of Private Melvin W. Johnson
Guestbook
Add articles, stories, photos, or just let us know you stopped by!
Thank you for visiting the WW2 Letters of Private Melvin W. Johnson. I'd like to know that you were here and what you think of the site, what you'd like to see added, etc. Additionally, if you have any articles, personal stories, or photos that you'd like to see added to the site, let me know as well. And finally, if you'd like to add someone to the Honor Roll, just drop me a line! Again, thank you for visiting. Hope to see you back on these pages!
ADD TO THE GUESTBOOK
I just found your site today and was well pleased to find it. I didn't have time to read all the letters, but I will be back. I have a letter (v-mail) from my grandmother-in-law's nephew. I want to find it and add it to this site. I never knew the concept of v-mail. I thought they used the thin paper to save weight. I was glad to hear your explanation of it. I will be glad to read anything you have to say on this subject. I'm especially interested in life on the home front during the war. I'll be in touch again. Deb
Debbie Morris
Tennessee
3 June 2008
Hi,
I just found your web site yesterday. What a great collection of information and tribute to your grandfather. I wish I'd found it sooner.
The maps and documents of the 314th, 3rd Battalion were extremely helpful.
My father, Edwin C. Jackson, was the CO for I Company of the 314th. He passed away about a year after leading a very blessed life. I'm putting together a display of his medals and I've become somewhat obsessed with finding out about his time in the Army. He didn't talk about it much.
One of the things I've done is pulled together a chronology of his military service. It is very similar to the timeline on your web site. I have gotten information from several sources. I noticed your timeline is much more complete than the information I gleaned from the 3rd Battalion documents. I'd greatly appreciate knowing where you got the information to do yours.
My Dad had some pictures during his training with the 42nd Infantry Division and a few of his time in Europe. I will go through them to see if there might be any you could use. If I find some, how do I get them to you and in what format would you like them?
Thanks in advance for your help and thanks for maintaining such a great web site to honor those who served our country.
Phil Jackson
Pinckney, MI
10 March 2008
My tribute to the First Scout Co, First Marine Division
I often hear of how the Marines at Guadacanal "took no prisoners." My Dad, Fred Balester, tells it differently in his memoirs. He served with the First Marine Division, First Scout Co. Here is an excerpt:
- "I was leading a line company one day; we were moving along
at a good pace when the man just behind me said there was a
Jap lying in some bushes alongside the trail. Sure enough,
there was a Japanese soldier lying there with his eyes wide
open but apparently unable to move. The company sergeant came
up to me just then and said, 'Shoot him.' I replied that I
did not shoot helpless men, not even Japs. If he wanted him
killed he could shoot him himself. He then ordered one of his
men to shoot the Jap, but he, too, refused. The upshot of it
was that no one wanted to kill a sick and helpless man, so
they had to make a stretcher and carry him back to camp.
Carrying a man on a stretcher seven or eight miles over a
rough jungle trail is hard work, and there was some talk of
dropping him in one of the rivers, but they got him back to
camp. I guess he was too far gone to save because I heard
that he died a few days later of acute starvation."
I was extremely touched by the letters of your grandparents . I found this web site while trying to find out about my uncle who died on 13 June 1944 in Normandy, France. He was in the British Army and died at the young age of 21 years. Unfortunately, I never knew my uncle like you never knew your grandfather. That generation certainly were very tough but incredibly decent and nice at the same time. We can still learn from them. This is a very special website and I congratulate you.
Stewart Macaulay
Johannesburg
South Africa
3 September 2007
Dear Michael,
I took the liberty to e-mail you personally. Perhaps I have made contact with you before. I am a new member of the "WWII site" and caught your recent post. May I say, the web site devoted to your grandfather is, without a doubt, the best web site of its kind I have seen so far. The way it is layed out, with history, photos, letters (shown in original form) etc is awesome. And I have visited hundreds of similar web pages.
I found this site some months ago while researching the U.S. VIII Corps which the 79th Division was attached during July 1944. My father's division, the 8th Infantry Division, was next to the 79th in front of La Haye du Puits. If I recall, the 314th Infantry liberated the town. Interestingly, my father's regiment, the 13th Infantry, did not enter combat until 9 July 1944, however, the 3rd Battalion, 13th Inf., saw its first day of combat one day earlier, when they were given the mission to sweep La Haye du Puits for snipers and resistance that were by-passed when the 314th Inf., passed through. So it seems, your grandfather, and my dad were close neighbors for that short period.
