Brave Soul By Taylorann Torre

“He was a great man. I’m sorry for your loss Anthony,” my best friend Carl from high

school said.

“Thank you Carl,” I said, trying to hold back my tears.

After the funeral was over for my older brother, I talked with Lina, my wife, she always

made me feel better. She told me that it’s okay. He was being brave fighting for his

country in this awful war, World War II. She understood my sadness and wanted to help

me get through it. It was really hard for me because I was extremely close with my

brother. When we were younger I looked up to him and I still did even as we got older. I

just can’t believe he’s gone. I didn’t want my five children-Marie, Eileen, Dianne,

Anthony Jr, and Frank- thinking I was not strong and that I was crying all the time. So I

kept telling myself, “he’s in a better place now, he’s in a better place now.”

I went to go to my brother’s house to claim some of his old belongings. I found a

record player and other neat stuff. As I went into his rock sack that was with him in the

war and when he was found dead I found a journal that was written by my brother. I

read it and it talked about his adventures and what life was like in World War II. I guess

whenever he got the chance to write in this journal he would. It was so interesting. This

made me want to go to the war to experience all these adventures he was writing about.

But in the journal there was also some terrifying events that were horrifying to me. Right

then and there I decided I want to fight for my country. But how would I tell Lina and the

kids?

After I was done looking at my brother's old things I went back to my house for dinner.

Lina was making pasta with sauce, my favorite. “The meal was delicious” I told Lina.

“Thank you,” she said in a sweet tone.

After dinner was over and the kids went to bed I began to tell Lina the sad news-- well

exciting for me, he thought.

“Honey I don’t really know how to say this but I-I-I...would like to serve my country and

join the war.” I said

“WHAT?” She said in a loud voice. “What do you mean you want to join the war you’re

going to leave me here by myself with the kids, what if something happens to you and

the kids and I won’t ever see you again?What do I tell them” she said in a panicked

voice. “I don’t know Anthony I just don’t know...” We went to bed in silence.

* * *

My training was over and it was time for me to join the war. It was harsh weather and

many deaths. My friend through this whole war was Harold Johnston. We had many

things in common. He had kids at home and a lovely wife. Over the past few months I

started to miss Lina and the kids A LOT. I couldn’t take it. I wanted to be strong and

serve my country and be just like my father but my heart kept breaking each day.

Aching for my family that I missed. I wrote to Lina all the time but still that wasn’t

enough. I needed her and she needed me.

Harold and I were now against the Germans whose leader was Adolf Hitler. German

bombers would make terrifying night raids. I was on the Allies side. There was a lot of

countries on this side like United States, unlike the Axis which was Germany and not as

many countries. As we were fighting we had to be in this protection hole called a shell

hole. We loaded our guns and started shooting.

“These rocks aren’t making it any easier to shoot.” Harold exclaimed.

“I know it’s very uncomfortable.” I said.

The dirt was getting all over my uniform and I just felt really stressed. I was terrified one

of these German soldiers were going to shoot me and I wouldn’t ever see my family

again.

“Reload your gun!” Harold very loudly.

“ Oh right!” I said.

Time went by and I was okay and we defeated the Germans.

But Harold was not so lucky. While he did escape the gunshots, he developed yellow

fever because of the humid weather in Germany and these gross bugs like mosquitoes.

I was sad because now I had no one to talk to me and be my side. He did not get to

reunite with his family.

Even though I realized from day one that I was risking my life, I just didn’t know of

how real this really would be. I had no other choice but to injure myself in a place where

I wouldn’t die but I would be injured and not be able to fight. I shot myself in my leg and

then all the attention had focused on me. People were trying to stop my leg from

bleeding and they were checking my heart rate. Once they saw I was still alive but not

able to fight anymore they sent me home. When I got home Lina and the kids gave me

the biggest hugs and kisses and saying how they missed me so much and I told them

what it was like. They were happy I was home and I was happy I was home with them. I

love him with all my heart and will never forget him or his brave soul.

Author’s NoteNo one wanted war. But when Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, other European countries felt they had to fight back. Six long terrible years known as World War II. The war started in 1939 and lasted till 1945. During the war there were the Allied powers Axis powers. The United States was part of the Allies power. My great grandpa fought in the World War II. He was really young and had to leave his family to fight for his country. In my story Brave Soul the main character, Anthony,was a shy person and decided not to continue fighting because he missed his family so much where as my great grandpa hadn’t started his life already with a wife and children. He also stayed until it ended and kept fighting so Anthony and my great grandpa are two very different people.

During the World War people were afraid. Not just soldiers but citizens too. Children and some women were evacuated from the big cities into the countryside. Also people carried gas masks to protect themselves against a possible gas attack. People built air raid shelters in their gardens. People’s windows and doors were blacked out to make it harder for the enemy planes to spot where they lived. German bombers also made terrifying night raids. These are just some of the changes that occurred during World War II. The peaceful routine of everyday life was shattered. Soldiers had to fight in protection holes called shell holes. These were scary times for soldiers. When they were fighting they were probably scared they were going to get shot and eventually die. There was also many diseases going around in the war that affected many soldiers.

World War II affected many people, soldiers, and even children in many different ways. Taxes rose, billions of dollars was spent on the war, people had to protect themselves from getting hurt and children had to leave the cities to stay with strangers away from the bombing. These were terrible times for everyone and affected our country dramatically. People who are still alive today that fought in the war have big experiences to share and should be proud they fought for our country and sacrificed their own life for others.

~Taylorann Torre

Works CitedMasters, Nancy Robinson. Bombers of World War 2. Mankato, Minnesota : Capstone Press,

1998. Print. In this book there was a paragraph that told me when world war two ended. It also told me how it all started with the bombing of pearl harbor. It told me who the Allies were and who the Axis Powers were.

United States Postal Service. 1941:A World at War. Washington D.C.: National Geographic, 1991. Print. This book told me who the leaders of some of the countries were and who were some of the presidents at the time.

Wang, Patrick. “Shell Holes from D-Day invasion.” http://www.shutterstock.com. Shutterstoock, 2003-2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. This website showed me what shell holes look like and what they did. Like that they were used for protection and when the soldiers had invasions