In Memory Of
Charles Donald Dulaney
Charles Donald Dulaney
Charles Donald Dulaney
Charles Donald Dulaney, 88, passed away October 14, 2009 at Altercare Post Acute Long Term Care Center in Brimfield after a short illness.
Born July 26, 1921 in Petroleum, WV to the late Frank and Bessie Dulaney, he was a US Army Veteran and World War II POW. Mr. Dulaney was a resident of Akron for the past 63 years. He was a retired pipefitter and had worked for Bernard, Evans and Adams Construction Companies. Throughout his life, he was an avid hunter and fisherman.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 42 years, Mollie Rothwell Dulaney; brothers, Russell, Halley, Merlyn, Marvin, Conrad and sister, Evagene Sellers.
Mr. Dulaney is survived by his daughter, Mary (Ed) Riggenbach of Rootstown; grandchildren, Lori (Scott) Routzahn, Leslie (Craig) Manning, and Charles Nahas of Dacula, Fortson, and Lawrenceville, GA; great grandchildren, Daniel and Kyle Routzahn; Cole and Nate Manning; sister, Genevieve Dauber of Pinellas Park, FL.
The family would like to thank Altercare Post Acute Long Term Care Center for their loving care and comfort of Charles.
Private graveside services will take place at Greenlawn Cemetery on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.. Arrangements are under the direction of Newcomer Funeral Home in Akron. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Freedom House, 1213 Anita Dr., Kent OH 44240.
Charles Donald Dulaney
World War II POW
(134th Infantry; 35th Division)
In April 1944 (from Camp Kilmore, NJ), we set sail for St. Ives, England; the Invasion of Normandy took place while stationed in St. Ives. On July 5, 1944 we landed on Omaha Beach. Approximately one week after landing on Omaha Beach, we were attacked by the Germans. We fought a bloody battle in the town of St. Lo (city adjacent to Omaha Beach). Only 12 soldiers remained in our platoon of 36; only 59 soldiers out of approximately 200 in our company were left to fight (the rest were killed or wounded).
We traveled across France for several months to the Moselle River--3 miles outside of Nancy, France where we were captured by the Germans. Before we arrived at the Moselle River, the German's bombed and strafed us--killing 27 people out of our company.
The German's blew up the bridge behind us and brought in tanks. The men were down in a ditch about 5 ft below the road beaten and battered. As I was the only one not hit yet, I positioned myself at the machine gun (unaware the German's had zeroed in on me). They fired and parted my hair--knocking me off the platform and flat on my back down in the ditch --> we surrendered.
The German's marched us into Nancy, France (approximately 3 miles). We were searched and placed in box cars for 4 to 5 days feeding us only an apple a day and loaf of bread every 3 days which we had to split 4 ways.
We ended up in Limburg, Germany (Stalag 12A for 1 week)--sleeping in tents. There we each received a Red Cross food parcel. During the night while I was sleeping, a British soldier sliced open the side of my food parcel with a razor blade and stole all my food. The soldiers used the food parcel as pillows.
Next we traveled to Kustrin, Germany (close to the Polish border and Oder River). We were crammed into small box cars (1/2 box car for 25 men). Barbed wire was strung across the middle of the box car--the German guards had half; we had half. There wasn't enough room to sit down; we had to stand. In 5 days and 6 nights, all we had to eat was a canteen cup full of soup and very little water (we could barely stand up). Along the way we stopped off in a Frankfort, Germany railroad yard due to an air raid. The German's herded us into an air raid shelter--treated us like dogs.
The German's herded us back into box cars. We arrived in Kustrin during the middle of the night. They marched us through a cabbage patch; all you could hear was cabbage crackling.
I got up during the night to go to the latrine; I was so disoriented and in a daze from lack of food that I walked into the barbed wire fence which made a 1-inch long gash right below my nose, down to my lip and clear through to the gum--I was bleeding profusely. Went to sick bay; the German doctors ran me out calling me a dirty swine (would do nothing for me). A soldier gave me some butter to place on the wound to keep it soft until it healed.
We were crawling with lice. We tried placing our clothes outside in the freezing cold--to no avail.
On January 31, 1945 we were rescued by the Russians. I walked 6 weeks from Kustrin, Germany into Poland with shoes 2 sizes too small. The Russians stole all our valuables and called us dirty names. They told us if we helped them build a bridge they would transport us to Odessa. After we helped them build the bridge, they dumped us out in a field and made us walk.
Once we crossed the Polish border, the Polish people fixed us sandwiches and gave us water. They were very good to us. The Poles didn't have much, but what they had they shared.
Before boarding the ship in Naples, Italy to come home, we had to burn all our clothes (due to lice infestation). I lost 40 lbs during 4 months of captivity and the walk to freedom before boarding the ship to come home.