Again, excellent job on the site. It is a fitting tribute to a World War II infantryman, and your grandfather.
Sincerely,
Greg Canellis
March 22, 2006
Dear Michael,
I was deeply touched by Melvin Johnson's letters to his wife for two reasons.
For one thing, like my father, he was born in 1914 and served in World War II. For another, his letters started with 'Dearest', the same term of endearment used by my father when he wrote letters to my mother during the war.
Unlike my father, Melvin lived only to the age of thirty but his letters tell us much about his years in the army.
Sixty years later, tears come to my eyes when I think about this soldier who did not make it back.
Thanks for setting up such a user-friendly site for easy surfing.
Nitin K. Shankar http://home.page.ch/pub/nitin@vtx.ch
nitin@vtx.ch
Ecublens, Switzerland
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Great-Great Website. Thank You-God Bless. WW2-Vet-Co.E-345th-Regt-87th (Golden Acorn) Inf. Div.
Jim Hennessey, ND-JimHennessey@webtv.net
Bayonne, NJ USA - Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Good Site, where I have recovered friends of mine M.Chard and this old fellow gilbert Stevenot. A tribute to these young brave men, Americans, English, Canadian and more others from all countries in the World Thanks to all of them. We never forget Stan Bellens - Belgium
Stan Bellens, toby99@skynet.be
Liège, Belgium - February 21, 2006
Hi Michael: Love what you did with the site. I have a link to your site on our Links Page and also introduced it to our forum members. Thanks for providing such a valuable resource for all us WWII "nuts"! Also thank you for showcasing my dad's story, Walter Poniedzialek of the 540th Combat Engineer Regiment. Continued success. A pleasure to know you. Warm regards, Marion Proud daughter of Walter Poniedzialek 540th Combat Engineer
Marion Chard, mjchard@6thcorpscombatengineers.com
Alger, MI USA - February 21, 2006
I found your website by going on the C.R.I.B.A. web-site of Belgium. I placed my poem THE ARDENNES BATTLE on this web-site.I served with M-Co; 347th Inf. 87th Inf.Div in the Bulge and Rhineland and Central Germany.I found Gilbert Stevenot's message here. I have made many Belgian friends on my 4 return tours of Belgium and Luxembourg.These people are the most grateful people I know and have never forgotten the importance of my comrad veterans who liberated their countrys.I am proud to have fought for Freedom and Peace during WW-II and continue fellowship with my Buddy veterans as Pres. of the Cent. Mass. Chapt-22 VBOB.It is good to see the young people, such as grandchildren of the veterans writing in your guestbook, honoring their fathers and grandfathers and uncles....Keep up your great work preserving the legacy of these grand veterans and their sacrifices. God Bless you..
John E. McAuliffe, legeneralmac347@charter.net
Worcester, MA USA - February 14, 2006
Viewing such a sight brings me to tears. For those who died and those who will die in war, these are precious souls. When I read my father's diaries, I met a man in a boys body, a boy who never was.
Brenda Gale Warner
prairiegale@shaw.ca
Winnipeg, MB Canada - February 14, 2006
Excellent site. Thanks so much for remembering these American heroes. I wrote a book, In Harm's Way, Stories of American Prisoners of War in Germany. The book consists of interviews I did with sixteen former prisoners of war. The book is available through my website, www.moonglopublishing.com
Moonglo Publishing
books@moonglopublishing.com
Butler, PA USA - February 14, 2006
Thanks for keeping the memory alive. My pops was a member of the "Bucket of Blood" Division that fought in the Hurtgen Forest/Battle of the Bulge. He was captured and spent 6 months in Stalag 3a-Luckenwalde. All these brave, Greatest Generation heroes need to be honored. Thanks for all!
