Missing In Action
On September 2, 1944, this telegram was delivered to Paul and Margaret Emme. The telegram alerted them that their son Jack (John P. Emme) was reported “Missing in Action”. It was a Saturday night, and it would be a long sixteen days before they got the news confirming that Jack had been “Killed in Action” on August 7th in France.
The next day was a Sunday, and this was the front page of the Los Angeles Times. The headline was bold and optimistic. The photo was iconic. It showed a large group of soldiers marching through the Arc de Triomphe and along the Champs-Élysées during a celebration of the Liberation of Paris. The paper identified them simply as “Yanks in Paris”.
I doubt this headline gave Margaret and Paul much comfort as they faced the possible loss of their son and I am sure they would have been surprised to discover that the soldiers on the front page of their local paper were from the 28th Infantry Division. This was Jack’s Division. He was serving with the 112th Regiment, 3rd Battalion, L Company.
This is a clearer version of the famous photograph and timeline of events in July, August and September of 1944 that impacted Jack, his family and the 28th Division.
28th Division Timeline
When I look at this photo I am drawn to the two soldiers in the front row. One glances over his right shoulder, while the other, a medic, looks stoically, straight ahead. That side glance got me thinking about what thoughts must have been going through these soldier’s minds as they moved down the Champs-Élysées.
The month of August was the 28th Division’s first combat experience and while the result was successful, the human cost was devastating. Those losses had to be on the minds of these soldiers as they were transported to Versailles, given showers and clean uniforms so they could march in a parade the next day. As they marched, row by row, regiment by regiment, company by company, I am sure they were well aware of those that were present and those that were missing.
Jack was one of those that was missing that day and before the war ended a year later, many more would be joining him.
