JERRY KRAMER’S
Since the Civil War, one organization has been a steady presence in times of war and natural disasters. The American Red Cross was founded 18 years after the International Committee of the Red Cross and is tasked by the federal government with providing services to members of the American armed forces and their families as well as providing disaster relief in the United States. While this organization has been active in some capacity in almost every conflict or war the U.S. has been involved in, the terms of their involvement and their working conditions has varied greatly depending on the will of the countries involved. In World War II, the Red Cross was quite active in Western Europe. They were a vital link to food and medical care for prisoners of war. Approximately 27 million packages were prepared by volunteers all over the US and shipped to the International Red Cross Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, for distribution to the POW camps throughout Nazi-occupied territory. The Eastern Theater was not as welcoming, however, as Japan had not signed on to the Geneva Conventions which governed much of the humanitarian assistance and treatment at that time. A significant number of parcels and letters never made it to POWs held in Asia. During the years of American combat activity in the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, the Red Cross services grew to handle millions of emergency communications between members of the military and their families. Red Cross staff supported hospitals and military installations and in Vietnam, “Donut Dollies” as they were known, operated at stationary Red Cross recreational centers and some even traveled by helicopter to deliver a touch of home to troops in the field. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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Photo submitted by: Betsy Blitz Kocourek
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H Sergeant Dale R. King H 5th Regimental Combat Team, U.S. Army American troops were stationed around the world to contain the expansion of communism after WWII. This included troops stationed in Korea at the 38th parallel, the line chosen at the end of the war that split the peninsula. This led to the eruption of armed conflict in June of 1950 between the Soviet backed troops in the north and the U.S. backed troops in the south. During WWII almost every family in the U.S. was involved in the war effort but in 1950 most Americans struggled to understand why we were fighting in Korea. There were no patriotic movies in the theatres showing our brave troops in action and there was a noticeable lack of coverage about the conflict on the nightly news. Families, like the Kings of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, worried every day and waited for letters from their son, Sergeant Dale R. King, who had enlisted in the army in 1948. Dale had been stationed in Hawaii but his field artillery battalion was one of the first activated and he arrived in Korea just twelve days after the start of the conflict. By April of 1951, battles had been fought all over the peninsula, the Chinese army had entered the conflict, and soldiers from the U.S. and 15 other countries had fought through a bitterly cold winter over difficult landscape only to end up back at the 38th parallel. It was at this time that the King family received a telegram and subsequent letter from Adjutant General’s Office informing them that Dale was missing in action. They would have to wait three months to hear that he had been captured by the Chinese and was being held in a POW camp. Submitted by: Phyllis King Williams Aunt of Dale R. King HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H Lieutenant Theodore J. Ziebert H Infantry, U.S. Army
In the years before World War II, Korea had been a part of the Japanese empire. After Japan surrendered, Allied leaders at the Potsdam Conference split the Korean peninsula at the 38th parallel. Most Koreans living in the south were hoping to unify the country under a democracy and decide the fate of their country for themselves. The Soviet Union, hoping to expand their influence, backed a communist leader in the north. Armed with an arsenal of Soviet weapons, the northern army crossed the 38th parallel in June of 1950. This set-up the conflict that would be the first battle of the Cold War. Theodore (Ted) Ziebert grew up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and enlisted in the Army in March of 1950 hoping to make a career in the military. After his initial training, Ted informed his family of his decision to volunteer for duty in Korea less than a year after his enlistment. During the armed conflict that lasted three years, Lt. Ziebert conducted himself with courage and distinction, receiving a Bronze Star and an Oak Leaf Cluster for meritorious actions as a platoon leader in combat. Ted returned home to Wisconsin after leaving the service. Throughout his life he shared his deep sense of patriotism with his family and just before passing away in 1976 was able to enthusiastically celebrate the country’s 200th anniversary.
