Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 69 years ago

My dad was drafted in 1942 and spent 2 years working as an orderly in military hospitals. In October of 1944 he was transferred to the infantry.

69 years ago yesterday dad had just finished training as a rifleman replacement in Texas. He was given a 72 hour pass with a 250 mile travel limit. He put Little Rock Arkansas on his pass and left hitch hiking for Hickman Kentucky, about 500 miles away.

A driver dropped him off in front of the family farm on Sunday December 24 at about 10:30 AM. When he realized everyone was at church he hitched the last few miles and walked in unannounced just before the 11AM services started. He slept through church, spent the afternoon and evening with his family. At 6 AM Christmas morning his younger sister drove him into town and dropped him off. He made it back with about 2 hours to spare.

Within 3 weeks he was in Belgium. Most of the worst was over by the time he got there, but there was still some fighting to be done. They took his garand and painted a red cross on his helmet. He spent the rest of the war driving up to the front and returning wounded to field hospitals. He got home in March of 1946. He died in Feb. of this year 1 week prior to his 90th birthday.

Dad told that Christmas story every year. He always said he couldn't decide if it were his best or worst Christmas.

May God bless and keep him, and may his Christmas story continue to be told in your family for the next 100 years.

While up on a power tower, trying to restore electric service in Belgium, 69 years ago today,Dad was strafed by German fighter aircraft. A couple days later, captured. Sat in the snow until two of Patton's tanks showed up. The few remaining German guards, also cold and hungry, quickly surrendered. An engineers insignia on your uniform didn't mean you had easy duty.

I miss him.

God Bless all those brave men!