Capt. John Baxter Scales, US Army Retired

Captain John Baxter Scales, P.E., US Army Retired, age 85, of Wilmington, died February 27, 2010 at the Lower Cape Fear Hospice Care Center. He was born March 9, 1924 in Mineola, LI, NY the son of the late Baxter Boyd Scales and Gretchen Attanasio Scales. He was preceded in death by a son, Col. David M Scales deceased at the Pentagon 9/11 He attended Hargrave Military Academy, Chatham, VA, graduated from Hempstead High School in 1942, and graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA in 1951 with a BS Degree in Ceramic Engineering and a Registered Professional Engineer license. Prior to matriculating at VPI, during World War II, he entered military service as a member of the 470th MP Escort Guard Co. As such, he made 6 voyages across the Atlantic Ocean transporting German and Italian POWs to the US and returned to Europe with American soldiers. Thus he accumulated more sea duty than many sailors. In November, 1944, he participated in the only live POW exchange between Allied and German POWs during World War II. After the war, he was assigned to the SHAEF in Paris, Gen Eisenhower?s HQ, and in Frankfurt, Germany with subsequent Honorable Discharge in April 1946 and enrollment at VPI. Through the Senior ROTC program at VPI, he received a US Army Reserve commission as 2nd Lt in the Ordnance Corps. After 42 years of Active National Guard and Reserve service, he retired in March 1984 with the rank of Captain. His civilian career included employment as a ceramic engineer with Ferro Corp, Brush Beryllim Co., National Carbon Research Labs, sales manager with US Stoneware Co., Norton Co, Economy Mfg. Co., and Denver Eqpt Co. He was active with SCORE Service Corps of Retired Executives, Piedmont World Trade Council, Exchange Club, American Legion, KD4HVV amateur radio license, and sang tenor in church and social choruses. He held life memberships in National Rifle Assn NRA, Reserve Officers Assn. ROA, Non-Commissioned Officers Assn NCOAA., Military Officers Assn. of America MOAA, and Military Order of the World Wars MOWW He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Dorothy Dreher Scales, three children, Robert Scales and wife Bonita of Lexington, KY, Nancy E. Tarascio and husband Chris of Wilmington, and Lisa A. Watkins and husband Troy of Easley, SC, and 11 grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at 3 PM, Saturday, March 6, 2010 at Andrews Valley Chapel. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. The family greatly appreciates the love and compassion given to them all by the staff of the Lower Cape Fear Hopice Life Center. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lower Cape Fear Hospice Life Care Center, 1406 Physicians Dr., Wilmington, NC 28401. Andrews Valley Chapel