Two Winchendon men reunite in the middle of World War II, only to die soon after
WINCHENDON – It was October 1944 and Raymond O. DeCoteau had been overseas for several months and had not been home for well over a year. For a 26-year-old soldier, memories of his hometown of Winchendon were often tinged with nostalgia.
Imagine the elation he felt when, while perusing the sea of endless strangers, his eyes fell upon a familiar face, and one from his hometown. Capt. Francis Reardon, who had been located only a short distance away, met up with the surprised Staff Sgt. DeCoteau and the two friends enjoyed a long chat together.
One could only imagine the conversation and how many memories it evoked.
Like the Saturday afternoons they had spent at matinees at the Capitol Theater, watching the latest cowboy movie or the comedies of Abbott and Costello.
More: Winchendon man among three locals killed on USS Birmingham
Wondering who’s been hanging out at the soda fountain at Slavin’s Pharmacy or nearby Sib’s Sandwich Shop?
Remember the girl who used to work at Jeffer’s Market? I wonder what happened to her?
Perhaps the last thing on their minds was that it would be the last time either would see one another again.
Sgt. DeCoteau was two months shy of losing his life while in action in Belgium in December. Only two weeks later, Capt. Reardon was captured in Germany and would die in April 1945 while being held as a prisoner of war.
This is the continuation of the series Remembering Local World War II Heroes.
S/Sgt Raymond O. DeCoteau (1918-1944)
Raymond Oliver DeCoteau was born in Winchendon on Jan. 1, 1918 to Oliver J. and Lydia L. (Foisy) DeCoteau and they lived at 23 Brown St.
Before entering the service, he was a member of Co. M. 181st Infantry, National Guard of Gardner and joined the armed forces when the unit was sworn into the service on his 22nd birthday, on Jan. 1, 1940.
He was first employed as a carpenter at Fort Devens, later received his training at Camp Edwards and was sent overseas prior to the invasion of France.
He was a member of the Victory Division which had been on the secret mission to secure the initial breakthrough into Germany north of Trier on Sept. 11, 1944, having gone into action in Normandy on Aug. 1.
The Division started from upper Normandy and in 20 days of fighting pushed some 400 miles to the Seine River. The Victory Division’s horseshoe-shaped thrust towards the Alsatian Plain helped spring the trap on Germany’s Seventh Army.
More: Winchendon man died in Normandy invasion; another died on the USS Buck during WWII
On Oct. 16, 1944, he wrote to his parents informing them that he was in Holland, and “was in fine health, living in a half-trak and sleeping in a fox hole.” He stated he had “seen a lot of action,” although some of the cities through which he had driven were reduced to “a pile of rocks and rubble.”
It was in the same letter he mentioned his happenstance meeting with fellow Winchendonian Francis Reardon.
On Dec. 2, 1944, while serving in Belgium, DeCoteau was killed in action at the age of 27. His parents received a telegram two days after Christmas, and he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.
DeCoteau was buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial Henri-Chapelle in Liège, Belgium
A solemn requiem high Mass was celebrated in his honor on Jan. 4, 1945 in the St. Mary’s Church, where he was survived by his parents and a sister Delia Derosier.
Pvt. Thomas Goula (1912-1944)
Thomas Goula was born in Barre on March 12, 1912 to Martin and Albina (Demoga) Goula, and he attended public schools in that town. In 1926, he came to Winchendon with his parents at the age of 14 years, living at 46 Glenallen St.
He married the former Emma Ellison Bielo of Ludlow, Vermont on Nov. 15, 1937 in Ludlow. While living in Winchendon, he was employed as a slasher tender in the mills of White Bros. Inc. in Winchendon Springs.
Goula was one of several Winchendon men to work at White Brothers Mill who died in World War II, including Armand Caouette and Urvin Laperriere.
Goula was inducted into the Army on Jan. 10, 1944 and received his basic training at Camp Wheeler, Ga. He was home on furlough in June 1944. Following his 14-day furlough, he reported at Fort George C. Meade in Maryland.
He was shipped overseas in July and arrived safely in England, before being assigned to the 13th Infantry. From England he was sent to France where he was seriously wounded on Sept. 9, according to a telegram received by his wife on Sept. 21. He was hospitalized, but no additional information was received.
Emma spent two agonizing weeks wondering about her husband and hoping for the best. Unfortunately, another telegram received on Oct. 3 delivered the worst possible news. Her husband, 32-year-old Pvt. Thomas Goula, had died on Sept. 9 of the wounds received that day while in action in France.
A memorial Mass was celebrated on Oct. 5, 1944 at St. Mary’s Church in Winchendon and he was buried in Calvary Cemetery.
Aside from his widow and parents, he was survived by three sisters who all lived in Winchendon, Josephine Goula, Mrs. Julia Donaway and Mrs. Victoria Lucier.
His widow Emma never remarried and returned to Ludlow, Vermont. where she lived out the remaining years of her life and died on April 9, 1988 at the age of 72.
(Comments and suggestions for Remembering Local World War II Heroes can be sent to Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Rd. Sandwich, MA 02563)
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Winchendon World War II heroes Raymond Decoteau Thomas Goula
