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Art Diamond

Art Diamond

Art Diamond

Art Diamond, an instrumental force in Jewish War Veterans Post 344, passed away Sept. 29, 2017, in Denver. He was 94. Rabbi Rick Rheins officiated at the Oct. 3 graveside service at Ft. Logan National Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.

Born in New York City, Mr. Diamond apprenticed with the Treasury Department in Washington, DC, after high school.

He voluntarily joined the US Army in 1942. Experienced with printing and maps, he was assigned to the Army Corp of Engineers.

Mr. Diamond took classes in mine detection and mine detonation, as well as bridge, road and boat building.

He was accepted into the Army Specialized Training Program and went to Niagara University.

In January of 1944, Mr. Diamond was assigned to the 104th Infantry Division of the Seventh Corps of the 3rd Armored Division (“The Timberwolves”).

Legendary Gen. Maurice Rose, a Denver native (after whom Rose Medical Center is named), commanded the soldiers.

“In February, we were responsible for clearing a roadblock on the road to Cologne, Germany,” Mr. Diamond told the IJN in 2013. “It was very bad — mined and zeroed in — but the tanks had to get through. We had the task of clearing the road.”

The fourth tank that managed to advance on the road pulled over to the side.

A general hopped out of the vehicle, went directly over to the wounded “and shared words of encourage- ment in their darkest hour,” Mr. Diamond said.

“I’d never seen a major general do anything like that. I asked the driver, ‘Who in the world is that?’

“The driver said, ‘Oh, that’s General Rose. He’s always at the front. We call him our point man — our spearhead man. Whenever the tanks are rolling, he’s up front.’”

Mr. Diamond’s division helped liberate two concentration camps, Mauthausen and Nordhausen-Dora.

Honorably discharged in 1946, he took a week off and returned to his job at the US Dept. of Treasury’s Engraving Division.

Mr. Diamond met his future bride Ruth in New York. They saw each other only three times before they married in 1950.

During the Korean War, he served in the Air National Guard as part of the Air Force control and warning squadron.

A stockbroker and bank investment officer, Mr. Diamond was an adult education teacher of English to foreign-language speakers.

He loved history, traveling, dancing and writing.

The Diamonds moved from Florida to Colorado in 2011.

His admiration for Gen. Rose led Mr. Diamond to create a presentation of the general’s life. Dressed in a Spearhead Division jacket, he performed throughout Denver.

Working with JWV Post 344, he was instrumental in obtaining an exhibit dedicated to Gen. Rose at Rose Medical Center.

An active member of JWV Post 344, Mr. Diamond arranged for speakers to address the group and thereby increase membership and attendance.

Art Diamond is survived by his loving wife of 67 years Ruth Diamond; daughter Linda (Alan) Weinstein and sons Mark (Tamyre) and Gary (Jennifer) Diamond; grandchildren Geri Weinstein, Cory Weinstein, Moorea Diamond and Breea Diamond; and brother Herbert (Dottie) Diamond.

Contributions may be made to JWV Post 344 and the Jewish National Fund.

Copyright © 2017 by the Intermountain Jewish News




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