When my dad, Robert E. Hensley, was diagnosed with dementia, my mother had him write down a few notes about his experience in World War II.

After his junior year at Wewoka High School he was drafted into the Army on August 27, 1943 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

He rode by train to Roberts, California for 17 weeks of basic training.

After basic training, he was sent to Patrick Henry Base in Norfolk, Virginia.

From Norfolk, he was shipped to Oran, Africa and stayed in Oran for 3 weeks.

Dad was then shipped to Naples, Italy and from there to Anzio Beach.

He was in the artillery and the battle was 12 miles ahead.

When they reached Anzio, they marched ahead to Po Valley.

He was with the 45th Division to just above Rome, Italy, then transferred to the 91st Division.

He did not receive credit for being with the 45th.

General Mark Clark was the leader for the 5th Army.

Dad was in the field artillery, BlIn. Pine Tree Division, Power River 155.

While his division was in Rome, Italy, he was able to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

At Florence, Italy, he saw the statue of Michelangelo at a local church.

He remembers that the statue looked like real fleshand that you could see the veins in the hands.

When in Naples, he visited the Isle of Capris and went to an undersea cave that is one of the 7 Wonders of the World.

When his division reached Bologna, Italy they stayed there for 4-6 months, then onto the northeast corner of Italy.

When my Dad would recount to me a few things about the war, he always told me that he walked from one end of Italy to the other end.

He also walked through the town the day after they hung Mussolini and his mistress and saw that.

He would talk about how they would stop to eat lunch and dead German soldiers would be all around them.

As I researched the Italian Campaign, I estimated that he probably walked around 700 miles.

I also saw images of their campsites, the terrain of the country and the ruins of war.

Dad was not discharged until November 27, 1945.

He returned to Wewoka and graduated high school in 1946.

As I look at my 17 year-old son, I cannot imagine the worry that my grandmother endured.

Not only was my Dad over there serving our country, but his 2 brothers, George Hensley, Jr. and Noble Hensley were over there at the same time.

George was a medic and Noble fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

When Noble was injured and sent to a hospital, George somehow found out about it and visited Noble in the hospital.

Noble was released and sent back to battle.

Thankfully all three brothers made it back from the war.

On June 1st, 1947, Robert E. Hensley married Wanda L. Cook in Wewoka, Oklahoma.

They have been married 67 years and still reside in Wewoka, Oklahoma.

My Dad... My Hero. Thank you, Daddy, for serving our country and the sacrifice you made to ensure that future generations, your children and your grandson can enjoy the freedom that we have today in the great United States of America.