[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17458-17460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAVID YOUNG

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 4, 2015

  Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as we approach Veterans 
Day to honor the brave men and women who have served our country in 
uniform. Earlier this year I met with a group of young Iowans belonging 
to the Junior Optimists Club--they found a truly unique way to pay 
tribute to our Iowa veterans.
  The Sidey family owned and published the Free Press in Greenfield, 
Iowa, for over 125 years. The Free Press would publish letters Iowa 
servicemen sent home to their families over the years. The Junior 
Optimists I met went through the Sidey's collection of soldiers' 
letters from World War II. They picked out the ones they found most 
interesting or compelling and read them aloud at a Flag Day celebration 
that I was fortunate to attend.
  I want to share them here with my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives so that we and future generations may always remember 
the very real and human struggles our men and women face as they leave 
their loved ones behind to bravely serve our country with dignity, 
honor, and distinction.
  Corporal Russell Smith, serving with the Army in North Africa, wrote 
the following letter dated May 23, 1943, to his sister:

       Will write a few lines tonight to let you know I am getting 
     along ok and hope this find you the same. We haven't been 
     doing much since the war is over down here. Up to now we have 
     been gathering and cleaning up all the German equipment that 
     they left. There is everything from a rifle up to an 
     airplane. Lots of tanks and big guns. They burned about 
     everything though, so it isn't much good for anything except 
     iron. I didn't know they had as much stuff in the whole 
     German army as I've seen here in the last couple of weeks. 
     Right now that is for a week. Believe it nor not, we are on a 
     week's vacation on the beach of the Mediterranean. We have to 
     do a little fishing in the forenoon but in the afternoon we 
     can do anything we like, go boating, swimming, play ball or 
     drink wine or just lay around and sleep. This probably isn't 
     all as good as it sounds but it's sure a good break for after 
     what we've been through. I've had some pretty good 
     experiences or I might say not so good. We had everything 
     from mortar shells to bombs dropped on us and sometimes I 
     thought every Hynie in the German army was firing machine 
     guns and rifles at us. We were pinned down several times, but 
     the longest was one day when we were attacking a hill and 
     pinned down about 6 in the morning and had to lay there all 
     day with only a little bunch of grass in front of some of us, 
     and some didn't even have that. Didn't hardly dare wiggle a 
     finger or they would let go everything that they had, and I 
     mean we didn't move until it got dark. Didn't take a drink of 
     water or smoke a cigarette, and boy it was hot. Les was also 
     in that same battle the day before. That's about all I can 
     tell you about it so will call it enough.

  The following are a few extracts from a letter written by Sgt. Ernest 
L. ``Budd'' Jenkins dated June 23, 1943 from Camp Shelby, Mississippi 
to his Aunt and Uncle--Mr. and Mrs. Charley Gillham.

       I have a good excuse for not answering your letter sooner 
     as I have been in the field on firing problems and naturally 
     there is no way of writing letters while out in the woods. 
     That's some life, setting our big guns in position and firing 
     in the heat of the day about 102 all day long. Then black-out 
     driving at pitch dark into another position to make a 
     surprise attack on the enemy. When we finally slow up to see 
     if we can get a few hours sleep we battle mosquitoes, 
     insects, lizards and snakes and finally roll up in stubborn 
     sleep, when bang ``Fire Mission'' and we roll out to produce 
     fire from our guns. We like it and we'll do it until we're 
     tops, so darn good that when we go over there well have Nazis 
     and [Japanese] running in every direction. Look what the 
     artillery did to the Germans over in Africa. I can't tell you 
     how happy I am to do my bit. I'm only one in about 10,000 
     trying to get do my bit. I hope all of you are well and 
     happy. I'd like awfully well to see you.
           Write soon,
                                                             Budd.

