As you all know I'm in Normandy for the 75th anniversary to dedicate a plaque to my father, killed at Pretot on 20 June. We're wandering for the most part, at least initially, the 82nd Airborne a/o, more precisely the area the 508th PIR operated in from 06 June to 15 July 1944. I'll be posting photos as the week goes on.

Here is the B&B which is right on the DZ where the Pathfinder stick of the 3BN, 508th commanded by Lt. Gene H, Williams came down at 0130 hrs 06 June. The house was a German strong point. The four members of the stick who landed beyond the house didn't make it.



At night in Sainte Mere Eglise, which has become a sort of re-enactors Disneyland and tourist Mecca, hundreds of US paras along with re-enactors and military of other nations drink beer till midnight and beyond in the shadow of the famous church where the American 82nd trooper hung for several hours.



Reenactor WWII nurse getting hit on by young paratroopers.



Sainte Mere Eglise Steeple with a dummy of the hanging 505th trooper,



there must be 1,000 WWII jeeps and vehicles. Many of the re-enactors are just not authentic but the big thing now seems to be to dress up in a facsimile of an American WWII uniform.



Lots of different types of 75th anniversary wines on sale:



Ill be posting more. Until you try to walk the fields west of the Mederet River in the Brocage, you can't understand how impentrable the hedgerows were, featurelessness of the countryside and why we had such problems maneuvering in the area.

This article written by my Twin brother is the best one ever written about the Pathfinder operations on D-Day. It explains why the 505th was able to concentrate and take Sainte Mere Eglise. The 82nd originally had three regiments, 504th and 505th PIR and the 325 Glider Infantry. Well, The 504th had been chewed up in Anzio and so the 507th and 508th were attached for Normandy. 507th was transferred after Normandy to the 17th airborne Division; 508th remained attached to the 82nd. The rivalry between the regiments was intense and members of the 508th bore a grudge against Gavin and the 82nd up to 2004 when the regimental association was disbanded - they gave their memorabilia to Camp Blanding in Florida rather than to the 82nd in Bragg.. (clearer in the below link).
https://www.specialforces78.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/0417-Sentinel-News.pdf

God bless those men. They were a tough, determined bunch of men. Excellent article, well worth reading.

Gene,

Thanks for posting and please share more.

Ken

I was HHC 3/325 Inf 82nd ABN attached medic to the 3rd Platoon 71-74
The 82nd Airborne Museum on Ft Bragg is rich in in history and memorabilia, well worth a visit!

Thanks, Gene. Wishing for you and your brother, I think you said earlier that he's with you, a fulfilling trip and safe travel home.

The sacrifices made 75 years ago are heavy on my mind this year. I suspect Thursday will be a somber day for me, but at the same time a day of gratitude.

SRH

This is too weird Gene. My Daughter works in Shelbyville TN which is about 20 miles from where we live. She brings home their local paper on a regular basis. Today in the letters to the Editor was a letter from one Gene Williams. Seems he has been responsible for the past several years of getting white crosses & flags placed on all the graves of veterans in a rather large cemetery there.

I read the letter & the first thing which came to mind was Argo would be Proud of Him for the work he is doing.

My old friend Hendry Mackenzie was a glider pilot. He said some of them broke up like matchsticks. Its not hard to see why we call our WWII-era Americans the Greatest Generation.

The dedication of the memorial at Pretot Sainte-Suzanne was yesterday at 1800. 125 people turned out. The mayor Thierry Renaud gave a speech essentially written for him by Dominique Francois, French historian who has written 12 books about D-Day, one of which Hommes d'Honneur had one-third of the book devoted to Lt. Gene Williams. I spoke in French for about 5 minutes talking about democracy, the 3rd Bn attack on Pretot, the German riposte, etc., my family, background - kids being French citizens...vive la France, vive l'Amerique, Taps were played, La Marseilles, Star Spangled Banner, then an hour of drinking champaign.

Uncharacteristically for Normandy, no rain. People were stopping to see what was going on...probably 160 by the end of the program. Deputy District Commissioner came down and gave a political speech. I think though that my talk about the details of the initial assault on Pretot on 20 June, which came in from the east, personalized the affair for the villagers a bit. I was told it was well received.

