[Homer_J_Simpson]

In a later letter Homer’s father states that he was hospitalized on January 3rd on Leyte, so he is probably not among the 8 MIA’s mentioned below. Apparently his company became isolated in the mountains without supplies or cover some time before Christmas and was recently recovered. I guess we will never learn the whole story.

“On 1 January 1945, the 77TH Division was directed to relieve the 32D Division. Shortly thereafter, the 32D Division began to assemble in the Carigara-Pinamopoan area on Carigara Bay. There it received some well-earned rest, but it couldn't rest for long because it also had to start preparing for its next mission, the invasion of Luzon.

“The 32D Infantry Division suffered nearly 2,000 battle casualties during its 47 days of combat during the fight for Leyte, 450 of its soldiers had been killed, 1,491 soldiers wounded, and 8 soldiers were MIA.”

32nd Division history in World War II

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Four excerpts follow. #1 continued from December 22, #2 from December 30, #3 from December 29.

Winston S. Churchill, Triumph and Tragedy

[Tax-chick]

“50 Dead in Wreck of Pacific Limited Near Ogden, Utah.”

Service men are victims.