World War II veterans meet for the first time
Bells will be ringing in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.
LAFAYETTE HILL >> Bells will be ringing from Valley Forge to Swedesburg and beyond on Sunday in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.
The joy that World War I was over that was felt by those who were alive in 1918 will be echoed in an unprecedented observance, with the sound of ringing bells resonating in communities all over the world on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, marking 100 years since the end of World War I.
Armistice Day, later changed to Veterans Day, was created the following year to honor World War I veterans, as well as all veterans.
As part of the day of remembrance, the bells at Washington Memorial Chapel will toll at 11 a.m. in commemoration of the Armistice Centennial, remembering the 116,516 American lives that were lost in World War I, a four-year conflict that ended in November, 1918.
Valley Forge National Historical Park will also celebrate veterans with a full day of programming that includes a commemoration service, historical demonstrations and reenactments, trolley tours and ranger-led walks.
At the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) hall in Swedesburg, the fireman’s bell will ring as part of an annual Veterans Day ceremony.
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia honors the day with programs focusing
on Veterans, as well as free admission for veterans. Flag raising, wreath laying, ThankA-Vet postcard and chats with veterans will be among the highlights of the day.
Closer to home, two World War II veterans who were born the year after World War I came to an end, were treated to one of the most meaningful Veterans Day celebrations of their lives — a few days ahead of the holiday.
Paul Franzen and Charlie Gray served in the U.S. Army in North Africa and Italy during World War II but had never actually met.
That all changed earlier this week when the two men, now 99, were brought together through the efforts of a thoughtful nurse practitioner.
Both Franzen, a resident of Masonic Village, and Gray, of West Philadelphia, receive services through Visiting Nurse Association of Philadelphia (VNA), where nurse practitioner
Aileen Allerton got to know both of them.
“I work with two different teams; Mr. Franzen is on one team and Mr. Gray is on an a different team,” Allerton explained.
“In talking with Mr. Franzen, he was telling me about his World War II history and how he was in Italy and Africa, and six weeks later I went out to see Mr. Gray. He has a plaque on his wall that he was in World War II and he was also telling me that he was in Italy and Africa. So they’re both 99 years old, were both in Africa and Italy in World II … I told both of their social workers that these guys might know each other. Maybe we can get them together. And that’s how it happened. I’m really glad we could get them together,” she added. “It’s a beautiful connection. It’s nice to get Mr. Gray out of the house and give them the chance to share
old memories.”
Before long, Gray and his daughter, Carla Gray, were on their way from West Philadelphia to the Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill.
Carla Gray said her father, who was a cook in the Army, doesn’t get many chances, formal or otherwise, to reminisce anymore.
“All his Army friends are dead and gone. Every June he gets a birthday card from Washington. So when I told him there was another man from the Army they wanted him to meet and that they were setting it up, he liked the idea and said yes right away,” she said.
“He remembers those days well and he used to talk about them here and there, about all his friends that got killed. But he enjoyed cooking in the Army and if he could do it all again he would.”
As much as Gray, who served from November, 1942 to November, 1945, enjoyed cooking for the soldiers he didn’t pursue a culinary career after the Army.
“He went into construction,” noted Carla, who spoke for her father, who is hearing impaired, at the gathering, where guests were treated to coffee and a huge sheet cake decorated with an image of the American flag.
“My father’s sister, Mabel, ran a bar in West Philadelphia and he used to cook barbecue there sometimes,” said Carla, who said she was too young to remember anything about the bar.
She said the Masonic reunion was a day she and her father would always remember.
“They brought two veterans together who were born the same year, 1919 and made it such a beautiful experience.”
VNA social worker Melissa Hecht noted: “This is a chance for them to connect with a kindred spirit since the experience of serving in the military is so defining.”
Franzen, a staff sergeant in the 51st medical battalion who served as a platoon sergeant, treating and transporting battle casualties and operating a small dispensary from 1941 to 1945, said that as a medic
he had followed General Patton’s troops into Italy.
“Which war was that?” he joked.
“He’ll tell you he was in the Civil War,” noted his daughter, Liz Hagedorn, smiling.
“The year he was drafted his sister went off to be a nun, so it was a hard time for his parents. But he made it back safely. He lost a couple of good friends in the war that he talked about,” said Hagedorn, who admitted she was surprised when the invitation from Masonic Village arrived.
“It’s so nice that they finally got to meet. These gentlemen never served together because of the segregation back then, but they followed the same track and were both so crucial to the whole effort.”
Franzen, a Manayunk native, raised his family in nearby Roxborough, his daughter said.
