Eye Witness Account – Edward Dager
From : “WE GAVE OUR BEST” by Kayleen Reusser
In December 1944, SSgt. Edward Dager, crew chief for P-38 and p-39 planes was riding in LST-738, a landing ship designed for tanks, near the island of Mindoro. LST-738 was one of a group of 30 LST’s landing at the island carrying tanks and vehicles.
Suddenly, Dager’s LST was fired on by Japanese kamikazes. “They came in fast,” he said. Dager’s LST returned anti-aircraft fire, hitting several of the planes. When one kamikaze slammed into Dager’s vessel, the 130 crew members aboard were unable to control the fires. “The captain ordered us to abandon ship,” he said.
Oil from the damaged ship spread on the water. Frantic seamen scrambled to swim away as more fires sprang up. Allied ships in the area worked together to fire on the kamikazes and rescue the LST-738’s crew.
Thankfully, no crew member died from the assault, though several were injured. Dager was burned on his face and right arm. he and the other wounded were taken by PT boat to a hospital, where they received morphine injections and other care-giving ministrations.
Everything happened so fast and was so chaotic that Dager’s whereabouts became unknown to military officials. The results were catastrophic. “My parents received a telegram stating I had been killed in action,” he said. The War Department soon discovered the error and tried to remedy the misinformation. “The next day they sent another telegram to my parents saying I was okay.”
Born in 1921, the youngest child in a family of ten, Dager grew up on a farm outside of Monroeville, Indiana. He quit school to find work, but in 1942, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. After completing basic training at Camp Perry, Ohio, Dager was assigned to airplane mechanic school with the Army Air Corps.
As part of the 80th Fighter Squadron, “The Headhunter”. 8th Fighter Group, 5th Air force, Dager sailed from San Francisco to Brisbane, Australia, then New Guinea where he was assigned to an Allied air base. “It was hard not to stare at the natives at New Guinea,” he said. The walked around with bones in their noses.”
SSgt, Dager was assigned as crew chief in charge of 8 P-39s and P-38s. The had four 50-caliber machine-guns and a 20 mm cannon.” he said. Dager took his job seriously. “A pilot from Boston told me I was the best crew chief because I kept the cockpits clean.” Dager was aided by an assistant.
As missions often required 5 and 6 hours of flight time, crews were awakened during the dark, early hours of the morning. “At 0200 hours someone blew a whistle to wake us up,” said Dager. “We always did a final check of each aircraft before it took off.”
Being on the flight line in the middle of the night with a bunch of sleepy crews would be hazardous. Dager witnessed one serviceman who drove his jeep into the wash of a plane’s propellers (current of air created by the action of a propeller), “That was a sad sight,” he said.
While Dager was friendly with flight crews, but he kept an emotional distance. “We were there to fight a war. We learned not to get too attached to people.”
It was not easy. Many years after one pilot whom Dager had known was declared MIA, due to his plane’s crash, his daughter called Dager. “She asked for details about her father and his last flight.” Dager provided what little information he knew. “It was hard losing people.”
In summer 1945, he was helping to launch P-38s from Okinawa when President Truman ordered bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Those actions subsequently ended the war with the surrender of the Emperor in September. By November, Dager had enough points to be discharged.
He returned to Fort Wayne, IN where he farmed and worked at ITT, retiring in 1985. Dager married in 1946 and he and his wife, Mavis, were parents to 2 daughters. “I was in the war to do a job,” he said. “I was young and thought if I made it home, that was okay.”
Sadly, the Purple Heart recipient, Sgt. Dager left us on 23 February 2018
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Thomas Anderson – Rockton, IL; US Air Force (Ret. 23 y.), 11th Airborne Division
Jerry Cain – Painter, WY; US Army, Vietnam, 320 Artillery/101st Airborne Div., Purple Heart, Distinguish Service Medal
Michael Dippolito – Norristown, PA; US Army, 82nd Airborne Division
Kenneth Ebi Jr. – Moline, IL; US Army, WWII, PTO, 1st Lt., 7th Infantry Division Engineers
James Heldman – San Francisco, CA; US Army, Vietnam, Battalion Comdr., 2/4 FA/9th Infantry Division
Cyril Knight – Invercargill, NZ; 2NZEF J Force # 634897, WWII, Pvt.
