PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
As we grew up my Father never spoke of his WWII experiences. What he always told us was, “Don’t live in the past.” So we never knew much of this at all. We did hear bits and pieces of him crash landing in Albania and walking back, however it was very fragmented and minimal.
As a youngster, I would always go up into the attic and look into his Army Air Force footlocker (which I still have today). Much of his military records were in there, but for a youngster, nothing of “interest” and thereby, we really never knew much of his experiences. My Mother didn’t even know he had written an unpublished book until just recently.
One summer night in late August of 1981, I was home from college visiting my parents. My younger sister Lori was there as well. We were sitting in the kitchen, sharing stories, drinking some Cokes, when my Father shared a little more detail of their Albanian experience. He spoke about an Albanian underground group that assisted them. He spoke of the crash and the subsequent help, often times having to sleep in a room with all 30 of the Americans. However, that was about all he shared. One year later, (August 16, 1982) my Father passed away from heart by-pass surgery complications and with him, the details of the story. After he left us, we all went on with our lives.
Fast forward eighteen years to the spring of 2000. While getting the mail at the post office in Newaygo, I bumped into my Uncle George Abbott. He is my Father’s last living brother who also served in the Army in WWII. We were talking about how lately people were publishing in local news papers stories like “My Pearl Harbor Days,” etc. Uncle George encouraged me to submit an article about my Father’s WWII experience in Albania. I said, “Yes, that sounds like a great idea. I’ll work on it.”
By that September, around Labor Day weekend, I again bumped in to my Uncle George who said to me “how’s the project coming?” I started to say “what project?” (I had forgotten about it) but then quickly remembered and said “I’m getting on it this month.” Uncle George then said, “You know, he wrote a book about this.” I was flabbergasted. “He did? I don’t think we have it but I’ll look.” I then proceeded to do just that.
Living now in the computer age and the age of the internet, I thought I might glean information from a variety of internet sources. Going back to my Father’s footlocker, the things in it began to give me better direction of what I might look for.
I found a document from the War Department that had given my Father approval for publishing his story; however no manuscript. I then began to see what I could find about their Albanian experience, if there was any such information.
I opened up a search engine and typed “807th Air Medical Evacuation Unit.” I found a note posted on an internet bulletin board that asked the following: “Does anyone have information, have served with, or is surviving personnel of this flight? ‘On November 8, 1943, a C-54 ferrying thirteen flight nurses and thirteen medical technicians of the 807th Medial Air Evacuation Transport Squadron from Sicily to Bari on east coast of Italy was forced down…’ I am a writer compiling personal accounts of WWII Allied Medical personnel for publication in book form. Pat Sewell, Jonesboro, Georgia.”
I read the note with fascination and excitement! I thought, “Wow, this person is writing a book about my Father’s experience and needs information.” I emailed Pat Sewell and shared my background and interest. She then shared with me that an author by the name of Diane Burke Fessler had written a book entitled, “Voices of American Military Nurses in World WarII.” Added to this, I also found out that one of the nurses in my Father’s unit had also written a book.
I used an internet search engine and entered “Diane Burke Fessler.” In just a few seconds, I was staring at a catalog page from Amazon.com and was looking at the book written by Diane Burke Fessler. Below the description of her book were other book titles that had been purchased by people who bought Fessler’s book. One of those listed was a book entitled, “The Albanian Escape,” written by Agnes Jensen Mangerich.
I clicked on that book’s link and was given a brief picture and detailed information of the book, “The Albanian Escape.” The brief summary was fascinating. I said to my wife, “We should buy this book, it has Dad’s story in it.” I then thought, “Where have I seen the name, ‘Agnes Jensen Mangerich?’”
Sorting through old newspaper clippings, I picked up an article from the front page of the Grand Rapids Press, dated Thursday, February 24, 1944. The article, “Missing, Now Safe in State” featured two photographs; one of my Father, Lawrence O. Abbott (from Newaygo), and the other, Agnes Jensen (from Morley).” I thought, “Wow, this is too cool!”
The book review indicated that Mrs. Mangerich was living in LaJolla, CA. I began searching the internet white pages and was able to subsequently locate her number. I did speak with Agnes (who was 85 at that time) and found her memory to be very accurate. We spoke at length. She remembered my Father and provided the names of 8-9 others of the 807th that were still living.
Shortly after that, I met Agnes personally and asked her to sign the copy of her book that I purchased. We had quite a nice visit. Since that time I was able to visit Mr. Harold Hayes in Oregon, Mr. Jim Cruise in Brockton, Massachusetts, Mr. Willis Shumway in Phoenix, Arizona and Mrs. Elna Schwant Krumm living in Hopkins, Michigan.
Each time I visited one of these veterans, I took notes from their recollected stories. I can see how my Father really didn’t want to speak too much about the experience. They truly went through some terrifying times.
It was now fall of 2001 and I had not yet located this manuscript or book that my Father had written. Upon a return visit to my Uncle George, I found that my Father had collaborated with a man named Allen Field Smith, a writer for the local newspaper. Mr. Smith had a daughter still living named Marcia. With the help of the Newaygo Alumni Association I located her phone number and address and placed a call to her.
As we spoke, she remembered when she was in high school, coming home and seeing my Father and her Father working on this project together. She also shared that given some time; she might be able to locate that manuscript, thinking it was in some old boxes that had belonged to her Father.
Several months later, Marcia called me and shared how she had located not only the type written work, but also had my Father’s hand written manuscript. She wanted me to have these. We made arrangements to get together the next time she would be in Michigan.
On August of 2002, I did meet with Marcia and I received both the type written and hand written manuscripts. This was truly amazing. As I mentioned earlier, until my phone call to Marcia, even my mother had not known of my Father’s written work.
Recently, as I was sitting home on Veterans Day (November 11, 2009) I was thinking how many of these WWII veterans are passing on and some with untold stories that should be told. With some encouragement from my friends and family, I pulled out these typed and hand written manuscripts and began entering into the computer for editing and subsequent publication.
I have also used notes from my interviews with some of those veterans who are still living that was in the 807th to assist filling in any holes in the story along with other written works such as Agnes Jensen’s book, Colliers Magazine (circa 1944), and newspaper clippings.
Upon editing my Father’s work, I used a similar format that Agnes Jensen used in her book and that was supplying a daily date and time stamp upon each new day or location. I think this helps us all have a good feel of where we are in the story.