Linda Peters <lpeter3@tampabay.rr.com>
IRB, Fl USA - February 14, 2006
Wonderful site and thanks for contributing to our Nation's history. My dad was in 13th Jungle AAF - WW2. Put in keyword 13th Jungle AAF to see another great website. I contributed a photo of my dad within the site. He played trumpet, piano and and and performed with Bob Hope at times in the S. Pacific. I have the original VJ Day Brochure of Leyte Island Philipines. I can send copies to anyone. Also if anyone has photos of 13th Jungle AAF Band performing please let me know. Thanks. vickyevalentine@yahoo.com
Vicky <vickyevalentine@yahoo.com>
USA - February 08, 2006
Great web site, easy to get to and good story's will follow. WW2 the Romantic Generation. Marion's papa Art
papa Art <papa@twmi.rr.com>
Novi, Mi USA - Tuesday, February 07, 2006
I am a proud member of Marion Chards "VI corps combat engineers" web site. Mare asked us to give you a look see.I like what you have set up and wish you the best. If you hope to attract the same sort of loyalty as Marion's. you will certainly be a winner. Good luck. I'll be back. chucktoo
charles gray <chuckgray@comcast.net>
wixom, mi. USA - January 31, 2006
My Dad, PFC Oral Wayne Cooper was in the Army from 10-23-42 to 12-7-45. 8th Inf. Division; 28th Inf. Regiment; Co. A; 2nd Platoon. 1st Squad. Rifleman and Scout. Was wounded in action (I believe near the Ay/Aye River in France. ) Taken POW by the Germans. Was POW from 7-10-44 to 5-15-45.Dad would never talk about the war. I was told by an Uncle that Dad was at Stalag 7a. I do remember Dad telling about working on a Dairy Prison Farm. Dad passed away, (12-15-98)taking all of his war memories with him. We know hardly anything about his unbearable experiences. Thank you for this site. I salute every person who has ever served our country in times of battle. My Dad was, and always will be, my hero. Joyce Park, Londonderry, Ohio
Joyce <kpark@bright.net>
Londonderry, ohio USA - January 31, 2006
I was a member of the USArmy and proud of my job as an interpreter at the Hqs 12th Army Group under the command of General N.Omar Bradley. After its deactivation was transfered to Hqs USAFE. The 21/2 years spent with my American friends I remain in touch with a lot of Veterans.With them in the past and until now they remain the best friend I have met in my life of my life. I will never forget, what they have done tyo liberate my country and the rest of Europe..I remain a key point when they come back to participate in the commemorations. I enjoy to have this long reportage,well done ,nice pictures and a lot of souvenirs. I will take time to read all its contain but be sure I will Semper fidelis.With my best regards Steve of Belgium.
Stevenot Gilbert <gilbertstevenot@hotmail.com>
Rochefort, Luxembourg Belgium - January 22, 2006 at 16:55:12 (EST)
Good looking website so far. Well laid-out, too. Thanks for running my pieces.
Dave Lippman <dhlippman@juno.com>
Newark and Christchurch, NJ USA and NZ - January 18, 2006
Dear Michael, I came across your site by googling under 'Ernest L. Barber'. Of course, I browsed through it for a while and found it very interesting. I have the 79th Div history The Cross of Lorraine, and your granddad's letters are a fascinating addendum to them. After the Battle is a specialised WWII magazine published in the UK. We also do books. See our website at www.afterthebattle.com. If I ever get to do a story involving the 79th I will certainly get back to your site. Best regards,
Karel Margry, Editor of After the Battle - Thursday, September 8, 2005
Thank you, Michael for sharing with us so much history on the 79th infantry division ! My dad was also in the 79th infantry division, 314th Regiment, Co. A , 1st Battalion . He got his basic training at Camp Blanding,Fl. in 1942 . Also training on Tn. manuveurs, desert training at Camp Lagunna,Az., & at Camp Phillips, Kansas . He was a S/SGT.& a machine gun section leader. We just saw your web site & it brought back lots of emotions & memories of that time to my dad . He wanted me to thank you for writing about the 79th infantry division . He was wounded twice & the last time at the Ardennes by a mortar shell . He still has shrapnel in his left arm but he has had a very active life . Like Tom Brokaw , they were the greatest generation I think . I admire the sacrafices they all made to keep our country free from such tyranny. Thank you again, Michael. God Bless You. Yours truly,
Tommy Reece, January 18, 2005
Dear Sir, My uncle was a member of I Co., 3rd Batn., 314th Infantry. KIA 11.14.44. at Fremonville. Pfc. Emmett Curtin. He was 19 years old and was killed by mortar fire while crossing a railroad into a field. He was also at the rest area before his death at Luneville, where I understand Private Melvin did the same. I have a letter from my Uncle "Boogie's" (nickname) squad leader describing how and where he died.
I have two sons in the Army at present and they are facinated by the history of our military family during WWI,II, Korea. My oldest son was in Desert Storm, he spent one year in Iraq, with a return trip this coming year. My youngest will be going there later in '05. I found your web site very interesting, and feel a lot of pride in all the Americans who served and now serve. Thank you for sharing.
