I will answer your questions as best as I can. I graduated H.H.S. in 1940 and brother Tom graduated in 1935 or 1936. Neither of us had additional college education.

Regarding entering military service… one day in Sept. 1942 there appeared in the newspaper an article seeking volunteers to serve in a medium maintenance ordinance Co. Tom had been discharged from the N.J. National Guard. We new both of us were eligible to be drafted anyway. So we traveled to Newark and signed up in the 286 th M.M. Ordinance Co. Later on, we were attached to Gen. Patton's 3 rd U.S. Army Division. Date of enlistment was Oct. 17, 1942.

Regarding basic training, we received it at Fort Dix N.J. and Fort Bragg , N.C. Tom and I and 175 other volunteers in our unit, were together throughout the war. We went overseas Feb. 11, 1944. Landed in England and stationed in West Derby, a suburb of Liverpool , in a huge Lord's Estate.

Tom and I had different duties, he was in the small arms section and I was in the automotive section. My job consisted of maintenance work on Army trucks, jeeps.

I had the additional task of keeping a log book on all vehicles that came to us for various repair work. The staff Sgt. Of our section was a former topnotch civilian auto mechanic. As such, he would perform what was called T.I.and R.{technical inspection and repair.} I, as his unofficial assistant had to keep all records of each vehicle coming and going. So Tom and I did not see each other continously on a daily basis. Tom worked on all types of small arms.

We served in Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe . Our company did not engage in specific military battles. We always seemed to be stationed 2or 3 miles behind enemy lines.

As far as General Patton's appearance with us –no, we never saw him nor did we see
H. Kent Hewitt.

When the war ended, we were stationed in Germany . I received a 5 day furlough and traveled back to England to pay a surprise visit to a young lady I had come to know while in West Derby . That's another story…

Tom met Germaine after the fall of Metz in Northern France . The civilians were quite friendly at the time. He had a whirlwind romance with her. Yes I did meet her family—Father, Mother, brother and sister. Much later the entire family came to live in Hackensack . Tom remained in France when the war ended and he signed up for an additional 6 months of service so he could be with her and continue the romantic adventure leading to marriage.

While we were in Germany , we had a surprise visit for a few hours from my brother Sam who served as a radio operator in the 20 th Corps {photo enclosed.} It might be interesting to tell you that my mother did receive a special recognition award---- since all four sons were serving at one time. She appeared on the stage of the Oritani Theater in Hackensack . She received a great applause. Brother Phil was a Captain in the Intelligence Division of the U.S. Army. I was discharged at Fort Monmouth on Dec.15, 1945. I hope I covered your questions.

Sincerely,
Vince