Submitted by: Karl J. Ziebert, Son of Theodore J. Ziebert
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H Lieutenant Theodore J. Ziebert H Infantry, U.S. Army During WWII, the U.S. Army was officially called the “Army of the United States” (AUS). At the end of the war, the number of active duty troops numbered close to 12 million. The AUS designation was suspended as well as the draft after Japan’s surrender in 1945 and those soldiers hoping to pursue a career in the service were reverted to Regular Army (RA). Between 1946 and June 1950—the start of the Korean Conflict—the total number of armed forces were reduced to just over one and a half million. When troops were needed as the Korean conflict began, the draft and the Army of the United States was reinstated and more than 1.5 million men were inducted into the AUS. The 1.3 million that volunteered for duty were listed as Regular Army. Theodore (Ted) Ziebert grew up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin which was a major training ground for the military, especially the Navy. In this small-town atmosphere he developed a healthy respect for the armed forces and a deep sense of patriotism. During and after WWII, he worked in the family business, Gmach’s Restaurant. To help offset the rationing of meat during the war, Ted raised rabbits to supplement the meat content in the restaurant’s famous chili. At 19 years old he enlisted in the Army hoping to make a career in the military. Because of his enlistment he received the designation RA after his name. Ted left for basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas. As a new recruit, the Army sought to inform his parents of the advantages of military service. Less than a year later Ted would inform his family of his decision to volunteer for duty in Korea. Submitted by: Karl J. Ziebert Son of Theodore J. Ziebert HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H Sergeant Donald Masterson H Medic, U.S. Army ,1st Air Calvary Division
The year 1968 began in Vietnam with the Tet Offensive, a highly-coordinated attack by the North Vietnamese on major cities in the south of the country. Americans, many of whom did not support our presence in Vietnam, were war weary but this attack sparked a troop build-up that would eventually peak with 541,000 U.S. troops serving in southeast Asia that year. Like many soldiers, U.S. Army Sergeant Don Masterson did not dwell on the hardships that he faced while on patrol in the jungles of Vietnam when writing home to loved ones. He sought to reassure his family that he was well and to thank them for the many packages they sent him. Don remembers a letter he wrote home after a long stay on base to take care of problems with his teeth. Without access to paper and needing to get a message out before he left on patrol, he fashioned a postcard from scraps of a C-rations box before throwing the rest away. He signed his letters “Bat” because as he recalls, everyone in Vietnam had a nickname. He was always “Bat” or “Doc” and to this day he stills doesn’t remember the given names of many of his fellow soldiers. Don was honorably discharged in 1970. He was awarded 2 Bronze Stars for heroism and meritorious service and 3 additional medals. He stays connected to fellow veterans through the Wisconsin Medal of Honor Society(MOH) and recently traveled with a group of veterans on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. He was proud to be a part of the trip and describes it as a very moving experience.
SUBMITTED BY: Don Masterson Sergeant, U.S. Army – Retired
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H Sergeant Donald Masterson H Medic, U.S. Army, 1st Air Calvary Division
1968 was a uniquely eventful year in the United States, filled with triumphs, tragedies, and turning points. We saw our “blue planet” from space for the first time with pictures taken by Apollo 8, the first manned mission to orbit the moon. The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy shocked and saddened Americans and sparked riots across the country. It brought the fight in Vietnam to the forefront of American politics and became the issue that most heavily influenced our nation’s presidential election that year. Amidst the turmoil, Sergeant Don Masterson from Waupaca, Wisconsin spent the year after high school graduation deciding what he wanted to do next. He recalls most people he knew didn’t understand all the war protests. After finally deciding to enlist in the Army, he spent a few months in basic training then another several months training to be a medic. Soon after he was sent to Vietnam. American soldiers in Vietnam experienced instant culture shock. The diet for a typical Vietnamese citizen was quite a change from the foods that many were used to eating. Don welcomed the packages he received from Wisconsin containing home-made treats. While out on patrol though, soldiers did not have access to prepared meals so were expected to carry their food supplies with them. C-rations as they were called, were delivered to the soldiers in cardboard boxes and contained cans of pre-cooked food, condiments, and even cigarettes and matches. Don, while packing for a 30-day patrol, recalls wanting to get a letter off to his family just before leaving. Not having any paper to write on, he used the cardboard from a C-rations box to fashion a postcard to send home. Submitted by: Don Masterson Sergeant, U.S. Army – Retired HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H Lt. Col. John J. Coughlin H U.S. Army, Supply & Maintenance Command
Lt. Col. John J. “Jack” Coughlin enlisted in the Army during WWII. He served in Korea and spent many years in Europe with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. As an officer in the Supply & Maintenance Command, his principal responsibilities were logistical— planning and construction of deepwater ports, airfields, storage facilities, and transportation systems wherever country U.S. troops were deployed. Because of his service, Jack was a recipient of the Merit of Legion award. This award is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service and achievements. In this letter home to his wife Mildred, Jack thanks his wife for attending the award ceremony where he received his medal and encourages his wife to travel with him back to California to visit with their daughter and to see him off before leaving for Vietnam.
