WWII Vets Remember Time Overseas
ALBERT LEA, MN-In 1950, the Twito family of Albert Lea held the first gathering of World War II vets from the 50th Combat Engineer Battalion. Over the years, companies A and C combined for the event. Now 60 years later, the group is back in Albert Lea. Saturday, the group swaped war stories and remember their time overseas.
Most of the soldiers served about three years overseas. Gaylord Harding Tapp of Brownsdale remembers shucking corn when he found out he got drafted. From there he went to Austin, then Iowa, then Oregon, before heading overseas. He wouldn't make it home until the war's end.
"A lot of people get homesick but I never got homesick thought no use can't get home anyway," said Tapp.
For others, the daily grind on the war's many fronts had them counting down the days.
"The time I enjoyed the most is when I found out I was coming home," said Ivan Rex Calahan.
Whether they were eager to get home or content with staying overseas, it's no doubt that everyone took the time to build relationships with eachother.
"In that time we were together we made a lot of good friends," said Calahan.
Now just more than a handful of soldiers are left. They say it's more important than ever to spend time with eachother and remember the friendships and family they've built.