Thierry Renaud the mayor did an amazing job putting up this stone in three weeks. There are a lot of these memorials around. Pretot had renamed its square after LTC Mendez, CO of the 3 Bn, 15 years ago but had no memorial stone. Now the join the other villages here. American, Canadian, British, French flags everywhere.

Flags at the ceremony:'


from left: Twin brother Jack's sons Lear and Patrick, Jack Williams, Gene Williams, Mayor Thierry Renaud.


Monument text to the 3rd Bn.

The hedgerows are incredible, Until you try to walk the area you can't realize the lack of landmarks, tiny sunken roads, walls of foliage impossible to penetrate. The paratroopers landing at night...wouldn't have had a clue where they were:



Ponl'Abbey (Etionville) 1944 from Father's camera and today

Gene, the thousands of men who took part in the invasion will be in my heart and on my mind front and forward tomorrow, but none more so than your dad. They changed the history of the world 75 years ago. Gil

Argo, thanks very much for posting your brother's article. Fascinating reading. Enjoy your time in Normandy.

Argo,

What a tremendous honor it must be for you and your family members to be on that hallowed ground that was made so by the efforts of your father and his generation.

I especially like the two pictures, one taken with his camera and the one from your camera. Walking in your father's footsteps 75 years later. Wow that's really something to cherish.

Safe travels,
Scott

The hedgerows are incredible, Until you try to walk the area you can't realize the lack of landmarks, tiny sunken roads, walls of foliage impossible to penetrate. The paratroopers landing at night...wouldn't have had a clue where they were:



Ponl'Abbey (Etionville) 1944 from Father's camera and today


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At first, I thought the dummy paratrooper hanging from the steeple of Sainte Mere Eglise was in poor taste. After reflecting upon it for a couple days, it serves as a stark reminder of the extreme sacrifices made by these brave soldiers who fought and died to keep us free.

Let's hope those sacrifices are never forgotten.

Big drop down on Drop Zone K, the British 1st Airborne drop zone east of Caen today. 33 C-47's flew out of UK, then dropped reenactors and old guys. DZ K is totally different from the DZ's for 82nd and 101st..no brocage..not hedgerows....open flat country, 33 planes, the most ever assembled since WWII, no AA, broad daylight, no huge tailwind...and they still scattered the reenactor jumpers over a km off target. They couldn't take off within two hours of their target date, could't fly in formation, couldn't control their speed so the faster wouldn't surge ahead...

There were 800 C-47's on D-Day...flying at night, taking off at precise time including transporting, feeding, loading the troops, in three triangle serials, 3 serials per section. I'll post more on today's drop because it's instructive. The D-Day maps like to put a "spot" where a stick dropped. The sticks though were stretched out over 800 to 3000 meters and dropped at an altitude from anywhere from 400 ft to 2000 ft..

It's now 0138 06 June, French Daylight time, D-Day time was Zulu +2 = French Daylight time, The 3bn 508 Pathfinder stick landed at 0130 according to a survivor, 0138 according to 82nd Abn records.

I just walked up to the top of the hill to see where the first part of the stick landed. You simply cannot cannot get across country with the hedgerows. I found my way I think to the field or near it. It was pitch black, this night, with brilliant stars out and lights from from Sainte Mere Eglise....but with sunken roads and overarching branching,.it was spooky,eerie, and no-one was shooting at me.

Look, I've run small unit reconnaissance missions into Laos..we "RON"'d (Rest over Night) at sundown, but I've operated at night there once...without infrared and before starlight... But the moon then was so bright it cast shadows. Admittedly tonight had no moon...it was dark except for the star pinpricks and the lights in the far distance from the bordello Sainte Mere Eglise has become. But you can't find your way in these sunken, twisting lanes without looking at a map and if you look at a map with a light, and get shot at for doing so, there are no landmarks to tell you where you are.

