...Lawrence Oelfke was a part of the 34th division, 135th regiment. This is an article my co-worker found and thought Rocky would be interested in it... Dan Donnelly
This is what the article says:
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Al Corcker, St. Paul Pioneer Press War Correspondent writes a letter from an advanced post in Italy in which he has the following to say in regard to Cp Lawrence Oelfke a Bell Plain soldier who during the Tunisia campaign had been reported injured in action: "Corporal Lawrence Oelfke, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Oelfke of Belle Plain, like all of the other youngsters you meet, assured me that there was nothing unusual during his military experience during the past year of tough fighting. but his pals told me that he was wounded in the leg by a machine gun slug in Africa and spent three months in the hospital. And they later told me that near Ailano he was walking forward during the fighting armed with nthing but his walkie talkie radio. A Jerry appeared from nowhere and Oelfke pointed his stubby radio aerial at him charged forward and demanded surrender. Jerry threw up his hands, the corporal grabbed his rifle and pistol and sent him to the rear while he proceeded forward. The boys think he should have a Silver Star with his Purple Heart.
This is what the article says:
================
Al Corcker, St. Paul Pioneer Press War Correspondent writes a letter from an advanced post in Italy in which he has the following to say in regard to Cp Lawrence Oelfke a Bell Plain soldier who during the Tunisia campaign had been reported injured in action: "Corporal Lawrence Oelfke, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Oelfke of Belle Plain, like all of the other youngsters you meet, assured me that there was nothing unusual during his military experience during the past year of tough fighting. but his pals told me that he was wounded in the leg by a machine gun slug in Africa and spent three months in the hospital. And they later told me that near Ailano he was walking forward during the fighting armed with nthing but his walkie talkie radio. A Jerry appeared from nowhere and Oelfke pointed his stubby radio aerial at him charged forward and demanded surrender. Jerry threw up his hands, the corporal grabbed his rifle and pistol and sent him to the rear while he proceeded forward. The boys think he should have a Silver Star with his Purple Heart.
I tried to write Dan Donnelly but the link would not let me. I E/M this to some of the fellows in the
34th. Including Watson Jones, he doesn't know the name. One of the fellows works at the GOLD STAR
MUSEUM,(34th ID), It has a roster of the three,(3), Regts. See what happens.
Took out my scrap book, (poem 0n first page). reread it, has my name instead of Bob, then I
took the photo of Elizabeth,quess what I did next. Rocky
First two guesses didn't count. I know what happened next...
I just sent you Dan's email addy.