On the US Front:
- President Roosevelt signs the Readjustment Act of 1944, more commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights. It authorizes a broad package of benefits for WW II veterans.
- Theodore Roosevelt Jr. receives a congressional medal of honor.
- The US Congress charters the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
- The Republican National Convention opens in Chicago with a keynote speech by California Governor Earl Warren. The Convention ultimately nominates New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey for President and Ohio Gov. John W. Bricker for Vice President.
- Marvin Hamlisch, American pianist and composer of “The Sting” and “A Chorus Line” is born.
On the War Front:
- In preparation for D-Day, Operation Overlord commences when over 1,000 British bombers drop heavily bomb German gun batteries located on the Normandy coast. The first Allied troops land in Normandy as paratroopers are scattered southward from Caen.
- D-Day begins as 155,000 Allied troops land on the beaches of Normandy. The Allied soldiers quickly break through the Atlantic Wall and push inland in the largest amphibious military operation in history.
- The Allies enter Rome one day after the Germans declare it an open city. They also capture Assisi in Italy.
- In France, at Oradour-sur-Glane, 642 men, women and children are killed in a German response to local Resistance activities.
- In England, the Germans launch at V1 Flying Bomb attack as revenge for the Allied invasion. Hitler believes that Germany will win with this “secret weapon.” The V-1 attacks continue throughout June, causing significant civilian casualties.
- Nicknamed the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot” by Americans, the Battle of the Philippine Sea takes place. The United States Fifth Fleet wins a decisive naval battle over the Imperial Japanese Navy, shooting down over 200 Japanese planes. The U.S. Marine and Army Forces also invade the island of Saipan.
May 9, 1944 — Eaton, OH
Dear son Bill,
Just a line to say everyone’s okay. Only colds. I had such a cold last week. Didn’t get anything done but blow my nose. Our lilacs are in bloom now and I sure love the smell of them. I washed yesterday so I feel tired to day. Just washed dishes. Plenty of milk sure makes lots of dishes. Say Bill, no use fighting with Velma. She can’t help it, she is so dumb. She’ll have plenty of rough days ahead living with Abe if he run true to family and he is sure enough like his Paw. It stays so cool and damp. We haven’t [our] garden plowed. Paw spaded place and I put lettuce and a few onion out. Vic has a birthday soon so I’ve half ways promised him a party. The 25th is his birthday but I’ll have a party on Sun 28 so Ruth can come. Paw is working at Stoners garage next to south school building just across the street. Dick isn’t working at present. The kids have one more week of school. I expect Fan will probably get exempted. Sure wish [it would] get warm so I could clean house. Will close. Write more soon as ever.
Your loving mother, Dad and kids
June 3, 1944 — Eaton, OH
The following is from the recollections of Fanny Banis Kisling:
The school year had ended a few weeks earlier and Fanny, now 13, was home on Saturday June 3, 1944. The Banis family was greeted by the strange site of a young man wearing a Western Union uniform arriving on a bicycle. Fanny, Annie, Sam, Victor and Pat were home. Bill’s dad, William, sat at the table while Anna was in the kitchen. The young man knocked on the door. Anna answered and, with a sense of familiarity, he wordlessly handed her a telegram. “We sensed immediately what it was about.” My aunt pauses and, recalling the moment, lowers her voice, “it was just… it was just awful.”
On May 14th, 1944 Bill Banis was killed. He was cited for gallantry in action and would receive the Purple Heart. It is unclear who wrote the citation.
The acting commander of Company I, Captain Robert was killed in action the following day on May 15.
Even with the use of V mail, the process of sending and receiving mail took significant time. Anna sent several letters to Bill in May, including a V mail dated May 31, 1944. These mailings were returned to her with “deceased” written by hand on the envelopes by the commander of Company I.
The news of Bill’s death was reported in the Eaton Register Herald.
On June 11, a Memorial Service was held in Eaton. All of the family, except Abe who is in England, attended. May and Eva returned on leave from Camp Pinedale in California. Eaton was a small town and sympathies were expressed by neighbors.
Anna was now a gold star mother.
back row LR dick, eva, william, ruth, anna & may
front row LR: victor, sam, pat (seated), fanny & annie
Fanny recalls that Ardis Wright, who by now was corresponding with both Anna and Fanny had decided to make the trip east to meet her future mother-in-law and the rest of Bill’s family.
She was en route on June 3 when she stopped a few hours away in Indianapolis, Indiana and contacted the Banises. Hearing of Bill’s death, she abandoned the trip and returned home. The Banis family never met the girl whom Bill loved and hoped to marry.
On June 18. Abe landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy.
May and Eva remained in the WAC. While May stayed stateside, Eva was sent to Europe where she would be stationed in Paris as a 1st Sergeant on VE Day.
…epilogue to follow…
* By McConville (Sgt), No 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
** By Hampton J A (Lt), Royal Navy official photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
*** By Post-Work: User:W.wolny (US Navy Photo #: 80-G-248549) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
ww2letterproject 
So sad, I hate to see this end. I am sure he would have been a great uncle and would have loved to have met him. If the young men of America were still like this today our Nation would be a lot better off than it is in its current state.
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Thank you, Steven. You have done a wonderful deed.
Every Memorial Day and the 4th of July, Grandma would take flowers out to Uncle Bill’s Grave. One of the times I was with her she was wiping the headstone and commented: I don’t know if this is My Bill in this grave and if it’s not, I hope who ever has him is putting flowers on his grave, too. She went onto explain that he was buried in Italy and then reburied in Eaton after the war.
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Even after all these years, and knowing how his story ends, it is all so terribly sad. And such a waste of humanity. Once again, thank both of you for sharing this part of our family history.
Emily Kisling Medearis
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