Joseph P. Olexa WWII memoir and correspondence

Joseph P. Olexa, born March 6, 1918, was the son of Charles and Aniela "Nellie" (Gaj) Olexa. The Olexas lived in Millvale, Pennsylvania until the mid-1920s, then moved to Ohio, and finally to Detroit, Michigan around 1940. Joseph had five full and three half siblings (the children of Charles' first wife): Anna (b. 1904), Amen (b. 1907), Charles Jr. (1908-1984), Nellie (b. 1915), John (b. 1917), Ollie J. (1920-1981), Helen (Olexa) Ennis (1922-2008), and Frances Stella (Olexa) Kardasz (1923-1983).

Olexa enlisted in the U.S. Army on December 9, 1940 in Binghamton, New York. He spent several months training at various bases around the U.S. before deploying to North Africa. Olexa fought in the U.S. Army 26th Infantry Division, Company "L", and eventually attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Over the course of World War II, Olexa was engaged in North Africa, Sicily, France, Belgium, and Germany. He fought in the Invasion of Normandy, the liberation of Belgium, the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, and the Battle of the Bulge.

While deployed abroad, Olexa maintained regular correspondence with Agnes Van Der Weide, a young woman he met through mutual friends. Agnes was the daughter of Benjamin and Minnie (Ter Meer) Van Der Weide. The Van Der Weide family lived in Jamestown, Michigan and Ashburnham, Massachusetts until moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1943. Joseph and Agnes were married July 23, 1945, and lived in West Michigan until Agnes's death in 1993. Joseph Olexa died December 3, 2000. They were survived by their son, Karl Olexa.