Free Republic

AT THE FRONT LINES IN ITALY, January 10, 1944In this war I have known a lot of officers who were loved and respected by the soldiers under them. But never have I crossed the trail of any man as beloved as Capt. Henry T. Waskow of Belton, Texas.Capt. Waskow was a company commander in the 36th Division. He had led his company since long before it left the States. He was very young, only in his middle twenties, but he carried in him a sincerity and gentleness that made people want to be guided by him."After my own father, he...

The following article is part of a historical preservation project I'm completing.Thought some the history buffs at FreeRepublic might enjoy the story as much as I did. At times the writing is a bit over-the-top, but keep in mind the readers were men who had just survived similar combat. The newspaper staff had traveled with them and wrote for them from their landing at Salerno to VE Day celebrated in Austria. Enjoy.-----------A 29-year-old State of Maine-er, Second Lieutenant Edward C. Dahlgren, of the 142nd, who rose from buck private to lieutenant in 17 months of combat, has just been awarded...