Dearest Sweetheart

Jeanne Walser Price

Description

Letters from a GI to his wife during WWII. (from the intro) “This is a love story of World War II. Every word is true, every person Is real, and every place is real. I pray that it may remind those who read it, what enormous sacrifices were made for us. I hope you enjoy the book.”

Sujets

• Histoire
• WW2
• Segunda Guerra Mundial
• GIS (disambiguation)
• World War II
• History
• Seconde Guerre mondiale

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 15 juin 1999
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781681622477
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

TURNER PUBLISHING COMPANY
Turner Publishing Company Staff:
Editor: Herbert C. Banks II
Designer: Heather R. Warren
Copyright 1999 Jeanne Walser Price
Publishing Rights: Turner Publishing Company
Library of Congress Catalog
Card No: 99-61090
ISBN: 978-1-56311-502-8
This book or any part thereof may not be
reproduced without written consent of the author and publisher.
This book was produced using available material.
The publisher regrets it cannot assume liability for errors or omissions.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Introduction
Acknowledgments
Preface
Part 1: Basic Training
The Letters
Christmas, 1943
The Letters
Overseas Furlough
Embarkation
The Letters
Embarkation - Camp Shanks
The Letters
Part 2: England
Atlantic Crossing
Yeovil Somerset
The Letters
Andover, Hampshire, Tidworth Garrison
The Letters
Part 3: Combat
The Letters
Germany
The Letters
Germany, Roer River
Part 4: Army Hospitals
Army Field Hospitals
Army Evacuation Hospital
The Letters
Baxter General Hospital
The Letters
Convalescent Furlough
Hot Springs Arkansas
The Letters
Part 5: Fort Ord
The Letters
Fort Ord, After the War
Afterword
Sources
Dedication

