Robert E. Wells^{[1, 2]}

1924 - 2012  (88 years)

• Name	Robert E. Wells
  Born	9 May 1924	Pittsylvania County, Virginia
  Gender	Male
  Died	25 Oct 2012	Fisherville, Augusta County, Virginia
  Buried	29 Oct 2012	Roselawn Burial Park, Martinsville, Virginia
  Person ID	I12830	My Reynolds Line
  Last Modified	22 Apr 2014

  
  

  Father	Leslie Stone "Snorty" Wells,   b. 8 May 1893, Callands, Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. 6 Jan 1977, Martinsville, Henry County, Virginia  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Elsie Elizabeth Aaron,   b. 9 Dec 1895, Henry County, Virginia ,   d. 11 Nov 1976, Martinsville, Henry County, Virginia  (Age 80 years)
  Family ID	F3782	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Juanita Bryson,   b. 22 Jun 1928, Virginia ,   d. 12 Aug 2009, Martinsville, Virginia  (Age 81 years)
  Last Modified	22 Apr 2014
  Family ID	F518495850	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Robert and Ryland Wells as Corporals
  		Robert Wells
  		Robert Wells
  		Robert Wells
  		Robert E. Wells robert e. wells.jpg
  		Robert Wells p12830robertwells2.jpg

  
  

  Documents		Robert & Ryland Wells WWII Experience
  		Wells Info 4 J. Barber

  
  

  Histories		Robert & Ryland Wells The Danville Bee Feb 2, 1944
  		Robert & Ryland Wells The Danville Bee Feb 2, 1944