Sincerely,
Cindy McKnight, November 9, 2004
Nice Job! I ran across your site while researching information related to the 79th in Alsace and Operation Nordwind. My father was with the 311th FA, B battery which supported the 314th regiment. I am presently compiling his memories and found The Letters of Private Melvin W. Johnson to be most inspiring and helpful. My Father, John Macdonald, joined the 311th prior to La Haye du Puits after landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day as part of the 29th Division. He was reassigned to the 79th Division right at the end of June, 1944. Regards,
William Macdonald, October 29, 2004
Just stumbled upon your site tonight while pursuing my never-ending search on my dad and his unit and other WWII stories. Very impressive sight. It is so wonderful that you are able to share his letters. I love the format and the photos and all the personal touches. Thanks for taking the time to share this with me and the rest of the world. As you know, our WWII vets are very few in number and won't be around for much longer, so it's important that we get their stories in print.
If you have a chance, please visit the site that I have recently created and dedicated to my father Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek of the 540th Combat Engineers and his fellow VI Corps Engineers of WWII. I had been trying for years to piece together his history (he passed away when I was 12) and after many fruitless searches have been able to finally put together his story within the last 5 months. I still have a long way to go and am compiling and updating info on an almost daily basis. I have met so many wonderful vets and their families and they have shared all their stories and photos and interesting anecdotes. It would not have been possible without the tools of the Internet.
Keep up the great work. I will place a link from my site to yours this weekend. Regards,
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
VI Corps, 540th Combat Engineer 1943-1945
www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com
Essayons!
October 3, 2004
I went to your sight and enjoyed it, thank you for the opportunity to have this content of history available.
Lukus Traverso, August 20, 2004
I just got through checking your site out. What a great site!! My father never talked much about the war. The men who fought in World War II were very modest about their roles in the war. We knew there was a book with a write up on how he won the DSC and had searched for years for this book. My father just passed away 6/23/04 and it made me determined to find this book. I finally found it, but I wish I had found it before my father passed. The book is The Combat History of the Second Division in World War II. Originally, he got a book when he was discharged, but it was just for the 23rd Regiment so we were looking for the wrong book. Apparently after he was discharged they combined the history of all the Regiments into one book and it was just re-published by the Battery Press, Inc.
I attached a copy of the write up of my father.
S/Sgt. Ernest L. Barber
2nd Inf. Div., 23rd Regiment, 2nd Battalion
He received purple heart with cluster, bronze star with cluster, distinguished service cross.
I try to inform people about the books on the different divisions in World War II that were published originally by the Army/Navy and that Battery Press, Inc has been re-publishing. There are so many people looking for information on their family members who fought in World War II and tracing their steps through the war. Some of the divisions even have videos available. Maybe you could put something on your site about this so the information would get to more people.
Linda Plonski, Erie, PA, August 14, 2004
First of all, great web site.
My dad was with the 7th Recce Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Division in WW2. He is now 82 is and just as reticent about his war experiences now as he was 10 years ago.
I had the honour of attending the regiment's 57th reunion in Montreal on June 5th 2004. I looked about the veterans, very proud of their achievments, with a certain degree of amazement. This was the ultimate generation! I am very proud of my old man ( geez, i just turned 50! ) and his buddies and all the other vets who fought long and hard to free Europe and Asia. We must never forget.
R. Klein, Toronto Canada, August 12, 2004
Hello. I just got your address off the Canadian heroes web site, and have saved your own site to my favorites. I 'll print it out later. I prefer reading off paper than off screen. It looks like you have a very nice site. By way of introduction, I live in Windsor, Ontario across the river from Detroit. I served in a Canadian infantry regiment in the Italian Campaign and was wounded twice. I am also a writer , but nowhere near the class of Hemingway or Stephen Ambrose. If you can somehow find my book titled NOT ALL OF US WERE BRAVE, you will learn more or less something of the life in war of an average Canadian Private. Then maybe you won't because I don't think I was average. And by saying this I'm not suggesting or hinting that I was another Audie Murphy. Like hell I was!