The 508th rally point was "Hill 30." It's a hill in name only overlooking the flooded Merderet River plain.. But how did you get down there? There was a burning downed 101st C-47 on the DZ of the 3 Bn Pathfinder stick, one of the "markers" twin brother used to identify the DZ. The 101 overflew the 82nd ops area first on the way to their drop zones near the coast. Still, Until you're out in Normandy at this time of night, you won't believe how difficult it would be to find teammates let alone shoot enemies, Makes a lot of things clear, More tomorrow.

Very good read and shows the overwhelming obstacles that our fathers' generation overcame to keep us free. My father Henry L Beiter USAF Lt. was in Germany and N. Africa after V day, during the occupation and passed on the stories of the sacrifices made by the "greatest generation". He was very much a military history scholar had been to Normandy many times to pay his respects and I hope to one day do the same. I wish he was still here to read this.
Proud to be an American and reflect on this special day. Thank you to all that serve or have served.

D-Day photos

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/world...section=topNews

Thanks for sharing with us; I enjoyed reading it

French Press:

Utah Beach.

this is facing north from the LeClerc monument:



This is facing south. The point in the distance is Point du Hoc, the headland separating Utah from Omaha beach. The 4th ID came into this beach 800m south of the intended landing spot because of a fast off shore current and fortuitously avoided a lot of these bunkers. The area to the right behind the beach had been flooded into an extensive morass. But the 101st Abn seized two causeways across it (four were targeted) enabling the troops to penetrate inland without too much trouble other than traffic jams. There was an 11" gun that would fire, get suppressed, fire again, get shelled again, a sort of Wack-a-mole thing, up on the northern reaches of the beach.



Behind the coastal morass captured by the 101st "shallow" jump, 10 km away was Sainte Mere Eglise and behind that the flooded Merderet River, paralleling the coast, 400m to 800m wide with only two causeways across it...that was the target of the 82nd. More tomorrow.

As a high schooler I read Cornelius Ryan’s “The Longest Day” during the 20th anniversary year of D Day. I have never since forgotten June 6 and those men’s heroism and sacrifice. Today I sat on a quiet beach with my 2 week old grandson asleep on my lap as I watched my 2 and 3 year grandchildren play in the the sand realizing that they had no idea what sacrifice was made there in Normandy so that they and generations of other children could enjoy beautiful and peaceful beach days. I remember those brave men and I thank God for them.

Great article about your father, Argo. It all has to be especially moving for you.

La Fière causeway was one of only two causeways across the flooded Merderet River just west of Sainte Mere Eglise. The causeways was seized, lost then retaken by a mad all-out 500 meter sprint by the 325 Glider regiment. The battle is legendary and will be subject of the next "Band of Brothers" type move
(No Better Place to Die - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2170533/
and the details can be read on-line, My father was about 600 meters south on "Hill 30" calling in artillery strikes around the hill and keeping an eye on Chef du Point and La Fière.









"La Friere Causeway was probably the bloodiest small-unit action ever fought by the US Army"-SLA Marshall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qctVG9mS54g

Daks over Normandy - really worth a quick click and look"

Loading:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3F87doiZ-o

Takeoff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KYw6xOvRzo

Drop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2iX4_xPQRQ

Final post: Speech of the Mayor of Pretot on 04 June 2019 with a translation - not a work of art translation but good enough:

Mesdames et Messieurs

Lorsque j’ai été contacté par Mr FRANCOIS au nom de Mrs WILLIAMS qui souhaitaient mettre en place une plaque en mémoire de leur père, nous avons pensé avec mes adjoints que cela pouvait être l’opportunité pour la commune déléguée de Prétot Sainte Suzanne de combler un vide et ainsi de procéder à la mise en place d’une stèle commémorative. En effet et même si le Colonel Louis MENDEZ avait donné son nom il y a quelques années et plus précisément le 6 juin 2002 à la place sur laquelle nous sommes présents, aucun monument commémoratif ne permet de prendre conscience du sacrifice des hommes qui libérèrent notre pays et plus particulièrement notre commune.