SUBMITTED BY: Ashley Ortlieb Great-Grand Daughter of Mildred & John J. Coughlin HHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor HHHHHHHH Please donate today: neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H Lt. Col. John J. Coughlin H U.S. Army, Supply & Maintenance Command
The 1960’s was a turbulent decade for most in America but especially for those in the military. The Korean War and Cold War with Russia had dominated the attention of our military leaders since the end of World War II. In 1961, President Kennedy made the fateful decision to support the South Vietnamese Army with military assistance in the form of materiel and soldiers “to train and maintain.” Lt. Col. John J. “Jack” Coughlin had made a career in the Army and his wife Mildred was a supportive military spouse, moving to different locations when her husband’s job required. Once the Vietnam War began, Mildred could not always follow her husband and stayed in Washington, D.C. to be close to her military family. While on his way to one of four tours in Vietnam, Jack had orders to report to Fort Ord in California for additional training. This provided a great opportunity for his wife Mildred to join him so they could visit with their daughter and grandchildren living on the west coast. Rather than choosing to fly across the country, a trip that would have taken only 8 hours, they chose to hop in their convertible and drive the nearly 3,000 miles to San Francisco. Jack and Mildred were no strangers to protests against the war after spending so much of their military life in Washington, D.C. but when they arrived in California they experienced first-hand the “hippies,” counter-culture, and anti-war demonstrations prevalent in the San Francisco area. Submitted by: Ashley Ortlieb Great-Grand Daughter of Mildred & John J. Coughlin HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H George H. Parlow H Staff Sergeant, United States Air Force
Amidst a growing threat from a nuclear Russia, the pentagon developed the Strategic Air Command (SAC) to help keep America safe. Bunker Hill Air Force Base in Indiana (now Grissom AFB) became one of many airfields throughout middle America that were designated as SAC bases. These bases would be the first to be targeted in the event of a nuclear war so in October of 1962, when the threat of nuclear missiles in Cuba became a reality, the decision was made to scatter many of the country’s SAC fighter planes and bombers to airfields across the country. In this letter home to his wife just days after Russia agreed to turn back its ships delivering nuclear warheads to Cuba, Staff Sergeant George H. Parlow expresses the fear he felt in having to leave his wife and young children behind. On October 22, 1962, before President Kennedy delivered his television address to the country, George received orders to leave the base with his fighter group. At the time, he was leaving for an undisclosed location. He had just 30 minutes to race home and say goodbye to his family. Although he did not go far away— Hulman Airfeild was just an hour from his wife and family—the thought of never seeing them again made leaving very difficult.