  Private Floyd Stimen, September 11, 1943, while serving in Italy:

       I sure will be glad when this war is over and everything is 
     back to normal. Am pretty

[[Page 17459]]

     sure I am going out of the Navy for I want a normal home and 
     a decent job and few of the things they are promising us now. 
     All I have to say is that they better make those promises 
     good. For these fellows are sure counting on it, and there 
     will be enough of them to make it pretty hot if they don't 
     make good on their promises. I am so damn tired of all this 
     fighting when all you have to look forward to is going to sea 
     again with duty 16 and 18 hours a day.
       I guess my stay in the hospital has spoiled me. I know it 
     softened me up a lot for I lost over 20 pounds but have 
     started to gain it back again now. I kinda miss seeing all 
     those good looking nurses around but I guess it's just as 
     well for they had me spoiled. They are really a swell bunch 
     of people. (1 in particular) for she always treated me well. 
     She used to get me special food and ice cream, anything I 
     wanted and the rest of the patients had to take what they 
     got. I can tell you now, I am well and out of there but you 
     about lost your ``little boy Floydie'' for a couple of times 
     I about bled to death and they had to give me transfusions 
     but that's all in the past and forgotten. I am going to take 
     the nurse that was good to me out to dinner and a show Monday 
     night to show my appreciation.
       Well folks, I am about run down so will close for this 
     time. I hope you are all ok. Write me at the new address. 
     Tell everyone hello for me.
           All my love,
                                                            Floyd.

  This letter was received by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Beaman of Canby, 
Iowa from Technical Sergeant Adam C. Wygonik of Chicago, who was 
brought back to the United States on the SS Gripsholm, concerning their 
son, Sgt. Howard Beaman, a prisoner of war in Germany.

                                               September 25, 1943.
       I am a very good friend of your son, Howard. I've been in 
     the same squadron with him and even flew him in the same 
     ship. We were also in the same camp in Germany, and when I 
     left the camp in August (to be repatriated) Howard was in the 
     best of health and feeling like a million. He is getting your 
     mail and parcels quite regularly now (even though it takes 
     six months to get there) and he sure does enjoy them. All 
     last winter Howard was my bridge partner and all summer long 
     he has been pretty busy managing ``Beaman's Demons'' baseball 
     team there in camp. I hope to be seeing Howard again, and I 
     hope you'll see Howard at home very soon.

  A letter to Mr. And Mrs. James Kralik of Nevinville from their son 
Corporal Roy Kralik, then a German prisoner of war:

       Dear Folks:
       I suppose you are wondering about our Christmas here. It 
     was all real nice under the circumstances. Had the barracks 
     all decorated and a tree for each. Really looked nice and the 
     spirit was high. The Red Cross put out a special Christmas 
     parcel along with the regular parcel, so we were able to have 
     fruit cake, candy, all kinds of spreads and the like, along 
     with our regular meals. Eight of us boys cooked up our meal 
     together and had a nice time along with a good meal. DeWayne 
     and I baked a bunch of cupcakes so along with them we had 
     fruit cake, candy and coffee, mashed potatoes, fried prem, 
     bread, butter, jam, peanut butter and biscuits. Had special 
     church services, a camp show, and all in all, it passed my 
     expectations by far. Here's hoping you all had a nice 
     Christmas and that everyone is well. Had a letter from 
     Colleen and some more from you.
           Best wishes,
                                                              Roy.

  The following are a few extracts from a letter written by PFC Gerald 
L. Corey while stationed at Nashville Tennessee, to his mother, Mrs. 
Fred Heuckendorg.

       It snowed Monday. We were up at 6:00 and stood guard until 
     the truck came to take us on a truck ride. We waited all day 
     until 5:00 that afternoon. Couldn't have any fires and it was 
     cold as the dickens. We started out on what was supposed to 
     be 100 miles. About midnight our truck slid off into a ditch 
     and we were there about three hours. Everybody was cold, 
     tired, and hungry. We were a sad bunch. We reached Carthage, 
     Tennessee, about noon. They sure have some hills here. The 
     sun was shining and it was warm but muddy. Finally had a 
     meal, not much I had some candy bars, they come in handy. 
     Enemy planes were flying over us all the time, had to keep 
     down, it seemed pretty realistic. We pulled out and started 
     walking about 7:30, Tuesday night until 2 o'clock in the 
     morning. We were warm while hiking but when we laid down it 
     was cold: we rested until 5:30. The enemy were about 5 hours 
     walk from where we were so we started walking again meeting 
     the enemy about eleven o'clock Wednesday morning and drove 
     them back into the hills. We walked again two miles into 
     Hickman, Tennessee. The General stopped us there and said the 
     problem was over, about four o'clock. We were served 
     sandwiches and coffee. We couldn't get to our rest camp until 
     Thursday a.m. We had to wait and our bed rolls hadn't come. 
     It started to rain. We headed for farmer's barns, hog sheds, 
     hen houses, etc. Our bed rolls came Thursday a.m. at 3:00. It 
     continued to pour down. Everybody was soaked. Nobody pitched 
     tents but went back to the barns. We had breakfast at 6:30. 
     Our trucks didn't come and we stayed in the barns till 6 that 
     night, then moved to town and slept in a warehouse, it was 
     cold and damp. Our trucks didn't come when it stopped raining 
     Friday morning so we moved to the top of a big hill and 
     pitched tents for the night, first good night's sleep for 
     nearly a week. We start out on another problem Monday 
     morning. The colonel said it wouldn't be as bad as the last 
     one. The colonel and the general praised us on the way we 
     came through the problem as it was 4 times worse than they 
     had expected. If you want to send me anything just make it 
     anything to eat. A small truck came out from town with cakes, 
     candy bars, and ice cream. Some scramble to get any of it! 
     This is a wonderful life.
           Love,
                                                             Gary.

