My Fathers Generation

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Veteran's Name: Alvin L. Lampe
Rank: S/Sgt.
Divison/Unit: 35 Division, 134th Infantry Regiment, Company C.
Service Branch: Army
Conflict: World War II
Shared By: sunflower on 9/21/07

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This story's category:
World War II

My father, Alvin Lampe, graduated from high school in Beatrice Nebraska in 1940.  He had joined the Nebraska National Guard during high school. When they were activated he was stationed at Camp Robinson, Arkansas. After the attack on Pearl Harbor he was sent to California to help secure the coast.

Dad had met the woman who would be his future wife before going to California.  In his letters to her, which start in January 1942, the headings read; Fort Ord, California;
Salinas Army Air Base, Salinas California;
Los Angeles, California;
Camp Rucker, Alabama;
Nashville, Tennessee;
Camp Butner, North Carolina;
New York, New York;
The High Seas;
England;
France;
England;
U.S. Army Hospital;
Camp Edwards, Mass.;
Topeka, Kansas.
Dad was wounded in the Battle of St. Lo in France.  When he was in Topeka he was at Winter General Army Hospital.

My Fathers Generation

My father, Alvin Lampe, grew up during the depression.  This was a time in society, when the whole family had to pull together to make it.  He grew up learning good work ethics among other values. This he passed on to his children. I remember him saying “A job worth doing is worth doing well.”

During high school he joined the National Guard.  It was activated in 1940 for what they thought would be only a year. Pearl Harbor changed that.

July 1944 he was wounded in France at the Battle of St. Lo. Upon returning from England he was at Winter General Hospital in Topeka KS.  In time he married, attended college and raised a family.  

I was proud of my Dad and his service for his country.  I remember my siblings and I would show our friends the place on his leg where you could still feel a piece of shrapnel. We picked up sayings from him. For instance, when we were weeding the garden we would say, “ours is not to wonder why, ours is but to do or die” When we were older he told us of stories of the war and his life in the army.

Years passed and time moved on.  Sometime, when I wasn’t looking, my Dad grew old.

In October of 2001 due to complications with illness we lost him. Before he took ill, he had registered to attend a program in April of 2002 at the Truman Center in Kansas City, MO.  The French government, through the consulate in Chicago, was conducting ceremonies through out the country to honor those who had liberated France so many years before.

Several of my family attended that day in honor of my father. One of the speakers had been a child living in France at the time of liberation.  He reminisced of that time and what the changes brought for his future.  He told of the gratitude of the people for the freedom those soldiers brought.

There was seating in the front for those veterans who were able to attend.  I looked across the crowd. They were wrinkled, gray headed, stooped, some with thick glasses, hearing aids, some with canes, or in wheel chairs.  They gave for their country in their youth, but the ravages of time had caught up with them. 

As the American Flag was carried in all who were able stood.  Many placed their hand over their heart and others came to attention and saluted.  Over the speakers came the instrumental music of The Star Spangled Banner.  Softly behind me I heard a woman’s voice quietly singing the words to the song.  One by one, others in the crowd joined in until the whole room sounded with voices singing our National Anthem. I tried to sing, but my voice trembled as my heart swelled and tears came to my eyes.  I thought of the sacrifices and lives this generation gave in order to let freedom ring, not only in these United States, but in other countries that had been held in bondage by tyranny.

I couldn’t sing the words at that moment, but I swelled in pride to be an American in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Lynn Salsbury, Daughter of Alvin and Virginia Lampe

35 Division, 134th Infantry Regiment

http://www.coulthart.com/134/

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