By: Jackie 7b

1/4/06

In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s there was a world-wide depression. There were many people all over the world who could not get jobs. Many lost their homes, and became homeless. In Germany, a man named Adolph Hitler was elected as President in 1933. He promised the German people food and work. But, what he wanted to do was to create a “pure” nation of white Aryan people. He wanted to kill all the Jews and communists. His army started invading other countries and in 1939, he invaded Poland. The other European countries realized that Hitler had to be stopped. That was when WWII started.

The United Stated declared war on December 7, 1941 when Japan (an ally of Hitler) bombed the United States Naval Station at Pearl Harbor and the United States joined the Allied forces in Europe on June 6, 1944.

My grandfather, Roger Buchanan Garver, graduated from the University of Akron on September, 1943. He was in the Reserved Officers Training Corps, (ROTC), and was called to active duty.

Roger Buchanan Garver was born on March 14, 1921 in Ashland Ohio. Rodger’s parents were James Edwin Garver and Mary Elizabeth Buchanan. Roger and his family lived in many different places such as Wayne County Ohio, Rittman Ohio, Sawyer Wood Ohio, and Akron Ohio. In first grade Rodger attended Pleasant Home Grade School and was the smartest boy in his class. There were only three students in this class, two girls and one boy. Roger attended the Akron Central High School in 1939 and was ranked the sixth smartest in his class of two hundred twenty graduates. After high school Roger attended the University of Akron. While at the University of Akron he participated in Mandatory ROTC for two years and Advanced ROTC for two years.

Roger was twenty-two years old when he was called to active duty. When the draft was started he was in the advanced ROTC. Since Roger was in college he wasn’t immediately called to war. College students did not have to go to war until after they graduated. The war started on December 7, 1941, so the war had been in progress for one year, nine months, and eight days. Since my grandfather joined the enlisted reserves he felt that it was his duty to go and fight in the war. Just like all young men who had to go to war, Roger was scared. His biggest fear was that he was going to have to be separated from his wife, whom he had only been married to for less than a year.

Once Roger was called to war, he was shipped by train to Fort Benning Georgia, to enter the Officers Candidate School, (OCS). There they were trained to become Infantry Platoon Leaders. That was the toughest training he had ever had. Roger’s favorite part of Basic Training was the food. His breakfast meal was ham and eggs, six cigarettes, a hard chocolate bar, and a roll of toilet paper. The lunch meal was a can of processed cheese, six cigarettes, and a processed raisin bar. The dinner meal was a can on potted meat, a mixture of beef and carrots, and six cigarettes. When Roger went overseas he weighed 172 pounds, and when he got wounded, approximately a year and one-half later, he was 127 pounds. The rules were keep alert, keep your helmet on, and keep your rifle clear of mud. When Roger and his Platoon had free time they would play poker. At the end of Basic Training Roger received the ammunition and pioneer platoon leader job.

Roger became a first Lieutenant of the ninety-fifth Infantry Division, second Battalion, and three hundred seventy-seven Infantry Regiment. As Infantry Platoon Leader he was in command of the thirty-two men in the ammunition and pioneer platoon. Roger and his platoon were shipped out of Boston Harbor on August 8, 1944. After about two weeks they landed at Liverpool, England. From there they took a train to the south of England to Camp Bartoon Stacey for three weeks. From there they were shipped to France. Roger was assigned to the “Red Ball Express.” His job was to transport supplies from Bateau, France to Brussels, Belgium, where they had run out of supplies and gasoline. After seven trips he was assigned to join General Patton’s third army. This was his first direct contact with the German army. Roger and his Platoon helped defend the city Metz.

On April 8, 1945 Roger was wounded. He and his Platoon were clearing a road block made by fallen trees, when they were fired upon by German troops. A German mine exploded and wounded Roger and seven members of his platoon. Roger was evacuated to an army M.A.S.H hospital in Paderborn, Germany. After three days Roger was flown by a DC-3 plane to Reims, France. He was in the hospital in Epernay, France for three weeks. The war ended on May 8, 1945 while Roger was recovering. Roger received an Infantry Badge, Bronze Star Medal, and a Purple Heart.

When Roger returned home from the war he got a job at Uniroyal Goodrich as an engineer. He and his wife Barbra had four daughters, Jill, Jackie, Joanne, and Jeanie. Roger and Barbra were married for 47 years before Barbra died of cancer. Roger married Evelyn Kraszewski on May 14, 1989. Together Roger and Evelyn have 9 children, 18 grandchildren, and 13 great- grandchildren. Roger loves to play golf and tennis. Roger also loves to travel with his wife Evelyn. They have been to every state in the United States.

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