Lt. John Mancke Photo Gallery
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John Irwin Manecke
(1924 - 2015)
Dear Ted and Tom,
You recently repaired and restored an 80-year-old Hamilton Wilshire watch for Bob Stokes.
The watch is inscribed “Col. Frank Whitehead / U.S.M C / Staff A.I.C. / 12.23.’41”. It was presented to the Colonel by the staff of the Army Industrial College after the graduation of the final class immediately after America entered WWII. Col. Whitehead was the last pre-war Commandant of AIC, and he retired from the Corps at the rank of Brigadier General on January 1, 1946 – the day before I was born. Significantly, he was my cousin.
After Bob Stokes acquired the watch and somehow (amazingly) learned that I was related to its original wearer, he sent the watch to you for repair and restoration; he and I have been communicating regularly since early February. Today, I received from Bob what appears to be a brand new Hamilton Wilshire watch.
On behalf of my Family and its generations yet to come, I cannot thank you enough for your expert craftsmanship in repairing and restoring my cousin’s watch, and to Bob for sending it back to its Family. Should I or anyone I know (especially all my Texas Friends!) ever require watch repairs, rest assured that The Watch Doc will be the first call made. You truly perform “watch miracles”.
Thanks again & best regards,
Gale Heslop