MEMBER: Gayalyn Howard Wojtowicz - daughter of Staff Sargent Guyowen H Howard, Sr. (deceased)

EMAIL ADDRESS: wallyw1@juno.com

click photos to enlarge

SERVICE: Sailed for Europe on the Mariposa as a replacement 30 August 1944 from Boston.  Arrived in Liverpool England about 6 days later.  Took train to Southampton and crossed the English Channel on the Leopoldville landing on Omaha Beach in Early September 1944.  Staff Sargent Guyowen H Howard, Sr. served in the Third Army under General George Patton; 80th Division (Blue Ridge Division) under General H.L. McBride; 317th Regiment Co. B.  On the front 119 Days; wounded 26 December 1944 in Luxembourg.  Serial # 42089247  B/84/15 from 3/44 -- 8/44.  Recruited from Schenectady, NY.

LETTER from Gayalyn Howard Wojtowicz:  I am enclosing my Dad's short memoir. I think perhaps that it is short because it may have been too painful for him to write more when he was already not feeling well. One time when he was visiting us, I brought out a book about the Battle of the Bulge. I thought maybe he would recognize some of the places in the photos. He began to look at it and then began to feel light headed and had to sit down. It was one photo in particular--he said it was the look in the man's eyes. The man looked somewhat like my Dad and it was a haunting look of exhaustion, hunger and perhaps of seeing sights that no human being should have to see. Anyway after that I never had the heart to encourage him to finish his writing - he lived through it once and it didn't seem fair to ask him to do it again.

Gayalyn Howard Wojtowicz

THE BEGINNING OF GUY HOWARDS MILITARY SERVICE

March 16, 1944 - Inducted into the Army, left Schenectady, N. Y. at 8 a.m. Arrived at Fort Dix, New Jersey about 11 a.m. Had lunch, sworn in at 1 p.m. Had IQ test, shed our civilian clothes, then fitted for army clothes, shoes and etc., assigned beds, lessons on making bed army style. Fell out for super, taps 9 p.m.

March 17, 1944 - Up at crack of dawn, up for chow, bed inspection. Inspection by sargent, inspection by officer, when he came into room everyone had to come to attention.

March 18, 1944 -Same as yesterday. It was a cool wet day. Glad to have nice warm army clothes. Especially when you had to stand in lines about a mile long for meals. We shipped out for Texas and Camp Fannan a few days later, on the train all night, know one knew where we were headed. Arrived in St. Louis, Mo. about midnight, after train was cleared to leave, and we got away from the city lights I could see by the stars that we were headed almost do south. I figured Texas was our destination.

It got daylight while we were going through Arkansas. People stood along the railroad tracks waving at the train. They were young, old and in the middle. They didn't look like million airs but their hearts were with us, I -would say.

Arrived at Camp Fannan sometime before noon. That young officer called our names off and assigned our (us) to training Co. was as signed to Co. B. 2nd Platoon. 

That officer must have called off between 800 and 900 names and never faulted on one. I thought if I could only be like that. But I guess it just was not to be.

We must have went for chow about 12:30 or 1 o'clock p.m. After chow and after we had been assigned barracks and bunks. Were called out into company street and lined up each in his own Platoon and squad. I was in 2nd Platoon 2nd Squad 4th man back from the front.

The training sargent called to attention, then shouted forward march. That's when I found out I had 2 left feet. Most of the men were pretty good. But I was like training a wild horse. Sargent Robert's was a rough sargent, but OK. He looked at me and said "0 Boy". That's all for the first day at Camp Fannin.

2nd day