I graduated from St. Patrick, Missouri High School in 1942. I was proud to be a part of the war effort. I was drafted in at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on October 13, 1944; received six months of basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and received two weeks advanced training at A.P. Hill, Virginia before going overseas to Germany. Germany was a beautiful country that was sure torn up. I was a jeep driver for officers and anybody needing to go someplace. I drove tanks and armored cars in combat and reconnaissance missions. The strangest sight was driving an M-4 tank through Munich and not seeing a single house standing! Once I rode 7 days and 6 nights in a box car with 39 other soldiers. The guys would go to sleep and kick. I have scars yet today to prove it. The Germans would bomb the railroad causing us to go back from the front. I did not live in fear because we were trained to kill or be killed. When I went to town, I carried a pistol. The people of Germany didn't associate much with us. The little kids were friendly because we gave them candy and gum. Accommodations varied in Germany - tents, hotels, German barracks, beer hall. Once I stayed in a house while guarding a pile of German bombs. We went to Mass every Sunday ministered by Army chaplains and once went to midnight Mass in a German church. In our free time, we washed our pants and shirts in gasoline when we had no soap. When we had no meat in our K-rations, we would buy a cow with cigarettes or shoot a deer. Trips to other countries were offered on seniority basis and to a limited number of soldiers. I celebrated my 22nd birthday on the ship back to America in July, 1946. The Statue of Liberty looked a lot nicer coming home than it did when I left, not knowing if I would see it again. About 2 weeks after landing in New York, I got home to Missouri. I was discharged in August, 1946 from Fort Sheridan, near Chicago, Illinois. After the welcome home wore off, life was dull. There weren't any jobs and the ones available had been taken by earlier returning Veterans. I went 9 months before I found a job. After several jobs, my wife and I successfully ran a Western Auto Store in Augusta, Illinois for 49 years retiring in 2001. My wife, Hilda, of 58 years and I have raised eight children, 18 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. I resented Germany because they started a war over power, which caused hardship and expense, loss of loved ones. They took two years of my life for the Army. But, I was proud to serve our country to have freedom for everyone. Hopefully, the little bit I did helped in some way. Awards earned: Belgian, France Cord., 9th Infantry Division. Good conduct, 1 Battle Star, Occupation Ribbon, and ETO Ribbon. My ranks were Level - T-5; Private, Corporal, & Platoon Sergeant.