The 85th had spent a good part of September fighting the Germans who were defending the Gothic Line, “a German defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II” according to Wikipedia. On October 2, 1944, the offensive centered around Casoni di Romagna, Italy. The area had seen heavy rain, streams were overrun, and bridges washed out, making travel through the mountainous region dangerous for the soldiers. Resistance from the Germans was heavy and the conditions made it difficult for replacement troops coming in to replace the many casualties, to reach the area. On this day, Johnnie, 24 years old at the time, was in the back of a truck traveling up a mountain when a German mortar exploded beside the truck. The truck, filled will soldiers, rolled over, injuring and killing several men, with Johnnie being one of the injured.
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Custer Division patch |
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Example of a truck the 85th soldiers might have been traveling in. Photo from 85th Infantry Division – Minturno to the Appennines. |
We don’t know exactly what Johnnie’s injuries consisted of. His son Randy told me it was shrapnel, mostly in his back, from a mortar shell that exploded beside the truck. But it was clear from Johnnie’s letters home that he didn’t want to worry his family. Johnnie regularly wrote his wife Lucile, and often her parents, Sam (he called him Doc) and Leola Stacks. The letters below are part of the collection of over 300 left behind by Lucile, who kept them tucked away in two shoeboxes, and now are in the possession of their son Randy.
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One of two boxes of Johnnie's letter saved by his wife Lucile |
In an October 3, 1944 letter, Johnnie made no mention of what happened in Italy nor of his injury.
My Dear Darling,
Just a few lines to let you know I am OK and hope with all my heart that this finds you the same. I hope you are over with the trouble with your throat since you have your tonsils out now. Also, glad that the doctors didn’t find anything else wrong with you. I am sorry to hear that you had to break one of your checks but you should have that other forty dollars I sent you by now anyway. I hope it don’t get lost like the first forty I sent you. I still can’t understand what happened to that money. I can’t do anything about it now because I have lost the receipt that I got when I sent it to you. But just in case, this other money doesn’t get to you, I am going to make sure I don’t lose these receipts. You asked me have I heard from Louise or Evelyn lately. No, I haven’t heard from them in about three months now. I am still waiting to hear from them first. I have been hearing from Dad and his wife pretty regular lately. O’yeah, I received a letter from Aunt Agnes. I can’t keep addresses so I haven’t written her. I wish you would write to her for me and explain why I haven’t answered her letter. Tell her I will try my best to remember her address on her next letter and will write myself. Tell Mom Stacks and Doc I haven’t forgot them and that I will write them right away. I guess Mickey will be in the Army by the time you get this. If not, tell him I wish him all the luck in the world when he does go. How is Nell? Sure would like to see that fat little pig now, Ha Ha. Just kidding. Well honey, I will have to close for now. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
I laughed out loud when I read the end of the letter where Johnnie mentions his sister-in-law, Nell. I probably met Johnnie one time, at my sister’s wedding, but don’t remember him. I do remember Nell though who often visited her sister Lucile. For a time before her death, Lucile lived next door to my mother so I often saw her when I was home and Nell was usually there. Both Lucile and Nell were the sweetest women you can imagine and both of them tiny.
Johnnie wrote a V-mail to his in-laws on October 3, 1944 and made no mention there either.
Hello Folks,
Just a few lines to let you know I haven’t forgotten two good people and that I never could anyway. I hope this finds you both well. As for myself, I am OK. I haven’t had much time to write lately. But I will try to catch up on all my writing later on as soon as time permits me too. I received a letter from Aunt Agnes about three days ago. I can’t answer it because I can’t keep no writing addresses on me. I have been trying to remember her address but it is no need. Maybe it will come to me later on. Have you heard from Cecil lately? How is he? Tell him to drop me a line. O yeah, I have seen Irwin. He is OK! Hope to see him again soon. Will close. Tell all hello for me.
Lots love, Johnnie
In an October 5, 1944 V-mail to Lucile, he casually mentioned he was in the hospital with a “sprang” ankle.
My Dear Darling Wife,
Just a few lines to let you know I am OK and hope with all my heart that this finds you the same. Honey, I received the picture of you. It really looks well. Gosh, I still believe you have grown a little taller. You sure look tall in this picture. It’s really going to be bad if I have to get up on a step ladder to even kiss you, Ha Ha. I am in the hospital again. I sprang my ankle and it swelled up a little bit and they sent me to the hospital. I don’t guess I will be here very long. But who knows? I am very down on my weight now. But you can’t expect to keep that or anything else over here. Have you been getting my mail to you pretty regular? I have been writing to you as much as possible. Will close for now. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
During that time, it appeared he spent time reflecting on their life together as evidenced in his October 6 and October 9, 1944 V-mails to Lucile. There was no mention of his injury or hospital stay in either but I believe he was still there.
