Fuentes
Reunion Website
Translated from Spanish to English, from a diary that Reginldo Fuentes (The Old Man) kept during World War II of his two sons Porfirio and Guadalupe. Translation was made by Maggie Fuentes and his grandson, Candelario Fuentes.
Feb. 1941 Porfirio
Pile was drafted into the U.S. Army, he was in the 38th Infantry division and he has visited us on several occasions. He was here the 13th of November, 1942 and the 12th of December. In October1944 he was sent to Europe. He was badly wounded on March 4th 1945. He was wounded in the front lines of Normandy, Germany. He was sent to the General Hospital in England.
Only God knows if we will see him again. His father who day and night cries and waits for his return. This miserable war that has taken our sons !If one day he returns to his mother, remembering that he has been re-born.
Waco March 1st , 1943 Guadalupe
This day I saw my son Lupe leave my company to join the Army of the USA and it was a mortal shock to me because I saw him so sad and teary-eyed, like he was going to prison. I have never been a coward, it was a big surprise to me to see him leave so sad, that it was clear that he felt he would never see me again. How cruel destiny and time can be. At the moment he was telling his mother he was leaving, I felt like I would never see him again, I am suffering terribly, but God, in whom I trust in His will, there is now one like him that knows what will happen.
On January 5th, 1943we received his draft card and in September 1943 he was sent to England – in the 398 Battalion of Combat Engineering. I pray to God that he will send him back in good health.
(Note: To the best of my ability I translated this from his hand-written notes in a diary. The following seems to me like it was written like he was trying to create a poem or prayer. )
“Mother – She is divine from Heaven and when the day comes that you pass through the lonely valleys and you fall near a forest and you feel you are lost and can`t breathe or hear the waters running in the streams – you knelt and at this moment is a prayer your mother sends you from Heaven. The flowers are trembling with pleasure because -- the tender, loving kiss that she gave you, -- your Mother from Heaven – even though death has seized you, your Heavenly Mother will not allow you to be afraid or scared: if you have heart and feelings – this is a lifetime memory from your Father for all your life.
