Karen LaBat
I have letters my father wrote to his parents during World War II. He served in the Cannon Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.
Because of wartime censorship there were limits on what my father could write about. The letters have an upbeat tone to keep his parents’ spirits optimistic.
He did not speak much about his wartime experiences and it was not until I did my own historical research on the unit he was attached to that I began to understand what he must have experienced.
I have organized the letters into 6 chapters:
- Introduction & family background
- Training camps
- North Africa
- Sicily & Anzio Beachhead
- France
- Furlough and return to Germany/Austria (Berchtesgaden)
Each chapter includes his letters along with commentary from historians and official documents relevant to that chapter.
The attachment to this email includes the cover page for my Dad's WWII letters, an excerpt from the chapter about North Africa and a reference list I used for additional background. Several references are specific to the 3rd Division. But, some are general references. The Atkinson books follows my father's "path" through the war----so I was fortunate in finding so much detail in those books. I used online search functions of the UMN library to access several sources---since retirees can find and download many items free.
Two other references that might be of use to those searching for United State Military Records
National Archives - https://www.archives.gov/research/military/veterans/aad.html
Veteran’s Administration - https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/
Much of this site is designed for people looking for their own records. If searching for a deceased relative, scroll down to the bottom third of the page.
News
The election of UMRA officers and board members for 2026-27 will be held online from Monday, May 11, through Sunday, May 17, with the results to be announced at UMRA’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Luncheon Forum on Tuesday, May 19. Nanette Hanks, nominated to become UMRA's next president-elect, tops the slate of candidates approved by the current Board of Directors during its meeting on Monday, March 23.
Proposed changes to the UMRA Bylaws will be on this year’s election ballot along with the nominees for officers and directors. The updates to the bylaws were drafted in response to changes proposed by the Nominating Committee and Membership and Communication Committee, and were approved by UMRA’s Board of Directors in November 2025.
Meet UMRA member Mike Amidon, whose career in computers and information technology spans the years when the Gopher system was developed at the U of M and then quickly eclipsed by the World Wide Web. Remember the days before the internet?
In partnership with Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Beth Lewis, UMRA has been helping current University faculty members to decide whether and when to retire. It’s an experience only actual retirees can truly share.
If getting to know more retiree colleagues and serving the University community were among your goals in joining UMRA, sign up for one of the Silver Gopher Service Corps volunteer projects and come for the fun—and teamwork!
Northrop Organist Greg Zelek will team up with the University Singers, led by U of M professor and director of choral activities Matthew Mehaffey, for a can’t-miss concert blending choral and organ works at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. Northrop is offering UMRA members a 20% discount on tickets.
The SparkPath Young Authors Conference (YAC) program gives 4th- to 8th-grade students the opportunity to learn from professionals with actual writing experience. The University Retirees Volunteer Center is seeking volunteers to assist with several conferences to be held at Bethel University in St. Paul in May.
Plans are well underway for UMRA to host the 2026 Big Ten Retirees Association Conference this July on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. There are a few, limited volunteer opportunities that may be of interest to you.
Do you remember when “Driven to Discover” was new? Do you know what is taking its place? For the answers to these and similar questions you may have, join UMRA’s Campus Conversation with Chris Gade, U of M vice president for marketing communications, on Tuesday, April 7.