When I was contacted by Mr. Francois at the request of Mr.’s Williams, who wanted to place a plaque in the memory of their father, we thought with our assistants that this might give an opportunity for the commune of Pretot Sainte Suzanne to complete a process - and thus we proceeded to put in place a commemorative stone. To this effect, and noting that Col. Luis Mendez’s name had been given several years previously on 6 June 2002 to the square where we are gathered, we remarked that there was no commemorative monument which could allow one to understand the sacrifice of the men who liberated our country and more particularly our community.

Ailleurs qu’en Normandie mais aussi peut être parmi les plus jeunes on oublie souvent que la guerre ne s’est pas gagnée au soir du 6 juin 1944 mais que c’est dans les chemins, sur les talus et derrière les haies de notre bocage dans de féroces combats autrement appelés « la bataille des haies ».

Furthermore in Normandy it would also perhaps allow the youngest, who often forget that the war was not won on the evening of 06 June 1944, but rather to understand that it was in the streets, the sides of the roads, and in the hedgerows of our brocage in the ferocious fighting also called “The battle of the Hedgerows.”

A 48 heures du 75eme anniversaire du débarquement allié l’inauguration de cette stèle est donc l’occasion pour nous de rendre un hommage solennel aux hommes du 3eme bataillon du 508eme régiment de parachutistes de la 82eme division Air Borne qui sous le commandement du Colonel MENDEZ ont abordé notre village le 20 juin 1944 et qui au prix du sacrifice de leur vie ont participé à sa libération totale le 3 juillet.

At 48 hours from the 75th anniversary of the allied landing, the inauguration of this stone allows us the occasion to pay a solemn tribute to the men of the 3rd Bn, 508th PIR of the 82nd Airborne Division, which was commanded by Co. Mendez, who entered our village on 20 June 1944 and who, at the sacrifice of their lives, participated in its total liberation on 03 July.

Ces hommes qui avaient fait le choix de se battre pour libérer les peuples d’Europe du joug nazi étaient jeunes, souvent une vingtaine d’années, ils venaient d’Amérique et n’avaient jamais entendu parler de Prétot. Malgré tout, ici comme dans tous les territoires libérés ils ont accompli leur devoir avec abnégation, courage et honneur.

These men who made the choice to fight to liberate the people of Europe from the Nazi yoke were young, often 20 years old, coming from America, and never having heard of Pretot. In spite of everything, here as in all the liberated territory, they accomplished their work with self-sacrifice, courage and honnor.

Messieurs Gene et Jack Williams vous avez souhaité rendre hommage à votre papa, qui combattit sous les ordres du Colonel Mendez, disparu le 20 juin 1944 à Prétot quelques jours après votre naissance. C’est pour moi un devoir et un honneur que d’accéder à votre demande et la plaque que vous avez fait réaliser trouve tout naturellement sa place sur cette stèle.

Mr.’s Gene and Jack Williams wanted to give homage to their Dad, who fought under the orders of Col. Mendez, who was killed on 20 June 1944 at Pretot several days after your birth. It is for me a pleasure and an honor to honor your request and the plaque that you have had made now finds its natural place on this stone,

Votre père Gene naît le 31 octobre 1922. Adolescent, il rejoint une école d’enfants de Troupes à Nashville. Il aime porter l’uniforme et rêve d’aventures militaires. Toutes les générations de Williams ont servi sous les drapeaux et Gene veut perpétuer la tradition.

Your father Gene was born 31 Oct 1922, As a young man he enrolled in a military school in Nashville. He loved to wear the uniform and dreamed of military adventure. All the generations of the Williams have served under the flag and Gene wanted to perpetuate the tradition,

Suite à l’attaque de Pearl Harbor le 7 décembre 1941, il quitte l’université d’Alabama en mars 1942 pour rejoindre l’armée à Fort Wolters au Texas. S’ennuyant dans ce régiment le Lieutenant Williams se porte volontaire pour les troupes aéroportées.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941, he left the University of Alabama in March 1942 to join the army at Fort Walters in Texas. As soon as he entered the regiment, Lt. Williams volunteered for Airborne.

A Fort Benning où l’on forme les parachutistes, il découvre une nouvelle race de soldats qui ont la fierté d’appartenir à une troupe d’élite.

