Gen'l George Patton and Leon, Sr. Sicily

You'll notice the 'almost' worried look on Dad's face as he is looking up at the infamous General George Patton.  This picture was in a Philadelphia Newspaper.  Father has his normal cigarette in his left hand and Patton is looking directly down at him.  Thankfuly it was a wound that involved blood so he wasn't going to get slapped around.  Patton's famous pearl handled pistols can be seen at his side.
Patton was interesting - Father Leon more so.  I think the main issue was placing your sons in positions best suited to their skills.  So while I liked the gas station and Joe liked the farm, dad put me at the farm and Joe at the Mobil gas station.  Problems were inevitable.  I ran away.  Joe did fine...I still haven't figured that out.  I forgot most of the stuff I did.
Anyway - dad was in some major fights that some of the historians call mind-boggling.  Notably the Invasion of Sicily.  He arrived in Casablanca in late 1942 (this is all off his Form 53-55, dated 1 November 1944, discharge papers).  His discharge papers are dated 22 August 1945 from Indiantown Gap, PA.  His permanent address being 107 Depot Street, Clarks Summit, PA.

It says he was a Technician 5th Grade, Troop A, 91st Recon Squadron  (This was an independent, armored, mobile recon unit.  Each Infantry Division has a recon unit attached to it).  Dad's would have been with the 1st Cavalry Division when they were in North Africa.  He never talked about it that I remember except the times when he said,  "joining the Army will make a man out of you."   

I took it to heart, the Army did make me a better person. 

Leon Sr. spent 1 year and five months training in the U.S.  You can see him in training at A.P. Hill Virginia in the picture to the left.  I drew an arrow over his head to show you where he is.  He arrived in Casablanca on Christmas Eve 1942 (anyone for the Humphery Bogart "play it again Sam" scene?) after a 12 days ocean crossing and left Italy on 11 September 1944 arriving back in the U.S. on 26 September 1944.  He was wounded three times receiving the Purple Heart for each wound.  His first wound was in Sicily on 26 July 1943 (probably the time he saw Patton), the second in Italy on 17 May 1944 (they let you recuperate in hospitals over there due to the manpower shortage), and the third just 10 days later on 27 May 1944 so most likely he was in a field hospital that was bombed.   He did say one time that he ran over a mine and that they found his boots a few feet away from his body so I guess that qualifies as a "million dollar wound," the one that sends you home.  He was not discharged until 22 August 1945 - plenty of time after the war ended - so most likely he was in hospital so that made it a long recuperation.  The wound must have been very serious.  I do remember seeing him the one time ever with his shirt off and there was an obvious bullet or shrapnel wound in his right side.  It looked like his skin was folded in around the entry point. 

I remember a story he once told while under the "influence," where he was in North Africa and in a battle and shot a German Soldier.  He went to look at the Soldier and saw in his helmet the name of the Soldier - "KIRCHER,"   so he may have killed a relative.  My only thought may be that it was one of Rudolf Kircher's sons (he had five) who had written to my grandfather Edward Kircher in 1923 asking for some assistance due to the low value of the Reichsmark.  Grandpa Edward Kircher sent them $20.00. 

Dad's battles were Tunisia, Sicily, Naples-Foggia and Rome-Arno.  So he made it through the Anzio beachhead landings which were deadly.  He was even able to send a postcard home from Italy - the one to the right above which I have.   Here's his discharge papers as well as a picture of the family after he returned home.  Jim Biesecker, a cousin, was a bomber pilot in the war.  You can cut and paste them to make them readable.  Zida (Rifenbary) Kircher is in front in the flowered dress.