A Foxhole Closer to Home: Wwii Letters Home Love, Bob

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

During this adventure, I have become acquainted with some truly fine men, in person, via telephone and email. The first gentleman, a man who sparked much enthusiasm, Mr. Bob Lewis, my new friend and WWII Air Force veteran. Bob’s countless stories over coffee, kept a smile on my face and was a real education. You are a fine man.

Mr. Kip Lindberg, Director, U.S. Army Chemical Corps Museum. I would like to thank you for taking the time in assisting and pointing me in the right direction to learn some of the background history of my father. You led me to some much needed information regarding the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion that introduced me to a gentleman by the name of Mr. Johnny Martino. Johnny and his wife have been extremely instrumental in the planning and annual gathering of WWII Veteran’s and their families.

Mr. Martino suggested I speak to a veteran by the name of PFC Donald Whistler, D Company and WWII veteran of Santa Rosa, California. What a charming and personable man. We corresponded via phone and mail and it finally became a reality to meet Don and his wife Marjorie this past June. I feel that having met him in person, I have realized yet another aspect of my father. I am indeed grateful!

Mom, you still remind me of who I am today. You always believed in me. I miss you every day.

My loving daughter-in law, Dee, your assistance in this book is both heartfelt and appreciated. You are a gift to me. For my countless friends, I am blessed. Renee Neronde, Penny Jackman, Amy Sessions, Vicki Clough, Andrea Dumke-Manship, Brook Siddoway and John Jackman - I know in my heart, you and I have a special connection that cannot go with mention. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I love you all.

I want to give due credit to my mother and father-in-law, Hal and Carol, not only did you gift me with an incredible husband who believes in me to the core; you also, have been there both day and night to support and encourage me. Words cannot express the love I have in my heart for you both.

I have also reached out to my extended family which is something that I always planned to do.... sometime... I think we are all guilty to a degree of putting off to the future, some undisclosed and uncertain time, the opportunity to just get together.

With that being said, to my dear cousin Maggie, your love and support in helping me discover additional bits and pieces of our roots is all too apparent with your loving support, enthusiasm, and exchange of stories. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sara Jane, who in the midst of your hectic schedule has remained a source of constant support, first as Daddy’s niece, friend and personal physician and as my interested and informative cousin. Much gratitude! Kathleen, our conversation, summing up a bit of history only served to enlighten me as to another piece of my heritage. Many thanks to you!

Terry and Richard, my first cousins, in helping me with a piece of my missing link to the past, I cannot wait another 45 years for a reunion. Life is too short, time passes much too quickly. Thank you both so very much for taking the time to humor me on the telephone! You are truly awesome men!

And finally, Daddy. I have learned so much from you over the years. The letters you kept for me, letters that your dear sister Madeline placed in a book to save, have truly graced me, capturing the very essence of the Crawford Clan!

What an education, what an experience, what a gift and what an amazing ride!

As we grow older, a certain curiosity to get to know where we’ve come from and how we arrived at any given point becomes apparent. Leaving my forties, I began my quest to find where my journey had begun. The net result became apparent, when the contents of a metal box, prepared by caring hands of the past, sent me into another lifetime, the moment I opened it. My Father had laid out for me, in vast detail, an immeasurable amount of history, both his and mine, with an unsurpassed wit and intellect....

A Foxhole Closer

to Home

WWII Letters Home.....

.....Love, Bob

I remember kneeling next to Daddy one night during a Father/Daughter happy hour and I felt an overwhelming wave of sadness come over me. What am I going to do when you are gone Daddy? I asked. Well kid, I suppose when I die, my hope is, that you will cry a few tears, have a couple sad days, then move on with your life. Occasionally, think of me and, remember, the good times we had together. I was 26.

This book is for you, Daddy. I miss our time spent together, just as you said I would. Now, 26 years later, I have gotten to know some of those sacred thoughts of yours, during an incredibly pivotal time in history, and I am so blessed to have been born to such a brilliant mind. Your careful and exact command of the English language speaks volumes to me, about where you have walked, what values and integrity you raised me with, and, the passion inside of the woman I am today. I love you.

Foreword

Foreword

The largest amphibious invasion in history took place on June 6, 1944, as American and Allied Forces stormed ashore in Normandy, a combined effort to destroy Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Germany.

The Normandy landings of D-Day were conducted in two phases: an air assault of 24-thousand American, British, Canadian and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of over 160-thousand allied infantry and armored troops on the coast of France commencing at 6:30 A.M.

Backed up and transported by some five thousand naval and merchant ships, they stormed ashore along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast at 5-locations: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches. There were also two subsidiary attacks mounted under the code names Operation Glimmer and Operation Taxable to distract the German forces from the actual landing areas.

Hampered by low clouds, wind, and high seas two days earlier, the convoy was forced to take shelter in bays and inlets. When it seemed nearly impossible to complete the mission, the weather broke just enough on Tuesday the sixth to proceed. The prevailing overcast sky had hampered Allied air support however and no serious damage was done to German beach defenses. The Germans were at a bit of a disadvantage, in that taking comfort in the existing poor weather conditions, they believed no invasion would be possible, and stood down, with some of their officers still away for an extended weekend, among them Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

America had been at war for 3-years helping England and other allies protect Europe from Hitler’s encroachment on country after country. In addition, following that infamous day at Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, the lines were long at America’s military recruiting stations, as young men anxiously awaited their moment to give it back to Japan and Germany. Young women volunteered their services to the military and to the other lines, the assembly lines at hundreds of factories, intent on turning out weapons of war. The world was at war and, they were intent to keep the fighting from our shores.

