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My Grandfather, from memory, was a kindhearted man. He never spoke of his WWII service except to say he drove a tank, I assume to forget the hardships the he endured and memories that followed him through the years. Charlie died at the age of 67, when I was 7 years old, in 1988. His warmth is still with me today. Every time I smell pipe tobacco, feel the swing of a rocking chair, see a tobacco tin, or see certain candy, reminiscent of the ones he had stashed away for his grand kids, I can't help but be thankful and see his smile.
Charles Alfred Guitard (that handsome guy in these pics) was born in Westbrook, Maine USA ,1921. He spent much time in the North Shore (Dalhousie/Belledune), New Brunswick Canada, where the Guitard's are from. In 1940, Charlie traveled to Maine, as a US citizen (his mother was American), to enlist with the 240th Coast Artillery Regiment of Maine. For 3 years, Charlie was in service on the Home Front, serving and climbing rank within Habour Defences of Maine. He was pulled from the 240th CA Reg't to the US Army at Camp Hood, Texas where their artillery group was formed and sent to Europe.
Left: National Guard marching in Westbrook Maine 1940.
Right: the 240th Coast Artillery Regiment Insignia
More on the topic:
https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/99/
In March 1944, Charlie is found at Fort Hood, Texas, with the 528th Field Artillery Battalion- Battery B.
Through training, travelling, and serving in combat in the European Theater of Operations in late '44 to July '45, he traveled through the US, UK, France, Belgium and Germany. Charlie served mostly as a rank, Technician 5th Grade (Tec/5), driving and part of a M4 HSTractor crew that towed the 155mm Long Tom Gun. Surviving the ETO, in Aug '45 he returned home to the USA, honorably discharged from Fort Devens, Mass., and soon returned to New Brunswick Canada. He was married to his sweetheart, Marie Poirier, in November 1945.
*Note: Charlie's uniform in the picture above, upon returning home, shows rank Sergeant and a MP whistle, although I cannot find record of this. His last pay in 1945 states Tec/5. Perhaps in the final months, the paper work did not follow prior to him being honorably discharged.
Marie Poirier and Charles Guitard wed in November 1945. They had many children and grand children to follow and lived a simple, happy life in Dalhousie, NB, Canada.
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