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Paul and Bette Hang Wedding Picture

October 20th, 2009 No comments
Paul and Bette Hang Wedding Picture

Paul and Bette Hang Wedding Picture

Many thanks to Paul Hang for mailing the above picture.  Charles Richard “Dick” Waits is on the far left, and his wife, Margaret Anne “Peggy” Phillips is the maid-of-honor, standing next to the bride.  This is the wedding of Paul Joseph Hang and Lucille Elizabeth “Bette” Phillips, Peggy’s sister.

Here is an excerpt from an email Paul sent last week, regarding his father’s service in World War II:

I don’t remember him [Dick Waits] other than hearing about him. He and my Dad [Paul Joseph Hang] were in the Army together, although Dick was in for quite a while. My Dad was only in for a year and a half. He was drafted at 33 with two kids and a business. He was shot, received the Purple Heart, returned to the front, fought in the Hurtgen Forest. He was pulled out with frozen feet (trench foot) in mid November of 44 just before his Division (the 28th Pennsylvania, also known as the Bucket of Blood) was overrun in the Battle of the Bulge. In one of his letters he says he thinks he leads a charmed life given all that he survived. Like a lot of his generation he never talked about his war experiences. He spent many months in the hospital before being discharged in mid 45.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/ sister of Charles Richard Waits)

Categories: Military, Williams

Dick Waits – World War II Letter 2

October 20th, 2009 No comments
Dick Waits Letter 2

Dick Waits Letter 2

Well I got your letter today both Vmail came right together, you said you received one of my letters I wrote three I hope you get the other two. I hope you never have to go back, I have spent a lot of time in the hospital an that is a good place to be. That inf. is rough I know only to well. I just hope my luck can hold out till this dam thing is over with. With Gods help an Russia this thing will be over before long. As for the lugers an P38s I have had a few but sold most of them to the Navy. I have a real little one that I am going to keep because it was made in Berlin. But if I can get my ass home I’ll be happy.

Take care of yourself an stay put. Well I don’t have a M1 but I am Gunner on the tank so I have a pretty good gun. It has made a lot of germans good ones.

Your Friend

Dick

Many thanks to Paul Hang for sending these letters.  They are truly an invaluable piece of our family history.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/ sister of Charles Richard Waits)

Categories: Military, Williams

Dick Waits – World War II Letter

October 20th, 2009 No comments
Dick Waits Letter

Dick Waits Letter

Dear Paul, Betty, Sue, an P.J.

Well I got your package today an it was swell, we really ate that cake up an we are on the candy now. I also got one from your mother too so we can eat most of the night we don’t do much at night so we can eat all the time.

Well does Paul know when he is going to the army I hope he never has to go an if you do Paul try to stay on that side. I’ll tell you the truth the boys over here really hated to hear that they were taking men with children an that is something, because the boys over here don’t have pity on very many people.

Well try to have a nice Christmas an show the kids a nice Christmas I sure would like to see them xmas day I suppose you are going to have a tree an all that. That is when Christmas is nice when there are kids.

Yours as always

Dick

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/ sister of Charles Richard Waits)

Categories: Military, Williams