THE RETURN HOME

Chapter 13

time of my life. He passed away only five months after that reunion and when that newspaper article was published. My grandfather passed away on January 30, 1993. The reunion was the last time he would ever see the other members of the 2487th Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) and I would bet everything that my grandfather and his friends all already knew that. To the end, my grandfather was a fighter and to the very end my grandfather was my hero.

Larry’s father, Alton Doc Payne, passed away less than three months prior to my grandfather. Alton Doc Payne was also a fighter and to the very end was Larry’s hero.

This final narrative will serve as my last piece of irony to share with all of you. This has been an absolutely incredible journey in researching my grandfather’s military history. It has been my absolute pleasure to have shared their story. As written from my grandfather to my grandmother in a letter that he sent from Germany at the conclusion of the war:

“I didn’t know the 9th Air Force was going to send that letter to our folks (regarding recognition of our relentless service during the war). I did know we were awarded the Citation (Merit ) and it is really something nice to receive. We were always called the “Fighting” 2487th and I guess we have a good name. All jokes aside, we were one of the best Truck Companies in England and over here. That’s why I felt bad when they broke the Company up and we lost our name. The Citation is the only thing we have to remember the Company now, but we all feel that we are still the same Company. Well that’s enough about us honey. I will tell you all the main things when I get home. It would take a book to write it.”

- Paul Joseph Guiton