Submitted By:
Megan McGovern
August 2010

Submitted By:
Megan McGovern
August 2010

Submitted By:
Megan McGovern
August 2010

Albert said sometimes that the War was probably the greatest time of his life. He did not see action, but he developed close friendships with his fellow soldiers in the Army of Occupation. Some of his stories included how he never learned to speak French, but did take the time to learn egg (which he pronounced like “oof”), chocolate, and cigarette. His friends convinced him to drink cognac one time. He must have drunk a lot of it, because he said he had the worst hangover of his life the next day. Albert refused to touch cognac for the rest of his life. A German soldier gave Albert a rifle, which the soldier had hidden in his barn, because he would have been in trouble if he had been caught after the war in possession of a weapon. He had come to like my Albert and trusted him. Albert also smuggled a woman into Belgium without telling anybody, which would have gotten him into huge trouble. He helped people his whole life; this woman was just another person whom he could assist. Albert had a bit of a temper and was demoted a few times from higher ranks back to Private. By the time he finished his service, however, Albert was a Corporal.

Al’s half brother, Bob, to whom he was very close, also served in World War II. Bob was in the Pacific Theater as part of the Marine Corps. He enlisted after graduating from high school at age 18. Albert told his wife, Violet, once that if Bob was killed during the war, then he didn’t want to come home. The news that Bob had been killed in January of 1945 was devastating to Albert. He almost never talked about Bob, even 50 years later. I think the memory was still too painful.

Submitted by:
Megan McGovern
August 2010

Marvin Smith was born in Evanston, IL and was drafted into the Army on January 22, 1942. After some training, he was assigned to the 340th Construction Engineers. His Battalion was sent to Alaska/Canada to build the famous Alcan Highway. This was a major achievement since the men had to endure sub-freezing temperatures and
it was a battle to keep the equipment running in the sub-freezing temperatures. For this project, his Battalion was awarded the Distinguished Unit Badge.

After the Alcan Highway was completed, his Battalion was shipped overseas to the Pacific Theatre where they hop-skipped through many islands including Australia, New Zealand, Luzon, New Guinea, and Morotai. They built air strips and bridges and anything else that needed building. Many times, Japanese planes would shoot at them and enemy snipers were always threatening them. Marvin battled malaria as well as Japanese soldiers. His Battalion was starting to prepare for an invasion of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped and the war was over. He was very thankful
that the invasion did not have to take place.

He returned home and was honorably discharged on December 6, 1945 from Camp Grant, Illinois. As of this date, he is still living in his little hometown in Illinois.

Story Submitted by: Barb Smith
December 2009

In July 1945, Larry boarded the USS Colby Victory for the Pacific Theater of Operation in preparation for the invasion of Japan. While refueling at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Japan surrendered and the war ended on August 5. Larry arrived in Manila, Philippines Islands and was sent to General Douglas MacArthur’s Headquarters as an expert typist. His commanding officer was Colonel C.J. Berry, Personnel Director, Headquarters Unit. For the next 2 years, Larry was responsible to Col. Berry for correspondence, radiograms and personnel files. Larry remembered one special day, when General MacArthur got on the elevator with him. This was not following the protocol which forbids enlisted personnel from being on the elevator with the General. Larry hastened to exit, but the General grabbed his arm and invited him to stay on and ride upstairs with him.

After nearly 2 years on occupation duty, Col. Berry asked Larry to stay on as a civilian. Larry declined the offer and was discharged on December 3, 1946 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He had achieved the rank of tech sergeant. Larry received the following awards: Sharpshooter Rifle Carbine, Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the WW II Victory Medal.

Larry returned to his home town of Athens, IL and married Betty O’Brien in 1947. The couple had three children: Linda, Jeffrey and Denise. Larry worked at Hummer Manufacturing, a Division of Montgomery Wards, had a brief sojourn with the Flying Tigers Air Freight Co. in North Hollywood, CA and ended his career with United States Electric in Springfield, IL.

Lawrence Allen Parrish

Athens, Illinois

The WWII Illinois Veterans Memorial Committee held a special remembrance of the 65th anniversary of the Normandy invasion on June 6, 2009 at the memorial site. The guest speaker at the event was U.S. District Judge Richard Mills. He is a Major General in the Illinois State Militia and a retired Colonel in the U.S. Army.

Click on the link to read his inspirational speech.

There were several WWII veterans in attendance, two of who participated in the invasion. The group of WWII veterans helped place a wreath along the European Wall near the Utah Beach marker.

The ceremony also included a speech by John Carrigan, President of the WWII Illinois Veterans Memorial Committee and a benediction by Paul Wehner. The ceremony concluded with a 21-gun salute and taps.

Illinois WWII Memorial Board Classroom Project

I trained and served in the 125th Evacuation Hospital, semi-mobile as a medical and surgical technician serving 18 months overseas during the war and in the army of occupation in Germany.

I returned to the United State from Bremerhaven, Germany to New York via the Liberty Ship, S.S. Alhambra on 8th June 1946. I then shipped back to Fort Sheridan, IL where I received my honorable discharge on the 13th of June 1946. With a crisp new uniform, the medals we earned and $100.00 mustering out pay. Free again.

Decorations and citations received include: Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle-Eastern Theatre Ribbon with 2 Bronze Stars, Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Bar, Victory Medal and 3 overseas service bars.

My 26 months of service were important to me as it allowed me to become a mature person, serve my country in time of need, and gain many experiences which have influenced the rest of my life.

During my service overseas, I witnessed many injured soldiers, some with trench foot and frozen limbs, due to the extremely cold winter in Europe along with shrapnel wounds and battle fatigue resulting in psychological problems. It was not a pretty sight. The most disturbing event was the release of prisoners at Dachau, Germany prison camp. This will always remain in my memory and it troubles me to hear that some people comment that this event never occurred.

To this day, I have never regretted the time spent in the service of my country. It was a true learning experience with a very maturing effect on my life.

Submitted by:
Ervin D. Thuerk

He married Mary VanGeison in 1946 in Springfield, Illinois and farmed most of his life in the Harvel and Waggoner, Illinois areas. Mary died in 1996. Olyn married Gertrude “Gert” (Jaeger) Nantkes in 1999.

Olyn was a 60-year-member of American Legion Post 701 in Waggoner and served as it Commander twice. He often hosted reunions for his Company K army buddies.

Olyn A. Brockmeyer died on March 6, 2008 in Hillsboro, Illinois. He is survived by his second wife, Gert, two sons Terry and Tracy Brockmeyer, and two daughers, Cheryl Fischer and Tammy Welcome. He is buried at Virden Cemetery, Virden, Illinois.

Submitted by:
Tracy Brockmeyer & Cheryl Fischer