LETTERS 225 to 249
Letter 226 - Written By:
Marjorie Miles Hantwerker
Port Haywood
VA
Letter to my brother, S/Sgt William T. Miles, Jr.
MIA Korea 8 July 1951
Dear Billy:
How could we catch up for all the years that have passed since we last saw each other? I was a twelve year old little girl and now I am a grandmother of three. You will always be my handsome big brother with Granddad's beautiful blue eyes. Losing you was devastating to the entire family, especially not knowing what had happened to you. We were told to get on with our lives and ask no questions. Not that Mom did that. She would pull out my portable typewriter and write to whomever she thought may have some information, but sadly got no results. She never gave up the hope that someday you would return. I believe your fellow Ranger, Ed Purcel came to visit Mom after being released as a POW. Mom passed away in 1959 from a heart attack and Dad in 1986 from leukemia.
Let me give you a little breakdown of the lives of your siblings. Joan married a coworker's brother and moved to NJ. The same year, the rest of us moved into a home two doors down from them. Joan and Jack had two daughters and were married almost 50 years when Jack passed away and Joan followed the following year. Don served in Korea the latter part of the 50's. He came home and married a girl from Bridesburg, and he and Rose have four children one named Billy.
After graduating from high school, I worked for a short period for a jewelry store before getting a position at the Frankford Arsenal. I really enjoyed working there and moved up in the secretarial field to become an administrative assistant to a Lt. Colonel. I married in 1962 to a young man, Andy Hantwerker, who I had met when I was 13. After three years of marriage, we had a son, Kurt, and then in 1969, a daughter, Susanne. Andy was a Philadelphia police officer and was a very dedicated public servant. He had a broad career in many aspects of policing and retired, as an Inspector, in 1985 to accept a federal grant position dealing with organized crime. With this career change, came a move from Philadelphia to Virginia. This was followed by a position with the Commonwealth of Virginia for Andy, and I starting working for a district office of the department store, JCPenney. Kurt moved to Tulsa attending an aeronautics school. He never worked in that field, going into business instead. He has two sons and is married to Donna. Susanne graduated from high school and attended Longwood College graduating with an education degree. She is a reading specialist teaching kindergarten to third grade. Sue and Dave have one son.
Andy and I finally retired the end of the nineties to our home on the Chesapeake Bay. Billy, you would love it here. We look out our back and see the Bay. We have always boated on the Chesapeake even when we lived in Philadelphia. It is a good life. Your little sister, Janice, married a young man from our old Mershon Street neighborhood, Charles Payne. You played football with his older brother, Bill,. They have six children (including one named Bill), and I have lost count of the number of grandchildren.
Back in 2001, your family learned of an organization named Ranger Infantry Companies of the Korean War Association.. Through this wonderful organization, we finally pieced together your fate on that Spitfire Mission. Your fellow Rangers searched for you where you held off the enemy and also at the prearranged check points to no avail. We also learned that your missions were written about in papers and books. It was strange to read quotes from you regarding the lack of cigarettes and the broken radios. You would be amazed at the electronics the military now possess. I spoke to Sgt. Garner who was the radio operator for the Spitfire Mission who gave me a first hand account. At a memorial service held in Arlington, we had the honor of meeting some of the men you served with in Korea. Your friend, Rich Capone, told us of trying to find your family after returning to Philadelphia. An ironic thing in this regard, was that Andy and I had eaten in a bar that he bartended located on Frankford Avenue. Probably talked to him not knowing who he was. In 2003, you were inducted in the Ranger Hall of Fame at Ft. Benning, Ga. Brother, you are in there with some big name heroes. In 2003, a retired colonel took up your cause citing your bravery in holding off the enemy so your comrades could escape and submitted your name for the Distinguished Service Cross. It is still in committee.
Well, Bill, you may have been lost to us 55 years ago, but I wanted you to know that you were never forgotten. Our children and grandchildren know about you, and you will always be in our hearts.
Love
Margie
Letter 227 - Written By:
Jack C. McVickers
Scottsdale
AZ
To those we remember today:
I was but an eighteen year old kid. I was on duty in the war zone but not on the front lines. The wounded and dead were flown into our landing strip before being transported elsewhere. I remember looking at each of your bandaged faces and frozen feet and saying a silent prayer for you. I knew not your names then and I know not your names now. But whatever your name and wherever you are this day I simply say, "Thank you".