“Before he went into service he had a retail sales position with the Norcross greeting card company in West Chester. They held that job for him, so when he came out he could get back to that position, which he did, and worked there for 42 years,” Hagedorn said.
After leaving Norcross Franzen earned his real estate license, and then volunteered for Share food pantry until eight years ago.
“If he could do it now he would still be volunteering,” Hagedorn said.
“This meeting today shows an appreciation that younger generations may not understand. We take a
lot for granted in this country. To my dad and Mr. Gray and all the men and women who served in World War II, and to the ones who didn’t come back, we’re grateful for all their service.”
Two World War II veterans got to enjoy their own unique Veterans Day celebration a little early this year.
Paul Franzen and Charlie Gray served in the U.S. Army in North Africa and Italy during World War II but had never actually met.
That all changed earlier this week when the two men, now 99, were brought together through the efforts of a thoughtful nurse practitioner.
Both Franzen, a resident of Masonic Village, and Gray, of West Philadelphia, receive services through Visiting Nurse Association of Philadelphia (VNA), where nurse practitioner Aileen Allerton got to know both of them.
“I work with two different teams; Mr. Franzen is on one team and Mr. Gray is on an a different team,” Allerton explained.
“In talking with Mr. Franzen, he was telling me about his World War II history and how he was in Italy and Africa, and six weeks later I went out to see Mr. Gray. He has a plaque on his wall that he was in World War II and he was also telling me that he was in Italy and Africa. So they’re both 99 years old, were both in Africa and Italy in World War II … I told both of their social workers that these guys might know each other. Maybe we can get them together. And that’s how it happened.”
Before long, Gray and his daughter, Carla Gray, were on their way from West Philadelphia to the Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill.
“I’m really glad we could get them together,” Allerton said. “It’s a beautiful connection. It’s nice to get Mr. Gray out of the house and give them the chance to share old memories.”
Carla Gray said her father, who was a cook in the Army, doesn’t get many chances, formal or otherwise, to reminisce with colleagues from the war anymore.
“All his Army friends are dead and gone. Every June he gets a birthday card from Washington. So when I told him there was another man from the Army they wanted him to meet and that they were setting it up, he liked the idea and said yes right away,” she said.
“He remembers those days well and he used to talk about them here and there, about all his friends that got killed. But he enjoyed cooking in the Army and if he could do it all again he would.”
As much as Gray, who served from November, 1942 to November, 1945, enjoyed cooking for the soldiers he didn’t pursue a culinary career after the Army.
“He went into construction,” noted Carla, who spoke for her father, who is hearing impaired, at the gathering, where guests were treated to coffee and a huge sheet cake decorated with an image of the American flag.
“My father’s sister, Mabel, ran a bar in West Philadelphia and he used to cook barbecue there sometimes,” said Carla, who said she was too young to remember anything about the bar.
She said the Masonic reunion was a day she and her father would always remember.
“They brought two veterans together who were born the same year, 1919 and made it such a beautiful experience.”
VNA social worker Melissa Hecht noted: “This is a chance for them to connect with a kindred spirit since the experience of serving in the military is so defining.”
Franzen, a staff sergeant in the 51st medical battalion who served as a platoon sergeant, treating and transporting battle casualties and operating a small dispensary from 1941 to 1945, said that as a medic he had followed General Patton’s troops into Italy.
“Which war was that?” he joked.
“He’ll tell you he was in the Civil War,” noted his daughter, Liz Hagedorn, smiling.
“The year he was drafted his sister went off to be a nun, so it was a hard time for his parents. But he made it back safely. He lost a couple of good friends in the war that he talked about,” said Hagedorn, who admitted she was surprised when the invitation from Masonic Village arrived.
“It’s so nice that they finally got to meet. These gentlemen never served together because of the segregation back then, but they followed the same track and were both so crucial to the whole effort.”
Franzen, a Manayunk native, raised his family in nearby Roxborough, his daughter said.
“Before he went into the service he had a retail sales position with the Norcross greeting card company in West Chester. They held that job for him, so when he came out he could get back to that position, which he did, and worked there for 42 years,” Hagedorn said.
After leaving Norcross Franzen earned his real estate license, and then volunteered for the Share Food Program in Philadelphia until eight years ago.
“If he could do it now he would still be volunteering,” Hagedorn said.
“This meeting today shows an appreciation that younger generations may not understand. We take a lot for granted in this country. To my dad and Mr. Gray and all the men and women who served in World War II, and to the ones who didn’t come back, we’re grateful for all their service.”