From the front lines to 100: A WWII veteran's journey
Fighting in the 20th Infantry during World War II in Germany, Ralston said that his mind was already made up on not returning back home. So, he would fight with everything in him to make his service count.
I had been drafted and then (went) on to basic training in Texas,' Ralston said. 'We knew that we were going to Germany because everything pointed to there. I prepared myself to not be coming back.'
Ralston recalls his first combat mission taking place on his 20th birthday in 1944, but more than that he remembers the many men that lost their lives, men who he says shouldn't have.
'I remember at first we were being attacked in battle, they pulled back and then they started again,' Ralston said. 'The rest of the battle was basically over, so much of our work involved trying to clear towns.'
With less than 70,000 Americans remaining of the 16. 4 million who served in World War II, the opportunity for veterans of this time to share their stories are few and far between. Making the choice to give up his life, Ralston recalls what being in the military meant for him.
'Well, it's a terrific honor for me to be in the service,' Ralston said. 'If I were younger, I would still attempt to do the same thing because America was a wonderful country.'
After the war, Ralston returned to his farming roots and went on to sell sewing machines, a career that spanned nearly 70 years. Today, he enjoys life at an independent living facility in St. Joseph.
'I don't know how to put this into words but I just appreciate we did,' Ralston said. 'We were in a lot of trouble there and we still may be now, but I believe the good Lord will stop it.
___
© 2025 the St. Joseph News-Press
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
5 hours ago
David Muir shares emotional reunion between WWII veteran and fighter plane
"World News Tonight" anchor David Muir reported on a remarkable moment as a 100-year-old World War II fighter pilot returned to the skies over McKinleyville, California, taking the controls of the same type of aircraft he flew during combat missions more than seven decades ago. Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Joe Peterburs, who enlisted in 1942 at the age of 18, took to the air in a P-51 Mustang, the legendary fighter aircraft in which he flew 49 combat missions during World War II. The historic flight was made possible by the nonprofit organization "Rumble Over the Redwoods," dedicated to preserving aviation heritage and inspiring future generations. Peterburs' incredible military service spanned decades. After earning his pilot wings and becoming a second lieutenant, he faced numerous challenges during WWII, including being captured by German forces after an ejection and subsequently escaping. His service continued through the Korean War, where he flew 76 combat missions, and extended into the Vietnam era. He ultimately retired as a colonel in 1969. During the commemorative flight, Peterburs demonstrated that his adventurous spirit hadn't dimmed with age. Observers watched in amazement as the aircraft performed a roll, with the centenarian veteran and his pilot briefly flying upside down, waving from high in the sky. After landing, Peterburs was visibly moved by the experience. "It was a really exhilarating experience and brought back a lot of memories," he told ABC News. The veteran pilot also shared a powerful message for future generations: "To maintain what we have today, you got to do your best. Do your best in whatever you endeavor. And I wish you a lot of luck." The flight served as both a personal milestone for Peterburs and a powerful reminder of what World War II veterans did for our country.
Epoch Times
6 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Green Beans Create a Summer Salad to Remember
'Americans just do not know how to cook green beans,' said Ann, a Bayfield Farmers Market vendor, as she handed me a sack of deep green, plump beans she picked earlier that morning. 'When they're underdone and too crisp, they just don't have much taste. Give them a few minutes more time when you boil them. They're tender but still firm. The little beans within the green bean [the seed] will cook, too.' Having grown up on limp, soggy, overcooked beans, I was reluctant to try this technique. I got the water boiling, dropped the beans, watched the pot and when they turned a bright green, drained them and refreshed under cold running water. They were pliable but no longer snapped back. After I drizzled the beans with a little good olive oil and sprinkled with coarse salt, they were so finger-licking good I nearly polished off the entire lot. The baby bean inside the green bean added a gentle creaminess. Cooked this way, the beans were milder and less harsh—more of themselves.
Dominion Post
6 hours ago
- Dominion Post
Randa Mae Phillips Hall
Randa Mae Phillips Hall, 100, peacefully left her earthly home Saturday, August 9, 2025. Randa was born in Jellico, Tenn. to George Joseph Phillips and Mary Lissie Leach Phillips April 28, 1925. Her family moved to Webster County, where, in 1938, she was baptized in the Elk River and became a member of the Bergoo Baptist married Leonard M. Hall June 14, 1942, making her a young World War II Navy leaving Webster County, Randa and Leonard moved to Arthurdale, where they raised their family in a historic home. They later moved to Jollytown, Pa., before retiring to Sebring, Fla., where Randa enjoyed bowling, swimming, dancing, playing dominoes, and bike faithfully attended The Church of Buttonwood Bay while living in the past three years, she lived in Sycamore, Pa., but very recently with her daughter Sheila in was an avid reader of Amish and Christian books, consuming sometimes a book a was a member of the Order of Eastern Star of West is survived by eight of her nine children: Eddie Hall and Frances Carper (Jim), all of Sebring; Paul Michael Hall (Linda) of Morgantown; Roy Hall (Vicki) of Hundred; Debra Street (Dave) of Masontown; Sheila Hartley (Marshall) of Wadestown; Joyce Conklin (Doug) of Sycamore; and Jackie Hall of St. Cloud, Fla. Also surviving are her son-in-law, Doug Carper of Morgantown; 24 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; two great-great-granddaughters; sister, Evelyn Mick of Medina, Ohio; brother, Charles Phillips of Dayton, Ohio; sister-in-law, Kathy Phillips of Maryville, Tenn.; and many nieces and nephews on both the Hall and Phillips sides. She was last of the 'Hall Aunts' was predeceased by her parents; loving husband of 69 years, Leonard; her eldest daughter, Barbara Carper; son-in-law, Larry W. Fordyce; daughter- in-law, Princess Beth Hall; granddaughters, Teresa Carper and Diana Carper; her great- granddaughter, Victoria Hall; and her brothers, Joe, Ernest, Jerome, Billy, and Donald family would like to thank Randa's many caregivers and WV Caring Hospice of lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations, in her memory, to the Bergoo Baptist Church, 3201 Bergoo Road, Webster Springs, WV 26288; or, donate a large print book, in her memory, to one's local will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 12, in Dodd & Reed Funeral Home, Webster Springs, with Pastor Bennie Cowger officiating. Friends may join the family for visitation from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., prior to the service. Burial will follow at Hall Family Cemetery, Guardian. Condolences may be sent to the Hall family at Dodd & Reed Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Hall family.
