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WWII Ranger KIA Studio portrait return attempt


wooley12
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One of the items in my dads WWII memorabilia was this studio portrait of Wallace Kidder who was the 1st scout in the 1st Ranger Btn., C Co., 1st section, with my father, a rifleman. I moved to the PNW, and thought I would try to find Wallace's heirs and return the card. A member here on the forum located Wallace's obit and in it mentioned that he left behind a "Wife and a 10 month old son that he had never seen." Maybe I could locate his son.

 

From the 1940 census records I found that he had a brother, William. After a bit of Google, I found William's obit and his children's names. More Google and a few more calls I was able to locate William's daughter. She didn't know much about that part of the family but she was able to give me a little family lore, " Her name was Joyce. Wife or girlfriend, no one is sure. She married a man named Munly and died in Yakama Wa. about 10 ago".

 

Google gave me Joyce's obit from 2009 and I learned that her son by Wallace, Wally Jr, had died in 2006. Google then gave me the phone number (land line) of one of Joyce's other children named Steven. I called the number and spoke with Stevens soon to be ex wife. ( "I got the house and the phone and he got out" ) From her I learned that Wally Jr. never married or had children "Except maybe that 19 year old girl that showed up claiming to be his daughter."

 

Well I tried.

 

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There is a Facebook page for 1st ranger battalion descendents they may interested in a copy of this photo.

 

Thanks, I'm an active member of that FB group. This year is the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Rangers and I'm going to buy page in the Ranger Reunion Yearbook for my fathers and include the photo of Wallace.

 

I may include a few lines from dad's attempt at writing a memoire.

 

"I was in the Repple Depple in Oran and got tired of marching after two weeks. Some guys said that they were forming a special new unit and that I would be much safer joining them than I would be in the regular infantry. I don't think that I volunteered out of bravery but rather boredom. I wanted to do something for the war effort."

 

And that is where my dad's memoire stopped.

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My wife's grandfather was in the first ranger BN. He was a staff sgt and was rescued by Major Darby floating in the water after a German 20mm gun shot the cable for the landing ramp.

 

 

Thanks, I'm an active member of that FB group. This year is the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Rangers and I'm going to buy page in the Ranger Reunion Yearbook for my fathers and include the photo of Wallace.

 

I may include a few lines from dad's attempt at writing a memoire.

 

"I was in the Repple Depple in Oran and got tired of marching after two weeks. Some guys said that they were forming a special new unit and that I would be much safer joining them than I would be in the regular infantry. I don't think that I volunteered out of bravery but rather boredom. I wanted to do something for the war effort."

 

And that is where my dad's memoire stopped.

.

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You seem very thoughtful in honoring your fathers and Wallace's memory. You should do it. At Fort Benning you can also Order a memorial brick and have it placed in his or their memory.

 

 

Thanks, I'm an active member of that FB group. This year is the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Rangers and I'm going to buy page in the Ranger Reunion Yearbook for my fathers and include the photo of Wallace.

 

I may include a few lines from dad's attempt at writing a memoire.

 

"I was in the Repple Depple in Oran and got tired of marching after two weeks. Some guys said that they were forming a special new unit and that I would be much safer joining them than I would be in the regular infantry. I don't think that I volunteered out of bravery but rather boredom. I wanted to do something for the war effort."

 

And that is where my dad's memoire stopped.

.

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