With Memorial Day and the anniversary of D-Day quickly approaching, I wanted to share the journey, and the path that my dad,  Gorden E. Rhodes and my uncle Harry J. Michael took leading up to and during World War II, from a son and nephews perspective. Gorden E. Rhodes, and Harry J. Michael both served bravely in World War II, little did they know they would be brother-in-laws, after the war.
Gorden E. Rhodes was born on Feb. 22, 1922, in a farmhouse 6 miles northeast of Pierceton. Gordon attended North Webster school, and graduated high school in 1940. Gordon worked on farms from age 14. Rhodes spent six months, starting April 1942 until Nov. 11, 1942, working as a section hand on the pennsylvania railroad.

    Gordon E. Rhodes
  

Sgt. Gordon E. Rhodes Co. A. 117th Inf. Reg 30th Division was introduced into the army on Nov. 11, 1942. Rhodes trained at Fort Benning, Ga.; Camp Blanding, Fla.; and Camp Atterbury, Ind. Then Rhodes came home on furlough, and drove his model A down to where his dad John Rhodes worked on Dr. Kuhn’s farm to surprise his dad.
After furlough, Rhodes traveled by troop train to Camp Miles Standish in Massachusetts, then boarded a troop ship, The Leif Ericksson, to cross the Atlantic Ocean, on Feb. 12, 1944. While during one of the inspections in Berkhamstead, England, Rhodes was only 20 feet from Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
After D-Day, June 6, 1944, Rhodes was ordered to a staging area. On June 14, 1944, Rhodes spent the night on the English channel. During the Day on June 15, 1944, Rhodes and his unit got into landing crafts, and landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy.
Rhodes platoon had four close calls early on. Walking by a hedge row, a well camouflaged German soldier opened fire on Rhode’s platoon, hitting one of the soldiers in the leg. Another mission involved clearing a house. They found a soldier passed out, and Rhodes and two other soldiers had to lower him down through the ceiling, and out to safety, before the shelling started, saving his life. Another Mission took them through a grassy field, where a German plane was going to engage them, when at the last moment an American plane shot it down.
A place where several of Rhodes platoon was killed or wounded, was a place called hell's corner. Rhodes’ company was jammed up in a small area. On June 14,1944, Rhodes got hit in the left foot, with a shell, that shredded his shoe laces, and put a hole in the side of his shoe. When Rhodes took off his shoe his foot drooped down, because every bone in his foot was shattered. When Rhodes fox hole buddy John Mcdonald saw his foot, he bolted from the fox hole yelling Rhodes has been hit, we need Medico.
Rhodes spent a little over a year in an army hospital in England, and the United States, and was medically discharged, on July 27, 1945, as a result of shrapnel wounds.
After the war, Rhodes worked at Kings Manufacturing, then Dalton Foundries for 27 years, as a storekeeper. Gordon married Thedia Michael on Sept. 10, 1960, which happened to be Harry J. michaels sister, which made them brother-in-laws.
Harry J. Michael was born March 13, 1922, and attended a one-room school house grades 1-8, just west of the Michael farm, two and a half miles west of Milford. Harry graduated from Milford high school in May of 1940, Harry started college, at Purdue University on Aug. 31, 1942, Harry and a bunch of his friends from Purdue enlisted in the army.

    Harry J. Michael
  

Harry, described, in one of his letters, that Aug. 1, 1944, was a "Red Letter Day," and went on to say that " A weight has been lifted from my shoulders, " as harry accepted Jesus into his heart.
On Dec. 27, 1944, Harry J. Michael was commissioned as a second lieutenant. On Jan. 14, 1945, Harry made his last trip back home to his 155 acre farm west of Milford. In February 1945 2nd Lt. Michael traveled to Fort Meade, Md., and boarded a transport ship to England. 2nd Lt. Michael was assigned to "L" Company 318th Infantry Regiment of the 80th division. This was Gen. S. Patton’s celebrated third army, in which 2nd. Lt. Michael was serving as a rifle platoon leader. 2nd. Lt. Michaels Company began an assault on a wooded ridge, northeast of the village of Neiderzerf, Germany, early March 13, 1945, which just happened to be 2nd Lt. Michael’s 23rd birthday. A short distance up the side of the hill, 2nd Lt. Michael was at the head of his platoon, when he heard the click of an enemy machine gun bolt. Quietly halting his company, 2nd Lt. Michael moved silently off into the woods, and discovered two enemy machine guns, and crews.
Executing a sudden charge, he completely surprised the enemy, and captured the guns and crew. At daybreak enemy voices were heard in the thick woods ahead. 2nd Lt. Michael lead his platoon, in a flanking movement and charged the enemy with hand grenades, and after a bitter fight, captured 25 members of the SS Mountain division, three artillery pieces, and 20 horses.
While his company was establishing its position, 2nd. Lt. Michael made two personal reconnaissances of the woods on his left flank. On his first mission, he killed two, wounded four and captured six enemy soldiers single handed. On the second mission, he captured seven prisoners. During the afternoon he led his platoon in a frontal assault of a line of enemy pill boxes, successfully capturing the objective, killing 10 and capturing thirty prisoners. 2nd. Lt Michael did all five of these missions on his 23rd birthday, March 13, 1945.
The following morning, March 14, 1945, the company was subjected to sniper fire, and 2nd Lt. Michael, in an attempt to find the hidden sniper, was shot and killed. The inspiring leadership, and aggressiveness displayed by 2nd Lt. Michael, upholds the highest traditions of the ,military service, and received The Congressional Medal of Honor posthumous. Accepting the award for 2nd Lt. Harry J. Michael were his parents, Plomer and Ida Michael.
Aug. 19, 1948, was the visitation for 2nd. Lt. Harry J. Michael, and was held in the living room, in the Michael farm house. Friday, Aug. 20, 1948, was the funeral for 2nd Lt. Harry J. Michael, and was held in the Mishler funeral Home, in Milford, on Main street, at 2:30 p.m. All the businesses in Milford shut down for Harry J. Michael’s funeral. The Internment was in Violett Cemetery, in Goshen.
I researched my dad's and uncle Harry's deployments, and often wandered if they crossed paths, during their service in World War II. I have concluded that my father Gordon E. Rhodes was in an army hospital in England, when my Uncle Harry J. Michael entered World War II.
One of the best things I remember about dad and his military service, is that he kept all of his medals he received in the back bedroom, while displaying Uncle Harry's medals out in the living room for all to see. This to me was a continued display of sacrifice.
Every man or woman that has ever, or are currently serving in the military, are all heroes. These two, Gorden E, Rhodes, my father, and Harry J. Michael, my Uncle, are two I am especially proud of.
Signed a greatful son and nephew. Rich Rhodes