Before going into the Army, something happened between Johnnie and Lucile that he must have regretted. Once again, he expressed remorse to Lucile in his August 12, 1944 V-mail.
Dear Darling,
Just a few lines to let you know I have received three letters from you in the last few days. That’s not bad at all. I hope and pray to God that there isn’t anything seriously wrong with you when you go to the doctors for a checkup. If there is you know who the cause of it is and I know I have a debt to pay, regardless of what you think. But you can bet on one thing, if everything does go well and when I do get home, I will do my best to make up for the past on such matters. Well, I will have to close for this time. I miss you a lot Baby and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
Some of the soldiers fighting overseas had to worry about what their women were doing back home in the States but when Johnnie wrote Lucile on August 13, 1944, he made it clear that he could count on her.
My Dear Darling,
Just a line or two to let you know I am thinking of you and hope and pray that when you had your check over that there wasn’t anything real serious wrong. For goodness sake, let me know the truth about it. I received a letter from little Mary, or I shall say big Mary because she said she surely has grown a lot. I hope she’s putting on a little weight with it. She talks like she was almost grown. Get that the way all you women are when you are kids, you think you shall be accounted as a grown person when you get thirteen or fourteen years old, Ha Ha. Am I not right? Honey, you asked me what I meant when I said that I hope I still have a hold on you. You should know what I meant, so I am not going into detail about it. Oh say, can you send me some tablets to write on? I am about out of paper again. I am still looking for the bracelet. Also, if you haven’t sent me the pen, don’t send it. I can’t get no ink here for it anyway. Boy, I would give anything to see you for one day. Darn, I wish I could show you just how much you mean to me. I really get homesick thinking about the times we have had together, and I was really proud of you the last few days I was with you. Honey, the way some of these boys act here on some of the bad news they get from their wives or sweetheart it makes a person here think that, what soldiers that are left and four-F too, are taking care of all the women for them. But I know I can count on you like I have always. Will close for now. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
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Mary Stacks |
For those who are not aware of the military term 4-F, it means unfit for military service.
After spending the first two weeks of August doing regular training in a camp near Volterra, the Regiment was alerted on August 13 that they were to “relieve the front-line elements of the 91st American Infantry Division.” The morning of August 15 assigned members of the Regiment began planning for the 91st American Infantry Division relief mission. That night, troops “moved by meter to an assembly area near Strada.” Staying undercover during the day, various companies moved into position while waiting for orders. Once issued, the mission was completed on August 17 without incident and they now held the zone. The 1st Battalion was assigned the right sector of the front-line area the Regiment took over, encompassing “13,000 yards along the railroad track on the south bank of the Arne River from the Elsa River on the right to a point 1,000 yards west of Castelfrance on the left.” Few troops were left in reserve as most were needed to defend the wide front-line zone. The troops were opposed by a lightly manned but aggressive and active German army who made small unit raids against the front line. Shortly after the relief, a company platoon of 18 (1 officer and 17 enlisted men) was captured by the Germans so the decision was made to strengthen and improve the line. One hundred additional miles of wire were also added to improve telephone communication the night of August 17–18.
Sometime during this period, Johnnie was involved in a non-battle truck accident. He was taken to a portable hospital with injuries that included contusions and lacerations to his thigh and shoulder. Johnnie was able to write a V-mail to Lucile the night of August 17, 1944 and mentioned the accident. As he usually does, he quickly changed the conversation to Lucile and asked how she was doing.
Hello Darling,
Just a few lines to find out how you are getting along. As for myself, I had a little accident. I was in a truck and it turned over. I wasn’t hurt so bad. It banged up my leg a little bit and I received a swelled-up jaw, but as for that, I am OK. What did the doctor say about you? I hope you are OK. Be sure and let me know how things come out. Well, I will close for this time. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
The trucks in the photo below are most likely the type Johnnie was riding in when the accident occurred.
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Signal Corps Archive, public domain; https://www.flickr.com/photos/signalcorpsarchive/52594812764/in/album-72157712605441088/ |
Ambush patrols covering the front before the dawn of August 18 ran into a firefight but were able to repulse the enemy. The Regiment spent the first few days in the new zone “preparing defensive fires, shifting weapons to more advantageous positions, establishing observation posts to cover the entire zone, and formulating counterattack plans.” It all paid off when they were able to hold the Germans off.
On August 19, 1944, Johnnie wrote his next letter to Lucile and provided more details of the accident, along with sad news.
My Dear Darling,
I wrote you the other day telling you I got hurt a little bit in a truck when it turned over. Well, there was twenty-six of us in it, only seven of us was hurt bad enough to come to the hospital. One of the boys that was hurt pretty bad was my best buddy and friend. He died. His name is Harpold. I was able to be up and happened to be at his bedside when he passed away. The last words he said was “Johnnie, we can take it, can’t we?” I can’t really say how bad I felt when he passed away. Him and I always shared on everything we got. We always bunked together and always had the same idea about things. In all he was a great guy. And I miss him an awful lot. Well, that’s all I will say about that because I don’t want to think about it. I hope this finds you well and OK and have really gone to the doctor to see about yourself like you said you was. Have you received any more money since you got the twenty-five? I don’t want you to save what I send you. I want you to use it for your own benefit. Any way you want to. About this watch, it keeps pretty good time so don’t go buying me another one. How is Nell coming along? Has she heard from Robert yet? Is Dot and her family getting along OK? How is Mom Stacks and Doc? Sure would like to see you all. But you mostly. Are you still hanging around waiting? I hope. Well honey, I will have to close for now. So, keep writing and tell all the folks hello for me. I miss you a lot Darling. And I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
There is a Find A Grave memorial for Pfc. Horace E. Harpold that includes a partial article from a September 4, 1944 issue of the Dallas News that states “Pfc. Horace E. Harpold of the infantry was killed in action in Italy, August 17, the War Department has notified his parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Harpold, 414 South Montreal.” The dates noted in the news article occur after Johnnie’s letter was written which is confusing, but it does confirm Pfc. Harpold’s death in Italy during the timeframe when the letter was written. A joint reburial service was held on December 7, 1948 for Pfc. Harpold and his cousin Irwin Harpold who was also killed during the war, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
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Pfc. Horace Harpold’s tombstone at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery (photo used with permission of LKate, Find A Grave member ID 47116782) |
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Interment form |
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Corporal Mack Williams (left), Sergeant Horace Harpold (center), and Private W. D. Morris (right) at Camp Bowie, Texas (Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Camp Bowie Army Maneuvers. (1941). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery/img/20048966.) |
With the new zones under control, the Regiment was tasked with “gradually pushing the enemy across the river.” They used tank destroyers to fire directly on “enemy-held buildings south of the Arne” river. Civilians report 80 German soldiers were killed on August 21. Patrols ambushed enemy patrols as they approached the line. The Regiment fought heavy German artillery and mortar fire with significant losses sustained. The Germans had placed mines and traps in the area causing some casualties.
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