Allen Jones was born June 4, 1924, to Ernest and Carrie (Butcher) Jones in Villenova.
Born a country boy living on the outskirts of the Forestville area, Allen attended a small country schoolhouse not far from his Dye Road home. When his high school time came around, Allen attended South Dayton High School. After his high school days, he found employment with the Curtis Wright Co. building planes for the U.S. government and specialized in the P40 and P47s. Allen's job was to work on propellers and oiling specific aircraft engine parts and coated the airplane engine valves. While working at Curtis Wright, Allen completed all requirements for receiving his high school diploma.
On Feb. 8, 1943, Allen was drafted by the U.S. Army. He was drafted in the very first group of the 18-year-olds.
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Allen was off to Fort Niagara, located in Niagara Falls. Being selected by the Army to become a member of its motor maintenance department, Allen's next training took him to Fort Slogum, near New York City. There, Allen learned basic vehicle repairs along with military vehicle regulations and rules. He completed his final training at Camp Edwards.
Working with military vehicles including the Jeep and 2 1/2-ton trucks, Allen's vehicles, along with other transportation vehicles were waiting for orders to join in with the war going on in Europe. Finally with July showing on the calendar, orders came on its first day 1944. Orders read: Report Commanding Officer, Battery C-5515 AAA AW BN whose headquarters was located in England.
Upon arriving with his new outfit, Allen was given the job of transporting Army officers to areas which required their presence. While on his overseas duty, Allen saw action in the following areas of combat: Normandy, Ardennes, Central Europe, Rhineland and Northern France.
Allen's unit supplied support to all Army ground units who participated in the Battle of the Bulge, which as history reads was the one of the most bloodiest U.S. battles that registered close to 19,000 lives lost. It was Germany's last big push to try to turn the tide of the war.
Allen recalls the closeness of the Army family when put in harm's way. It was everyone watching out for each other each day; never being sure if your buddy would be sharing a hometown story with you that night.
Allen does recall seeing one of the war's most famous generals; his Division Commanding Officer General George S. Patton. He does recall the time when the general was directing tank traffic as in the Hollywood movie about the general.
When the war in Europe was winding down and victory was ours, Allen was reassigned to Brussels to work and maintain government vehicles. He arrived at Anthworth, Belgium to complete his military obligations.
Then on Dec. 8, 1945, Allen was issued orders to return home and join the ranks of now being a civilian. He returned back to Chautauqua County and found a new address at 234 Lincoln Ave., in Dunkirk. He immediately found work with the JC Penney Co., where he worked three years as a clerk. He later landed a job more to his qualifications as a pressman for the Great Lakes Printing Co. Allen stayed with Great Lakes and in 1980 was offered an early retirement at the age of 61. After checking out the early retirement package, Allen decided it was time to retire. Since leaving Great Lakes, Allen kept busy doing odd jobs and things he felt like doing. He now resides at 28 Berry Road, Fredonia.
Keeping active in our area, Allen is a member of the VFW in Sheridan, the American Legion, Conservation Club and First Ward Falcons Club.
Allen Jones, what a story! Receiving a call from a family member, I was given the military story of Allen from their view. I was also told that Allen may not want to tell me the story from his view because the family member stated that Allen felt he really had not done much!
After doing research on the Battle of the Bulge, the Rhineland, Normandy, Ardennes and the time frame that Allen's military records showed he was there, told me that by just being there made this man a hero.
Hearing Allen tell his story and looking into his eyes, one can tell that it was people like Allen Jones who had paid the price for the freedom we spend today.
Allen Jones, who for 68 years has not seen one day go by without the memory of that war, and still in his heart feels that to this day, he had not done enough to have his story told. This is why a soldier named Allen Jones, is a local hero.
