Monday, May 25, 2015

The Ultimate Sacrifice – Ronald Allen Myers

Memorial Day always makes me think about my father, Ronald Allen Myers.  What would my life have been like and where would I be today if he’d survived World War II?  I will never know because he made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and for our future…


Sergeant Ronald Allen Myers
Born: 4/2/1911 and Killed In Action: 5/6/1945


I’m guessing that this is one of the groups that my dad trained with before being shipped over to Europe.  The food must have been very good as it appears that he’d put on a bit of extra weight! (Click on photo to enlarge it)

The photo was taken at Fort Custer near Battle Creek Michigan.  Camp Custer was built in 1917 for military training during World War I and it is still in use today…





This was the last letter that my dad wrote to my mother.  You might note that it was written on April 27, 1945 and then postmarked by the US Army Postal Service on May 4th… By the time my mother received this poignant letter, my father had been killed in action in Czechoslovakia.


Pre-deployment photo of Ronald Allen Myers with yours truly
 
Unfortunately, as I was less than 2 ½ years old when my dad was killed, I have no memories of him, only some old photos and letters.  For reasons unknown, my mother and my father’s family didn’t stay in touch.  

Currently I’m using Ancestry.com to try to learn more about my family history.  My father’s brother was named Clifford and his parents were Frank J. and Mary E. (Cerrow) Myers.  Ronald’s grandfather was William H. Myers and he immigrated to the USA in 1881 from Mecklenburg Germany.  On the paternal side, that’s as far back as I’ve been able to go…

Life has been good despite the sad beginning with the death of my father… Thanks to my father’s sacrifice, this branch of the Myers family is living in freedom in the best country in the world.  The line continues through David II, David III and Emmett Lee Myers…

Thanks for stopping by on Memorial Day…

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave 


5 comments:

  1. It's a shame he died within a few days of wars end.

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  2. I am the grandson of Clifford Myers. I live in west Tennessee and I would be willing to talk to you. Thank you!

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    1. Hi, My email address is dandlmyers@gmail.com. We're living in East Tennessee just south of Knoxville. If you'd like to chat, just send me an email and phone number I'll send my phone number in return I do have a number of photos of my dad and your grandfather together... Take Care, Dave

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  3. Hello there!! my name is Darleen Garrison! Clifford and Julia were my maternal grandparents. I think possibly we may be 2nd cousins. How about that?

    Please feel free to contact me via email and we can chat sometime. I live in Jackson Michigan.

    Sincerely,

    Darleen Garrison

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    1. Hi Darleen, My email address is dandlmyers@gmail.com. It would be great to finally learn something about my father's family. I have a number of photos of your grandpa Clifford and my dad. I lived in the Jackson area off and on until I graduated from MSU. We do get up that way every now and again... Take Care, David

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