Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-02-11
interpreter at Plant
Knew Three Armies

The world in turmoil is mirror
ed in the life of Andre Imbert, 81 !
year-old native of France who this
week became an interpreter at the
Anaconda Aluminium Co. plant.
Imbert has served in the armed
forces of Germany, France and the
United States. When the AAC per-
sonnet office asked the routine
question, military service" there
really was an answer.
The GonZaga university Junior
majoring In mechanical engineer
ing is to serve as Interpreter for
Jean Collet, technician for the
Pechiney Co. of France, who ar
rived here this week to be a con-
sultant in installations at the Mon
tana plant. The vertical pin Sod
erberg aluminium pot designed and
developed by the Pechiney Co. at
their plant at St. Jean de Mauri-
enne in the French alps near the
Italian border is being used at the
new Flathead plant.
Both Imbert and Mr.. and Mrs.
Collet were not distressed at the
winters first plunge below zero
Thursday. The Collets have lived
in the French alps. Mr.. Collet, an
outstanding aluminium. plant tech
nician can speak a few words of
English. The couple were living
| in Paris.
Imbert. the engineering student
interpreter is a sandy-haired blue
eyed French native who weighs 100
/ pounds and stands over 6 feet tall.
He was born in Sarre- Union, Al
SAGE, where his father was a chem
ical engineer.
The Germans occupied his home
city in 1949, and in 1912 when 1917
years old he was taken out of high
school and drafted into the Ger
man air force ground service.
There was one Frenchman placed
among 100 Germans, and the Is
year-old obeyed orders.
In December, 1914 he was cap
tured in Metz, capital of Lorraine
by General Patton's army, and
stayed in prison camps for about
| eight weeks. Finally he established
his French citizenship, and return
ed to high school at Phalsbourg,
Lorraine where he finished in
January, 1948.
Next step was to join the French
army for II months of compulsory
military training. He became a
sergeant.
Meanwhile Captain Earl Saund-
ers, now of Bismarck, N. Oak. had
become acquainted with the fam
lily, and there was correspondence
continued after the war.
In 1850 young Andre Imbert ar
rived in New York City where he
was met by Saunders, then a civil
ian, and living in Spokane.
America was entering the Kor-
can conflict. Aliens were subject
to draft. Imbert joined the national
guard at Spokane, and then in 1851
was sent to England for 81 month:
with the unit.
The young Frenchman had NJ
bitterness at being back in uniform
for the third time. He added &C,
really learned English being with
those boys from Spokane"
There was also the added bene-
fit of being able to see his family
in France often. His father, how.
ever, had passed away in 1850, blu
5 there was his mother and two sis
tiers, one of them married to al
engineer in Paris. An older bro.
Their had died during the war.
The American Army service al
so resulted in Imbert getting &c.
bill" advantages, and he entered
Gonzaga on returning to the States
and has become an American citi-
zen.
He likes the idea of spending
some time in the Flathead, ant
heard about this mountain recrea
tional area. There is also the pros
pect of practical engineering ex
perience seeing new aluminium
plant being completed.
The mans experiences AM
pleasant personality made the hou
talk with him for this interview
go remarkably fast. MF