Through the help of a stranger, one former Bradford woman has
been able to reach back in time more than 60 years and meet the
uncle she never knew.
While the actual journey for Jolene Michaels Devaney started
about a year ago when she began researching what happened to her
uncle during World War II, the questions started long before
that.
Devaney’s uncle, Patrick Leroy Michaels, died in a Jeep accident
while teaching another soldier how to drive while serving in the
517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team. Michaels, a demolition
specialist from Bradford, died on Sept. 14, 1944.
He was 19-years-old.
Devaney’s research hit gold when she found Allan Johnson, a
soldier who knew her uncle. After talking via e-mail, Devaney and
Johnson met earlier this month.
This meeting answered many questions the Michaels family had
throughout the years.
“Of course my family members and I had always wondered, but
never followed through,” she said about what happened to her uncle.
“So much time had passed and we honestly didn’t think we would make
any connections.”
But Devaney had a connection with her uncle before even meeting
Johnson.
“As our family got smaller and photos and personal belongings
got divided up, I was lucky enough to inherit Patrick’s service
picture,” she said. “I have it sitting on my dresser in my room and
every time I would walk by it, something would tell me that I
needed to find out more information. Call it karma.
“I also wanted to do it for my father. I wish he was still alive
so that I could share it with him … It was just something I felt
like I needed to do.”
Devaney also knew how much her father, Leo Michaels, loved his
brother -ðher two brothers are named after him.
The answers started to come when Devaney was contacted by
Johnson’s daughter, Claire. From that time until she received
Johnson’s letter “I could hardly stay focused. I couldn’t wait to
hear what stories he would share … how close they were.”
What she got was that and a whole lot more – a glimpse into her
uncle’s life while in the service.
Johnson told Devaney how he and Michaels would go to Pozzoli,
Italy, where – for a few lireð- a housewife would serve real eggs
and sparkling wine.
In another vignette, Johnson wrote about something that happened
here in the U.S.
“Our sergeant would come into the barracks making a lot of
noise, having just left his wife in town (where he was fortunate
enough to live),” Johnson wrote. “Anyone who was not awake was in
danger of having his bunk thrown over. Patrick was in the upper
bunk next to mine.
“Hearing the growls of the sergeant, he leaped out of the bunk
(to avoid the certain wrath of the sergeant) to the floor and
promptly put one leg right through the floor, over his knee.
Fortunately, he was not hurt, but it was an episode that everyone
remembered for months afterward.”
One of Devaney’s favorite stories reminded her of her
father.
“One thing that I remember vividly … was how strong Patrick
was,” Johnson wrote. “He was short but husky, and one day he backed
up to the tail end of the Jeep (with his back to the rear bumper of
the Jeep), and proceeded to lift the back end of the Jeep off the
ground.”
She also learned that since her uncle was a volunteer, he would
be first in line to receive his paycheck, plus to receive mail and
food.
Devaney’s tenacity paid off even more when she was able to meet
Johnson in person a few weeks ago.
“I think I can speak for both of us when I say I was feeling
many different emotions at the time. Anxious, nervous, excited and
a little sad. It was definitely a rush.”
“The most important piece of the puzzle was receiving the
details that led up to (her uncle’s) passing,” she said. “I think
for any family members who have lost someone during a war, this is
key to the healing process.
“In our case, Patrick was with people who truly cared about him
plus he was doing a job he believed in.”
While Devaney didn’t want to put words in Johnson’s mouth, she
surmised that the meeting was probably helpful as well.
“I think for any soldier who has lost a friend during wartime –
especially as close and as young as they were – it had to be very
difficult, but in the same sense, a little therapeutic.
“I hope our meeting also gave him a sense of what our family is
all about. I feel honored that I was able to meet him.”
Michaels is buried in Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan,
France.
While Michaels’ family has not been able to visit his grave,
Johnson will make his third trip in August to pay his respects to
his fallen friend.
Devaney noted that a government Web site –
http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/rh.php -ðallows family
members to obtain free passports, photos of the grave marker and
make arrangements to have flowers placed on the grave.
But throughout this process, Devaney realized that she knew more
about her uncle – by knowing his siblings – than she realized.
The son of Helen and Oliver Michaels, Patrick Michaels had six
siblings -ðEddie Michaels, Bill Michaels, Catherine Michaels
Cardenas, Irene Michaels Sheridan, Leo Michaels and Vernie Michaels
Lee.
“I have to say hearing the stories that Allan shared with me
about my uncle just confirmed how much he was like his brothers and
sisters … so many similarities.”
“From what my relatives have shared he was pretty quiet,”
Delvaney said. “People tell me he was an amazing ice skater.”
Michaels would skate behind Bradford Area High School – which
would be flooded and frozen -ðas his brother, Bill, would supply
the music by putting a phonograph on top of his car.
“While in high school he worked as a bell boy at the Emery
Hotel.”
His only living sibling, Vernie Michaels Lee, currently resides
in Pensacola, Fla.
“She is thrilled with all the information she has received and
is grateful to Mr. Johnson for making contact with me,” Delvaney
said.
Just one thing is missing now. Since Michaels was not killed in
action, his name was never added to the kiosk in Veterans
Square.
“Now all we have to do is get his name added to the memorial in
the town square and we’ll all be happy!” Delvaney said.
