Letter Home, Christmas Day 1944

[KVSkelton]

Christmas is fast approaching. In honor of those men and women who have ever served our nation far from home on Christmas, I wanted to share one of my most sacred possessions. Raymond O. Phillips, Jr was drafted into the US Army in the summer of 1944. He was 23 and had a wife and two small children. His parents, Raymond Sr (a WW1 combat vet with the 30th Div) and his mother Lula, were divorced. His sister was my Grandmother, Virginia. He was assigned to Co E, 141st IR, 36 ID when he wrote:

 

Dec. 25, 44

 

Dear Mom & Elmer,

 

Just a few lines to let you know I am o.k. and feeling fine. I hope this finds you folks ok. Well I don’t know much I can tell you but here goes. I found a cream pitcher & surgar bowl I am gong to send you. They were made here in France.

 

I have finally been assigned to a outfit in the Seventh Army. I guess that will just leave you bewildered but you can bet your boots I’m doing alright. I like all the fellows here. They are prince’s. They all stick with you like brothers. I don’t want you to worry about me either because there isn’t any sense in it. As I’ve told you before, you get better acquainted with “God” over here. My prayers and yours have been answered more than once since I left home. It seems that the Lord is with the whole U.S. Army and the fellows over here really trust in him a lot.

 

This is Christmas and it isn’t much different than any of the rest of them and we have a tree, a room decorated and all the extras that goes with Xmas. I hope my babies and Wife and You all the rest are having a beautiful Christmas today and I think with our prayers and the rest of the nation’s all of us boys will be home for next Christmas and before. Well I will close for now again hoping you have the best Christmas ever.

 

With Love,

Your Son,

Junior

 

Junior was killed in the fighting in the Northern Alsace on 4JAN45. He was a few days shy of his 24th birthday. The letter to his Mother and Stepfather arrived 18 days after his death. Junior's body was not recovered immediately and he is listed as MIA on the roster of the 36th Division History. He was eventually brought back to his hometown of Kingsport, TN and interred at Oaklawn Cemetery.

 

Thanks to all who have or are currently serving their nation.

 

Merry Christmas.

[Brig]

personal items like this so close to time of death have a certain mystique to them that really hits home

[KVSkelton]

personal items like this so close to time of death have a certain mystique to them that really hits home

 

I agree, Brig. Just holding the letter (and the envelope it arrived in) makes me feel closer to my Grand Uncle (not sure if that's the correct term), even though he died nearly 20 years before I was born. I was very fortunate that his father (my Great Grandfather) lived until I was 10. He talked to me often about the War Between the States and other history, but I never knew about my Great Grandfather's WW1 service until after his death.

 

Thanks for reading...

[General Apathy]

Hi, Would like to see a photo of Raymond O. Phillips Jr. if you have one, civilian or military.

 

As the letter states, Merry Christmas

 

Cheers Lewis

[KVSkelton]

Thank you for asking for a photo, Lewis. I should have included a couple when I posted the letter. Merry Christmas to you as well! Here are a few photos:

 

First is Junior and his young son. This is his oldest child, he would become a father again (a daughter this time) not long after this photo was taken I believe.

 

 

 

Next is an earlier photo of Junior and my Grandmother (his sister Virginia):

 

 

Finally, here is the only picture I have of him in uniform. Unfortuantely, the photo is heavily retouched.

 

[General Apathy]

Hi, thanks for adding the photograph's, it's good to put a face to a name and story, and as it's coming up to Christmas and around the time that he wrote his letter and to die so shortly after Christmas it's very poignant at this time.

 

So sad with a young wife and two children at home, the three photo's are nice, I like the shot of him and his son, and also the shot of him with his sister sat on the vehicle, love those forties clothes and vehicles.

 

Thanks again, I shall think of this sad story through Christmas.

 

Cheers Lewis

[KVSkelton]

I recently received Junior's military records from St. Louis and thought I would add a little to this post. It seems that he arrived at his front line unit on 23DEC1944; two days before writing the above letter to his Mother and 12 days before being killed in action. He was listed missing in action on 4JAN1945. He remained listed as MIA until September of 1945 when his death was confirmed by two different sources. Included in the records are copies of letters sent by his wife and mother to the War Department during the months he was listed as MIA, as well as the replies they received. I am so grateful to have this information, but it is a sad moment as well. To think that Junior arrived just in time for Christmas, then survived the fighting of 2JAN45 only to die two days later. One of many replacements that met that fate, I know.

 

The two sources of the verification of his death are very interesting. Before listing them, here is the report of 23JAN45 from Co E, 141st Inf about his disappearance:

 

Brief Resume of Circumstances Surrounding Disappearance

 

At time of disappearance, Pvt Phillips was a member of the third platoon whose mission was to hold a defensive position near Lemberg, France. A strong enemy force carefully infiltrated the well prepared positions, over running the entire platoon with withering fire from automatic weapons. Realizing the enemy had succeeded in cutting off all available reinforcements, the battle became short and all members were forced to vacate their positions.

 

Statement of Witnesses, if any: None available

 

Remarks: A strong force was assembled and sent out to help the situation and contact the surrounded platoon. This mission could not be accomplished since all members of platoon were either evacuated or captured by the enemy upon arrival of force in area in which Pvt Phillips disappeared. There were signs of a violent struggle but nothing could be found to produce any trace of the whereabouts of soldier.

[KVSkelton]

The first report to verify Junior's death came from Pvt George H. Gasteyer who was a member of Co. E and had been listed as MIA from the same day. He was captured in the action where Junior was killed. Once liberated, Pvt Gasteyer reported that Junior had been killed by artillery fire and left on the field.

 

The second report to verify Junior's death is the one that really surprised me. The following is a translation from a captured German document:

 

This unit forwards attached herewith one identification tag of the American PHILLIPS, R.O. Jr. ASN 34913789 T 44 O P. He was found dead in the Main Combat Zone.

 

Cause of Death: Bullet through his heart.

 

He was buried on 16 Janurary 1945, 1700 in the Warrior's Cemetery of the Infantry Regiment 466, close to the highway Bitsch - Lemberg (lorraine) near the community of Chapelle.

 

The American, killed in action was found 13 January 1945 near Jokobsferm - Goetzenbrueck.

 

Other papers to identify his personalities were not found.

 

Enclosure: 1 Identification Tag

 

This captured German document lead to the discovery of Junior's body and his return home to be buried in Kingsport, TN in 1947. His sister (my Grandmother, pictured above) identified his body. She was only able to identify him by his teeth. The family was told the cause of death was either artillery or machine gun fire, which is in line with both verification items above.

 

Junior is listed as being awarded:

 

Purple Heart (Posthumous)

Combat Infantry Badge (from 2JAN45)

ETO Ribbon

Good Conduct Medal

Also noted as eligible for Battle Participation Credit "Campaign Germany"

 

Thanks for reading this far. I just thought I'd share what I'd found out.

 

Thank you to all soldiers who have placed themselves in harm's way so that we may live a life of freedom.