My Dear Darling,
Just a few lines hoping that this finds you well and OK. As for myself, I am well. Only wanting to see you so bad, which I hope and pray won’t be so long off. I wonder a lot how things are going back home with you, and I have dreamed often of the day when I return and we can start building up again the things that we both want. I have seen a lot and learned plenty since I have been over here and a lot of things that I have seen here, I know darn well none of the people back there will believe was possible, not unless they’ve seen it all themselves. Things that have happened here, I hope and pray will never happen back there in America. I guess you are tired of all this I am writing so I will close. Tell Mom and Doc I said hello and tell all the rest I am thinking of them. I miss you a lot Darling and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
Johnnie’s October 9, 1944 V-mail contained more reflection and again, no mention of his injury or hospital stay.
My Dear Darling,
Well, how is this finding you tonight? I hope well and alright. As for myself, I am OK. How is your job by now, since cold weather is almost there? I hope it isn’t as bad on you as the summer months was. Gee honey, all I look forward to now is getting back to you and taking care of you and I pray to God every night to help me get back to you. You and you alone is what I want to see again. You are all I have and only God knows what would happen to me if anything should harm you or take you from me. Gee what a day it will be when peace is in the world once more. I pray that it isn’t very far off. Well honey, I will have to close. Tell all the family I said hello and give them my love. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
Johnnie wrote another V-mail to Lucile on October 10, 1944 to let her know he had been moved to a different hospital. During the process, he accidentally left his personal family photos at the first hospital. How devastating that would have been for a soldier in the field of battle.
My Dear Darling,
Just to let you know I am alright and hope with all my heart that this finds you the same. Honey, you know all the pictures I had of you and all the rest of the family? Well, the hospital I was at before I came to this one is where I left them. I put them under my pillow when I arrived there and when they transferred me to the hospital that I am at at the present, I thought I had all my stuff with me but as I later found out, I had left the pictures. I wrote to the hospital to see if they could recover them for me. I hate to think that they are lost from me. They are all I had of you and the family. Of you all being near to me. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
On October 12, 1944, Johnnie told Lucile he was still in the hospital and not receiving his mail. He wrote this letter on American Red Cross stationery.
My Dear Darling,
Just a few lines to let you know I am thinking of you and hope and pray that this finds you well and alright. I haven’t heard from you in a good while now. The reason is all the mail I have is back at my outfit. I guess is this, they haven’t forwarded it to me here at the hospital as yet. I don’t know whether I will get any of it or not. If you are still writing me pretty regular, I shall have stacks of mail from you personally. How is the home front coming along? What about little Nell? Is she coming along alright? Has she been hearing from Robert pretty regular? I wrote Dot and Drexter the other day, also Mom Stacks and Doc. O say, if Mickey has left for the Army, I guess I will have to write Gearl and tell him to keep a look out on you for me and to take care of you for me till I get back. Have you ever heard from Louise or any of my sisters yet? I haven’t. I have a good family, don’t I? Can’t even hear from them once in a while. At least Dad and his wife write me pretty often. Have you seen them lately? The last letter I received from them, they were talking about going down to Jacksonville, Fla. for a few days. I guess you will have to start sending me some pictures of you again, just in case I don’t get the others back. It really burns me up to go off and leave those pictures like I did. I surely hope and pray I get them back. You know the other day I got to thinking about all the crowds we used to run around with and was wondering where they all got to be now. Have you ever thought about that? Well, I guess I will close for this time. Tell all hello for me and to write. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
Will the world see peace again? Johnnie prays for that in his October 18, 1944 V-mail to Lucile but doesn’t mention his injury or hospital stay.
My Dear Darling,
Just a few lines to let you know I am alright and hope with all my heart that this finds you well in health and making out OK back there at home. Also, hope you never get interested in whatever you are doing, or at the place where you are working. Not to give me a little thought and the good times we have had together in the past years when I am where I can think my thoughts and go back to the years of what we need to enjoy so much. And the peace that this world once had and pray that we see it again in peace and happiness. And all of this in the past and I hope forgotten. Well honey, tell all the family hello and to write. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
It wasn’t until October 20, 1944 that Lucile received official word from the Army that Johnnie had been wounded. Below is the telegram she received that day.
