Robert Weigant c. 1940
(Photo taken by Ray M. Hickok)


His Buddy Tells The Story
Hawkinson, N. Dakota
August 11, 1945
To Bob's Dear Mother and Family:
Dear Mrs. Weigant may this letter find you and yours in good health.
Perhaps Bob may have mentioned me in his letters. We were inseparable buddies after we met at Camp Kilmer, N. J. My name is Elmer Bernard. My middle name is Arthur the guys all called me "Art" so that's what Bob called me too.
Your son and I served together overseas in the same company, both being in the same squad.
Believing that you would like to know everything that happened to Bob after we left the States, I'll try and remember them.
It was late November when we sailed. Bob and I were together continually as we were in the same quarters. Took seven days for us to reach England, the trip was fast and quiet. We landed at Liverpool, England about the 4th of December late afternoon, that night we unloaded and shipped by train across England to Southhampton where we loaded on ships early the next morning.
We then sailed across the English Channel to France. There we laid out in the port of LaHavre for three days as the water was too rough to permit the removal of troops. Bob was seasick a day or two but we made the best of it.
From there we went to a small town called Givet, France, where we remained for a few weeks doing guard duty, etc. From here we shipped to Camp Siossions, France where we were placed in "G" Company of the 325th Glider Infantry of the 82nd Airborne Division. Bob and I were very pleased, both ending up in the same outfit.
From this camp we were sent to Belgium and went into action around Christmas time. We fought the battle of the "Ardennes Woods" or the "Battle of the Bulge" as it is sometimes called.
About the middle of January we were sent back for a rest to a little town in Belgium called Pepinister and stayed in the school house there. While there we received baths and a change of clothes.
While there Bob and I looked the town over. One day we bought some meat and bread and had lunch late one evening. We enjoyed that.
Bob went to church several times while we were there. They also had movies for us during the week. Bob was looking fine and when we were not doing something he was writing you or the family.
Much of our mail caught up with us while we were there and Bob was tickled pink about hearing from you. I remember a particularly long letter he received from his sister, he read over several times. We were kept too busy so never had time to get terribly homesick.
After this rest we were sent back up on the line the 27th of January to open a drive on Cologne, Germany - our position at this time was about 30 miles south and 15 miles west of Cologne close to the German and Belgium Border.
On the morning of the 29th of January our squad was attacking a machine gun nest that had the company pinned down. It was about 10 or 10:30 A.M. My job was to cover the rear of the squad from snipers as the brush and trees were so thick.
My position was 50-75 yards from the nest but the brush was so thick I couldn't see that far. I was to remain in this position until the squad had completed capture of the gun. While the squad moved up I was severely wounded by artillery fire but remained in my position. After a short time the squad came back, there were three men left. That was the morning God took your son. We had lived, slept and ate together in the same fox hole.
The medics picked me up a few hours later and from then on I was sent to hospital to hospital until I returned to the states. At the present time I'm on a convalescent furlough after being hospitalized until now.
I would like to have written sooner but I had lost your address. If there is anything else you would like to know about Bob I hope I may be able to help.
Being very proud to have known so fine a fellow as your son, he will always be my Buddy.
Gods peace and understanding be with you.
Sincerely yours,
Elmer Bernard.
-- It is possible that this article originated from a c.1945 newspaper from the Holly or Fenton, Michigan area. Copy provided by Eileen Hancock.