Team Memoirs Group No. 5: A Soldier's Journey

I was senior in high school in 1943 - The war in Europe was in full swing. The destiny of all the boys was the military by volunteer or the Draft. I was not permitted to finish high school as I was called shortly after registration.





• Off to Texas for basic training. Next to Georgia for Paratroop training. Next to North Carolina for Radio school. Then to New York for the boat to go to Europe.

• Seven days on the cold Atlantic.

• Sea-sick all seven days.

• It was a large Convoy with many Navy destroyers

looking for German submarines.

• Landed in England and dry land.

• Assigned a communications job as a replacement for a person who would never come home.

• Joined the 82nd Airborne Division.

• Lots of training for D-Day - landing in France.

• D-Day came with many anxious moments and fears, some casualties, lots of hardships, tired and hungry.

• Lots of missions and skirmishes but the Germans were pushed out of France. • Next came the Battle of the Bulge with the entire 82nd Division being called to Holland and Belgium.


Patton's Armored Division destroyed the German forces and moved into Germany. The war was coming to a close now, so the thought of going home was on everyone's mind. Who would be the first to go? Many of the guys had been through North Africa, Sicily, Italy, D-Day and the Bulge.

They were first and decidedly so. They had already given their full measure!

A quote from General Patton:

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died,

rather, we should thank God that such men lived.

The second group were us youngsters, 21 years old or younger, chosen for

redeployment to the Pacific. The invasion of Japan was in the planning stages.

Our group arrived at the boat for the trip home. Only four days to get back, no convoy, no subs. We arrived at the New York harbor, which was calm and sunny. Dead ahead was the Statue of Liberty. There were a few tears on my cheeks. In spite of an uncertain future, I knew I was home.


I say to you folks, when you hear the Star Spangled Banner,

stand up, put your hand over your heart and be ever so thankful

that you livein the land of the free and the brave!


—Paul Hawthorne