I've written many short accounts, essays and whatnot, and if you don't mind, I could send you something every so often. Here's a piece I wrote for my legion newsletter of which I 've been the editor ever since Christ was a cowboy and Moses wore bulrush trousers. Or so it seems. I wrote it for a Remembrance Day newsletter. "A Fighting Perth Remembers"
I¹ve taken the liberty of describing the last moments in the life of one inordinately young Canadian who represents the hundred thousand and more other Canadians who laid down their lives in War. I have done this for a reason, that reason being that it is much easier to focus the memory onto one individual than it is onto a faceless multitude. In remembering one. . .you remember all.
Stan Scislowski, August 4, 2004
Dear sir, I like those letters. I did a research paper on WWII for my advance class this past year. Even though the course is over, I am still interested in the war. My own grandfather fought in the Royal Air Force. I am from Jamaica, and so was he. He is now in his 80s, and still works. I am interested to hear more of this.
Annaliese Anderson, August 4, 2004
Very, very nice site. Incredible story. The gaps must be even more interesting. Really brings home the sacrifice of your grandfather and others. Amazing. Grover Laye does not remember Melvin, but also said that he transferred into the 79th from the 75th right before d-day and didn't have much of a chance to get to know too many guys. He led an assault platoon and has lots of interesting stories. He was wounded 3 times. He is definitely a character. I appreciate your sharing this site with me and wish you luck in finding more information. Have a good day.
Jeff Mang, August 3, 2004
Very impressive to support the texts of your grandfather's letters with all of that background material. I have edited the family letters from and to my older brother Pvt. Clifford Keenan, a paratrooper, who was killed late in the evening of D-Day, outside of St. Mere Eglise. He was in service from 1942 through part of 1944. Your letters and his have common topics such as the domestic details, emphasis on food, details of basic training, the development of a common bond among soldiers. They were at Camp Wolters at the same time in 1943. He was from the South; yours from the West and Mid-West; but their experiences were much alike. You did an excellent job of presenting these letters for a broader public.
Hugh T. Keenan, Professor emeritus, Georgia State Univ., Atlanta, GA., August 3, 2004
Dear Mr. Ketchum,
Thank you very much for contacting me with reference to your web site. I browsed it this morning, read some of the letters, and will certainly return to read them all. The site is beautiful, impressively done, and you are to be congratulated for developing and maintaining it. As one who served as an infantryman during WW II and spent several years researching and writing a memoir of my unit (Company K, 335th Infantry, 84th Division) I can easily appreciate the information presented at the site and its contribution to the history of the war and its era.
Again, many thanks and if you have any questions about my service or my memoir I would be honored to try and answer them.
Sincerely,
Allan W. Howerton, August 2, 2004
Dear Sir: A very fitting memorial. Thanks for sharing this with me. I was south of this outfit. 20th corps artillery. 282fabn 105 howitzer. I was a forward observer radio operator. We were attached to many divisions but mainly the 90th, 5th, and 95th. We were the southern flank across France till we ran out of gas. We carried the infantry on our trucks to make that dash. A jeep was put in front and any opposition, we stopped and the infantry advanced as we set up a posituion. Usualy it only took a couple hours. I am 79 so I can also relate about the depression also . It was years before I could eat navy beans again. LOL.
Tom and Rhoda Hollingsworth, August 2, 2004
highbush10@aol.com
Mr. Ketchum, I have visited your site in the past, but I will come back to it. My Grandmother Lindsey kept all of my Uncle T.J.`s letters and I was able to read them circa 1965 when I was in my mid teens. She had kept his letter`s from the time he enlisted in the fall of 1940 until he was killed in action in early 1945. She still lived in the old log house that they lived in when he joined up. It was what is called a dog trot style house here in the South and was built about 1840. When she moved to live near on of her daughters, about 1970, she burned the letters.
I can recall that he wrote about the cold and snow and that he was armed at least part of the time with a Thompson Sub-Machine Gun. He mentioned that he had killed a deer with it for some fresh meat (perhaps that was another name for some Frenchman`s steer). He was wounded before he was killed,and in one letter he said he had killed a German for each piece of shrapnel that they removed from his body. I would often look at a picture of my uncle, that my grandmother had over her fireplace, and wonder what he was like. To me he was a soldier, an infantry platoon Sgt., and someone who was an older brother to my father. And now I am 54 years old with a wife and children. He had just turned 23 when he died. I wish I had my uncle`s letters. Thanks for your site dedicated to your grandfather.
Mike Lindsey, July 19, 2004
I was going through MSN to find out about the name Rebarchek. I came across your website and saw my dad's name. John C. Rebarchek. In our small town in northern Minnesota, he was a hero back then. He wouldn't talk much about the war but we have newspaper articles about him and what he did at Cherbourg. After his death in 1995, my sister obtained metals from the government that he never received when he was alive. I have these articles if you would like copies of them.