Jack McVickers
Sea Bee, USN
Letter 228 - Written By:
Rita Myers
Fair Grove
MO
Richard William West (WWII & Korea) 13 years - Army- Pacific, Missouri
Cause of death - Rare form of cancer caused from radiation exposure during military years.
Dad,
It's hard to believe that it has been 33 years since your life ended. There is so much that the family would have loved to share with you!
Mom is gone now too, and I'd like to think that you two are together again. She never married after you passed. For 30 years she stayed a widow.
I am almost 49 now, & I have given you two grandchildren, Ian & Sarah. And guess what??.... Ian is attending College! Can you believe that!! A first for the family!! You'd be so proud!
Belinda had her first daughter, Chasity in 1974. Her second daughter, Jill in 1979. Chasity has given Belinda 2 grandchildren, Dylan & Abbey. Jill has so far stayed single. After 27 years of marriage, Belinda divorced Jimmy. Looks like you were right!
We lost Myrna to lung cancer. It was very hard on all of us, but mom suffered the most. She felt it was unfair of God to take her daughter before her!
Duke finally met a perfect match for him. He and Connie have one son together, Stephen. I gave him the nickname of Gus. He's Duke made over. The "curse" caught up to Duke too. 0
The little gray house on 6th street was finally knocked down, but the red house is up for sale, at an overpriced amount!! The tree that you planted near the street, now stands tall. It was the only one out of 3 that made it.
Just last month I got together with Belinda and Duke in Pacific. We donated your Army uniform to the local museum. We thought you might be pleased with that. We know how you loved the town, and so many there loved you.
The Flag that was draped on your casket is on display in my home, and has been for years. I also display the USA flag on the front of our house. I replace it with a new one when it becomes too ragged.
Do you remember, Malcolm Turnbull from WWII? You were his Sgt. In Europe. He says you were his favorite. He was a young boy then. He said you were a good leader and a fair man. Turnbull and his wife have become wonderful friends to me. He was surprised to hear that you stayed in the Army and went to Korea. I often wonder what would have happened if you wouldn't have re-enlisted. I'd like to think that I wouldn't be writing this letter.
That you would be here with me & the rest of the family. That you would have been able to keep that promise to mom, & spent your old age traveling the world!!
I'm sorry you died so young, 56...& that you never knew a grandchild to spoil & love, & sing your silly little made up songs to!!
I love you. I miss you every day....& still after all these years, I always continue to wonder... what if????
Love and kisses,
Rita
Letter 229 - Written By:
Bob Anderson
Naugatuck
CT
Dear Unknown Soldiers,
My father, Raymond Magnus Anderson, who served in Korea in 1952 with K Co, 35th Infantry regiment, 25th ID, can not write this letter, so I will in his place. My father passed away in August of 2000.
My father came home from Korea, where he met and fell in love with my mother, Betty Hartwell. They were married 16 October, 1955. He had 4 children, Susan, Bob (me), Karen and Janice. He was truly a devoted father. He really loved his family, and cherished his time with them.
As a young child, I remember my father struggling to operate his own (failing) printing business, while at the same time working full time to support his young family. He was literally working 20 hours per day, 7 days per week. Only now, as I am raising my own family, can I really appreciate these efforts.
My father was also devoted to his church. He was a gifted singer, woodworker, and teacher. He used these gifts to the great benefit of others. He was perhaps the most unselfish man I have ever had the privilege of knowing. He strove to make this world a better place. I believe that he lived this way purposefully, to honor you, his fallen comrades.
Shortly after retirement, my father was diagnosed with a severe neurological disorder, sort of a very aggressive Parkinson's disease. Over the course of about 4 years, he progressed from being completely healthy, to an invalid. When he was diagnosed, the first thing he decided to do was to remodel his kitchen. I am talking about building his cabinets from scratch, and doing a complete renovation. He did manage to complete this project, although barely. During this time, my father became very close with his grandson Sean, as we moved into a house just down the street from him. He also kept his great sense of humor and joy of life, right to the end.