Perry Owen – Houston, TX; US Navy, WWII & Korea
Carmine Picarello – Bayonne, NJ; US Army, MSgt. (Ret. 24 y.) / US Navy, Intelligence
Roy Scott Jr. – Columbus, OH; US Army, Vietnam & Desert Storm, 173rd Airborne Division, Bronze Star
Mary Zinn – London, ENG; Civilian, Red Cross
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Posted on December 17, 2018, in Book Reviews, First-hand Accounts, Uncategorized, WWII and tagged 1940's, Airborne, Army, aviation, History, Military, Military History, Pacific War, veterans, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 116 Comments.
Dager had the ability to do his job as best he could without creating close attachments to his troops. That would take a special kind of man but the kind that would be a leader. Do hope they don’t make too many mistakes when they report military deaths to the family. How terrible that would be. At least, they had a happy ending.
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Yes, like you said, at least they had a happy ending. Thank you for reading it, Bev.
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Great piece of work GP……very interesting….thank you b y the way for your recent likes….would you like a copy of my Vietnam travel guide to review?
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Yes, I would.
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I didn’t know you had a concentration camp list – I opted for that. Thank you.
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no worries fella, all sent to you,
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Thank you very much!!
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I just checked my email and it is there – thanks again. I’ll get to it later today!
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Great story. Without people like him there would have been no victory.
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Exactly! Thank you.
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That is why your blog is always so interesting – pulling out the stories we would miss if left to our own devices.
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Thank you very much for saying so, Simon. That just made MY day!!
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You put a lot of work in – you desrve the credit.
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It is really appreciated that you care.
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🙂
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Dager’s parents got an emotional roller coaster ride with those telegrams. I can understand men wanting to keep some kind emotional distance from those they served with. One of the unfortunate practicalities of war.
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I agree. Smitty became that way after his best buddy was killed by a Filipino.
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Can you imagine the poor parents? One day thinking your son is dead and the next he is actually alive? Unbelievable.
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How would you know what to believe!!? It would drive me nuts until I saw him face to face!
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So many unknown, and unsung Heroes who “just did their job” and hoped to return home.
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Isn’t THAT the truth.
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Indeed! What a story this is – living history brought to us by your great support, GP Cox. His poor parents!
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Oh, I whole-heartedly agree!!
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The story about the two telegrams — dead, not dead — is another reminder of how tough the people back on the home front had to be. Confronting an enemy that’s right in front of you, and can be engaged, is one thing. Sitting and waiting, with no sure information and nothing to do but keep working and praying, is quite another. There’s no end to these tales, that’s for sure.
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You’re right, Linda. I can’t even guess at how many tales have gone unsaid!!
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Thank you for sharing this story
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And I appreciate your help in sharing it.
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Reblogged this on depolreablesunite.
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Thank you very much, Rick!!
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My dad was an airplane mechanic in Europe, Africa and I think Italy. The living conditions for them were not great. I read a book once that told the story of the mechanics and pilots. but for the life of me, I can’t remember the name. I remember my dad talking about being afraid when planes came back damaged and still had their bombs on board.
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I don’t think very many had good living conditions during the war, but I can fully understand his trepidation about live bombs coming back!!
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great write up … poor parents … what was he awarded the Purple Heart for? That has to be an exceptional story …
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I do know the details on the medal. The fact was located in his obituary.
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Excellent article GP! As you know, I love eyewitness accounts! This had be off the edge of my seat. Quite a close call there! Thanks for sharing!
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I’m very glad I chose a story that you found interesting!
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Tremendous post! Great to have this first-hand account of what it was like to be confronted by a kamikaze attack. Keep up the great work, GP!
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Thank you, Stephen. It’s up to people such as us to fill in the gaps where the school systems lack.