Dedicated to the G I s, the men and women who gave their lives in this terrible war, so we might live in peace. God bless them all.
Introduction
Jack and I had both come from families who had great regard for saving family records and letters. We each had ancestors who had fought in every war, for causes they believed in, beginning with our own American Revolution
The Price family had settled in Virginia and later in Brazeau, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. My mother s family had also settled in Virginia and later in Mississippi and Alabama. My grandfather, John Hatfield, was a confederate veteran. Both Jack s and my grandparents lived with us so we have their letters and papers, also.
As soon as Jack received that Draft Notice we realized we were now a part of history, whether we liked it or not. I wrote to Jack each day, with every detail of the baby s and my life. He wrote to me every day, since he was a clerk at Camp Fannin and then in England. Understandably, he was not able to save my letters. Naturally, the daily letters ended when he went into combat. Even so, he did remarkably well.
His letters are a day by day account of the life of an ordinary G I missing his home and family. They are sad, happy, humorous, touching, and sometimes very profound.
When the war was over and Jack returned to civilian life he was very fortunate. He had a position waiting for him with J.J. Newberry Company (retail stores) as assistant manager. He was in the retail business all of his working life. He was transferred constantly as manager.
We had three more children and where Daddy went, we went! In 1976, after moving to Texas, Jack s company (W.E. Walker Stores, Inc.) transferred him to Tyler, Texas as Supervisor. It was something we had never imagined and brought a flood of memories. The next few years were happy indeed.
We had always planned to assemble Jack s war letters and papers and pictures in a notebook for our children. We began reading some of the letters and the papers which had been carefully kept in boxes. We had kept everything, including his full uniform with all the insignia (on a hanger.) It all went where we went!
Sadly, Jack became ill shortly after our project began. He died February 12, 1984, in Tyler. He was buried with full Military Honors in Hunt Japonica Cemetery near Kerrville.
We had expected to retire in Kerrville, since our children are all in that area. After my move there in 1988, having my own house, I made a work place for myself in a dormer room. I learned to use a computer, and began our book in earnest. The dining room table downstairs became a World War II War Room for the duration!.
Jack and I had always planned to go to Europe, to all the places he had been. However, we wanted to wait until he retired so we could spend more time there. That was a mistake!
I became determined to finish what we had started. There were a thousand questions I wished I had asked him. I simply had to see the places he had been. Therefore, in September, 1994, I set out for Europe with my niece, Phyllis Fletcher, of Santa Barbara, California. We visited Tidworth, England, then to the Ardennes where we rented a car and drove to Stavelot, Belgium. It was the 50th anniversary of their liberation by the Americans on September 12, 1943, and in the Battle of the Bulge. December, 1944. We then went into Germany where Jack had been wounded. The book was complete except, Part III Combat. When I returned I finished writing it. I had to be certain the events and places were historically correct in every detail.
This is a love story of World War II. Every word is true, every person Is real, and every place is real. I pray that it may remind those who read it, what enormous sacrifices were made for us. I hope you enjoy the book.
Acknowledgments
Since I first began writing this book I have been constantly amazed at the interest and help from so many people. I may not be able to thank everyone, but I shall surely try.
Tyler. Texas: Carnegie Library, Sally Harper, for helping when I started my research. Carnegie Museum, Alice Gilbert, for presenting Jack s letters to the museum. Gordon Nielson, for writing our love story in his book, Camp Fannin, Texas. Zelda Boucher, for publishing Jack s letters in The Chronicles of Smith Countv, Texas. Winter 1993. Mary Jane McNamara, many thanks for old pictures of the Blackstone Hotel and Smith County Courthouse. Betty Smith, for loving England and reading about it as fast as I could write. Viola Errett, for her hospitality at the reunions, the fun of selling things, and our talking all night. Kay and Paul Lockhart, for just being there, close neighbors, close friends.
England: Jack Sweet, Yoevil, Somerset, many thanks for books, information, histories and especially the photographs of Yeovil in this book and for visiting us. The Pickernell family, Ken and Gwen, Tony and Julie, Tidworth, Hamshire, for being family to Phyllis and me. On our first visit to Tidworth, we were shown through all parts of that very strict milittary post. On our 1994 visit, Tony obtained special permission to take us inside Tidworth House, where he brought out the guest book which now contains the signatures of both Queen Elizabeth...and Jeanne Price! The Pickernells have visited us in California and then in Texas. We have shared many happy times; have exchanged gifts, including a tankard which had been in the Pickernell family for generations; and will be treasured by our family, also. We have made memories that will last a lifetime.
Combat, Bulge, and Germanv: Madeleine and Joseph Dejardin, Stavelot Belgium, for their gracious hospitality when Phyllis and I visited in September, 1994, and for their delightful correspondence since. Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, Inc. (of which I am a member), for queries in the Bulee Bugle regarding Jack s records. John D. Bowen, VBOB, for much helpful information in searching for Jack s lost records. Frank Towers, 30th Division, for books and insignia. Grover Twiner, 30th Division, for his help. One special thank you to the wonderful army doctors and nurses who gave so much and truly cared. God bless them every one.
Kerrville. Texas: The entire staff at Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library, for the display of Jack s uniform and memorabilia and for all of their assistance. There was no end to their help, from reference to inter-library loans. Kerrville Daily Times newspaper for the splendid front page article on Sunday July 30, 1995, about the books I was writing. Radio station KERV, for such beautiful music 24 hours a day, including our old wartime favorites --just what I needed when writing at 2 A.M. So Fast Printing, Wally and the whole staff, for their help, the extra things, the perfect work, and a fun place to be. Lupe Lopez, who does my hair at the Hair Pen where I have written many rough drafts while under the dryer. My friend Donna Steichen who listened to every word I wrote, Sunday after Sunday, driving to St. John s Anglican Church in Boerne, Texas. That is a friend. John Henry Key, USMC retired, Boerne, for books and researching records. Major James Kerr Chapter NSDAR, for our members support and interest and their accepting Footsteps in the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. Captain Charles Schreiner Chapter UDC, for our members encouragement. And, special thanks to Clarabelle Snodgrass, who told Mr. Turner about my book. Now, special thanksto my dear and oldest friend, Maryellen Walker Maclin, of Searcy, Arkansas and her husband John, for my lovely visits there, always reading what I wrote, and for being so encouraging.

I worked one night each week at the Red Cross making bandages. We wore as white uniform and this headband, with a hairnet. We could not wear lipstick or nail polish. everything had to be completely sterile. We all knew that our own loved one might need the bandage we made.
And, my family The children -- our daughter Peggy and her husband Bill Braun and our grandson Will Braun; our son Bill Price and our granddaughter Rachael Jeanne Price; our daughter Judi and her husband Rob Walts; and our son John Price, for all the holiday meals eaten on TV trays because the dining room table was being used as a war room. Unpack the china! And, my California chick, Phyllis Fletcher, Little Phillie , who traveled with me and cheered me on when I was convinced I would never finish. Without Peggy and Phyllis there would be no book!
Preface
Aug 21 1943
The President of the United States,
To John Kenrick Price . Order No 1026
GREETING:
You are hereby notified.....
The dreaded message had finally arrived, the order to report for induction! Jack and I had married on November 22, 1940. We were high school sweethearts and the first