At home in Salt Lake City, Utah, Robert Crawford contemplated his future and that of his country. A little older than most servicemen, at 31 he felt it was his duty to represent his country over there and volunteered for the draft. He was well educated. He had been married and lost a child. His mother died. Then later, Robert was divorced.

What he faced next, is recorded in his letters from World War II. Many were written from foxholes, under heavy fire, even on German stationary. From training in Texas and Florida, to Virginia, New York, England and France, his letters to his brother and sisters back home, portray his battles for life, country and his own pursuit of happiness.

I was privileged to talk with Bob and his daughter Robin, who compiled his letters in this book, on several occasions later in life and had an inkling of what he had been through. But, the overall picture of his passion and pain is clarified in his writings. His wit and observations bring you closer to one man’s experiences from A Foxhole Closer To Home.

Richard H. (Dick) Nourse

KSL-TV News Anchor (Ret.)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

I Am His Daughter

He was my Dad

Family back in the U.S.A.

Crawford Family Portrait

The Activation of the 81st Chemical Battalion

Here are his letters home.

Marfa, Texas

6 April 1942

Dear Pinky

Fort D. A. Russell

May 1942

Dear Madeline

81st Chemical Battalion

Fort D.A. Russell, Texas

June 1942

Dear Susan

Marfa, Texas

June 1942

Dear Madeline

Marfa, Texas

Dear Sowles

Fort D.A. Russell, Texas

The Barracks Bag

Dear Madeline and Shirley

September 1942

Service Club

Dear Sowles

Fort D.A. Russell, Texas

November 1942

Dear Sowles Family

Activation of the 81st

Chemical Battalion

FORT D.A. RUSSELL

December 26th, 1942

Dear Madeline, Billy, Susan & Dick

HOTEL GIBSON

FAMOUS FOR FRIENDLINESS

Dear Madeline

Amphibious Maneuvers at Camp Gordon

Johnston, Florida

United States Army

Amphibian Training

Florida

May

Dear Pinky

U.S. Army

Amphibious Training Center

CAMP GORDON JOHNSTON FLORIDA

Dear Sowles

Camp Pickett, Virginia

Camp Pickett, VA

June 1943

Dear Sowles

Camp Pickett, Virginia

October 1943

Dear Sowles

United States Army

Camp Pickett, VA

Dear Sowles

Camp Pickett, VA

September 1943

Dear Sowles

New York, New York

Camp Shanks

V-Mail

Defined

New York, New York

V-Mail

Dear Madeline

New York, New York

October 1943

Miss Susan Sowles

V-Mail

Miss Susan Sowles

1719 East 1300 South

Salt Lake City, Utah

V-Mail

Leaving the New York Harbor

For the Trip Abroad

England 1943

Dear Dick

England

Dear Sowles

England 1943

Dear Susan

Mrs. L. W. Sowles

1719 East 1300 South

Salt Lake City, Utah

V-Mail

England 1943

Mrs. L. W Sowles

1719 East 1300 South

Salt Lake City, Utah

V-Mail

England 1943

Mrs. L. W. Sowles

1719 East 1300 South

Salt Lake City, Utah

V-Mail

France

February 1944

Dear Madeline

19 February 1944

Dear Madeline & Billy

Easter Sunday ~ 1944

Dear Madeline

Miss Susan Sowles

V-Mail

1719 East 1300 South

Salt Lake City, Utah

Invasion on the Normandy Beach

Normandy Invasion

June 1944

Dear Pinky

England

After D-Day Landing

First Army

Dear Lois

Master Richard Sowles

V-Mail

After D ~Day Invasion

Fall 1944

Dear Veda

England after D ~ Day

Mrs. L.W. Sowles

Dear Madeline

England

Dear Dick

France

Dear Sowles

V-Mail

Mrs. L.W. Sowles

June 12th 9a.m., 1944

France 1944

After Normandy Invasion

French Coastline

Dear Madeline

September 11, 1944

Dear Dick

France

October 23, 1944

Dear Madeline

October 27, 1944

Dear Madeline and Billy

France

A Foxhole Closer To Home

Dear Madeline

France

After D ~ Day Normandy

Dear Sowles

France 1944

Dear Madeline

France 1944

After Invasion

Dear Madeline

France 1944

A Deluxe Foxhole

Dear Lois

Holiday V-Mail

Mr. And Mrs. L. W. Sowles

December 3, 1944

Dear Madeline

France 1944

Dear Madeline

Germany

December 6th, 1944

Dear Madeline

Presidential Citation

Issued to the

81st Chemical Battalion

Germany

February 27, 1945

Dear Will

The Last Christmas Dinner Together

For the 81st Chemical Battalion

France 1945

Dear Sowles

France 1945

Dear Madeline

Static Defense Positions

Germany

Dear Madeline

"Der Reichswerke-Hermann

Goring-Werksgruppe Hagendinger."

Germany 1944

Dear Madeline

Germany

3-6-45

Dear