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Western Union telegram sent to Lucile Marston (click to enlarge) |
Western Union
..QF59 WN46 1944 OCT 20 PM 8 09
W.WMUC 404 32 GOVT= WUX WASHINGTON DC 20 900P=
MRS LUCILE S MARSTON=
ROUTE NUMBER ONE COLLEGE PARK GA=
REGRET TO INFORM YOU YOUR HUSBAND PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JOHN H MARSTON JR WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED IN ACTION TWO OCTOBER IN ITALY YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS REPORTS OF CONDITION ARE RECEIVED=-
J A ULIO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL.
Johnnie wrote Lucile again on October 21, 1944 and was apparently still in the hospital. That’s 19 days – quite a few for a “sprang” ankle. Were Johnnie’s injuries much worse than he let on?
My Dear Darling
I will try to write you a few lines but as I haven’t received any mail from you at all this month it is going to be hard. I know it isn’t your fault, of me not getting any mail from you, you see since I am away from my outfit, all of my mail is going to it and they haven’t just yet sent it here to me at the hospital. As you know I could write you all my mail to you and tell you how much I love you and how swell you have been to me, after what hardships I put on you in the years we have been married. But I know you get tired of it and want to hear other things I have to say. As I said before not hearing from you, I can’t think of anything to write. I am sending a clipping out of the Stars and Stripes that they wrote about the outfit I am in and I want you to keep it for me and maybe later on in years I hope I can look at it and think of these days. Well as I said before, I can’t think of much to write except I dream of you often. God only know how much I love you. Tell all the folks hello and to write. I miss you a lot and I love you a million!
Always, Johnnie
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First page of Johnnie's October 21, 1944 letter to Lucile (click to enlarge) |
In Johnnie’s October 23, 1944, he mentions receiving multiple letters from Lucile. Does this mean he was out of the hospital and back with the 85th?
My Dear Darling,
Received seven letters from you today, and you don’t know how good I felt getting to hear from you after not hearing from you in almost a month and a half. I am so glad and happy to hear that your throat is well, and able to eat once again. I bet you really got down to half starving while your throat was sore. I sent you some more money, sometime ago. You should have it by now. Let me know. Yes, I can imagine how tough it was on you starting back to work again after being off sick with your throat. You should have taken your mother’s advice and stayed off a little longer. I received a letter from your mother also and one from Dot and Louise. Mom Stacks is worried too much, being in the condition she is in. I hope she can build herself up again. Don’t this sound like the red headed girl I used to know. Same as ever. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
Another mention of being in the hospital in Johnnie’s October 26, 1944 V-mail to Lucile.
My Dear Darling,
I received the package with the candy and crackers in it. Also, a letter from you and Nell. I am sorry to say but all the candy and the crackers both were molded. It is just a waste of money I guess to send stuff like that over here. I am glad to hear that you are completely well again. So sorry to hear that you are having such a tough time where you work. It seems to me when bad luck runs it hits us both at the same time. As you know, I wrote you and told you I was in the hospital again with a sprained ankle. Well, it’s OK now but now they are seeing what they can do about my eyes. You remember the trouble they gave me all the time and you used to get on me about them. Well, maybe now they will fix them up for me. O yes, about Louise wanting you to go down to Miami. I don’t like the idea of you traveling alone down there and as it is the way you talk about not having the money to do other things with. I don’t see how you can do it and as sick as Mom Stacks is you should stay and help her all you can. But I guess you know what you are doing so that’s up to you. Will close. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Johnnie
Johnnie was still in the hospital on October 28, 1944 when he wrote a V-mail to Lucile.
My Dear Darling,
Just a few lines to let you know I am alright and hope and pray that this finds you the same. I received a letter from Irvin today. He is in the hospital also. But it isn’t serious he said. I was glad to hear that. I will be leaving here in a couple of days, going back to my outfit. O yes, honey, I hope you understand me about you going to Florida. But being that you have been on your own since I have been gone, you know what you are doing. I received a letter from Louise, and she said that Bill has bought Evelyn a home and everything she needs and she said he was always asking Evelyn if she’s happy, wanting to know if there is anything else he can get her. Do you think they will make out OK? Will close. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Johnnie
There was one last mention of being in the hospital in Johnnie’s November 19, 1944 letter to Lucile. Looking back on the reflection he was going through in earlier letters, he had clearly made peace with the Lord and just wanted to get back home to his family.