SUBMITTED BY: Jean Nagle Parlow Wife of Staff Sergeant George H. Parlow HHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor HHHHHHHH Please donate today: neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H George H. Parlow H Staff Sergeant, United States Air Force
In 1962, the United States was a country enjoying relative peace since the end of the Korean War. Political leaders, however, were engaged in a “Cold War” and Americans lived under constant suspicion of communism. This fear of the spread of communism led military leaders to sharpen our defenses here at home and prepare for the growing nuclear threat from Russia. After 10 years in the Navy, Staff Sergeant George H. Parlow decided to switch to the Air Force. He thought that this change would keep him close to home and allow him to stay close to his wife Jean and his growing family. In 1956, he was posted to Bunker Hill AFB in Indiana as a jet engine mechanic servicing the engines on fighter planes and bombers. Bunker Hill AFB was growing after being designated as a Strategic Air Command base and access was strictly monitored. Jean, after waiting 3 years for base housing to be completed, was happy to finally have access to the base’s schools, medical care and shopping. She participated in the Women’s Softball Team and the Enlisted Men’s Wives’ Club, planning activities for the men and their families to encourage all personnel to stay on base. Just before the rest of the country heard about the Cuban Missile Crisis in a TV address from the President, Jean had 30 minutes to pack for her husband and say goodbye with the worry that she might not ever see him again. Many wives and families were hastily sent to homes of relatives off the base. Those who stayed were encouraged to fill bathtubs with water, stock up on groceries and practice using the fire extinguishers that were placed on every block throughout the base. Jean and George left for their next posting in Washington state soon after the crisis was over. They retired from the military after 20 years of service. Submitted by:
Jean Nagle Parlow, Wife of Staff Sergeant George H. Parlow HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H Theodore J. Bouchette H Captain, United States Army 37th Infantry Regiment
When war was declared against Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. Army Captain Theodore “Ted” J. Bouchette, a native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was stationed at Fort Greely in the Alaska territory. After the Japanese bombed and invaded Attu and Kiska islands on June 3 of 1942 the remainder of his service was spent primarily on the Aleutian Islands of Adak, Amchitka, and Attu. Life was very difficult on the islands. Weather was unpredictable and the troops had only hastily built huts and underground bunkers to live in. In this letter home to his wife Eleanor just after the invasion of the Aleutians and the Battle of Midway in June of 1942, Ted expresses his belief that he was “just as safe as trying to cross a busy intersection in Chicago.” Just 10 months later he would be involved in one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific Theater, the fight to gain back Attu Island. The letter took three years to reach Eleanor who by that time was living in Seattle, Washington with Ted home safely from the war.
SUBMITTED BY: Michael Bouchette Son of Captain Theodore J. Bouchette
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H Theodore J. Bouchette H Captain, United States Army 37th Infantry Regiment
Alaska was not to become America’s 49th state until 1959 but in 1941, once the threat of invasion from Japan was becoming clear, military leaders began to recognize that this U.S. territory could be a strategic base of operations in the north Pacific. Wisconsin’s own General Billy Mitchell understood the strategic importance of Alaska and in an address to congress shortly before his death in 1936 he stated, “I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world.” U.S. Army Captain Theodore “Ted” J. Bouchette, a native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, received his officer’s commission after graduation from Ripon College. He spent a few years in the reserves and was called to active duty as the tension with Japan escalated. After a few months of training in Oregon he left his family for his post in Alaska in August of 1941. He had planned for his wife Eleanor and their young son to join him at the newly built married officers apartments in Fort Greely in Kodiak. In this telegram to her husband sent December 8th 1941, one day after the Pearl Harbor attacks, Eleanor Doro Bouchette asks if she will still be allowed to travel. Due to a communications blackout, Ted was never able to respond. Eleanor remained in Berlin, Wisconsin with her parents raising their son and looking forward to Ted’s letters. Ted spent the duration of his service in Alaska on the Aleutian Islands of Adak, Amchitka, and Attu until medical problems forced his return to the states in 1944. Submitted by: Michael Bouchette Son of Captain Theodore J. Bouchette HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H Corporal John Robert Gmack H 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army
1970 was just the midpoint in the number of military casualties suffered by American families before the Vietnam War’s end in 1975. These families included the Gmacks of Green Bay, Wisconsin. In this, his final letter home, Corporal John Gmack details some of the activity he faced when he arrived in Cambodia. It was written only three days before he was killed in a land mine explosion that was set off while his company was on patrol. Over 1,100 Wisconsin Service members died in Vietnam as a result of their service in Vietnam. Corporal John Robert Gmack is just one of the 58,318 names honored on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC.