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What a nightmare period for his parents
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Oh, you are so right, Derrick. How would they know what to believe getting conflicting telegrams!
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It took a lot of Sgt. Dagers to beat the crazy Japanese and the Germans. Here in Europe we are facing the same kind of crazies as the kamikazes. The latest one was in the Strasbourg Christmas market. Still, at least we have a supply of Sgt. Dagers always willing to step forward and fight the fight for us.
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We do have our heroes of today, no argument there. I just wish we had appreciated that terrific generation while they were still here.
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Thank you for sharing his story, GP!
What an inspiration!
I’m so glad he survived.
But, sad that he passed in Feb.
The world needs more men like him!
(((HUGS)))
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So true! I wish they could stay with us longer!! I don’t think they received the recognition they deserved while they were here!
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Agreed!
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Terrific and important post, GP. Thank you!
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And I need to thank Kayleen once again, she did all the foot work!!
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Bravo Zulu, Kayleen!
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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Thank you for sharing this piece of history, John!!
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You are welcome.
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Peggy’s mom got the MIA telegram when her husband John crashed. We still have it. The first thing John did when he walked/rode an elephant out of the Burmese jungle was to dash her off a letter that he was still arrive. We also have the letter. –Curt
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SAVE THEM!! Treasures from history, Curt – you know how I feel about that!! My father’s stuff will be going to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans along with whatever else has been collected by me personally or sent from the readers. With our school systems teaching less, I feel we “The Boomers” have to work harder to preserve it.
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Will do! Good for you on sending you material off to the WW II museum, G. You have so much to share. And do you know, I am not technically a Boomer? 🙂 I was born a couple of years too early for that. –Curt
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I don’t really think I am either for that matter. I was born just after the start of the Korean War.
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Pre and post Baby Boomers… 🙂
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Wow! Do not ever lose those letters!
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We won’t! Thanks. –Curt
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A friends Mother received a telegram to say that her husband had been killed with the fall of Singapore. Some time later she took up with another gent at home, and had a baby. Three years later she was advised her first husband had been imprisoned in Changi for the duration. Amazingly, I think, when the soldier boy returned home the latter partner moved aside. He did take the young child with him though, but the soldier and his wife went on to have another five kiddies and lived a reasonable life together.
I don’t think we can ever truly comprehend what people – soldiers and civilians – endured in those days….
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No, we certainly can not. That’s why I put in the eye witness accounts, I think it helps to put things into perspective, but truly comprehend? I agree the answer is NO.
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I hope it doesn’t sound strange but I have been a little sober today with what you shared and have been praying for you and your family
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I understand completely. Thank you and take care of yourself.
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=)
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They were lucky to get out that LST alive. An arrack like that must have been terrible!
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I can’t imagine a plane aiming for me!!
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Nor me!
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He was just a year younger than my dad who died in 1985. So grateful for the men and women of that generation.
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I agree, Mia! I wish I had started this blog so long ago so that I could have maybe met some of these people.
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Humanity never had people of this caliber any more. We have our heroes, but that was a whole generation of heroes.
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Well said and ALL true!!!
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I have a distant cousin who served in World War I; his parents were also notified that he’d been killed in action when he was in fact still alive. I’ve always had a hard time imagining the horror and then the reaction when they learned he was alive. First, elation and relief, and then I’d imagine some anger.
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I can’t even imagine it!!
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How lucky was that crew to survive that attack…
It is great to have these eye witness accounts, but do you notice the common thread that they were all there to do a job…no puffing of chests and boasting, though they would have had plenty to boast about.
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I am about 1/2 way through a book where the author, Bob Greene, interviewed Paul Tibbets over a period of time – That same theme goes all the way through it.
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I am inspired by Dager’s story. There’s nothing worse for a mother than hearing–errantly–her son has been killed.
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I can’t even imagine – it gives me chills.
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Dager’s “death” in combat reminds me of a M*A*S*H episode, where Hawkeye’s parents are erroneously notified of Hawkeye’s death. Different war, but I wonder if the show was portraying something that happened relatively often in the military in those days.
