WOUNDED IN ACTION

Date: 21 January 1945 From: Paris

Hello Mom,

This is your sonny boy writing again. This time I’m writing from Paris. Well, I guess I better give you the latest news. I’m at a hospital now. What am I doing in a hospital? Well when something is wrong you go to a hospital. Maybe there’s something wrong with me or was. But if the war department hasn’t as yet informed you then I’ll tell you now. I injured my left leg up in Belgium. It wasn’t too serious. I had it treated by the medic and now I’m just recuperating and waiting for the wound to heal. Probably be up and around on my feet again in a couple of weeks. Other than that I’m fine. I sent my short coat and some kaki’s home and I imagine you received the box by now. Have the coat cleaned, Mom. Guess that’s all for now.

So till next time,
Your Sonny Boy, Joe

This is one of many letters written home by Joe Tengi to his family in New Jersey during WWII and a Western Union notice that followed. Joe Tengi was one of Jim Markson’s 3 uncles that served in that war. But Jim who was born after the war would never have the good fortune of meeting Uncle Joe, as he was later killed in action while serving with the Third Armored Infantry Division of the First Army in Germany during March 1945.

Jim proudly carries Uncle Joe’s name as James Joseph Markson and is third generation serving in the military with his Air Force service and tour in Vietnam between March 1967 to March 1968 and surviving the TET Offensive in January 1968.

Jim and 30 other participating veterans ranging from WWII to Afghanistan share their stories in VIETNAM And Beyond at Barnes And Noble, Amazon or the website www.VietnamAndBeyond.com

Comes A Soldier’s Whisper, honoring our veterans, past, present and future.