HomeMy WebLinkAboutPaul C. Patranella, Brazos Valley Heroes . .
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In February 1942, Paul C. Patranella received a would receive a copy of the Eagle. It was never di s- k
letter from the Selective Service board, then located carded until all the "Bryan Boys" had read it at least "'
at the 1st National Bank building on North Main, ask twice.
ing him to report for training with the Army. After After the defeat of the Germans in North Africa, °
Pearl Harbor, he had been trying to convince his par- Patranella began to train for and was involved in the
ents that he should volunteer for the Navy because invasion of Sicily. It was in Sicily that Patranella
they always had hot food and a warm dry bed. There became the perman point man for his unit
I were many occasions thereafter when he wished he because of his ability to understand and speak - ',,,,;,,,
had gone against his parents advice and joined the "Italian." As hei reports letters, he had difficul
Navy. ty with the language because e his was "Brazos Bottom
He reported to Camp Hulen, Texas toe begin his Italian," and theirs wasn' t.
€' training in March, 1942, and soon thereafter began to From Sicily, Patranella and his unit landed at the
write home what was to become the first of over 100 Anzio beach head and began the push for the capture .,:
letters that he sent from Texas, England, North Africa, of Rome. All of his lett home referred to life in the , 7 i .
Sicily, Italy and then from a hospital in England lines and in the foxho sometimes "as there being
before his return home. too much racket" and therefore unable to write.
It's those letters that allow his family today to The tough thing for Patranella to deal with was
understand how the war impacted not only the so the death of family members and being so far away. :,„,
Biers who fought that war, but how it impacted a fam- His sister Mary died in 1943 and his brother Luke
ily trying to deal with the war. They are especially was killed at the "Battle of the Bulge." Despite such
important now that Mr. Patranella has lost the ability personal loss, he had a job to do or others would suf
to speak. fer also, so he did it. During one battle. Moon Lobelia, ;
Patranella was trained as an infantry man at one of the "Bryan Boys" was wounded and Patranella
Camp Hulen. In July,1942, he and his company were picked him up, lifted him onto his shoulder and car
shipped by train to the east coast where they were ried him to safety. It was what needed to be done, so
placed on ships to England. After arriving on August he did it.
6, 1942, the first thing Patranella did was send a Patranella continued with his un into the
telegram of his safe arrival. All letters were filled with Italian Alps where his feet became frostbitten and he
his experience, the people he met and his continuing had to be sent to England for hospitalizat That is
attendance at mass, to keep his mom happy. It also where the war ended for him. He returned home,
appears that he was developing some significant married, owned his own business and raised his fa-
skills at poker because of the money he was able to ily. In November 2002, Paul C. Patranella and six
start sending home. But it was obvious that family other veterans, whose high school graduations were
and home were constantly on his mind. interrupted by their service, received their high
In February, 1943, Patranella was part of the school diplomas from Bryan High. He can now prove
American contingent sent into North Africa, serving he too is a "Bryan Boy" with his need diploma.
under General Patton. It was there that he found Paul Patranella's name can be found on the
some other "Bryan Boys." Buddy Mohlman, Jim Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial. For more informs-
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Merka, Sam Lobelia, Frank Hevel and Vincent tion, to make a contribution, or to nominate a veter
DeLuke. They would serve together through the end an, ontact the BVVM at www.veterans
of the Italian Campaign. Between them they kept u memorial.org, or Bill Youngkin at 260 -7030.
with the news from home and from time to time one ,
The Eagle ;
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