502nd 504th Airborne 115th Infantry WWII Letters

[Manchu Warrior]

These letters were a recent find.There are 130 letters and V-Mail and postcards most of them were written between two brothers that were in the Army and one woman in Hagerstown, MD. With a couple written by a third brother.

 

All three brothers started their military careers as members of the 115th Infantry 29th ID. The youngest of the three named Daniel was writing the older sister of the young lady that he was in love with. While he was with the prewar 115th he showed much disdain for the army and he could not wait to get out. That all changed after 12-7-41. He stated over and over again how much he loved this women's sister and also how proud he was to be in the Army. One of the other brothers named Paul was dating the women that Dan was also writing. Sometime after the US was involved in WWII both Paul and Daniel volunteered for and became paratroopers. Dan with H Co. 502nd 101st Airborne and Paul with HHC 504th 82nd Airborne. Frank who I believe was the oldest brother stayed with the 115th. He became an officer and I believe he also became a Company Commander. Frank was married to the older sister of the two that his brothers were interested in.

 

Paul was the first to see combat in North Africa and Sicily. He wrote to Dan stating that war is hell and hopefully he would never have to see that for himself. One letter Paul wrote to Dan while he was in Italy was written on an Italian units letterhead. Dan went to England and continued writing the woman Paul eventually married. Dan kept saying that God would make sure that he got home so he could be with her sister. Unfortunately he didn't make it home. He was a KIA during Operation Market Garden. From what I have found in the units history he was killed at the village of Best on 9-22-44. However, his grave marker has the date of death as 9-17-44. After Dan was killed Paul had communicated to his future wife that he talked to the soldiers in Dan's unit and knew how he was killed. There was not much info in the letters about the older brother Frank. But I do no that he, as well as Paul, both survived the war and made it back to Hagerstown, MD.

[Manchu Warrior]

Italian unit letterhead. 29th ID letterhead.

[Manchu Warrior]

Pic of Dan. Dan's grave marker it actually has 9-18 as death date.

[268th C.A.]

Its always cool to read this stuff. Nice letter head too. RIP Dan, remembering you on this Memorial Day weekend!

[David D]

Very interesting, yet somber group. Congrats on this find. It's really cool.

[Manchu Warrior]

I appreciate the comments!

[Paul Mentzer]

My name is Paul E. Mentzer Jr. these letters of interest to me and my family. How did you come to acquired these. I'm very interested in obtaining these if possible. Are they for sale? My Dad was in the 504th PIR during the war and his two Brothers Dan 101st and frank 29th Inf. also. If anyway of buying or coping them for me it would be very appreciated. I have a few letters but not as many you have.

Sincerely yours;

 

Paul "Ed" Mentzer Jr.

13903 Broadfording Church Rd.

Hagerstown , Maryland

21740

301-797-3585

[email protected]