His was a story that was sadly too familiar during World War II – a native son who never returned home.
Emery O. Picotte, a paratrooper with the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, was killed in action at the age of 23 during the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945. He is buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg, but he has never been forgotten in his hometown of Johnston.
His nephew George Picotte was only 7 when his uncle died, but he wanted to make sure that Emery and his ultimate sacrifice for his country would never be forgotten.
When George Picotte passed away in December at the age of 87, he left a special request. A long-time member of the Johnston Historical Society, Picotte had generously funded the flagpole and monument that stands at the entrance to the society’s museum on Putnam Pike. He wanted both dedicated in honor of his late uncle.
The historical society will honor that request on Sunday, April 27, with a public dedication ceremony at 1 pm at the Johnston Historical Society Museum, 101 Putnam Pike (Route 44). The community is encouraged and invited to attend.
Emery O. Picotte was awarded the Purple Heart. Before he left for war, he was a young man who had grown up in Johnston and was working at the Nicholson File Co. in Providence.
His youth, his patriotism and his dedication, and his hope that he would come back home after an Allied victory are all evident in a letter he sent to his Nicholson File co-workers in November 1944, about two months before he was killed in action.
The letter, quoted in its entirety below, was in an article about Emery published in an edition of the historical society’s “Historical Notes” newsletter. It is marked as having been sent from “somewhere in Holland.”
The dedication ceremony honoring Picotte is scheduled to be held outside the museum, weather permitting. In case of inclement weather, it will be held inside the museum.
______________ THE LETTER ______________
Hello gang,
How’s the best gang of hardeners in the world? Surprised to hear from an old buddy after such a long time? Since my last operation, which happened to be my fourth and successful one, I really moved quite a bit.
I spent a lot of time in England before I parachuted into Holland. I jumped with the first groups to hit the ground in the invasion. We really gave the Germans plenty of trouble and something to worry about. The first couple of weeks were the worst. I lost about fifteen pounds sweating out help to reach us. Apples and milk the Dutch people gave us while marching kept me full when my rations ran low. The people here are tops. They are kind, clean and very religious. When the going was tough, they helped out plenty. I really sweat when there’s tanks around because I’m a bazooka man and they hate my weapon.
I got a Purple Heart from a rifle butt in the jaw that knocked out two teeth and me for a loop. I’m hurting at chow call without my teeth, then to top it off, we eat English rations. While going through the cellar in a Dutch home I ran across a “Nicholson” file which I put in my pocket to keep our squad’s knives razor edge. If everyone keeps doing a swell job like the file shop workers, “Victory” is just around the corner. Keep up the good work because we’re depending on you. “Best of luck and best wishes to all,”
As ever ------- Emery
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