Clyde Cummins – 5th Army HQ WWII

My uncle, Philip E. Bergquist, served the USA at 5th Army Headquarters from October 1943 until October 1945. These stories about his colleagues come from letters he sent home from Italy to his family.

Clyde was written about a few times in my uncle’s letters. The first was on 11 May 1944, when he is identified as part of the office staff, being from Johnston, Pennsylvania, and nick named “Squeak,” no explanation provided. He is not mentioned again until January 1945 when the identities of a group photo, “The Road to Rome,” are listed. Clyde is identified as third from the left in the front row, a T/5 when the photo was taken, but promoted to T/4 by the time the letter was written. A few months later, Clyde is mentioned as the new Section Chief and described as “a swell guy” getting “a good break.”