  Corporal John Gildemiester, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. 
Gildemiester, wrote from Iran.

       Everything is still going swell. I have been in a hospital 
     with an attack of appendicitis but recovered without an 
     operation. I have had the pleasure of meeting an American 
     missionary who has been here for twenty years. Have also seen 
     several Biblical monuments which are real interesting.
       In some parts of the country [there] are wheat fields, 
     which are cut with a sickle and the bundles hauled home on 
     mule's backs. They have a little machine with pointed wooden 
     wheels which they run over the pile of bundles many times to 
     thrash out the grain.
       The bread is flat somewhat similar to rye crisp. I ate some 
     fresh gazelle meat the other day, which was very good, 
     however we do not have it very often. There is no steak to be 
     had here at any price. We are unable to get any American 
     station on the radio over here.

  The following letter was received by Miss Elnora Smith of Orient 
concerning her brother, Sgt. Russell Smith, who was serving in Italy, 
and whose parents were dead.

                                                     Feb. 1, 1943.
       Mr. Smith,
       I do not know whether this letter will reach you or not as 
     I do not know what your first name is but will try and see 
     what happens. Your son, Sgt. Russell Smith, who is now 
     serving with the armed forces in Italy and my son, Sgt. 
     Ronald Greiman are very good friends so Ronald tells us. Now 
     we have had three letters from Ronald today, saying he has 
     been wounded in action somewhere between Dec. 25 and Jan. 10. 
     He was hit by machine gun fire in his leg below the knee, and 
     he said it was your son that helped rescue him. He said when 
     he was hit in the leg and fell to the ground, he rolled 
     himself down the hill or cliff and when your son, Sgt. Smith 
     saw what happened, he ran to help him and carried him to 
     safety under heavy machine gun fire. Then Sgt. Smith and 
     another sergeant sent for some stretcher bearers and they 
     carried our son 16 miles down the mountains till they came to 
     a road where he could be hauled to some hospital. Sgt. Smith 
     also bandaged his wounds as soon as he carried him to safety.
       Now I want to tell you how grateful we are for what Sgt. 
     Smith has done for our son, Sgt. Greiman, and when you write 
     to your son, I wish you would mention this to him also. 
     Ronald writes he has had his leg operated on and is getting 
     along as well as could be expected. He says the doctors tell 
     him that it will take 3 or 4 months to heal the wounds and 3 
     or 4 more months before he can get around on it. He also said 
     he would be moved to Africa to some hospital there. Says his 
     big worry now is wondering how his buddies are getting along 
     that he left behind.
       So we can see how these boys really get attached to one 
     another. When you write to your son, I wish you would tell 
     him how Ronald is doing and tell him that he was taken to 
     Africa, then perhaps they can get in touch with each other. 
     May God be with our sons and all other boys at the fighting 
     fronts.
                                                     H.A. Grieman.

  Mr. Speaker, these are the words of brave men. And they ring as true 
today as they did over seventy years ago when they were written. They 
embody the ideals of this great nation and the ethos of our armed 
forces that have fought, sacrificed, and died for our country so that 
we can remain free.
  Next week when we recognize these men and women on Veterans Day, look 
them in the eye and say ``Thank You.'' They know all too well what the 
words in these letters mean. And for their bravery and sacrifices, they 
deserve our unwavering gratitude and respect. May God bless them. And 
may God bless these United States of America.

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