I am a World War II Army veteran who served in Europe from the Cherbourg peninsula beach landing near Saint-Lo France, to the Battle of the Bulge.

So to get to my story: our artillery training in Fort Bliss, Texas was completed in 1943. Now that our training was completed, we were transported to Camp Myles Standish in Massachusetts by troop train. The troop train ride was quite a long and exhausting ride from El Paso, Texas. I will never forget we were nearing the end of our transport from Texas. It was very late. I was seated at a window seat and in the distance I could see a bright, light on the horizon. Soon we came to a platform dock at the train station in Alliance that was very brightly lit. When the train stopped and we left the train, we were greeted with coffee, donuts and sandwiches by a group of women who told us that they were Gold Star Mothers, wives and others. There was plenty of food and we ate until we all had our fill. After we were finished eating, they told us to take anything that was leftover with us. While we were leaving, they were telling us, “God’s blessings”, and “We have lots of love and pride for you soldiers”. This send off was something that I have never forgotten over all of these years. It meant so much to me and all of the troops on the train.

I am now ninety-one years old, and I can remember and still see that shining light shining ever so bright for us on the horizon. About fifteen years ago, I wrote to the Alliance mayor and this wife of this ever-meaningful event on that evening in 1943. They were very happy to hear the story and they even called to talk with me one Sunday. During our conversation, they mentioned that the platform in Alliance had just been replaced.

So in closing “THANK YOU ALL” and God bless all for the wonderful welcome that the community of Alliance gave to the troops who were heading overseas to fight for our country.