SUBMITTED BY: Robert and Trudy Gmack Parents of Corporal John Gmack
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H Cpl. John Robert Gmack H 1st Cavalry Division United States Army
The United States was in transition in 1970, both stateside and overseas. Domestically, “flower power” had given way to massive antiwar protests; acts of domestic terrorism by organizations such as The Weathermen were on the rise; and mistrust of government and military leaders who promised an end to the Vietnam War continued to grow. For the first time, news broadcasts were showing horrific pictures of the war in southeast Asia on the television and for many families it was a nightly reminder of just how much they had to worry for the safety of their loved ones. Although the majority of Americans supported the fight against communism, groups opposed to the war started to form at many universities including the University of Wisconsin in Madison. A group known as the “New Year’s Gang” set off an explosion at one of the college research facilities, killing one researcher and injuring 3 others. Amidst the growing dissent to the war, John Robert Gmack, who had hoped to eventually pursue a career in medicine, enlisted in the U.S. Army just after high school. About two-thirds of all US troops were volunteers. John was sent for basic training and began his tour of duty in South Vietnam in February of 1970. He soon was transferred to Cambodia to join the fighting there. John’s last letter to his family was written only three days before he was killed. “We also have a letter from one of the soldiers who witnessed the incident,” John’s parents wrote when they submitted this letter to be published in the Honoring Our Freedom series. “We will treasure that letter and the courage of this soldier, who, through his sorrow, thought of us at home and wrote to us.”
SUBMITTED BY: Robert and Trudy Gmack Parents of Cpl. John Gmack HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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H Staff Sergeant Daniel C. Blitz H Radioman, 97th Bomber Group United States Army Air Corps
For the United States the ground war in Germany began with the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe on D-Day—June 6, 1944. But the war effort at home had started in December of 1942 and companies in Wisconsin were crucial in that effort. The Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company built submarines and other vessels, while the Lakeside Packing Company provided much needed canned vegetables that kept our armed forces fed overseas. Staff Sergeant Daniel C. Blitz from Manitowoc Wisconsin was a radioman on a B-17 bomber flying missions over Nazi-occupied Austria when his plane was suddenly shot down. This telegram is the one his mother in Manitowoc received notifying her that her son had survived and was being held as a prisoner of war (POW) in Stalag 17B. Americans turned to the Red Cross to help get news about their loved ones being held as POW’s. The all-volunteer organization proved to be a vital link between prisoners and their families back home by delivering letters and packages. The Red Cross provided shoebox-sized packages, often assembled by local women’s groups and school children wishing to be a part of the war effort, that contained much needed rations like canned tuna, dehydrated milk, raisins, and D-bars (condensed chocolate). Millions of these packages were put together and were shipped to the camps throughout Europe to be handed out to each POW once a week. In reality, the vast majority of prisoners only received a package occasionally and many never received a single one.
Submitted by: Betsy Blitz Kocourek, Daughter of Daniel C. Blitz
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H Staff Sergeant Daniel C. Blitz H United States Army Air Corps
In the Spring of 1944 Staff Sergeant Daniel C. Blitz’s B-17 bomber was shot down over Nazioccupied Austria. Although badly injured, he was 1 of only 2 survivors of the ten-man crew. He was captured and held for more than a year in a prisoner of war camp in Austria. In this letter home to his family back in Wisconsin written shortly after his capture, Daniel reassures his family of his good health and asks them to support the Red Cross. At the end of the war nearly one-third of all Americans had donated money or were serving as volunteers in support of the Red Cross. In May of 1945, Daniel and the remaining American prisoners endured a forced march of more than 280 miles to a camp closer to Germany before finally being liberated. When Daniel returned from Germany, he settled back in Manitowoc, married, raised a family, and was an active member of his local VFW. Like many veterans, he did not talk about his time inservice, preferring instead to focus on the present and look to the future. In 1987, 43 years after his return to the U.S., Daniel received the Purple Heart, a distinguished service award that is given to servicemen seriously wounded in combat.
