Former Galesburg High School girls basketball coach Evan Massey shares his insights on the game and other topics through his Massey Basketball blog, now featured here on WGIL.
William Allen was a 1939 graduate of Knox College. While at Knox, he became a political activist. He was part of a large group of students who were unhappy with the school’s “chapels.” They felt that the chapels had become a way for the college to indoctrinate students with conservative, pro-business speakers. His activism led him to take a leadership role as the editor of the Knox Student (school newspaper). His outspoken approach caused some to label him as un-American and a Communist.
After graduation, he taught three years in Fairview. He moved back to teach at Galesburg High School in 1942. He was an English teacher and in charge of all of the drama activities. At this time, before TV, school plays were performed almost monthly.
He decided in the winter of 1943 to enlist in the U.S.Army at the age of 26. He may have enlisted because his younger brother and his brother-in-law were already in the military. His sister believed he enlisted because of the deep belief he had developed at Knox College of the importance of freedom of speech. He was willing to go to war to protect the value of freedom.Bill wrote many letters back to his family describing the horrors of war. On Christmas Eve of 1944, he wrote the following: We’re a long ways from Berlin as the infantry digs and crawls. However there’s not a doubt in anyone’s mind but that eventually the infantry will get there. The big prayer with each of us is,”Will I be with them when they arrive.”
On March 13, 1945, Bill wrote the following: That’s another shocking thing about this war- a hero, contrary to fiction and Hollywood seldom dies a hero’s death. It’s just an unlucky hit which gets him when he doesn’t even have a chance to fight back.
William Allen was killed on April 19, 1945, just three days after turning 28 years old. His troop was just miles from Berlin at the time. He had volunteered to return meal supplies back behind the lines to where the meals were prepared. His jeep ran over an Ally land mind, designed to protect the troops from a rear attack.
Twelve days later, on May 1, 1945, Galesburg High School held a memorial service for their fallen soldier. On May 8, 1945, the war in Europe ended. William Allen was one of the last soldiers to die in Europe, just 19 days before V-E Day.
Jack Brooking had the lead in the last play directed by Bill Allen at GHS. After Bill’s death, Jack said,”There’s plenty of reality to be faced by all of us. As for the permanent peace, it’s in our laps now. What are going to do about it?”
When we study war in school, we always use the word “soldiers.” We talk about how many “soldiers” die. We need to remember these “soldiers” were sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters, who are lost to their families. These “soldiers” were also beloved teachers.
This picture is the last time William Allen was home on the family farm in Alta, Illinois. In this picture, he with his little brother, Ben Allen. Dr. Ben Allen later became a veterinarian in Galesburg.
As young children play, parents smile and dream about their child’s future. This little rocker belonged to William Allen as a child. I am sure after his death, his mother and father looked at this empty rocker and thought about the hopes and dreams they had for little Bill. Not just soldiers sacrificed, but families did too.
Elizabeth, Bill’s sister wrote the following about her brother:
He set aside his future plans
His every youthful hope and dream
He visioned all mankind his friends
And gave for them the gift supreme
William Allen’s remains are buried in the Netherland’s American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands with over 8,000 American soldiers. Three generations of families from the Netherlands have cared for Bill’s grave for the last 80 years. This picture is Allen Massey, Bill’s great-nephew at the grave. He is rubbing sand from Normandy beach which allow the print on the stone to show up.
The collection of letters from William Allen was used in GHS’s United History classes by Brett Wolfe for over a decade. If you are interested, you can read the entire collection of letters from William Allen at the following: Letters From William Allen
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