80 years ago in 1944, transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

Soldiers from Pacific get Christmas at home.

It’s to be Christmas in Youngstown for local men of the “Fighting 37th.” A Christmas holiday was not part of the rotation plan, but they’ll get it nevertheless. The added days are a special favor the War Department granted to 251 of Ohio’s war weary men.

Sgt. Stephen A. Slanina of 77 Oxford St., Campbell, hoped to surprise his family, but he didn’t quite get away with it. His brother happened to see him waiting on the corner for a bus. Not many of the families could have surprised their families even if they wanted to. Families were meeting trains at all hours of the day. Parents of one boy began to “haunt” railroad stations at 3 a.m. Thursday morning.

Pfc. Joseph E. Bernard, 124 N. Prospect, expressed his intention of ‘taking it easy,’ now that he’s on furlough. As for meeting the other members of the division, ‘We’ve seen enough of each other already,’ he laughed.

Bernard arrived by train at 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning, to see the first snow that any of them have seen since they left Youngstown in the spring of 1942. “Youngstown,” he said, “looks good.” Arriving with Bernard on the train Thursday morning was Pfc. Francis O. Saunders, 114 W. Earle Ave., of the infantry.

The number of Youngstown District men returning from the South Pacific has grown from the first-announced seven to nine. All have been together through months of jungle warfare in Munda, Bougainville and in other areas. And they are from a variety of companies, most them do not know each other.

Pfc. Bernard, and Charles A. Campbell, of 206 LaClede Ave., are in the medical corps. Charles drew the lucky number in October, Bernard in November. Only two may leave at one time from a company. Although he came in the shipload before Bernard, Charles arrived home Wednesday morning, just a day before. While the other were catching trains and realizing the significance of being home, Charles was catching up on his sleep.

Pfc. Donald T. Evans, of 1923 McGuffey Road, came in by bus Thursday night and spent the evening with his girl. “I am so happy to be here,” he told his family. “I’ll be in heaven for the next 21 days.” His family said he was thin, tired, had seen action in the ambulance corps, and wanted to forget it all now.

Still awaited is S/Sgt. Peter A. Pasvanis, of 707 Roxbury St. Rotation was speeded by the Red Cross for Sergeant Pasvanis, and he won’t go back to duty in the South Pacific. His bother recently was shot down over Germany, and Peter’s return will bring some consolation to his mother, Mrs. Pasvanis.

Compiled from the Youngstown Vindicator by Traci Manning, Mahoning Valley Historical Society curator of education.