SUBMITTED BY: Betsy Blitz Kocourek, daughter of Daniel C. Blitz
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JERRY KRAMER’S
H Pvt. Kenneth Jay Schueller H 21st Infantry Regiment United States Army
To many, the United States in 1955 is remembered as the era of Eisenhower, Disneyland and James Dean. It was simpler time, but life in 1955 still had its challenges. Americans feared the Cold War; confronted civil rights challenges; and rode the waves of a post-war economy. In April 1955, the United States was finally at peace after the Korean War effectively ended in July 1953. After the war, the 21st Infantry Regiment stayed in Korea to guard prisoner-of-war, oversee prisoner exchanges, and patrol the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to ward off possible North Korean aggression. When Private Kenneth J. Schueller learned that his regiment was being sent to South Korea, he wondered what he would face there. His letters home to his wife, Beata Mae, who was home in Belgium, Wisc., detailed the unknowns and hardships he faced overseas: difficulties in communicating with the locals, absence of basic amenities, lack of food and of course, homesickness. Beata Mae faced her own challenges at home while she waited for “Kenny Jay” to return to her. She and Kenneth were married in August 1954, less than a year before he was sent overseas. As a newlywed, Beata Mae wondered when and if he would return home safely. Even though she received regular letters from her husband, he was prohibited from disclosing too many details. In essence, as a military wife, she waited until her husband returned before they could really start their life together. Beata Mae was lucky to have her immediate family to lean on, including her parents and five siblings, all of whom lived nearby. When Kenneth returned from Korea, he and Beata Mae stayed in Wisconsin and started their family. Beata Mae continued to volunteer in her church and community and was an advocate for quality education. She traveled the world, from the Holy Land to Alaska to China; taught religious education classes; and served as a hospice volunteer. Kenneth passed away in September 1996. Beata Mae passed away in January 2017. Their family includes seven children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Submitted by: Mary Schueller, daughter of Kenneth Jay & Beata Mae Schueller HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor, please donate today. neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
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To read Kenneth’s full letter or to submit your own letters and photos, visit HonoringOurFreedom.com now through November 3. PRESENTED BY:
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JERRY KRAMER’S
H Pvt. Kenneth Jay Schueller H
21st Infantry Regiment, United States Army
After 3 years of war in Korea, most Americans celebrated the armistice that was signed on July 27, 1953. Once the fighting ended, keeping North and South Korea separated at the 38th parallel was largely left up to the United States. Private Kenneth J. Schueller was a member of the U.S. Army-21st Infantry Regiment that was tasked with guarding the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Absence of basic amenities made life tough for those troops stationed in Korea. This letter from Kenneth to his wife, Beata Mae, who was home in Belgium, Wisconsin, detailed the hardships he faced while serving overseas.
Submitted by: mary Schueller, daughter of Kenneth Jay & beata mae Schueller
HHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor HHHHHHHH Please donate today: neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
To read Kenneth’s full letter and what life was like back home or to submit your own letters and photos, visit HonoringOurFreedom.com now through November 3. PreSeNted By:
SUPPOrted By:
Created By:
JERRY KRAMER’S
H James Campbell, Jr. H Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps-retired
In late 1973, the United States was still embroiled in the Vietnam War and many at home were experiencing “war fatigue.” Shocking revelations were coming to light about the Watergate scandal and President Nixon’s involvement. The country was also feeling the effects of an oil embargo that was driving up the cost of gasoline to over .50 cents a gallon. Amidst this turbulence at home, the October War began in the middle east. Marine Corps helicopter pilot Lieutenant James (Jim) Campbell’s Mediterranean tour aboard the aircraft carrier Iwo Jima was extended. This would be his first Christmas away from home. Jim’s father, James Sr. at home in Tomahawk Wisconsin, knew the hardships his son was experiencing. He had spent time away from his family fighting in WWII in the South Pacific. Without the modern conveniences of cell phones, internet, emails, social media or Skype, telegrams offered a way to send an immediate message anywhere in the world. While on liberty in France, Lt. Campbell took the opportunity to send holiday greetings home to his family and to wish his Dad a Happy Birthday. Jim returned home to Wisconsin after spending 5 years in active duty. He continued to serve 15 more years in the Marine reserves. He is the co-founder of Never Forgotten Honor Flight, Inc.
Submitted by: James Campbell, Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps-retired
HHHHHHHH Never Forgotten Honor Flight flies Veterans to see the Memorials that stand in their honor HHHHHHHH Please donate today: neverforgottenhonorflight.org/donate If you would like to donate to other Honor Flights that fly Wisconsin veterans, please go to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight’s “Contact Us” page for links to their web sites.
To read James’ full letter or to submit your own letters and photos, visit HonoringOurFreedom.com now through November 3. PRESENTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Created By: