Infantry tech from Rock Falls laid telephone lines

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Donald Card of Rock Falls talks about his time spent serving in World War II. Card will be taking the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@svnmail.com)

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Note to readers: This is the fifth in a series of Sauk Valley Newspapers articles on some of the World War II veterans who are going to Washington, D.C., Tuesday on the Whiteside County Honor Flight.

ROCK FALLS – Donald Card got one furlough in the 4 years he served the Army during World War II.

The Rock Falls native was drafted at 22 and sent to the West Coast with a National Guard unit. His fellow soldiers, who worked only on weekends, got to visit family frequently, but Card was overlooked.

“My mother wrote to Washington, D.C., and said, ‘Why can’t my boy come home?’” Card said. “I guess Ma knew what to do, because I got a furlough.”

Card, a technician, laid telephone line for the Army throughout the duration of his service.

He served on the West Coast for 2 years and in the Pacific theater for 2 years.

He earned a Bronze Star for his bravery overseas.

“Some tank would go over our lines and tear them up, and I’d have to go back and fix them at night,” Card said. “I got the Bronze Star for going out and fixing lines; everyone else was in foxholes, where they should be.”

Although Card said he wouldn’t want to go through Army life again, he “wouldn’t take a million dollars for all the good friends I made.”

“I miss the guys,” he said. “They’re more like brothers.”

His wife of 64 years, Cleo, came to him through the Army, too.

Card had another girlfriend when he was drafted, but a year into his service, she sent him a “Dear John” letter. Cleo, who was friends with Card’s cousin, began to write to the soldier at his aunt’s request.

They married 2 weeks after Card got home. They have three daughters.

The Honor Flight file: Donald Card

Age: 89

City: Rock Falls

Branch: Army

Rank: Technician 5th grade (equivalent of corporal)

Theaters: The Philippines, Okinawa

Medals: Bronze Star

Terms of service: September 1941 to October 1945

Employment: Card worked for Railway Express for 5 years after his discharge, then went on to National Manufacturing Co., where he worked in the shipping room before retiring after 34 years.

Click to view The Vets of Honor Flight main page

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