My Days in the War

By, Ross Abbott

&Mercedes Zuzak

1943-194

5

Dear Mom,

I have been drafted by the army to go and fight on the European front. My best friend John Johnson has also been drafted. I will begin basic training in two weeks. I am going to board a train to Camp Wolters, Texas. I will learn the ropes on how to fight and use weapons. After basic training, I will be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean with my fleet. I do not know where I will be sent. But I just want you to know that I will try to write as much as I possibly can to keep you informed.

Love, Roy Wilkinson II

May 3, 1943 • Today we will begin

the invasion in Tunisia. Our goal is to break through the Mareth Line. General Erwin Rommel will be commanding the Germans. We will be led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Here is a picture of us on a tank in route to begin our battle against the Germans in Tunisia.

July 9, 1943• Today we have

successfully arrived in Sicily. We took a large toll in deaths in Tunisia, but many of my close comrades are still with me. One of our war supply ships was bombed by a German plane and exploded. My ship is still in tact.

Here is a picture taken from the mainland of Sicily of the cargo ship exploding in the waters off the coast.

July 22, 1943• Today the allies

have taken the town of Palermo, Sicily. I have managed many kills. Our orders as of now are to occupy the city.

Above is a picture of us storming the hill up to Palermo. We overcame much loss and hardships to take control of this city.

Sergeant Wilkinson

After you have taken Palermo, you and your troops are to stay and occupy the city until further notice. My squadron of 521 allied planes have bombed the city of Rome for the second time. It has caused hundreds of civilian casualties. We will send for you if need be.

Major Ryan T. Wapiennik

Here is our guide map of our advance through Italy. Each soldier was given this map in order to know where we are headed.

Above is a picture of one of our bombers dropping tons of pounds of bombs on Rome. This picture shows the second bombing run on July 19th.

This is one of the newspaper clipping about us taking countries in Italy. It was it the News section of today's paper.

This clipping was on the front page of the paper. It sums up how allied troops claimed Rome and how the German forces are starting to falter.

October 13, 1943• Well today we

heard some big news. Italy has now declared war on Germany. We are scheduled to have a second air raid on Schweinfurt. Hitler is planning to invade Italy to prevent allied advance into Germany.

A picture of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. He took control of Italy in 1922 as Prime Minister.

Here is a picture of me getting treated by a medic after taking a stray bullet to my left shoulder. The bullet penetrated the skin but was not lodged in my shoulder.

This picture was taken on our warship on the way to Sicily. The plane on the deck was just about to take off before I took this.

March 14, 1944• Today I have been

deployed to Europe to meet up with allied forces. I believe I will be sent to Monte Casino, Italy. Allied forces already have bombed here on the 15th of February. We’ll see what happens.

Above shows the destruction up of the bombing from February 15th. My task forces is moving in to liberate and link with allies contained within the Anzio pocket.

Dear Mom,

We are waiting for more allies to land in France to overthrow the Germans. I have been very successful over here. I’ve managed to stay alive. The majority of my squad is still alive. We have seen much loss due to sickness and injuries. Currently, I am resting, waiting for further orders. My best guess is that I will be moving north into Germany. I can’t wait to come home.

Love,Roy

June 6, 1944• Today Allied troops

landed in Normandy and stormed the shores. As they fired down the hill at us I was hit badly in the leg. I was immediately taken by medics to an remote area and treated. In the end they decided to amputate my left leg from the knee down. I will soon be going home on a medical discharge and I will receive a purple heart.

Here is a picture of us landing on the shore on D-Day. We had much casualty in this dispute.

This is a picture of the Purple Heart that I was awarded after getting injured in combat. Franklin D. Roosevelt handed me this award when I was on my way back home from being overseas.

WWII Timeline: 1943-1945• July 9-10, 1943: The Allies

landed in Sicily.• October 1, 1943: The Allies

entered Naples, Italy.• October 13, 1943: Italy

declared war on Germany.• May 3-11, 1944: The Battle of

Tunisia took place.• June 6, 1944: D-Day occurred.• July 20, 1944: German attempt

to assassinate Hitler failed.

• September 11, 1944: Operation Market Garden started.

• December 16-27, 1944: The Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes occurred.

• March 18, 1944:The British dropped 3000 tons of bombs during an air raid on Hamburg, Germany.

• January 16, 1945: The 1st and 3rd armies of the US meet up after a month long separation during the Battle of the Bulge.

Works Cited

D-Day. (2001-2007). Retrieved February 5, 2010, from World War II History: http://www.worldwar2history.info/D-Day/

History, U. A. (2001-2003). Brief History of World War II: Sicily and Italy. Retrieved February 5, 2010, from World War II History:

http://www.worldwariihistory.info/WWII/Italy.htmlWorld War II in Europe. (1996). Retrieved February 5, 2010,

from The History Place: http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/ww2time.htm#1945