold War Germany & Austria, in Korea, and Vietnam. During his career, Onore's assignments included the 4th Infantry Division during WW2; the 4th Constabulary Squadron in Austria (1946-), the 2nd Armored Division in Germany (1951-54); and the Commanding Officer of the 308th Aviation Battalion / 12th Aviation Group in Vietnam. Onore was honored with a Legion of Merit medal for his service in Vietnam, and the Army Commendation medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters.
In 1954, upon completing his tour-of-duty in Germany, he purchased a Junghans automatic wrist watch. Casey had it custom-engraved with the insignia of his 2nd Armored Division and "1st Lt Onore E. Case ~ Germany 1951-1954".
Casey's watch was returned to his daughter Katherine & son-in-law Doug Benjamin in August 2020.