Hitler and Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Europe quickly fell under the Nazi War Machine and the USA declared war against the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan) in 1941. My father was a member of the 314th Field Artillery Battalion, and was a radio operator. His unit fought in Belgium, France and Germany. He received two Bronze Stars for bravery under fire. He didn’t talk much about his wartime experience. He did have some very cool military artifacts from the war that I remember seeing and handling as a boy.
At home before heading to Europe 
My dad Joe and my grandfather Frank 
Aunt Rita, Joe and Jennie 
The 314th Field Artillery Battalion stateside before deployment 
Pat, Nat and Tat 
Joe and Nick – front 
Joe and Nick – back 
Radio gear – front 
Radio gear – back 
Joe and a radio – front 
Joe and a radio – back 
A captured German flag – Joe is second from the right 
The eagle – front 
The eagle – back 
Love letter home 
Hitler Dead! Headline – front 
Hitler Dead! Headline – back 
The 314th in Paris – 1945 – Joe has the green dot back right 
The happy victor and Jennie