Remembering February 18th

By Terry D. Janes

 

February 18, 2005-Sixty years ago today, on February 18, 1945 the 80th Infantry Division and its attached units crossed the Our River in force, from Luxembourg into Germany.  The German side was dotted with reinforced concrete pillboxes, backed up by tanks and emplaced weapons.  The Germans were well prepared for the events that day.  Many American soldiers died that day, but the 80th pushed until the German defences crumbled.  In memory of this day, I include the following photos related to two 21 year-old Tank Drivers who share this date. One man who died on this date during the Our River Crossing; and one who survived the Our River Crossing, and was born on this date 21 years earlier.

 

 

The man who died on February 18, 1945 was 21-year-old Sergeant Joseph DeLaurentis.  Sgt. Joe DeLaurentis was a good-looking Italian-American kid from Philly.  He served as a Tank Driver in A Company, 702nd Tank Battalion Red Devils.  His tank was in the lead of A Company's advance into Germany that fateful day.  Besides his family and friends, Joe also left behind his Fiancée, Lela Bush.  They planned to marry as soon as he returned from the war.  Fate prevented that.  Lela eventually married someone else, but never forgot her lost love.  Joe's old buddy, Bill Beck, also of A Company, never forgot either.  Last year, he posed for the following photo with his grandson at the grave of Joe DeLaurentis and sent it to Lela:

 

 

Another soldier, who crossed the Our River that day and lived, celebrated his 21st Birthday that day.  Although "celebrate" is not exactly what he had on his mind, I'm sure.  He was Sgt. Joseph DeRuvo, or "Zeke" as his buddies called him, of B Company, 702nd Tank Battalion Red Devils.  "Zeke" was also a good-looking Italian-American kid.  "Zeke" was also a Tank Driver.

 

"Zeke" DeRuvo Pictured In The Center

 

"Zeke" survived the war, and never forgot his buddies, his unit, or his experiences.  Tragically, he was killed 26 years after the war in a motorcycle race.  After racing across Europe in a tank, and all the adrenaline that came with it, racing motorcycles became his replacement for excitement.  It cost him his life.  Besides his friends, he left behind his Wife, Theresa, and Daughters, JoAnn and Janet.  "Zeke" had painted the plaques in the following photos in remembrance of the unit he had so proudly served:

 

 

 

Besides the fact that both of these men were named Joseph, that they were of Italian extraction, that they were good-looking young men, that they were Tank Drivers in the same battalion, and that they both crossed the Our River that fateful day 60 years ago, they now have something else in common.  Not long ago, Lela Bush Eitel, Joe DeLaurentis's Fiancée, heard that the DeRuvo family needed some help in a private matter.  Not knowing of "Zeke's" similarities of attributes and experiences with her late Joe, she volunteered to help the family, out of the kindness of her heart.  She didn't know them personally.  She just knew that this Red Devil family needed help, and she gave it.

 

Not long ago, Lela had asked me what kind of rank insignia Joe DeLaurentis would have worn.  She wanted an example to place in her own private memorial to Joe, along with her other mementoes she has saved since they met in 1944.  I showed her a photo of the patch he would have worn, and made a mental note to myself to find her a patch and send it to her.

 

Coincidentally, JoAnn DeRuvo recently showed me some old patches that belonged to "Zeke", and asked if they might be important.  If they weren't important, she planned to sell them.  They were just common World War Two patches, not worth much.  One of those patches just happened to be a T/4 Technical Sergeant patch like both "Zeke" and Joe wore.  A light went on in my head, and I suggested to JoAnn that I knew the perfect home for the T/4 patch.  JoAnn loved the idea, and was anxious to repay the kindness that Lela had showed her family.  JoAnn and her Mother, Theresa wrote a beautiful letter from the heart, explaining the many similarities these two men shared, and included the patch as a gift to Lela.  This gift of love from one deceased soldier's family to another was worth more than any amount of money, to the people involved.  I was thrilled to bring them together.  And now, the two Josephs have yet more in common!  This is one of those beautiful experiences that my work sometimes allows me to witness, and I thought my readers would enjoy it too.  In honor of both of these men, and the millions of others who served in World War Two, I offer the following photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Page

 

Return To 702nd Tank Battalion Article Index

 

Return To The World War Two Index

 

Return To TheTroubleshooters.com Main Page

 

By visiting this site, you agree to the terms and conditions

of our Visitor Agreement. Please read. Privacy Policy

© 2008 Opinicus Publishing Company-All Rights Reserved

Email: webmaster@thetroubleshooters.com