Kindre, Thomas A.

Thomas Andrew Kindre, Jr. was born on May 19, 1921 in Rahway, New Jersey. He is the only child of Thomas A. Kindre, a Pennsylvania Ralroad worker, and Margaret Drexler Kindre. Tom went to Rahway High School, and graduated in 1938. Four years later, in 1942, he graduated from Rutgers College with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. While at Rugers, Tom met Inez Hope, who he married on December 1, 1945.

After Tom graduated from Rutgers College, he was inducted into the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant (having finished the ROTC Program) on June 15, 1942. He was attached to the 397th Infantry, 100th Division at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. By April 1943, Kindre left from Camp Kilmer with the 34th Division to South America, and then out to sea to Casablanca in Africa. Two months later, Kindre landed in Tunis, and eventually Oran, which is where he opens his diary. According to his calender, it was between July and September 1943 that he was in the area. In September, his Division moved into Italy, where Kindre was a Supply Officer in an Ordinance Corps. By the end of his tour, he earned 5 Battle Participation Medals, and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant. Kindre's service ended on December 24, 1945, which was well after the war had ended (August 15, 1945). However, his diary ended in May 1944.

...