Paris Goes To War

War came Paris, Texas on December 7, 1941. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declarations of war of the Axis countries of Japan, Germany and Italy against The United States brought World War II literally to the doorsteps of Paris.

The U.S. response to war hit Paris like a tidal wave and the results were everlasting.

This small East Texas town responded as hundreds of small towns across America did. Its sons, daughters and citizens joined the war effort.

But Paris began to develop its own uniqueness with the opening of Camp Maxey just a few miles north of the city limits in 1942. Two major divisions, the 102d Infantry Division and the 99th Infantry Division, trained there. It is estimated that over 200,000 troops and civilians trained and worked at Camp Maxey during its short 4 years of existance.

Camp Maxey was also selected as a site, as were many other training camp sites in Texas, to house German prisoners-of-war. More than 6,000 Germans were hosted there until well after the last shots of anger were fired in Europe in 1945.

Paris, as was the whole country, was like a stirred pot. The young men and women who came to Camp Maxey to train spent their leaves in town. Many of them met, courted, and married local men and women. Likewise, Paris sons and daughters who left were meeting their future spouses. The long historic ties that had held Paris together as a tight community were stretched around the world.

To and from Paris the letters streamed in and out from friends and families: from the battle fronts, from far-away hometowns, from Washington D.C., to Europe, to The Pacific and literally all points of the globe.

Sad news of soldiers being killed, exciting news of the birth of a new baby, common news about town gossip all swirlled around this small town of Paris. Paris was making its contribution to march the country toward victory.

In 1941 Paris Goes To War.


How To Add A Story & Pictures To Paris Goes To War

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Tuesday, June 5, 2018

In Memory of Charles K. Gravenhorst, Sgt, C Co. 407th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division


Combat Infantryman Badge

Obituary: ​Charles K. Gravenhorst, 93, Formerly Of Northport
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By Paige McAtee, Patch Staff | Jun 4, 2018 5:07 pm ET

Charles K. ("Charlie") Gravenhorst, a decorated World War II veteran, graduate of Princeton University, former advertising vice president specializing in international airline travel, husband of more than 65 years to Ellen Slatt Gravenhorst and devoted father, departed this life on Thursday evening, May 17, 2018, less than two weeks shy of his 94th birthday, in Sebastopol, California.

Enlisting in 1943, and serving as Cannon Company Sergeant in the 407th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division ("Ozarks") of the U.S. Army, he was awarded numerous decorations for action in World War II including the Bronze Star for heroic achievement during the Battle of the Bulge.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he attended Polytechnic Preparatory Country Day School ("Poly Prep"), class of 1942, and went on to graduate magna cum laude with the Princeton University class of 1946, majoring in History and with an undergraduate thesis focusing on the second Grover Cleveland administration.

With a background in photography, he had an accomplished career of over 30 years in print, radio and television advertising in New York City—beginning as an account executive with Benton & Bowles, Inc. and then vice presidents with Gaynor & Ducas, Gordon & Shortt, Inc. and Bozell & Jacobs, Inc.—supervising client accounts such as IBM, Crosley, SAS, BEA, Eastern and Northeast ("Yellowbird") Airlines, Montreal's Expo '67, and many others, which took him around the world from Sweden to South Africa, Rome to Iran, and Montreal to Miami when not commuting daily on the Long Island Rail Road.

Married at the Garden City Hotel in 1952, he and Ellen raised four children on Long Island, making their home first in Flushing Meadows, then in Garden City, Northport and finally Huntington, before relocating in retirement to Rohnert Park, California to be near family.
He was a perennial tomato gardener, crossword puzzle wiz—he did the New York Times crossword puzzle in ink—and devoted fan of New York sports beginning with the Brooklyn Dodgers and then the New York Mets, Jets, Knicks, Rangers and Islanders. His bright smile, clear blue eyes, energy, wit, wisdom and intelligence will be greatly missed. His life made a tremendous impression.

In addition to his wife, Ellen Edith Eleanor Slatt Gravenhorst, 90, he is survived most immediately by his son Charles Andrew Gravenhorst, 61, of Belmont, New Hampshire, daughters Diana Louise Gravenhorst Jelenic, 57, of Novato, California, Priscilla Anne Gravenhorst Butler, 54, of New York City, and grandchildren Claire Louise Gravenhorst Garrett, 25, of Raleigh, North Carolina, Elijah Charles William Gravenhorst, 22, of Belmont, New Hampshire, and Amelia K. Butler, 16, of New York, New York. Charles was pre-deceased December 31, 2013, by his first son, Dwight Allen Gravenhorst, who died in Las Vegas at age 59.

He will be interred at the Gravenhorst family lot in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.


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