At Fort Benning where paratroopers were trained, he found a new race of soldiers which were proud to be part of the elite troops.

A la fin de 1942, deux événements vont marquer l’existence de Gene, l’obtention de son brevet de parachutiste puis son affectation au 508ème Régiment de Parachutistes et le 1er novembre, son mariage avec Mary rencontrée à l’université.

At the end of 1942 two events marked the life of Gene, the obtaining of his jump wings and by consequence his affection for the 508th PIR and on 1 November his marriage to Mary, whom he had met at the university.

Après l’école de saut, le Lieutenant Williams est muté à Camp Blanding en Floride où il doit intégrer ce nouveau régiment en cours de formation.

After jump school, Lt. Williams was sent to Camp Blanding in Florida where he was integrated into his new regiment in training.

En avril 1943, le régiment est transféré à Camp Mackall en Caroline du Nord. Les six semaines qui suivent servent aux jeunes paras à évoluer et à s’orienter dans les marais et les sables du Camp. Sans le savoir, les « Diables rouges » effectuent un entraînement qui sera un avant-goût des combats en Normandie.

In April 1943 the regiment was transferred to Camp MacCall in North Carolina. The six weeks which followed allowed the young paratroopers to evolve and to mature in the swamps and sand of the Camp. Without saying more, the “Red Devils” completed a training which would be an advance taste of coming combat in Normandy,

En décembre 1943, les cadres reçoivent l’ordre de préparer le régiment à son départ pour New York en vue de son embarquement pour l’Europe. L’heure du combat approche.

In December 1943 the officers received orders to prepare the regiment for its depart for New York prior to its embarking for Europe. The hour of combat was approaching.

Un mois plus tard, le 8 janvier 44, le régiment débarque à Belfast après un voyage inconfortable puis est transféré deux mois plus tard en Angleterre à Nottingham.
A la demande du Major Mendez, le Lieutenant Williams qui veut être le premier à toucher le sol français est volontaire pour effectuer un stage d’éclaireur dont la mission sera de baliser les zones de saut, une heure avant le parachutage du régiment. C’est une mission périlleuse, car ces petites équipes vont être parachutées seules, sans aucun soutien au sol ou aérien.

One month later on 8 January 1944 the regiment disembarked at Belfast after an uncomfortable voyage, then two months later transferred to Nottingham, England. At the request of Major Mendez, Lt. Williams, who want to be the first to touch the soil of France, volunteered to be trained as a Pathfinder, the mission of which was to mark the drop-zones an hour before the regiment jumped. It was a dangerous mission because the small teams would be parachuted in alone, with no support on the ground or in the air.

Dans les semaines qui précédent le Jour J, les hommes savent que l’action est imminente. Ils ont été mis au secret et ne doivent plus quitter leur base. Le 508ème a été reparti sur trois aéroports, Folkingham, Saltby et North Witham pour les Pathfinders du Lieutenant Williams. Les derniers instants sont consacrés à affûter pour la énième fois le couteau, ou nettoyer le fusil, pour prier lors du service religieux qui se tient sous le hangar ou pour écrire une dernière lettre à la famille.

In the weeks which preceded D-Day, the men knew that action was imminent. They were held in isolation and could not leave their base. The 508th flew out of three airports Folkingham, Saltby and North Witham for the Pathfinders of Lt. Williams. The last minutes were spent sharpening knives or cleaning their guns, praying in religious services that were held under the hanger or writing a last letter to their families.

En ces instants qui précédent la confrontation de l’homme à son destin, ce dernier aime se replier pour faire le point avec son âme.

In the last minutes before the men confronted their destiny, they made peace with their souls.

Le 5 Juin à 21h30, Le Lieutenant Williams et les pathfinders des deux divisions qui vont sauter en Normandie, décollent de North Witham, près de Grantham.

On 5 June at 2130 hrs, Lt. Williams and the Pathfinders of two divisions who were going to jump into Normandy, took off from North Witham near Grantham.

La grande croisade contre le nazisme vient de commencer avec ces hommes venus des quatre coins des Etats-Unis, fer de lance des démocraties qui vont devoir affronter les soldats du Führer.

