War, by its very nature, concedes losses and casualties. World War II was certainly no different in that regard. In June 1946 the US War Department issued a report honoring the injured and deceased soldiers. The casualties were itemized as such: KIA - Killed In Action DOW - Died Of Wounds DOI - Died Of Injuries DNB - Died Non-Battle FOD - Finding Of Death M - Missing The report breaks the figures down by county. Chester County, for example, had 187 KIA, 26 DOW, 1 DOI, 75 DNB, 23 FOD, and 2 M for a total of 314. My uncle - Paulie they called him - was among those included in the report. Paul Kurenda was Baba's brother. His death is listed as DNB - died of non battle wounds. My grandfather told me once that Uncle Paulie got gangrene over in Europe and the Army sent him back to the States to Valley Forge so he could be near his family. Unfortunately the family had not been notified quickly enough and he passed shortly before they got there. His death certificate sh...
by Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman