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KENNETH H. HOOK |
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Dressed Own Wounds, GI
Freed By Russians, Recalls
"l don't have to force smiles any longer," Mrs. Glenn Fourman (center)
said when she posed with her son, Corp. Kenneth Hook (left) and his
friend, Technical Sgt. Kenneth Ellsman. "This is a real reunion, my
Kenny no longer a prisoner, and his buddy here to share our gladness." |
 Liberated
by the Russians after eight months as a prisoner of war, Corp. Kenneth
Hook is home with his mother. Mrs. Glenn Fourmann of 1339 Arbor av. And
with, him is his boyhood chum, Tech Sgt. Kenneth Ellsman, to make the
reunion more complete, but that part of the story comes later.
Corp. Hook, a member of the parachute infantry, 82nd airborne was
captured by the Germans shortly after parachuting into Normandy on
D-day last June. Reticent about the capture and the treatment he
received from his captors because of close censorship, the
corporal said that he was wounded slightly during the capture.
"We had our own medics along, and it was a matter of helping
them by attending to our own wounds or hindering them by insisting on
their aid. I dressed my own wounds. The Germans took the us through
France, and we wound up at Stalag 3-C, near Kustrin, Germany,"{ he said.
"Our meals there were thin --- we ate mostly soup, cabbage and
turnips. My mother used to try to make me eat cabbage when I was
young. Never again!"
t was Jan. 31 when the Russians began to "take the place," he
related. "We. hoped it was our liberation, and we just sat and waited
--- and hoped.. They overran the camp, and we were out Feb. 5. We were
moved to a seaport.: and then to Odessa where
we were put on a ship with destination --- the States." |
Corp. Hook reached the homeland Apr. 20, and arrived in Dayton .
Tuesday. But it was on the ship during the journey home that he was
reunited with Sgt. Ellsman.
I walked out on the deck one night, and there he stood.," Hook said in
telling of his first meeting with Ellsman since their enlistment
together in October, 1942
The two were classmates at Parker Cooperative school, and later
worked at the Delco Products division of General Motors Corp. At the
time of their enlistment they were separated when Ellsman went into the
air force. Their last meeting was just before Hook went overseas in
November 1942.
While Hook was engaged in operations that won him the Presidential
Citation for Normandy, the Purple Heart, one battle star and the
combat infantryman badge, Sgt Ellsman of 2346 Mundale av, went through
Italy and France on 66 missions as a radio gunner on a B-25.
Unknown to one another they participated in the Normandy invasion
together.
Ellsman wears the Air Medal Medal with seven clusters and the
Presidential Citation for sinking an enemy cruiser. Home on the
rotation plan, he will report to Santa Ana, Cal., when his 21-day
furlough terminates. Hook, after 60 days at home, will go to Miami,
Fla., for reassignment.
[Dayton Daily News, Dayton, OH, 25 Apr 1945, Wed, Page 1] |
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...and then came the best
news of all
DIXON-HOOK . . Announcement is being made of the approaching marriage of
Miss Marjorie lone Dixon, daughter of Mrs. Helen Dixon of Xenia av., to
Kenneth Hook, son of Chester Hook of Pritz av. and Mrs. Glenn Fourman of
Arbor av. The wedding will be May 18 in Ohmer Park Methodist church at
7:30 o'clock. Miss Dixon was graduated from Winchester high school and
Mr. Hook is a graduate of Cooperative high school.
[Dayton Daily News, Dayton, OH, 28 Apr 1946, Sun, Page 29] |
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