This post is a little different. Usually I share some images I have taken, but this time I dip into history. I know it was 70 years since Pearl Harbor this past week, but I was watching Victory in Europe on the Military Channel the other night and it got me to thinking. One thing was how times have changed. Now days there is the Internet and Skye while back in World War II there was the US Mail. The other thing was that it reminded me of a project I have been working on. Shirley's uncle Arthur and also her godfather passed away this past summer. He served in the Army during WWII and spoke about some of his service in our last visit. He left a few boxes of pictures when he died and I volunteered to scan them in and put them on a DVD so everyone in the family had them. Shirley's uncle served in the 29th Division during the war. He and his wife Marie kept many pictures and keepsakes. I remembered seeing some images and letters from scanning. The 29th Division landed at D-Day and fought some hard battles in Europe.
He was a member of 29th Div., 110th Field Artillery Battalion from April, 1941 until he was shipped to England October, 1942. He was then transferred to the 224th Field Artillery of the 29th Division. He participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Northern France and the Rhineland, Germany. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Oak Leaf Cluster, American Defense Service Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with Bronze Arrowhead. He was awarded an honorable discharge July, 1945.
He was married to the former Marie Fogle of Thurmont for 57 years. They married after he returned from the war and lived in Thurmont.
Here are some parts of letters from the time of VE day in May 1945.
A letter from Art to Marie Fogle on May 7, 1945:
My Dear Darling,
Well I suppose there will be a great time over there tomorrow seeing it is VE Day. When did you hear of it first, Marie? I know it was coming but tonight I heard it was to be tomorrow. It is a great feeling to know its over at last. I wish the Japs would give up too. I thank God that he left me live to see it. I hope he blesses us and makes all our dreams come true.
Another letter the next day:
Somewhere in Germany
May 8, 1945
My Dear Darling,
Well today was the great day all over the world. We had to work today, but we have tomorrow off. There were a lot of things to think about today. You could not help think of your buddies and all those who gave their lifes to win the peace. I hope the world doesn't forget them and all they gave for their country. I hope too they don't forget the boys who are left and all they have gone trough.
You know darling its seems funny to not to put the blackouts up. I guess England is really lighted up tonight. I sure wish I could get home soon, but it looks like it will be a good while yet, until I see you. I guess we can wait a little while longer seeing as we waited this long.
Further in the letter he wrote:
You know sweetheart, I didn't feel excited today at all. It was almost like another day to me. We have been looking forward so long to this day that when it came we were almost tired of looking for it. It is a great day though but that great day will be when I can hold you in my arms again. My God let it be soon.
I can't wait to see more of the images and letters as I continue to scan them into the computer. I love history so this project is a labor of love.
