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Death Ends FriendshipThreeSoldilersCHARLES W. SMITHA friendship ending in tragedy isrevealed in the case of three soldiers, Charles W Smith. Gettysburg, Charles E. Smith. Clearville. R 2, and Johnny Yanchko. Freeland. pictured above These boys were together from the time they enlisted. They served together with the 3rd Infantry Division of the 7th Army Death ended their friendship when Charles E. Smith, son of Mrs Ellis Smith, was killed in action in Ger many.Friend Sends LetterThe following letter was received by Mrs. Smith from her son s friend. Charles W. Smith, someRelieveNervousFatiguewith otSPENCERCHARLES E. SMITHltime after she had been notifiedher son had been killed:June 1!).My Dearest Mrs Smith:I must apologiz* for not answering your letter before, but I justreceived it on the day that I left the !*0tb General Hospital in France and I thought 1 should ge to the states as soon us a letter would I am sorry to have delayed answering for a full month. I arrived in Charlestown on June 12 and got here to Butler day before yesterday, and finally got a chance to write to you It is only the secondletter I've written since I left France, so I hope you'll excuse the poor penmanshipI was overjoyed to hear from you. Charles was about my dearest buddy all the while since we havebeen together and we have been together since induction and 1 shall never forget the hours we have spent together I was with him on the day he w*as killed 1 was not at the spot but I found out very soon after it happened. I felt toward him the same as if he were my brother and I mourned his death the same.designed/ cut end mode forBecoute your Spencer will be Battlefields make every strongfriendships and when you lose a dear friend you realize how muchyoU/ it will fit exactly ond be)he has meant to youperfectly comfortable I 1 h°Pe ,hot lt Wl11 comfort you,Mrs Smith to know' that he died instantly and did not have to goLela B. Williams through any suffering He died gal-*IfiiJOHNNY YANCHKO•Pto meet I shall neverIEVERETT, PA. Phone 38-W or 38-Rlantly in battle and wherever he isI uin sure that he must be in that : portion of heaven reserved* for the best of soldiers, for he was one of ! the best men I’ve ever known andever hope forget himI wasn't wounded till April II, 1945 I am getting along very nicely and it is really :v\Ml to be here in the state: I hope to see you whenI get out of the hospital My folks \vt re here to vi: it me today We areallowed visitor1 from 2 to *t every day.We wei e separated from Johnny Yiffu hko around the 10th of March and I haven’t heard from him * ince 1 should like very much to • elt; him or hear from himMay God blesf you alwaysCharles W Smith Memorial Day MessageMrs Smith also received the following Memorial Day message from Major General John W O'-Daniel, her sons commanding officer:On this Memorial Day of 1945, the 3rd Division remembeis you for the contribution you have made to America and all it stands for in the loss of your loved son These things are hard to understand. but in a war such a thi* one where the gain to be had w.e sothe destruction of the so necessary, great :ac-inevitahle.We who are living know that th** success of tin* Division and our very own existence is due mainly to those who un rlfehlv gave their lives in battle This realization will be with us alw*aysNow that the German Army if destroyed, you can well feel proud that through your great contribution. our nation may live as was intended in freedom and goodnessAs Division Commander of thegreat and evil force rifiee was
Newspaper Details
Bedford Gazette
Bedford, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Jul 27, 1945
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
PA, USA 27 Mar 2021
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