The great crusade against Nazism began with these men who came from the four corners of the USA, tip of the spear of the democracies, which were heading to take on the soldiers of the Fuhrer.

Gene Williams à la tête de ses éclaireurs du 508ème, doit sauter dans le secteur de Picauville. Il est exactement 0h15, lorsque avec ses hommes ils se jettent dans le vide. Les parachutages ne se passent pas comme prévu et les hommes sont éparpillés sur une vaste zone.

Gene Williams at the head of the Pathfinders of the 508th, jumped in the sector of Picauville. I was exactly 0015 hrs, when with his men he threw himself into the void. The jump did not go as planned and the men were scattered over a vast zone.

Mais à toute chose malheur est bon et si les stratèges pensent au début que l’opération Overlord est un échec, ils ne savent pas encore que les mauvais largages ont apporté la confusion chez l’ennemi qui est incapable d’évaluer l’importance de la force engagée, mais pire encore, il est dans l’impossibilité d’organiser une contre-offensive efficace. Les américains sont partout !

But all bad things have some good and if the strategists thought the beginning of operation Overlord was a setback, they did not yet know that the bad drops added to the confusion of the enemy, who were incapable of evaluating the size of the force engaged, but worse still, making it impossible to organize an efficient counter-attack. The Americans were everywhere!

Le Lieutenant Williams rejoindra ensuite sa compagnie pour combattre autour de Picauville à la défense des ponts qui enjambent les rivières le Merderet et la Douve.

Lt. Williams rejoined his company in combat around Picauville in defense of the flooded causeways which crossed the rivers Merderet and Douve.

Après avoir combattu à Vindefontaine, le 3eme bataillon du 508eme arrive sur Prétot à la tombée de la nuit. A l’aube du 20 juin il attaque et reprend possession du bourg, de l’église et du village de la Malasserie. Une forte résistance des troupes allemandes maintient le front sur ces lieux durant une quinzaine de jours jusqu’à ce que l’ensemble de la commune soit libérée après de violents combats le 3 juillet 1944.

After having fought at Videfontaine, the 3rd Bn of the 508th arrived near Pretot as night fell. At dawn of 20 June they attacked and took possession of the commune, the church and the village of Malasserie. A strong resistance of the German troops held the front in place during 15 days until the whole of the commune was liberated after violent combat on 3 July 1944.

Malheureusement Prétot fut le lieu de la dernière bataille de Gene Williams et ce dès le premier jour de l’offensive le 20 juin 1944 où il périt au champ d’honneur à 21 ans alors que le Major Mendez venait de recevoir de l’état-major un message annonçant que votre maman Mary venait de donner naissance à des jumeaux, Gene et Jack.

Unfortunately, Pretot was the last battle for Gene Williams and was where during the first day of the offensive of 20 June 1944 he perished on the field of honor at 21 years old shortly before Major Mendez received a message from headquarters announcing that your mother Mary had just given birth to twins, Gene and Jack.

Je ne peux occulter le tribu payé par la population civile puisque juste pour notre commune 16 civils furent tués lors de ces combats. Le sacrifice de la population qui avec courage et abnégation a subi la destruction aux deux tiers de son village fût reconnu par l’attribution de la croix de guerre le 11 novembre 1948.

I cannot hide the price paid by the civilian population which just for our village counted 16 civilians dead in the course of the combat. The sacrifice of the population which had the courage and self-sacrifice to withstand the destruction of two thirds of its village, was recognized by the awarding of the medal le Croix de Guerre on 11 November 1948.

Le corps de votre père repose aux côtés de ses ancêtres dans le cimetière de West Frankfort dans l’Illinois.

The body of your father rests at the side of his ancestors in the cemetery of West Frankfort, Illinois.

Vous furent élevés dans le culte de votre père et du sacrifice suprême qu’il fit lors du débarquement et en 1964 alors que de nouveau l’Amérique s’engageait dans une longue guerre au Vietnam, vous décidèrent de perpétuer la tradition familiale en vous engageant dans l’Armée. Vous devinrent tous les deux parachutistes et avez intégré une nouvelle unité en cours de formation : les Forces Spéciales, dont les membres sont connus sous le nom de Bérets Verts.