NEWCOMER FUNERAL HOME, 330-784-3334
Charles Donald Dulaney, 88, passed away October 14, 2009 at Altercare Post Acute Long Term Care Center in Brimfield after a short illness.
Born July 26, 1921 in Petroleum, WV to the late Frank and Bessie Dulaney, he was a US Army Veteran and World War II POW. Mr. Dulaney was a resident of Akron for the past 63 years. He was a retired pipefitter and had worked for Bernard, Evans and Adams Construction Companies. Throughout his life, he was an avid hunter and fisherman.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 42 years, Mollie Rothwell Dulaney; brothers, Russell, Halley, Merlyn, Marvin, Conrad and sister, Evagene Sellers.
Mr. Dulaney is survived by his daughter, Mary (Ed) Riggenbach of Rootstown; grandchildren, Lori (Scott) Routzahn, Leslie (Craig) Manning, and Charles Nahas of Dacula, Fortson, and Lawrenceville, GA; great grandchildren, Daniel and Kyle Routzahn; Cole and Nate Manning; sister, Genevieve Dauber of Pinellas Park, FL.
The family would like to thank Altercare Post Acute Long Term Care Center for their loving care and comfort of Charles.
Private graveside services will take place at Greenlawn Cemetery on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.. Arrangements are under the direction of Newcomer Funeral Home in Akron. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Freedom House, 1213 Anita Dr., Kent OH 44240.
Charles Donald Dulaney
World War II POW
(134th Infantry; 35th Division)
In April 1944 (from Camp Kilmore, NJ), we set sail for St. Ives, England; the Invasion of Normandy took place while stationed in St. Ives. On July 5, 1944 we landed on Omaha Beach. Approximately one week after landing on Omaha Beach, we were attacked by the Germans. We fought a bloody battle in the town of St. Lo (city adjacent to Omaha Beach). Only 12 soldiers remained in our platoon of 36; only 59 soldiers out of approximately 200 in our company were left to fight (the rest were killed or wounded).
We traveled across France for several months to the Moselle River--3 miles outside of Nancy, France where we were captured by the Germans. Before we arrived at the Moselle River, the German's bombed and strafed us--killing 27 people out of our company.
The German's blew up the bridge behind us and brought in tanks. The men were down in a ditch about 5 ft below the road beaten and battered. As I was the only one not hit yet, I positioned myself at the machine gun (unaware the German's had zeroed in on me). They fired and parted my hair--knocking me off the platform and flat on my back down in the ditch --> we surrendered.
The German's marched us into Nancy, France (approximately 3 miles). We were searched and placed in box cars for 4 to 5 days feeding us only an apple a day and loaf of bread every 3 days which we had to split 4 ways.
We ended up in Limburg, Germany (Stalag 12A for 1 week)--sleeping in tents. There we each received a Red Cross food parcel. During the night while I was sleeping, a British soldier sliced open the side of my food parcel with a razor blade and stole all my food. The soldiers used the food parcel as pillows.
Next we traveled to Kustrin, Germany (close to the Polish border and Oder River). We were crammed into small box cars (1/2 box car for 25 men). Barbed wire was strung across the middle of the box car--the German guards had half; we had half. There wasn't enough room to sit down; we had to stand. In 5 days and 6 nights, all we had to eat was a canteen cup full of soup and very little water (we could barely stand up). Along the way we stopped off in a Frankfort, Germany railroad yard due to an air raid. The German's herded us into an air raid shelter--treated us like dogs.
The German's herded us back into box cars. We arrived in Kustrin during the middle of the night. They marched us through a cabbage patch; all you could hear was cabbage crackling.
I got up during the night to go to the latrine; I was so disoriented and in a daze from lack of food that I walked into the barbed wire fence which made a 1-inch long gash right below my nose, down to my lip and clear through to the gum--I was bleeding profusely. Went to sick bay; the German doctors ran me out calling me a dirty swine (would do nothing for me). A soldier gave me some butter to place on the wound to keep it soft until it healed.
We were crawling with lice. We tried placing our clothes outside in the freezing cold--to no avail.
On January 31, 1945 we were rescued by the Russians. I walked 6 weeks from Kustrin, Germany into Poland with shoes 2 sizes too small. The Russians stole all our valuables and called us dirty names. They told us if we helped them build a bridge they would transport us to Odessa. After we helped them build the bridge, they dumped us out in a field and made us walk.
Once we crossed the Polish border, the Polish people fixed us sandwiches and gave us water. They were very good to us. The Poles didn't have much, but what they had they shared.
Before boarding the ship in Naples, Italy to come home, we had to burn all our clothes (due to lice infestation). I lost 40 lbs during 4 months of captivity and the walk to freedom before boarding the ship to come home.
NEWCOMER FUNERAL HOME, 330-784-3334
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