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] Mary Frances Reynolds Eggleston. Mr. and Mrs. Wells who live on Route No. 2 have given three sons to the service. Two of them are nineteen-year-old twins who had never been separated and who betrayed all of the manifestations of affinity and attachment which often is betrayed by twins. Then the draft came along and picked up the brothers and inducted them the same day. Their only plea was that they be permitted to perform their war service together and they would not be separated. But the induction brass hats could not see it that way, and their pleas were resisted. Robert Wells was assigned to Camp Shelby, Miss., and Ryland Wells was assigned to Plattsburg, N. Y. Their letters home were brave and assumed a guise of cheerfulness, but the intuitions of a mother told her that he boys, never before separated, were suffering from the dejection of isolation and that service with the forces was not as happy as it would be if they were together. Mrs. Wells realized her difficulties in effecting a remedy and the, one day, she hitched her wagon to a star, sat down and wrote to the commander-in-chief and asked him if there was anything that he could do about it. Mr. Roosevelt answered the letter promptly and told Mrs. Wells that he had referred the case of her boys to the War Department with the personal recommendation that the twins be reunited. The President saw a question of morale in their plight and he possessed the human sympathy of a father who himself has boys on the fighting front. Nor was it long before Private Robert Wells was paraded one day before his commanding officer and was told that he had been reassigned. He was handed travel orders sending him to Plattsburg. Arriving there, he was assigned to the same company in which his brother was serving in an engineering outfit. Then they sailed together and are now at a point in North Africa. They wrote home the other day separate letters each one relating that the twins now have a corporal?s stripes and are moving along together in promotion. They are happier than they were when they first entered the army and they tell their parents not to worry over them and that they hope before long to be home to enjoy the comforts of peaceful life once more. The third brother, Carlton A. Wells is in service, somewhere in England. Mrs. Wells treasures the letter of the commander-in-chief because it brought her a happy issue out of her affliction. It gave her renewed faith in the processes of democracy and realization that the President of the United States is not immured in an ivory tower, but can be reached directly by the people and that he made a personal issue of a war mother?s distress case. Answer to a Mother?s Plea (Transcription of original letter) The White House Washington April 6, 1943 My dear Mrs. Wells: In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of March thirtieth, I want you to know that, by the President?s direction, the matter about which you write is being brought to the attention of the appropriate officials of the War Department. Very sincerely yours, Edwin M. Watson Major General, U. S. Army Secretary to the President Mrs. L. S. Wells, 805 Princeton Street, Martinsville, Virginia Letter from a Commanding Officer to a War Mother July 1944 From 2nd Lieut. George A. Worth (England) to Mrs. L. S. Wells (Martinsville) I am your sons platoon commander. Thought a few words to their mother would help convey the pride I feel in your two boys?So far I?ve been able to keep them together, in the same squad, one the leader and the other the assistant. They are a good team, too. I only wish I had all my men as young, capable, and willing to do a hard job day or night as your boys?They haven?t any idea of this letter. Today we are resting. Both are in good health, tanned as Indians, toughened for the big job ahead (the letter was written before the invasion in which they are now participating) and doing excellent on their jobs now. You have reason to be proud of Robert and Ryland?Incidentally, even after a year I still get them mixed up.? [S4] Deborah Lozano. Name: Robert E Wells Name (Original): WELLS ROBERT E Event Type: Military Service Event Date: 08 Mar 1943 Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Event Place: Roanoke, Virginia, United States Residence Place: Race: White Citizenship Status: citizen Birth Year: 1924 Birthplace: VIRGINIA Education Level: 4 years of high school Civilian Occupation: Unskilled occupations in building of aircraft, n.e.c. Marital Status: Single, without dependents Military Rank: Private Army Branch: Hospital Dietitians Army Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men) Source Reference: Civil Life Serial Number: 33534714 Affiliate Publication Title: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946 Affiliate ARC Identifier: 1263923 Box Film Number: 06731.190 [S4] Deborah Lozano. Birth: May 9, 1924 Callands Pittsylvania County Virginia, USA Death: Oct. 25, 2012 Fishersville Augusta County Virginia, USA US ARMY WORLD WAR II Son of Leslie Stone and Elsie Elizabeth Aaron Wells and husband to Juanita Bryson. MARTINSVILLE BULLETIN Oct 28, 2012 The funeral for Robert E. Wells, 88, of Martinsville, who died Oct. 25, 2012, will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Roselawn Chapel with the Rev. Dr. J. Billy Graham officiating. Burial will be in Roselawn Burial Park with military graveside honors by the Martinsville-Henry County Veterans Honor Guard. Wells was born May 9, 1924, in Callands to Leslie Stone and Elsie Elizabeth Aaron Wells. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita Bryson Wells in 2009; one brother, Carlton A. Wells; his twin brother, Ryland T. Wells; and two sisters, Doris W. Allen and Gladys W. Hubbard. He graduated from Callands High School and was a member of County Line Christian Church. After enlisting in the Army, Wells served in Africa, Normandy, Ardennes, Central Europe and the Rhineland during World War II. He was part of the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, and came ashore on Utah Beach with the 238th Engineer Battalion, which specialized in bridge construction. He rose to the rank of sergeant and was awarded the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the European African Middle Eastern Service Ribbon with four Bronze Service Stars and the Bronze Arrowhead for the Normandy Landing. Wells was a past commander of the Paul Shorter Chapter of the DAV and served as commander nine times; was a DAV bus driver for five years; and was a life member of the Martinsville-Henry County Veterans Honor Guard. He received special recognition in 2006 for serving at 86 of 106 veterans' services for that year, and in 1995 was selected as Veteran of the Year for his outstanding service and dedication to veterans. Surviving are two daughters, Robin Elizabeth Wells of Diamondhead, Miss., and Dawn Renee Graham of Spencer; one granddaughter; and other relatives. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today in Roselawn Chapel and at other times at the home. Memorials may be made to Martinsville-Henry County Veterans Honor Guard, P.O. Box 1002, Collinsville, Va. 24078; Paul R. Shorter DAV Chapter 52, P.O. Box 3401, Martinsville, Va. 24115; or National D-Day Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 77, Bedford, Va. 24523. Burial: Roselawn Burial Park Martinsville Martinsville City Virginia, USA Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?] Created by: Sam Eanes Record added: Oct 28, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 99703165