Saugus students pen tales based on war document

SAUGUS – “The cold, dank weather only amplified Timothy?s weariness and fear, but the resolve to protect his country carried him onto the ship.”That may not really be what went through 39-year-old Timothy Murphy?s head as he boarded the steamship SS Argentina for England on Oct. 30, 1944. But, at the Belmonte Middle School, that?s how some students in Joy McCauley?s sixth-grade English class saw her grandfather as he headed to the front lines during World War II.McCauley had her students write historical non-fiction stories based on facts from a document her family found detailing the towns, battles and dates of her grandfather?s time at war. The one-page document starts off at Camp Shanks in New York on Oct. 24, 1944 and lists towns in Germany: Brandenburg-Frangenheim (March 2 to March 7), Deesen (March 27 to March 28) and Hallenberg on April 4. Murphy describes this date as “the beginning of our participation in the Ruhr Pocket Battle.”Murphy also describes “our first American prisoners of war” in Moosburg and in Hersbruck on May 9, Murphy writes there was “not a drop to be found anywhere” in Buch after Germany?s unconditional surrender. On May 12, Murphy writes, “Prison camps with political prisoners as internees.”?Grandpa never talked to us about his World War II experience so we didn?t know anything,” said McCauley. “My sister, Lisa, inherited their house in Peabody and she came across the document when she was removing a built-in China closet. It was placed in there and it was an eye-opener for the whole family.”Students Caroline McNelis, William Fafard, William MacArthur and Shianna Silva go on to describe Murphy?s voyage on the “rough seas of the open ocean” as they imagined it.Read some of the short stories?The nearly 100 men on board the ship were silent, thinking about the family they had left and the horrors that they would face in battle. Every bolt of lightning and rolling clap of thunder only brought the men closer to the cold, grim reality that they were going to war.”On Thursday, MacArthur said he had a lot of fun writing with his group and also got to learn a lot more about the war.?You also had to look up different times and dates, and it was a little hard, but it was fun at the same time ?” said MacArthur. “A lot of lives were lost during World War II.”MacArthur also claimed a unique connection to the war.?I?m actually genetically related to Douglas MacArthur,” he said of the general who played a prominent role in the Pacific theater.Another story, written by Megan Wildman, Brianna Brito and Nystasia Rowe, tells of Murphy?s first days of combat and end with him finally getting to go home to see his family.?We fought until May 9, 1945 when Germany finally surrendered. I re-boarded the boat that night. I was so excited. I couldn?t wait to see everyone, especially my wife, Ruth, and Kate. When I got home, there was my little girl. She ran up to me and I gave her a big hug and kiss.”Brito and Wildman said their group added some extra creativity to their story, like the little girl running up to kiss her dad.?When he came home everybody was so happy because they missed him, and they had a big party and everything,” said Brito.With five English classes to teach, McCauley had students break up into groups of four and all together students wrote more than 30 stories.?I never expected to have the success that we had in the classroom,” said McCauley. “We worked in small groups and over several days they collaborated on the assignment. Each story read in front of the class ? and they did such a great job that everybody earned A?s or B?s.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].