November - December 1944

November 16, 1944 - Going Home

The day after the LCI (L) 35 was decommissioned Dad received his orders to return to the United States. The orders simply stated that: "The above named man has served overseas for a period of more than 18 months and is entitled to the prescribed rehabilitation leave." Included in his personnel file were two additional notations made by Donald A. Lewis, LT (JG), USNR, Commanding Officer. The first pertained to the Invasion of Normandy and the other authorized Dad to wear a couple of campaign ribbons.

Regarding the Normandy Invasion, Commanding Officer Lewis wrote:

"The above named man served with distinction aboard the USS LCI (L) 35 during the invasion of Northern France on 6 June 1944 while that vessel was under heavy enemy artillery fire, and in the subsequent cross-channel follow up."

Commanding Officer Lewis also indicated that: "The above named man is hereby authorized to wear the Amphibious Emblem as directed in Bupers Circular Letter #173-44. He is also authorized to wear the following campaign ribbons: American Area, European theatre of operations with four bronze stars"

Dad's Military Record indicated that he was entitled to the following awards: American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.

 

AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL	EUROPEAN- AFRICAN- MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN	WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL	GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL

Tom Brokaw in his book, The Greatest Generation quoted directly from Bill Maudin's "Up Front" and captured what I believe sums up what the return home for Dad and so many other servicemen meant. Of these returning servicemen he stated:

They are very different now. Don't let anybody tell you they aren't...You can't pay in money for what they have done. They need people telling about them so they will be taken back into their civilian lives and given a chance to be themselves again.

There will be some good ones and some bad ones. But the vast majority of combat men are going to be no problem at all. They are so damned sick and tired of having their noses rubbed in the stinking war that their only ambition will be to forget it. They don't need pity because you don't pity brave men--men who are brave because they fight while they are scared to death.

From Bill Maudin's Up Front as quoted by Tom Brokaw in The Greatest Generation

December 1944

December 3, 1944 - Arrival in Norfolk, Virginia

Dad finally came back to the "land of the free and home of the brave" arriving at Norfolk, Virginia on December 3, 1944. After processing Dad was granted 30 days leave beginning December 7th. Now for the first time since he said good-bye to his family in January 1943, he had the chance to finally go home to Braddock, PA and see them once again. He also needed to make plans for marrying "Blondie" - the girl he met at Kennywood Amusement Park while he was on leave from basic training. Regardless of what happened during the almost 2 years he was away from home, Dad was sure glad to be back in the USA and ready to start new adventures in his life including being a "married man".