Melinda M. M. Widgren - Letters from a Boy Soldier

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Letters from a Boy Soldier

A Day in the Infantry

Melinda M. Widgren

Copyright 2017 Melinda M. Widgren

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc. 2017

ISBN 978-1-63568-246-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63568-247-2 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Acknowledgments

I would like to first thank all of the members of the United States military, past and current. If it were not for these men and women, we would not enjoy the life that we know today.

I would like to thank not only my entire family for their support during this project, but specifically my mom, Becky, Aunt Bette, Uncle Joe, and Uncle Alan for helping me whenever I needed it I think youve enjoyed this project as much as I have; all of the guys from the 274th who responded to my help! project and for sending me encouragement and the little odds and ends, specifically the Trailblazer patch; the VFW who provided me with the 274th INF DIV and 70th INF DIV; and finally for my grandpa, Warren M. Smith, for doing what he had to do and for the love he showed his family.

Melinda M. Widgren

Foreword

I met my future husband several months after his discharge from the army in early 1946. We were married two years later.

This is the story of the mundane life of a soldier when not on the front lines. It must be the story of many of our young men and women, then and now. He never got over the trauma of those months on the front lines, of seeing his buddies die, some in his arms.

A short time before he died, he was able to tell some of these stories, like he needed to get them told. I hope his story will help us all to understand and appreciate what our servicemen go through and the high price of the freedoms we all enjoy here in America.

May God bless and be very near to you all. And thank you, Melinda, for the fine work you have done and for loving and caring for your Grandpa.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Warren Smith

Song of an Old Soldier

It seems so very long ago

The War of Wars was finally oer.

A special soldier sailed home

God spared his life, there must be more

In His great plan for him to do,

Some reason why He chose this boy

And put His Angels round about

When bullets rained, and brought him through.

He brought him home to Idaho,

When Washington had been his home;

His family came and bought a farm

Oer hills and valleys here to roam.

Did God bring him here to meet a girl

In His great plan of life to be?

Just a plain and lonely country girl

Who would change his life and destiny?

Twas thirty-five years ago this June

We stood and said our vows of love,

As hand in hand we trusted God

The future we knew nothing of.

And day by day and year by year

Weve stood by each others side,

With laughter, love and many tears

Hard work and worry to just get by.

And in these years He blessed our home

So many times, so many ways,

But most of all each little child

He place in our arms, oh! Happy days!

Days that are past, oh bring them back,

Those days of laughter, love and song,

Of little ones, their smiles and tears,

Their sticky fingers all day long.

First a boy, and oh the joy, our little Bert so dear;

then God chose to take his brother home,

Our little, Bart, our Angel son,

Well soon be there with him to roam.

Then three lovely daughters in a row,

Our Becky-Do, her face aglow;

Then Bette Lu so quiet and sweet;

And Rita with her smile so neat.

Then one by one, three more sons,

As each year He blessed us more,

Our little Joe, so like his Dad;

Then Michael came, we loved him so.

Soon Alan came to bless our home

That had grown so quiet, so forlorn,

As one by one, with hopes and fears,

They journeyed out and on their own.

Each one so special, a gift of God,

Why did He bless this couple so?

That now with families of their own

His love goes on to grow and grow?

We tried to teach them to know God,

To love and trust Him and to obey;

Is this why He brought this soldier home,

That His love may grow along the way?

That these precious children would believe

Their hearts and lives for all to see,

For Christ their Saviour gladly live

And be with Him eternally?

And because one soldier fought so hard,

And trusted God, and honored Him,

Our world and the world to come

Would seem so right and never dim.

And now that soldiers growing old,

As all old soldiers seem to do;

With aching back and slowing step,

We hope life still seems good to you.

Your children and your childrens children

All rise up to call you blest;

Your wife and all those who love you too,

Wish you only happiness and rest.

Merry Christmas 1983

by Shirley Smith

Letters from a Boy Soldier

Elmer Benton Smith married Jessie Blanche Frase in 1917. They were blessed with three children: Leroy Edgar, born February 20, 1918; Jasper Benton (Ben), born December 1, 1919; and Warren Meryl, who was born on July 10, 1925, in Daisy Washington.

Elmer was a self-employed logger and farmer. He and Jessie raised their children in northeastern Washington State on the Columbia River, near the town of Kettle Falls. The Smith boys were extremely hardworking. Jessie and Elmer had large families, and the Smith boys grew up close to their many aunts, uncles, and cousins and had the fortunate experience to have close relationships with them. The Smiths lived near an Indian Reservation and had a lot of friends who were Native American. Warren knew how to ride a horse just like an Indian, graceful and proud.

The Smith family moved around a lot following the logging industry. However, they stayed mostly in the Daisy, Washington, area. The boys fished salmon in the Columbia River, hunted deer in the woods, and learned how to farm and log.

Ben and Warren got along together pretty well. Leroy left home when he was just sixteen years old (riding the rails, cattle driving, logging). Leroy was eight years older than Warren; therefore, they did not know each other as well as brothers should.

Warren dropped out of school (during or shortly after grade nine) and moved east to Minnesota to log with Leroy. Ben had already moved to Minnesota to help with the logging.

Before Warren was drafted into the United States Army, he had a girlfriend by the name of Laurabell. Sometime in early 1945, she sent him a Dear John letter. He asked for his rings back.

On July 10, 1943, on his eighteenth birthday, Warren was drafted. He went into the army from Daisy, Washington, and was inducted into the army on November 23, 1943. Warren was a farm boy and enjoyed country life. He went honorably to help America keep her freedom and to help others be free.

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