Joe Veltre shared these with me. They are individual articles on men from the 540th Engineer Combat Regiment.
The first article on Albert H Phillips was posted in the Utica Observer Dispatch on March 10, 1948.
The second article on Jules Richmond was posted in the Long Island Star Journal on February 10, 1956. This one is a real heart breaker.
Thanks for sending these to me Joe. Appreciate your efforts.
Albert H Phillips article in newspaper.pdf
Jules Richman article in newspaper.pdf
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
I have had to be off line for a couple of weeks and just getting a chance to get up to date.
What a tragedy for Richman and his daughter. I wonder what ever happened to both of them.
Jean
I know. just wrings your heart. I wondered about that too.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
I just read the two and yes, it was a very sad story for the Richmans. As I read the other I thought, "It must have been an interesting time after the war, when so many of the men's bios had stories such as Captain Phillips. I suppose it sort of parallels now with so many people having been to Iraq and Afghanistan (often several times) in their bios. I guess you never think of your own contemporaries in that sort of awe - just as the WWII generation didn't. I suppose they talked about the admiration they had for the vets from WWI or the Banana Wars. Of course having Grand-pa in the Civil War was probably pretty neat, too!
Maj Todd O. USMC, Retired
Grandson of LTC John O'Brien
Great analogy. Yes, it doesn't hit you until much later, or never.
I guess you never think of your own contemporaries in that sort of awe...
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company