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MASH did indeed portray first hand accounts from any veteran who wrote to them, so it is quite possible.
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Wonderful story, lets us in to the that real life they lived.
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I like the personal stories, I feel they give us a better perspective of what it was like.
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Absolutely.
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Great work, and wonderful he survived a kamikaze battle too. Michael
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I can’t imagine what it must have been like to see an aircraft aiming right for you!
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Oh yeah, I don’t want to imagine it at all.
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Can’t blame you!!
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I always enjoy the first hand accounts. I can’t imagine receiving that first telegram, or worse, know that your parents had received it.
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I can’t even imagine it!!
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Wat wonderlijk dat de hele bemanning de aanval overleefden.Ik moest geweldig lachen met de uitspraak van Dagger” dat hij bleef staren naar de inboorlingen die een been in hun neus droegen”.Het moet verschrikkeijk geweest zijn dat zijn ouders een telegram kregen waarin stond dat hij overleden.Maar nog altijd beter dan dat men zou melden dat hij gewond wasen nadien zou sturen dat hij overleden was.
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De meeste Amerikaanse soldaten hebben nog nooit van deze eilanden gehoord – en dan zien ze inboorlingen met een bot in hun neus !! Hun reacties moeten hilarisch zijn geweest!
Zijn ouders hadden het moeilijk met die telegrammen, maar hij kwam tenminste thuis!
Vrolijk kerstfeest, Mary Lou !!
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Great job from all parties and thanks for sharing GP …link https://history2research.wordpress.com/2018/12/17/featured-bloggers-report-eye-witness-account-edward-dager-by-pacific-paratrooper-acehist-orydesk-reports/
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Much appreciated!!
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So good that the stories have been collected to be remembered. Mr Dager was one of many brave men to survive the war, and lead a full and useful life into old age. His memories are to be treasured.
Best wishes, Pete.
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My sentiments exactly, Pete. Thank you!!
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A touching eye-witness account, which makes your blog so interesting to read! It was truly a miracle that nobody died in the inferno of burning oil. Merry Christmas, GP!
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Thank you, Peter – on both counts!! May I wish you and yours all the best this Christmas Season and 2019 !!
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Reblogged this on Subli and commented:
A WWII story about a kamikaze attack near Mindoro!
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A bit more P.I. history saved for us all. Thank you, Rose!
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Mindoro is just south of Batangas. My parents almost evacuated there near the end of the war but just missed their boat ride.
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Fate – it can be a friend or foe, eh?!
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Fate was on their side. BTW do you know Batanguenos speak with an eh at most of their sentences? Like a sing song. It’s a giveaway that people knows you’re from Batangas.
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No, I never knew that. Something new again!
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They were extremely lucky no crew member died from the attack. Their number is not up yet. But those telegrams must be heartbreaking although his mother must have felt it in her heart that her son was alive. They seem to have that instinct about their kids.
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I thought he had a great story to tell. I was heartbroken when Kayleen informed me he had passed on.
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Yes indeed. We are losing more of them lately.
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Then – that means we need to work harder!!
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You’re right again my friend!
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Wow…I am grateful Ed Dager was able to share his experience.
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Kayleen made the effort to make a collection of these interviews and did a great job!
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Thanks to everyone for your support with this and my other stories. I’ve interviewed 250 WWII vets and am pursuing a 4th book of their stories in 2019 as well as other WWII-related books. KayleenReusser.com to find out more.
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Thank you for commenting to my readers. They appreciate the first hand accounts to give a better perspective of the war.
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Oh gosh, frightening and heartbreaking exchange of telegrams. Nice to know that Dager survived.
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Thank you for reading it, Peggy!!
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That’s miraculous all survived the attack. Horrible though to get a telegram saying your son died, then another saying he hadn’t.
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The poor parents wouldn’t know which telegram to believe!!
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A nightmare!
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I thank you for helping me share this history, Ian!
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