As an eleven-year-old boy in 1944, Claude J found a metal bound Catholic’s Pocket Manual on a coastal road in France between Granville and Saint Pair sur Mer. While cleaning out his grandparents’ home sixty-three years later, he found the book again and was determined to see that it was returned to its rightful owner—either the soldier JJH, or his descendants.
Claude contacted the Sister Cities Association in Fonetenay-le-Comte, France (Palatine’s Sister City) as a possible connection to people in America who would conduct the search.
By tracing JJH’s American Service Number, Sister Cities member Alix L learned that PVT JJH died in 1977. That was as far as the search went until a year ago.
During a 2011 visit to Fontenay-le-Comte, Palatine resident Marie Denise C met with Claude who encouraged her to continue the search to find any family members of the deceased soldier. His determination impressed Marie Denise and she enlisted the help of Sister Cities charter member Ken A. Ken took the search to the Palatine and Arlington Heights libraries, where the genealogy departments referred him to the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh. The Carnegie Library referred him to the Stephen M. Brady Funeral Home, the local newspaper and phone book.
After months of overcoming obstacles, Ken’s search was successful in locating PVT JJH’s niece, still living on the street in Pittsburgh where he was born and raised.
Arrangements have been made by Palatine Sister Cities for the Soldier’s Prayer Book to be returned from France, via Palatine and personally delivered to JJH’s niece next month by Carl and Grace A, charter members of Palatine’s Sister Cities Association.
Six decades after WWII, Claude’s prayer book has again crossed the Atlantic and is returned to the soldier’s family. World War II was the devastating war that inspired Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote the hope of world peace through personal relationships of people from all countries around the world. He named this initiative Sister Cities. For more information, visit www.palatinesistercities.org or www.sister-cities.org.
Follow Us!