WARS END NEWS LINE (2)

Paratrooper En Route Home From Germany
   Word that their son, Pvt John P. Crouch, 20, had arrived in New York was received yesterday by Mr. and Mrs. Corley Crouch of 205 West Fourth Street, [Fort Wayne, IN].
   A paratrooper, Pvt. Crouch was reported missing in action on D-Day in France.  He later was reported to be a prisoner of war in Germany and information was received from a captured German who held the hospital roster of Rennes that the paratrooper had been wounded by shell fragments in both shoulders when he was captured.  He was admitted to a hospital June 16 and later sent into Germany for further treatment.
   Pvt Crouch left North Side High School and enlisted in the Army on June 6, 1940.  He was in a tank communications outfit before transferring to the paratroopers.
   His brother, Sgt. Charles Crouch is still with an infantry unit of the Ninth Army in Germany.  Mr. Crouch is adjutant of American Legion Lincoln Post 82 here.

One Man's Personal Triumphant Return
   John P. Crouch, Hq 1st, appears in an Associated Press wire photo as he disembarks a ship at Staten Island, NY.
  Crouch is wearing a German officer's cap, one of the souvenirs he brought home after spending nearly a year in captivity.
   (appeared in the Fort Wayne, Indiana Journal Gazette on 4 June 1945.  The article was provided by Gregory Cummings, nephew of John Crouch)

Home At Last
John Crouch rejoined his family after receiving his discharge at Camp Crowder, MO.

Jumpmaster Note:  According to records in the National Archives, John Crouch was interned at Stalag 7A Moosburg Bavaria 48-12 (Work Camps 3324-46 Krumbachstrasse 48011 and Work Camp 3368 Munich 48-11) while he was held as a POW.

PARATROOPER 'MUSKETEERS' --- These four New Englanders, none over 21, arrived with more than 7000 other men aboard the giant troop ship Wakefield yesterday.  They were among 300 paratroopers of the 508th Infantry Regiment who recently re-enlisted so they could get immediate furloughs home.  Left to right: Pfc John Connors of 17 Longmead ave, Somerville, MA; Pfc Warren Morton of 154 Elm St, Quincy, MA; Pfc Joseph LeClerc of Lowell [MA} and Pfc Kenneth [Blackmore] of Auburn, Me.

MASTER Sgt James B Smylie former News Herald employee is back m town this week-end looking fit us a fiddle after two years overseas -with the 508th Parachute Regiment.  Smylie arrived at Staten Island Nov 9 and is now stationed at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio pending a discharge. He was in Ireland, England, Scotland, France and Germany. and made two combat jumps— first in Normandy June 6 and again in Holland Sept 17. His European theater ribbon is decorated with four battle stars and an invasion (D-Day) arrowhead.  He also wears the combat infantry badge, Purple Heart and Presidential citation insignia, the Belgium Fourregere and is entitled to wear the orange lanyard of the Royal Dutch Army ... Glad to see you, Smylie.

[The Kilgore News Herald, Kilgore, TX, 25 Nov 1945, Sun, Page 1]

[The Record, Hackensack, New NJ, 06 May 1946, Mon, Page 6]