WWII soldier's last letter home finally arrives

Associated Press

POOLE, Neb. - It took more than 60 years, but the final letter of a soldier killed in World War II finally has made it home.

It happened after Gary Mathis of Ravenna bought a box of old newspapers at a yard sale in Kansas. Inside a newspaper from 1915, Mathis found a letter with military markings from France, postmarked March 6, 1944.

The letter was addressed to W.J. Krotz of nearby Poole, about 120 miles west of Lincoln.

Mathis placed an announcement and picture of the letter in the Ravenna News, hoping someone might know the Krotz family.

Louise Kisling said she heard about her brother's letter through word of mouth. Clinton Krotz, an infantry soldier in France during the war, was killed in action on May 8, 1944. The letter was the last one he sent home.

"Everyone's calling, wanting to know what was inside," said Kisling of the letter, which was actually two separate letters.

Her brother told his parents he received the candy and nuts they sent him, and he thanked them for a wristwatch, which his family sent as a birthday gift, said Kisling, of Pleasanton, about 20 miles north of Kearney.

She said her only disappointment was that her parents never got the chance to see the letter.

An envelope within the letter was postmarked by the Poole post office, Kisling said. She was not sure how it ended up in Kansas.

"I don't know why it wasn't delivered," she said.

Mystery aside, Kisling is grateful.

"We sure appreciate the man that saved it," she said. "It's amazing a letter can come back after all these years."

Kisling's other brother, Leo Krotz, also died in the same war. The Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Pleasanton is named for the two men.

That is an interesting story Col. It really is a shame the parents didn't get to see it.

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Yes, good story. [img]graemlins/salute.gif[/img]

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very good story! Glad that people took the trouble to go and try and find relatives.

Just got annoyed with how factual the journalism was again:

they probably mean June... [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

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they probably mean June... [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img] </font>[/quote]Actually, I think they ment Italy. Here is the same story from a different site:

WWII soldier's last letter makes it home

Associated Press

POOLE, Neb. - It took more than 60 years, but the final letter of a soldier killed in World War II finally made it home.

Gary Mathis bought a box of old newspapers at a yard sale in Kansas, and discovered the letter inside a newspaper from 1915. The letter's envelope has military post office markings dated March 6, 1944.

It was addressed to W.J. Krotz of nearby Poole, about 120 miles west of Lincoln.

Mathis placed an announcement and picture of the letter in the Ravenna News, hoping someone might know the family.

Louise Kisling said she heard about her brother's letter through word of mouth. Clinton Krotz, an infantry soldier in Italy during the war, was killed in action on May 8, 1944. The letter was the last one he sent home.

In the letter, her brother thanked his parents for a wristwatch they had sent as a birthday gift, as well as some candy and nuts.

Kisling said her only disappointment was that her parents never got the chance to see the letter. An envelope within the letter was postmarked by the Poole post office, Kisling said. She was not sure how it ended up in Kansas.

Mystery aside, Kisling is grateful.

"We sure appreciate the man that saved it," she said. "It's amazing a letter can come back after all these years."

Doesn't that makes me look foolish and not able to read properly.

I stand corrected... [img]redface.gif[/img]

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