2023/2024
Collection 19

A Call to Duty

1942–1944; St. Louis and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, USA; near Salzburg, Austria, and other European locations

In the autumn of 1942 I was a young man, barely out of my teens — and the world was at war. I knew that the decision I was about to make was going to be life-altering, but many of my friends, like me, had the call to duty. I knew I had to make the hard decision to serve my country and enlist in the military. That decision would send me into the heart of conflict that would change my life forever.

I stood in front of the recruitment office. The posters at that time showed pictures of brave soldiers in action. It’s like they called you in. By the time I made the decision, the war had become vicious, and many young men my age were being killed or injured daily. I knew I could become one of those men, but contributing to the military, and to something bigger than myself, called to me — and I enlisted.

Basic training was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. The drill sergeants were mean and tough. They screamed orders at everyone. The physical toughness of other recruits and the military helped me build the mental toughness I needed to survive. The best things about basic training were the bonds and friendships I formed with the other recruits. It was amazing to see the diverse backgrounds of all the recruits and how we bonded together to serve our country as one unit.

As the weeks passed, the reality of war began to set in. As a young man, I was scared to realize how much of a responsibility we had. Living day in and day out for months, within the barracks and on the training grounds, built a sense of camaraderie.

The day finally came when we were called to deploy. I found myself on a crowded transport ship. Waves crashed over the ship as we sailed east. What lay ahead was the great unknown. My fate, and the fate of our nation, hung in the balance.

The reality of war struck me the moment my boots hit the soil. This was an unfamiliar and scary land. There was a distant thunder of bombs and gunfire. The air was thick with smoke and the smell of black powder. At that point my friends and I were no longer recruits, but now soldiers. Even though war was chaos, I witnessed how strong and fearless my fellow soldiers were. Their courage and sacrifice made a mark on my soul that I will never forget.

Being a part of the war, I discovered how strong I really was. The young man who had enlisted with a sense of duty now stood on foreign soil and witnessed one of the biggest changes in the world’s history. As I reflect on the years, I carry with me the memories of camaraderie and sacrifice — and the feeling that I played a part in changing history for the better.

Mick Janish, great-grandson of the narrator; Missouri, USA

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