Peas in the Army Pod by Mary C. Findley

My father and uncle, Donald and Clarence Campagna, served in WWII. I have fond memories of them fooling us as children by standing side by side and making us guess which was which. Uncle Clarence was left-handed and so he had to hide the watch on the right wrist. He also had some gold-capped teeth, so they had to keep their moths shut. It was very hard, for many years, for even their own children to tell the difference.

Donald & Clarence Campagna

Dad and Uncle Clarence made the news after getting their "greetings" (called-up into service notices) December 5, 1942. They joined the 398th Color Guard. The article describes the slight differences in height and weight, their "gunboat" shoe sizes of 14 and 14 1/2, and the fact that dad was a Pfc and Uncle Clarence was a Corporal. The article also mentioned that their first separation occurred during a 3 weeks assignment to the 100th Division.

Dad didn't often tell stories about his war experiences, but he did like to tell one about that brief first separation. The details are a little hazy now, and I never have known he proper military terminology, but I think it went something like this. He said that a visiting General went around inspecting troops and stopped when he came to my dad.

"Didn't I already see you today, when I was with -- ?" and he named the group Uncle Clarence was with. Dad tried to maintain proper military discipline, I'm sure, but he told the General his brother was in that group. The General had to question him a little further, as I understand, to learn that they were identical twins and that this was the first time they had been separated. The General replied that the separation was at an end, and got them assigned to the same unit.

My dad, in all his handsomeness, from a photo taken with Uncle Clarence in their dress uniforms, graces the cover of my Young Adult Medieval Suspense Hope and the Knight of the Black Lion.

http://amzn.to/vY9Wt6 Link to Hope and the Knight of the Black Lion

http://amzn.to/vOxpEI Link to the Illuminated Hope and the Knight of hte Black Lion, illustrated in the style of a medieval manuscript.


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About Mary:

I grew up in rural NY and Michael is a "city boy" from AZ. We met at college, taught school in AZ, MO and PA, homeschooled, and created curriculum and videos for church and commercial productions. We have three 20-something children, and now travel the 48 states together in a tractor trailer.

http://elkjerkyforthesoul.wordpress.com (our blog)