My dad was called to serve his country when he entered the Army on March 17, 1942 at the age of 22. The sixth born and only son of a German sharecropper family; dad subsequently trained at Camp Barkeley, Texas, near Abilene. Old photo albums reveal many pictures of him, mom and other soldiers where he trained. Mom would travel by bus to Abilene from La Grange to see him on most weekends. Dad was mom's first love; and they were married on June 17, 1943 in the Catholic Church in Fayetteville. I've worn the cover off the old photo albums showing pictures of them taken at Camp Barkeley.

Dad trained at Camp Barkeley until August, 1943 and then transferred to Camp Granite, a divisional camp set up by General Patton, where he participated in desert training maneuvers. He remained at Camp Granite until December, 1943. In a letter to my uncle dated November 25, 1943, dad wrote: "You wrote about Leonide's baking, yes I really did miss her meals after I left Barkeley. We won't be here much longer then I'm hoping for better days to come. Gee this is a great life on Thanksgiving Day. Well folks it's not because I don't care to write but we are on a move at all times, and I get very little time to write."

On December 31, 1943 dad arrived at Fort Dix. After his last furlough home, he returned to Fort Dix on February 6, 1944. He arrived in England on April 3rd, and landed on Utah Beach with the 357th on June 7th. Mr. Ralph Millette from East Grand Falls, Minnesota, sent me a copy of the company's daily log sheet; detailing his company's movements throughout France. Some of these harrowing details of the war are contained in Mr. Millette's notes; but I have no family letters during this time; so there are a lot of unknowns. The only connection I have are some 'European souvenirs' such as money and German Insignia sent back home to mom and I; and words contained in a letter dated September 18th; written to my uncle: "Folks, I can't remember if I wrote to you all since we have Charles or not. I still must thank everyone for what they had done. I hear from Charles most every day. I just can't wait to take him in my arms."

My dad was killed on November 14, 1944 during the Moselle River crossing. On that day, Mr. Millette wrote: "Crossed Moselle at Cattenom. Meyer KIA". Further references to the morning report for that day stated that his motor column "closed in the town of Koenigsmacker at 0200 14 Nov 44. Distance traveled 7 miles. PFC Peter D. Meyer was killed by artillery fire while Co was waiting in column to cross the river." Mr. Millette was in the column three vehicles behind, and told me there wasn't a scratch on him. I later verified this by his IDPF; which stated the cause of death as concussion. As best as I can determine; he was killed sometime between 2:00pm and 3:00pm.

A newspaper clipping from my mom's photo album reads: "The last letter Mrs. Meyer had from her husband was written November 13, one day before he lost his life and arrived the same day the death message was received" which was on Thanksgiving Day, 1944 while spending the day with relatives. Dad was buried on November 17th at the U.S. Military Cemetery located in Limey, France: plot K, row 7, grave 173. To his right and left were buried PFC Reynolds and Mackay who were with the 55th Engineers of the 90th.

It was reported to me that dad was a good soldier. The following is from a report on the regimental history of the 357th as written by S-Sgt. George von Roeder highlighting some of the details of that battle. "The men were fighting under terrific handicaps and against fanatical resistance. The wooded hills up which the men had to attack were covered by some of the heaviest enemy mortar and artillery concentrations of the war. Rifles and hand grenades are the weapons used in this fight. This is one of the ways in which the infantry is obliged to carry its share of the burden of fighting and winning a war."

About the Moselle River crossing, Brig Gen. Raymond E. Bell Jr. AUS retired, wrote: "There was not a division soldier who did not pull his full weight in making what, in Gen. Patton's estimation, was a classic river crossing."

The entire 90th Division crossed the Moselle Ñ approximately 13,000 to 15,000 men. Research by military historians revealed that the 90th was the only division recommended by Patton shortly after the war for the Presidential Unit Citation award.

After the war, mom made the decision to have his remains reinterred in Texas. His body arrived on train 17 in Fayetteville on June 9, 1949. The military rites and private burial were held the next morning at the Frelsburg Catholic Cemetery at 8:00am. Although being present at the funeral is one of my earliest memories; the only recollection I have on that day was crying during the military gun salute. I recall my step-father bending over and saying to me: "Don't cry; it's just like when Harry shoots his guns."

Today, my father lays at rest atop a small hill; not far from where he first attended school, went to church with his family, and a short distance from where he was born.

When I was three years old, mother remarried and I was raised by another soldier who would become the only dad I ever knew. My new step-father was also a WWII veteran: a man who entered the war with the 29th Division on Omaha Beach, June 7, 1944. I can say that my life has been both a blessing and a curse. I count my step-father as one of those blessings.

I can do no better than echo those haunting words said in the monologue by an aging Private Ryan from the closing scenes of the movie; "Saving Private Ryan."

"Every day I think about what you said to me that day on the bridge. And I've tried to live my life the best I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that at least in your eyes, I've earned what all of you have done for me." As Franklin Delano Roosevelt said of the American Soldier; "It is to him that we and all future generations must pay grateful tribute."

May the passage of time never dim the glory and honor of our fallen fathers' sacrifice.