not survive and, compounding her
grief, Sarah was not able to carry
her pregnancy to term. She lost
their much-anticipated baby.
On Dec. 28, 1944, Sarah was noti-
fied via Western Union that Abe was
missing in action. Within days, a
subsequent telegram confirmed his
death. A later letter explained that
Pfc. Abraham Friedman of the 409
Infantry, was part of a "... group
of men that were attacking Selestat
[France] ... when he was shot and
killed instantly by an enemy sniper"
He was buried in the United
States Cemetery at Hochfelden,
France. In 1949, his remains were
re-interred at Machpelah Cemetery.
Sarah was later presented with a
Purple Heart, inscribed with Abe's
name, awarded posthumously for
sacrificing his life in defense of his
country. Sarah's nephew Larry gra-
ciously included the Purple Heart
with the donation of his aunt and •
uncle's records.
Sarah never remarried. She
worked for Detroit's D.S.R.
(Department of Street Railways)
and lived with her parents in a two-
family home below Molly's family.
Sarah was included in their vaca-
tions and became a second mother
to her nephew Larry. Sarah was a
life member of Na'Amat Women
and the Auxiliary of the Home for
the Aged.
Without personally knowing
Abe or Sarah, it is still possible to
be touched by the love they shared
as a result of reading through the
contents of their collection. Abe's
concern for his bride and his upbeat
letters point to a man trying to
divert her worries from the mis-
sion he faced. The grief she felt at
the loss of her husband and baby
can only be surmised when holding
these documents in your hands.
An equally great loss would have
been realized had their nephew
Larry not placed these memen-
tos in the Jewish War Veterans-
Department of Michigan Archives.
Their story of love and sacrifice is
now preserved in perpetuity. ❑
The Rabbi Leo M. Franklin
Archives collects service-related
photographs, documents, letters,
diaries and artifacts from all vet-
erans regardless of their religious
affiliation. Veterans' reminiscences
also are being recorded as part of
an ongoing oral history project.
Contact Temple Beth El's archivist
Jan Durecki at (248) 865-0628 for
further information or go to www.
tbeonline.org/education/archives.
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