"Introduction" (Post #1)

Charles David Knight

     My Uncle Charlie (Charles David Knight) was my mother's brother. He served in World War II from 22 Dec 1942 - 14 Oct 1945. Born 14 Aug 1915 in Westbrook, Cumberland, Maine, USA; he was the oldest of five children in the Frank and Nina Knight household. He enlisted in the Army at the age of 27 hoping his younger brother, Eugene, would not be drafted. He did boot camp at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin and was deployed overseas beginning in Northern Ireland for 10 months training as part of Operation Overload, for the Normandy invasion. On June 7, 1944 (D Day +1) his 2nd Infantry Division stormed Omaha Beach. His division liberated the vital port city of Brest on September 18, 1944, and seized Roer River Dam on December 11, 1944. His division held key roads leading to Liege and Antwerp during Battle of the Bulge. In the last days of the war his division was sent to Pilsen, Czechoslovakia  and nearby town to free them from six years of German occupation.

     While serving his country, he wrote over 180 letters to his parents and my maternal grandmother saved them. I have the great opportunity to read these letters and share with my readers my uncle's feeling, fears, hopes, and concerns of a soldier while serving his country overseas in World War II in the European Theater of Operations. I will use information obtained from several sources to determine where my uncle's battalion was likely located on the day he wrote the letter that I will be sharing on the specific post in my blog.  Those sources will include veterans who served with my uncle, diaries from his division, books and official papers. The blog is entitled "World War II in the Words of My Uncle." He will become a Sergeant during the war.
© 2017 Peter Lagasse (for any original work, letters, and personal pictures of this blog)