My father would want you to know that he carried a piece of each and every one of you in his heart. He knew that he was one of the lucky ones. He came home, and lived a full and happy life. He knew exquisitely of your agony, and felt anguish every day of his life.
I would like you and your families to know that we will never forget your courage, commitment, devotion to duty, and supreme sacrifice. You answered the call of duty, not knowing what fate awaited you. I am so sorry that you did not get to experience a full, rich life like my father did. Your lives were cut short. There is no telling what great things that you would have accomplished. Just know that your lives were not lost in vain. The 48,000,000 people of South Korea have lived in freedom and prosperity because of your sacrifice. Think of it. This is almost 20% of the population of the USA. This is more than the entire population of New England, New York, and New Jersey combined. They all have avoided torment and starving under a brutal and communistic regime, because you answered the call of duty.
Thank you and may God bless you.
Bob Anderson
Letter 230 - Written By:
Gunnar Oserberg
Dana Point
CA
Dear Don,
I am sending you a note to let you know that I am fine and to also to let you know what I have been up to in the last fifty-three years. After the war ended, I came home, got discharged, went on with my life and married the finest woman in the world. We have two children and three grandchildren. I ended up in sales and spent forty years in the specialty steel business. I am retired now and live here in California with my wife of 51 years. I am seventy-four years old and as I recall, you too, were born in 1932 so we are the same age.
I still remember when I first met you and that was when our Company was in a blocking position before we went up to Heartbreak Ridge. I was the new B.A.R. man in the first platoon and you were a quiet, soft-spoken corporal at the time of our meeting. You weren't very talkative, but I'm guessing that you had dreams like all of us about getting this terrible war over and returning home to our loved ones.
I still remember well, the relentless mortar and artillery barrages we were under on Outpost Queen. I think that I may harbor some guilt feelings that I survived and got to live this long, full life when so many of our young men didn't make it out of Korea alive.
I want you to know that it is fifty-three years later and I think of you whenever my mind drifts to our combat days. And, I am sad to say that this happens more often to me now that I am in my twilight years of life. We never forget fine young men who sacrificed for their country and we certainly don't forget buddies that have fallen in war. I hope that God is taking special care of
you because nobody deserves it more than you. You are a very special person in my life.
Don, I have to leave you for now, but until we meet again, I say goodbye old buddy for I've not forgotten you over these many years - and I never will.
Sincerely,
Gunnar Osterberg
Dana Point, Ca.
Sergeant Donald W. Gibson, from Mercer, Kentucky, was killed on Outpost Queen during a mortar barrage on July 19th, 1953. He was only a few feet from me when this happened. He was a squad leader in Charlie Company of the 179th Regiment, 45th Division. He lost his life eight days before the armistice signing and the ending of this terrible war.
Letter 231 - Written By:
Florence Hoenes Shaffer
Dallas
TX
In Memory of Staff Sgt. John Thomas Hoenes, USMC
Died: August 26th, 1952
Dearest Tommy:
I will never forget the day that the telegram arrived, reporting that you had been killed or the huge funeral procession snaking along the winding road to your burial site.... or the bells tolling at the cemetery.... or the peaceful swans on the little lake near your grave. I was only 8, then.
Your death was devastating to Daddy. We moved to Florida a few years after your death, and Daddy retired from the ministry. He just couldn't preach anymore.
This summer our family went back to Davenport and found your gravesite. The swans are still just as peaceful.
Mary told me once about your fiance. I have often wanted to find her, just to learn what has happened with the rest of her life. It must have tough for her to lose you, and be ignored by our family.
I don't think Mary ever fully recovered from losing her big brother. She idolized you, you know. The rest of us kids were younger, and really hardly knew you.
You would be proud to know that my son, your great-nephew, has just retired from the Marine Corps after a distinguished career as an officer, including a trip to Iraq. Thankfully, he returned safely. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton for several years, and each time I went to visit, I was haunted by your presence, knowing that you were there before heading overseas.
When you were a young Marine, you were idolized by a 5 year old in our church. This year he found me through the Korean War Project web site, and we have stayed in touch. His mother and sister still live in the Davenport area. He visited your gravesite recently too so you are still being remembered by many people.
Last year my grandchildren had a contest in their school district entitled "Heroes". Addison chose you as his hero, and he won a prize for his entry.