You were raised in the memory of your father and of his supreme sacrifice which he made during the Landing and in 1964 when again America was engaged in a long war in Vietnam, you decided to perpetuate the family tradition and enlisted in the Army. You both became Airborne and were integrated into a new unit the Special Forces, which are known as “The Green Berets.”

Je n’abuserai pas plus longtemps de votre patience, mais sachez Messieurs ainsi que votre famille que je suis extrêmement fière d’avoir œuvré à la réussite de cette journée et que nous tous ici présents sommes extrêmement reconnaissants de l’engagement de vos pères et concitoyens qui ont combattu avec acharnement et au péril de leur vie afin de libérer notre population de l’occupation ennemie.

I don’t want to test your patience much longer, but please know Sirs as well as your family that I am extremely proud of having worked for the success of this day and that all of us here are extremely indebted to the involvement of your father and his compatriots, who fought with stubborn determination and at the peril of their lives to finally liberate our population from the enemy occupation.

Notre reconnaissance va aussi aux combattants des autres nations alliées parmi lesquelles le royaume uni dont la population eu à subir les bombardements allemands durant de longues années et dont le territoire servi à la préparation du débarquement.

Our recognition goes also to the soldiers of other allied nations such as those of the UK the population of which had to endure German bombardment during long years and the territory of which served to prepare for the landings.

Je vous remercie.


French D-Day historian Dominique Francois, who helped us get this through, with author Gene and twin brother Jack:

Thanks for posting, Argo. Jim

As an update from the 2019 75th D-Day anniversary in Normandy, this was sent to me by Mayor Terry Renaud of Pretot-Saint-Suzanne. There was a ceremony on the 79th anniversary 06/06/2023 at Pretot featuring my father. Interesting.



The reenactment groups have become so involved in this every 6th of June that you'll see the French tri-color veterans replaced by 508th PIR reenactors with precise uniform regalia. I'm told it's now impossible to get reservations in Normandy for next year for the 80th. Shades of our Civil War reenactments and Gettysburg.



I was substitute teaching a history class at a Northern Virginia Junior High School recently. One of the kids asked how old was I. I said, "I was born 2 days after D-Day; can you figure it out." Dead silence...finally one kid snapped his fingers and said "World War II, right?"

Looking forward to reading about the rest of your adventures. I've not yet visited Normandy but intend to. I have only been to the sites connected with the First World War. Lagopus.....

Gene, it's been four years since you published this thread and the poignancy and emotion of it is as fresh to me now as when I first read it. It is not trite nor knee-jerk reflexive to thank you again for your family's supreme sacrifice and service stretching over almost eight decades. Gil

Thanks very much for posting that again, Gene. In my wanderings in France, I've found the French in general to hold onto memories of their American (and other allied) liberators. I spent the summer of 1976 in France with a group of high school French teachers. I think that the French may have made more of our bicentennial than we did in America. Virtually every Frenchman or woman I met, on learning I was American, offered their congratulations on our bicentennial. That summer there was a hit song on French radio: "Si les Ricains n'etaient pas la". (If the Americans hadn't been there.) Reminding the French that they might still be giving the Nazi salute if not for D-Day. We spent much of the summer in Angers, where we were received by the mayor. I was elected to speak for the American teachers. I mentioned the popular song, adding that we in America likewise should not forget how France helped us during our own Revolutionary War.

It's been a long time since I visited the 82d Museum at Ft Bragg. I found one very simple display very touching: An urn of dirt, free soil from Ste Mere Eglise, dedicated to the men who liberated the town.

The monument to your father must be very special to you and your family.

One thing I've never quite understood about D-Day is how Allied Intelligence failed to recognize the difference between British and French hedgerows. Tragically, that was a critical difference for the Allies, especially the Airborne units. Hard to imagine worse terrain for landing gliders.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/france...zsouvj&reflink=article_copyURL_share



Fort Liberty. Maybe the news hasn’t gotten out to Iowa yet.


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Wonder if the Dragon Club is still at Fort Bra…er Liberty?