Toivo O. Ranta
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Mr. Toivo Ranta entered the Army on November 14, 1941, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Home at entry: Cook, Minnesota.
He served as an infantryman with the 1513th Mountain Infantry Unit in Po Valley, Italy. He received a battlefield commission to Second Lieutenant on April 5, 1945. He served as the 1513th Mountain Infantry Unit Commander in Italy. He was wounded in action on April 19, 1945, in Italy.
Mr. Ranta was awarded the following: Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, World War II Victory Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one bronze battle star
He was separated from service on November 16, 1945, at Hospital Center, Camp Carson, Colorado.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 262.
Mr. Ranta's daughter, Cathy Ranta Schoon; shared the following:
"My Dad was the absolute best guy. I have had the chance to talk to some of the men who fought with my Dad in Europe. He was in the 10th Mountain Division-the Ski Troops. 'They all, to the man, told me they would have followed my Dad right off the edge of a cliff because they trusted him so completely to take care of them, The ski troops spent their entire wartime in front of the front-lines and say it was hazardous would be an understatement, He agonized over the men who were lost for the rest of his life.
"Once I asked my Dad what it was like on VE Day. I figured that all the soldiers would have thrown their hats in the air and yelled 'Hooray' and danced around. My Dad said they all just shrugged their shoulders. He said they were all so gritty and grim and tense that it didn't sink in for quite a few days.
"He also said that after a few days they were told that they were all going home to the U.S. to be outfitted for fighting in the South Pacific. He said that was the worst because they all felt lucky to get out of Europe alive and none of them felt they could make it alive through the Pacific War. Plus, many were like my Dad, quite badly wounded and patched up but they were going to send them on anyway.
"Just about a year ago my Dad told me that he was one of five soldiers out of 10,000 who were awarded their medals in Rome in a big ceremony. He really hated the War and the fighting though. He was not a guy to glorify War-not at all.
"When I was a young kid I used to wake up in the night and my Dad would be sitting in the living room smoking. He would often wake up having had 'Nazi nightmares. Nonetheless he was a very funny Finlander - a wonderful Father. I will miss him every day and if you would have known him you'd be missing him now also."
