Glimpses: Grandfather's Life During World War II (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798234095695)

My grandfather, Chichester Tapscott Peirce Jr., did not return from World War II.

As his eldest granddaughter, I made this book to honor his memory.

These letters, written between 1943-1945, were locked away for about 80 years (the first 60 years in a drawer in my beloved grandparent's home, the home to which he did not return, and the next 20 in my possession but still in a form of sleep or silence, as it took me some time to sort through what I had inherited to really make sense of the events). Yours are some of the first eyes to read these letters since they were written.

My grandfather "Chit" was born November 4, 1909 at the Oaks in Nuttsville, Virginia (in the same family home where his son Barham would be born). He attended St. Christopher's School in Richmond and Hampden-Sydney College. He served as deputy clerk for Lancaster County, Virginia before being called to serve in the 310th Infantry of the First Army.

Entering the Army in May 1943, he trained at both Camp Wheeler in Georgia and Fort Meade in Maryland before he was sent overseas to England, France, Belgium, and Germany.

In these letters, you will hear about my grandfather's last months before his death, about the happy event of his son's birth, and the sad tale of the cherished family dog, "Dunk." Through photos and letters, you will see his joy in returning home to Lancaster County, Virginia for brief visits to be with his wife, his baby son, his parents and extended family, and you will hear about his last moments alive on a snowy February night near Schmidt, Germany.

What is it like to leave your rural home and happy life to travel across the ocean to fight a war? What is it to answer a call of duty you cannot refuse and to give your life for this call, just as so many others have done? While we were so proud of our community and country and our many family members who served, war was a somewhat taboo subject in our family as the grief was silencing. It is my hope that these windows into the past will enhance your understanding of the history of the times and perhaps help you connect with your own family stories.

May we remember and honor our ancestors.