PEFFLEY, Pfc. Francis Merle
Pfc. FRANCIS MERLE PEFFLEY ![](images/wwii-flag.jpg)
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Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review unknown date
Mrs. Wanda Peffley, 300 West Market Street is just in receipt of word from her son Pfc. Francis Merle Peffley, who was seriously wounded in action in France on November 15, saying his left leg has been amputated above the knee and adding that he is recovering satisfactorily.
A letter has also just been received by Mrs. Peffley from General Ulio, adjutant general of the Department of War, indicating her son is having a good recovery from his wounds and that he is in an American Army hospital somewhere in France.
Mrs. Peffley has also received the Purple Heart, awarded her son "for military merit." It develops that Pfc. Peffley had been twice wounded in action, the first time when struck by shrapnel in his foot.
Two letters written by Red Cross workers first came to Mrs. Peffley from the hospital and then, her son's was received which were most cheerful. He said he was able to be about the hospital in a wheel chair and that the cast had been removed from his stomach.
Pfc. Peffley, age 19, who was inducted into the service Feb 18, 1944 while a senior in Crawfordsville High School was serving as an infantryman in the 79th DIvision of General Alexander M. Patch's 7th Army in France, in the vicinity of Metz, at the time he suffered his leg injury.
Pfc Peffley is the son of Merle Peffley, who is employed at the grocery store of Francis & Mount. (thanks to Elda Herbison, Facebook).
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review - unknown date
Telephone messages were received Thursday by Merle Peffley, father and Mrs. Wanda Peffley, mother of Pfc. Francis M. Peffley in which he stated he had arrived on Staten Island, invalided home after having been seriously wounded in action in France in which he lost his left leg. Pfc. Peffley was wounded in action Nov 15. He had been oversease since last August with General Alexander M. Patch's 7th Army. In his telephone conversations, he said he expected to remain in New York 3 or 4 days when he will be sent for further hospitalization in some hospital nearer home. He told his folks he surely was glad to be back in the states, something he feared he would never be able to do. He returned on a luxury liner which brought alarge contingent of wounded men back home. He said he had a 240hour leave during which he hoped to see a little of New York City. "You know I don't get around very fast," he told his mother. Pfc. Peffley walks with the aid of crutches, he indicated in his conversations.