大象传媒

The following story appears courtesy of and with thanks to Harmon Buckley and Michael P. May

My grandfather, Harmon Leon Buckley, was born in Holdenville, Hughes County, Oklahoma on July 1, 1921. The fourth of six children, Harmon was raised on his family's dairy farm until the Great Depression, when the Buckley's sold their farm and moved to town. Harmon graduated from Holdenville High School in 1939.
After high school, Harmon joined the Oklahoma National Guard to help pay for college. Less than a year later, Harmon's guard unit, the 45th Infantry Division, was mobilized at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Harmon was commissioned as an officer and promoted to First Lieutenant. From 1940 to 1943, the "Thunderbirds" were stationed in Texas, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia.
During these years, Harmon met and courted my grandmother, Anita Evans, and they were married on August 22, 1942 at Worcester, Massachusetts. Anita returned to her mother's home in Texas a few months later, as the 45th prepared for overseas duty. On May 21, 1943, just before Harmon shipped out from Virginia, Anita gave birth to Russell Evan Buckley. Harmon was not granted leave, and he never met his son.
In early June, the 45th Division embarked for North Africa, and after final preparations, the Thunderbirds engaged German and Italian forces during the Allied invasion of Sicily. After capturing Sicily, the Allies assaulted mainland Italy, and on September 11, 1943, Harmon Buckley was killed by German machine gun fire near Salerno. Harmon, 22 years old, was buried at a battlefield cemetery in Italy, though his body was eventually returned to Holdenville, Oklahoma. The 45th Division continued to fight in Italy, France, and Germany.

Continued.....
'This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by 大象传媒 Radio Merseyside鈥檚 People鈥檚 War team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.