Thanks so much for honoring our WWII veterans.
Janie Nuese (Rebarchek), June 8, 2004
Great site. My uncle served in the 314th infantry regiment, 79th division, during World War II (believe he was in company F from going through his letters). He was declared missing in action 11/19/1944 and dead on 12/10/1944 and is buried in the Lorraine American cemetery in St Avold, France. I have tried to understand more about what happened to him without much success. Thank you for your time. Regards,
Chris Blanch, May 31, 2004
I wanted to thank you for posting the story of your grandfather, Melvin W. Johnson. My Dad also served with the 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division. He was assigned as a replacement to E Company, 2nd Battalion and landed in Normandy about three weeks after D-Day according to his recollection. The story of your grandfather 's that you have shared has given me a great deal of information about my dad's experience. My dad survived the war after being captured Jan. 19th, 1945, liberated April 1, '45. Surely they shared some of the same situations and circumstances. I personally cannot imagine the sacrifices that your family has made for the freedom that we all share. I can thank you for sharing your grandfather's personal memoirs. My father died Nov, 4th, 2002 six months after having surgery to relieve complications. unbelievably, that he had from suffering frost bite during the war. I had been searching for more information on my dad's regiment when I found your web site. Thank You.
David Byley, May 31, 2004
Dear Sir;
I appreciate the amount of work that has obviously gone into your web site. I have shared it with everyone I know, in an effort to promote patriotism and and understanding of what has been given for our freedom.
Thank You
Dennis Buckman, May 15, 2004
As a WWII veteran, I was deeply touched by your web presentation of the life of Melvin Johnson. I especially appreciated the thoroughness with which you developed his life and the sad details and paperwork involved after his death. I think your interest in your grandfather is extraordinary. My children don't seem interested in my dusty box of shoulder patches of outfits no longer in existence, crossed rifles insignia, campaign ribbons and medals I never wore. Your web page is a lasting tribute to a true hero. Thank you.
William, March 21, 2004
Dear Mr. Ketchum, I stumbled upon your website a few weeks ago while researching my great-uncle, Sgt. Maurice Karschner, who also served in the 79th in WWII. At the time, I didn't read much more than the timeline, tracing what was going on up to and including the date of his death, Dec. 10, 1944. My family knows very little about him, so I took it upon myself to find out who he was.
I just found out last night from Mr. Jim Biggs that my great-uncle was in the F Co. along with Mr. Biggs's father. Now knowing this information, I went back to your website and looked at pictures and read as much as I could while I had some extra time this morning. I was amazed by all you have on your site.
From someone who has just begun the long, extensive search for a deceased WWII soldier and family member, I truly thank you for what you have done. May your grandfather's legacy live on and on.
Very Truly,
Amy Dunlap, Muncy, PA, March 3, 2004
I just thought it was great to see what you're doing. I too never knew my grandfather who fought in Okinawa. Then I stumbled across some old letters at my grandma's house. I have read most of them and am typing them up to distribute in book form to my whole family. Even though I'm only 16, I'm really interested in him because I never knew him. Another thing that is driving me is the way the veterans from his old platoon speak so highly of him. Keep up the good work.
Elijah Palmer, September 5, 2003
Mr. Ketchum, just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for the Private Letters website. My father was a WWII veteran, serving in North Africa and Italy. I have precious few letters from the war, but those I do have are absolute treasures. Dad passed away in 1996, but his memory and spirit live on, and your website is a tribute to all who served. Thank you for sharing your grandfather's letters.
They were truly the "greatest generation."
Sincerely,
Sam Branstner, Baxter, MN, May 20, 2003
I had the pleasure of reading your grandpa's letters and looking at the pictures. My grandpa served under Patton, Charles Spates, was his name. He died in the 1980's of a heart attack. i don;t know if my grandma has any letters from my grandpa, i would LOVE to read them as I read about your grandpa. Our grandparents were truly a brave generation and I thank your grandpa and all the others who fought bravely for this great country. I dont know what to say except thank you. Thank you so very much for sharing this little piece of history. It's truly an honor to read the letters, you can feel the emotion, i even cried. God bless his soul and may he rest in peace. I thank your grandpa, Melvin. He was brave.
