Richard Norman Robert Hosford

October 1, 1942

RICHARD HOSFORD recently arrived in England, his father, G. J. Hosford, said this week.

December 10, 1942

A letter to Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford from their son RICHARD revealed that he is now in Africa.

January 7, 1943

June Deen was here visiting at his home recently and told us he had received a letter from RICHARD HOSFORD who is in North Africa. Richard said he had just met a Maxwell Partin over there who used to play football with Deen on the Immaculate Conception school team in Jax. (It's a small world fellows).

January 28, 1943

Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford have been informed that their son, Gerald Hosford, Jr., has landed safely in North Africa. Their other son, RICHARD has been in Africa for some time.

March 11, 1943

Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford received a wire a few days ago stating that their son, RICHARD had been "slightly wounded" in North Africa on January 25. They have a letter from him which was written early last month.

May 6, 1943

RICHARD HOSFORD, in Africa, and who was wounded slightly back in January but has been out of the hospital some time, writes his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford that he is getting along fine.

June 10, 1943

Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD in a letter to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford here, says that he is now enjoying a period in army camp in Africa. Sgt. Hosford probably saw some pretty hard action in the Tunisia campaign. His brother, Gerald, Jr. with the air corps at Smyrna, Tenn., has gotten out of the hospital after a stiff case of pneumonia, but is OK now.

July 29, 1943

Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD has written his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford, that he is now in Sicily.

August 26, 1943

Gerald Hosford has been promoted to M/Sgt. we were told by his father this week. “Junior” is now at Maxwell Field, Ala. His brother Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD is in Sicily.

October 7, 1943

A unit citation has been issued for the platoon in which Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD is a member. Our information states that "communications platoon, headquarters company, 26th infantry, is cited for outstanding performance of duty in action in the North African campaign, November 8, 1942, to May 29, 1943. The citation: "During an extended period of almost continuous combat activity, the Communications Platoon distinguished itself by its accurate work and devotion to duty despite adverse conditions. The numerous and diverse missions performed by the personnel of the Communications Platoon often entailed grave personal risks and hardships but were always completed with maximum speed and efficiency. The efforts of the platoon were of material assistance in its battalion's operations. By command of Major General Huebner, Leonidas Gavalas, Lt. Col. A.G.D. Adjt. General."

June 29, 1944

Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD who has been in England several months after going through the African campaign, sent his parents here a collection of English small coins, ranging from half penny to half crown.

July 6, 1944

Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD, who was in England a number of months after the African and Sicilian campaigns, is now in France, having written a letter from there on Jun 16 to his parents here, Richard said "I lost most of my personal things on the beach but still consider myself very lucky,"

Incidentally, Richard also sent to his parents the Purple Heart awarded to him for wounds in the African campaign, although he has never written a word about it to his parents. However, the War Department notified them when he was wounded. He also sent home another batch of small coins, including Italian and French.

August 24, 1944

RICHARD HOSFORD
REPORTED MISSING

S/Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford of Orange Hammock, is missing in action in the Normandy battle area, a telegram to the parents from the War Department last Friday, revealed.

Sgt. Hosford was a graduate of Bunnell high school and has been in the army about three years, serving in the infantry in the First Division during campaigns in Africa and Sicily and France.

He has another brother in the army, Gerald Hosford, Jr., a Master Sergeant now stationed in the United States and who was at home on furlough when the family was notified that Richard was missing.

November 9, 1944

RICHARD HOSFORD IS PRISONER OF WAR

S/Sgt RICHARD HOSFORD, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford, is a prisoner of war in Germany, according to a message received this week by his parents from the International Red Cross. The telegram also stated that a letter followed.

Sgt. Hosford has been reported missing in action for about three months from the American front in France.

He was a member of the First Division and fought through the African and Sicilian campaigns, and had received the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in the African campaign.

January 4, 1945

We begin this column with a. piece of good news. Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford here have received a card from their son, S/Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD from a prison camp in Germany, saying "I am in good health and wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." Richard was reported missing in action several months ago from the front then in Normandy.

February 15, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hosford told us that they have just received several letters from their son, S/Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD, a prisoner of the Germans. The last letter was dated in December, but apparently Richard has not heard from them. He was taken prisoner shortly after D-Day.

May 17, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford had a wire from their son, Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD, who was prisoner of the Germans for many months. The wire was sent through the Red Cross at the request of Richard.

May 31, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Hosford had two letters from their son, S/Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD, this week. One letter was dated May 14 and the other May 19. He said he was at a port in Southern France and was hoping to get home soon.

Mr. Hosford said most of Richard's letter concerned how he was going to enjoy "eating plenty at mother's table again." He was a prisoner of the Germans for nearly a year, having been captured shortly after the invasion in Normandy. He had previously been in campaigns in Africa ant Sicily.

June 21, 1945

One person we were certainly glad to see yesterday was S/Sgt. RICHARD N. HOSFORD. We know his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Hosford, have spent many anxious moments, for Richard was a prisoner of war of the Germans for eight months, having been taken on August 1, 1944, in France.

Richard looks fine and is in good spirits. He has a number of ribbons and medals some of which are the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, ETO ribbon with five battle stars, Pre-Pearl Harbor ribbon, and good behavior ribbon.

He now has about 130 points to his credit and expects to pull out his civilian clothes soon. He is a veteran of the African and Sicilian campaigns and saw plenty of action in France before being taken a prisoner.

September 9, 1945

S/Sgt. RICHARD HOSFORD was discharged at Camp Blanding. He is a veteran of campaigns in Africa, Sicily and France before he was taken a prisoner by the Germans near St. Lo, France, in August 1944.

October 11, 1945

...... the following men perhaps well known to you - are now just plain Mister Civilian. They have been given honorable discharges from Uncle Sam’s fighting forces ..... RICHARD N. HOSFORD