My Dearest Darling,
Just a few lines to let you know I am well and OK and hope with all my heart that this finds you the same. My outfit is back at the rest area now for a while and today is Sunday and I went to church services this morning. I should have went tonight but being that I received quite a few letters from you and a couple from Dad I thought I would try to catch up a little on my writing. One thing honey, I want you to know I tried to go to all the church services I can, and when I was back at the hospital when I got able, I went to all the services that they held. I have learned a lot about what a guy like me, for example, never thought of about life and the right way of living which I want to show you I can do and will do as long as I live. I pray to the Lord every night to return me to you and the rest of my family and yours where I can show them what a change of life I have found and didn’t have sense enough to understand or maybe I shall say too dumb to look at the right side of the Lord way of life. But I tell you now I know and I have asked him to give me the chance to go his way. Things I have done I know wasn’t right I have asked him to forgive me. Some you know about and some I guess you don’t know about. But you will. I will tell you everything. Well honey, I will have to close for now. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.
Always, Johnnie
As far as I can tell, Johnnie spent most of the month of October 1944 in the hospital. I would say his injuries had to have been far more serious than a sprained ankle.
The Atlanta Constitution listed Johnnie in a December 20, 1944 article of Georgian’s killed, missing and wounded. The article incorrectly listed his middle initial as “J” instead of “H.”
It’s not every day you receive a letter from your governor but that’s what happened to Lucile. Below is a copy of the December 21, 1944 letter signed by Georgia’s Governor expressing his sympathy and appreciation for Johnnie’s service to the country.
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Letter from Georgia Governor Ellis Arnall (click to enlarge) |
December 21, 1944
Mrs. Lucille S. Marston
Route # 1
College Park, Ga.Dear Mrs. Marston:
According to press dispatches your loved one has been wounded in the service of his country. I hasten to express to you my interest and sympathy. It is my wish that his wounds are not serious. The sacrifice made by your loved one will ever be enshrined in the greatness of our nation.
Sincerely yours,
Ellis Arnall
Governor
That was followed by a December 22, 1944 letter from the chairman of the Atlanta chapter of the Red Cross, extending his sympathy on the news of Johnnie’s injuries.
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Letter from the American National Red Cross (click to enlarge) |
December 22, 1944
Mrs. John J. Marston Jr.
College Park, Georgia
Dear Mrs. Marston:
The Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross learns with regret through the casualty lists of the newspapers that your husband, Pfc. John J. Marston, Jr., has been reported wounded in action in the Mediterranean Area.
We join your many friends in extending sympathy to you and your family and hope that the War Department will soon be able to send you encouraging news regarding his condition.
During these months of anxiety, we feel sure that you are comforted by a feeling of pride in knowing that your husband has rendered a wonderful service to his country.
Sincerely,
OBY T. BREWER
Chairman, Atlanta Chapter, American Red Cross
Johnnie was awarded a Purple Heart on February 18, 1945.
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John Henry Marston Jr.'s Purple Heart |
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Excerpt from Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge, John H. Marston Jr. (click to enlarge) |
In a February 16, 1945 V-mail from Italy, Johnnie asked about his father-in-law, Sam Stacks. Unbeknownst to Johnnie, Sam had passed away on February 12. In the middle of the letter, Johnnie casually mentions the medal as “one of the pretty medals that the Army has.”
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February 16, 1944 V-mail from Johnnie (click to enlarge) |
My Dear Darling,
Received two letters from you today and was glad to hear that you received the book about Rome and also the menu. I am glad Nell likes the things I sent her for the baby. I received a letter from her the other day saying she had received the baby’s things. She said she was going to send me a picture of the baby. Be sure she doesn’t forget. Honey, I am sending you a medal I received when I got hurt and was sent back to the hospital. It is one of the pretty medals that the Army has, and I am sure you have heard alots about them. Well, I guess that’s enough on that. How is Mom Stacks and Doc? Tell them both I said hello. Also, little Melvin and the rest of the kids. O’yeah, I wrote Happy the other day and got on him about writing you so much, Ha Ha. I told him not to claim you for one of his girls, Ha Ha. Will close. I miss you a lot and I love you a mission.
Johnnie
Johnnie, who proudly served his country, is the father of my brother-in-law, Randy Marston.
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Johnnie and Lucile Marston (post war) |
You can read more about Johnnie and Lucile at the following links:
Sending love via a Valentine V-mail
What was Johnnie doing on D-Day, June 6, 1944?
Keeping up a tradition via V-mail during World War II
Christmas in Italy, 1944
References
- 85th Infantry Division: Minturno to the Appennines, Information-Education Section-Mtousa, Headquarters, 85th Infantry Division, 1944.
- Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge, John H. Marston Jr.
- “Georgian Killed in Action, One Missing, 65 Wounded,” The Atlanta Constitution, December 20, 1944.
- Gothic Line; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Line.
- John H. Marston, U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942–1954.
- Operations Report by the 337th Infantry Regiment for the period January 1944 through April 1945.
- Personal collection of letters written by Johnnie Marston to Lucile Stacks Marston dating 1939 to 1945.
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