Sincerely,
April Kimberly Canfield, Fairfield, Iowa, March 29, 2003
I had the pleasure of going through the web site that you created with the letters from your grandfather and all the other information...sites and sounds. I linked to it from the Institute for WW II and the Human Experience. I'm in the process of publishing letters that my grandfather wrote to my grandmother during WW II, so it was very helpful to see how you have created a very CREATIVE web site!
Blessings...and prayers for our current troops.
Sara Laney Caldwell, March 25, 2003
What a great site! Not only is it well done, easy reading, and pleasing to view, it has valuable information for historians and posterity! I especially enjoyed the true life details of life in a war in the letters! These are what bring history to life for the younger generation. Thanks for all your work!
Patrick A. Tillery
Editor www.KilroyWasHere.org -- WWII and Korean War
Unknown stories revealed and places rediscovered
KilroyEditor@bigfoot.com
I am John Walsh. My father, Eugene, was in the 44th Infantry Division, nearly killed by a land mine Oct 27th '44 and thankfully recovered in the 51st evac hospital in Paris. GREAT WEBSITE... Thanks!!
John Walsh, October 10, 2002
Positively the most comprehensive and interesting of any sites I have seen or read. Stayed awake half of the night reading and still more to go. A coincidence; I was wounded that same day, November 18th. Yours in Patriotism.
JJ Witmeyer Jr., September 17, 2002
Director, Secretary 314th Infantry Association World War II, Inc.
314th Infantry Regiment
I think that this is one of the 'neatest' and most 'sober' sites I've seen, not only professionally arranged but respectfully presented - with the aim to honor a true Veteran of WWII - I just think there should be more of these 'websites' - congratulations.
Alain S. BATENS, part-time WWII Historian, Researcher, Collector, September 14, 2002
Co-author with David Steinert of "WWII Combat Medic"
The World War II Combat Medic
I spent some time looking at the web site you created concerning your grandfather, Melvin Johnson and want to congratulate you on an outstanding tribute to him. The letters and timeline provides an impressive way to memorialize him. I am curious if you have been able to located anyone who remembered your father.
Bob Little, August 26, 2002
My dad was Army 2nd Lt Theodore Rowman of the 106th Cavalry Rcn. He was killed near Foret de Paroy on 10/15/44 of a shell fragment wound to the right side of his face. He is also buried at the Epinal Cemetary in France. From the information I received the 106th was there with the 79th to take the forest at all costs from the Germans which they accomplised at a high cost of human life. I only wish I could someday find someone who may have been there with my dad when he was killed.
JoAnne Rowman, July 4, 2002
The web page www.privateletters.net is a Tribute to a true 79th Div, 314th Regt. veteran. We, in the 315th, along with the 313th were there and supporting each other. As it has been said, The True Heroes have never come home. I plan to display ( copies ) of these in our memorablia room at our ( 315th ) reunion in Milwaukee on Aug 29, 30, and 31st. Labor Day Weekend. You will be welcomed by ALL! ROGER & OUT.
Roger Cambell, Author, May 29, 2002
Mr. Ketchum,
I came across "The Letters of PVT Melvin W. Johnson" site last evening. It was a rewarding experience for me as it helped me relive some memories of my dad. Coincidentally, my dad, PFC Edgar Biggs, was also a member of Co. F, 2nd Bn, 314th Inf Regiment, 79th Inf Division. Dad was wounded on two occasions while serving with Co. F, 314th. He suffered a wound from shrapnel on June 20, 1944, near Croix Jacob, France. He returned to duty with the Co. F on July 24 prior to crossing the Ay River. He received wounds from machine gun fire at Harbouey, France, on November 18, 1944, the same day your grandfather died from his wounds. Dad made it back home, but his wounds left him totally disabled. We lost dad on April 10, 1988. I have a copy of the book "The Cross of Lorraine, A Combat History of the 79th Infantry Division." The book "When the Odds Were Even: The Vosges Mountains Campaign" by Keith E. Bonn was one I hadn't heard of before now. I hope to locate a copy. Thanks for the time and dedicated effort given to memorialize your grandfather and his service to our great country.
Jim Biggs, March 26, 2002
Visited your website this morning. Found it very rewarding. My father, S/SGT Paul Farnum was WIA 21 September 1944 in Luneville, and died there 24 September 1944. He was in the 79th Div., 313th. Have you visited the American WWII Orphan site? We have grandchildren as well! www.awon.org.
Hilda Shantz, July 24, 2001