Rest in peace, big brother. We still think of you, and thank you for your sacrifice. Semper Fi!
Flo (Florence Hoenes Shaffer)
Letter 232 - Written By:
Libby Ford
October 23, 2006
Dear Bobby,
I am writing this because of the invitation of Hal Barker who wants to honor the people that were killed in Korea. I am sure he really means the ones that were killed during the war. I was not able to get your name on the war memorial because you were not there when the fighting was going on, only the squirmishes. A cease fire was signed but not a peace treaty. You were still not good enough to have your name on the wall so they think. I know better though.
Your children were babies when you were killed. - your son was only 3 months old when you left for Korea and he will be having his 51st birthday November 9th. Your daughter is now 52. Her birthday was June 7th. Your birthday, by the way, was yesterday and you would have been 76. I thought about you yesterday a lot, as I always do.
It was so devastatng to both of us when you were involuntary extended in Korea 14 hours before you were due to leave. We had been counting down the time for months until we could be together again and, as you said, you were not really needed and, if they had wanted to be nice about it, they could have given you what is called a leave for the convenience of the government. They didn't want to be nice though and, because you wouldn't volunteer to stay, they had to check it out with Wright Patterson Air Base to see if they could hold you.
After about a week or two Wright Patterson said they could hold you. The reason that you were not able to come home when your friends left was because you had been accepted to go to school at the University of Illinois in order to get your Masters Degree.
The Air Force was going to pay for it all. You were due two months leave but there was an extra month or so that they didn't know what to do with you. Because of this decision and the fact that a careless mechanic by the name of Theodore Wiley at the Mitsubishi plant in Japan had installed the wrong size fuel tanks on the mountings on your plane, you were killed.
The government did not think that we were worthy of knowing the truth about your accident and it took quite a bit of work in order to get all the facts. I think they wanted us to believe that you had done something careless; however, I knew better and kept trying to pursue the truth.
When I tried to have your name put on the Korean War Memorial, you were not worthy of that either. Bill Gray, because of that and feeling you were worthy, did a memorial web site in your honor called: www.bob-ford-memorial.com /
That is better anyway than having your name carved on a stone.
The children and I could not financially make it without having to live with my mother which was very hard on all. She resented us being there and made sure we knew it was her home and not ours.
I couldn't get a job until the children were older and in school full time because there were no day care centers back then.
Our son got on drugs and we had a very difficult time for quite a while. He is not on them now but he had to have his aortic valve replaced and now he has an inoperable brain tumor. He did have the Gamma Knife done on it in August but they can only do that one time.
Our daughter is married and living in Virginia Beach. She is a social worker (supervisor) dealing with abused children. She has a daughter, Laurie, who is precious and is working on her Ph.D. at the Medical College of Virginia in Bio-Chem.
Her goal now is to go into forensic science. We have dinner together once a week and she catches me up on her life.
Our grandson, Robbie (named after you), is now 12. He has often said he wished you were here to take him fishing.
It has almost been 50 years since you were killed and we all still miss you immensely. With the war going on now, I just cry when I hear of the young people that are being killed. I hate to think of them losing their lives and the pain their families will suffer forever.
Love you forever, Libby
Letter 233 - Written By:
Dan O'Keefe
Mendota Heights
MN
October 24, 2006
From Dan O'Keefe:
Dear Hal...I sit here trying to think what I would say should I have my old high school friend Richard E. (Jake) Grauman sitting here with me.
A high school graduation picture of Jake sits on my desk as I try to talk to him after all these years. I wonder what he thinks of the USA now after all the years he has been gone. Is he satisfied that his loss helped lead this country to the point it is today?
We are in a war we can't win. A thought that escaped the
planning stages of the conflict. Crime is on a rampage and few are punished to the extent of their crimes.
In all the world seems a lot less nice a place to live in than when we embarked to Korea in 1950 and myself in 1951.
Maybe things will get better for grandchildren, I certainly hope so. God Bless you Jake. I still miss you. You remain, missing in action and missed by me.....
dan
Home Page Letters To The Lost
(1 - 24) (25 - 49) (50 - 74) (75 - 99) (100 - 124) (125 - 149) (150 - 174)
(175 - 199) (200 - 224) (225 - 249)
