Smyrna times., 1945-06-21

Hospital, Cambridge, Ohio. Her
change of address appears in the
column this week.
Anzio Beach Head
May 3rd, 1914
Dear Sarah, Howard and Sue:
I received your two V-Mail let
ters to-day, mailed on April 5th
and April 18th.
am making out Ok. and doing
alright. Getting enough to eat
(the food has been getting very
good lately and have nice place
to sleep, so I'm making out fine. I
know that you are anxious to hear
as much about Nolan as you can,
so I will tell you what I can.
Approximately March 10th I re-
ceived letter from Nolan mailed
February 23rd, telling me that he
was in Italy, and giving me his ad-
dress. AS soon as I saw his outfit,
knew that he was right on the
front line. I couldn't go see him
then, so decided to wait for a few
days, knowing that his Company
would be brought back shortly.
About March 18th Nolan's Com
pany was brought back to the rear
for reorganization, new supplies,
equipment, etc., and it was either
that date, or the following day
that went out to look him up.
Another friend from Newark, Del
aware, and another of my friends
went with me. We thumbed rides
out, and with various rides and
walking and asking, we finally
found Nolan's Company. We went
to the First Sergeant to try and
find Nolan, and here is the story.
On February 29th Nolan was on
a sort of an advance patrol with
another group of men. They all
were dug down in a hole in one of
the houses which was pretty well
forward. The Germans were drop
ping shells pretty heavily in that
area, and this patrol was ordered
to come back. I suppose the she'll
ing and the noise affected Nolan's
nerves, since he refused to return,
saying that he was going to stay
in the house and try to hold them
(meaning the Germans). That
night the patrol pulled out, leaving
Nolan there. At that time he was
not hurt or injured in anyway, ex-
cept that his comrades could not
reason with him, that he was 60
ing to stay. So the patrol left
and came back. The next night
(February 30th) a couple of men
went back to the house to try and
get Nolan, thinking that his nerves
} had quieted down some. Well, he
, wasn't there. And at the time ]
was out talking to the First Ser
geant, they had not received any
word regarding Nolan except that
he was missing in action. There
are two possibilities, that he was
either captured, or was in hos.
pital and they had not heard about
! it at that time. I don't think he
: has been killed, or the Medics
2 would have found the body. Tn
i sorry to say, but personally thinl
D Nolan is prisoner of war. May
4 be you have heard something
Y about him in the meantime.
e hope it is good news.
I 1 have purposely not written t.
i you folks about this, as I though
i you would probably receive an of
:. fetal notice as to where and hov
e Nolan is. Obviously you haven't
$ so am telling you what I d.
:. know about him. I will write t.
!, Uncle Nolan, I guess he is still il
e Leipsic. I know that Sue woul,
like to know everything possible
6 even though what news I hav
# isn't very good. I am going t
o write to Uncle Nolan right after
8 finish this letter.
J. Sarah, I have asked almos
6 every man have seen from No
6 lan's Division what Company the,
e are from. thinking that they Nigh
d have further news. But none O
them have been from Nolan
$ Company, and they do not know