Warbird Information Exchange

When I was in DC I ran into an old guy from Virginia. He told me he made it up the shingle (first wave), into cover, and his hands started to shake. He lit a cigarette and dropped it so he lit another one. He dropped it. before long he had a little pile of cigarettes lying there in the sand in front of him. He looked back out over the beach and saw all the dead men lying behind him, and realized taht was as far as he was going that day. He spent the rest of teh day pulling wounded off the beach and giving them his cigarettes. Figured just making it that far was all he owed anybody for a day.

I think he was right, myself. When you realize most of the guys in the first wave were really only expected to carry loads of ammo up the beach for the guys in the later waves, and then get killled, I think he did pretty good getting there, then pulling his friends to safety.

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

Mudge, I had breakfast yesterday with a Sgt from the 101st who was dropped in St Mere Eglise on that morning so long ago.

We talked about our trip in 2002 and how we had stood on the spot he landed on that 6/6/44 He described in detail the barn on fire that had been started by the tracers of the AA battery. He lost his legbag on the way out the door and all he could think of was "that it looked like 10,000, 4th of Julys." The caos and confusion were his only defense when he hit the square.

He talked about how the German machine gun he scrounged drew fire from other troopers because of its sound. That was the end of scrounging for him. Two of his buddies later that morning found out the same thing. They saw two figures moving near them in camo ponchos and carrying Mausers. they opened fire killing both of them. When the checked the bodies they turned out to be two Americans who had scrounged the outfits and weapons.

How many more times did tragic mistakes like these take place?

The sacrifice of the men who rest in the field at Colleville-sur-Mer should show us that we all can do a better job as Americans.


I would also like to ask all to pray for Denis Edwards who passed away on May 20, 2008. He was in the Ox and Bucks and sat in the first glider next to Maj John Howard.

Denis was a true gentleman and friend to all. His patience and sharing of his expirences that night and his subsequebnt career are unsurpassed. Stephen Ambrose "borrowed" Denis's unpuplished manuscript and had a best seller in his book , Pegasus Bridge.

The ranks grow thin and will empty with time. As we still have a chance, say thank you to a vet today and pass along some kindness for their service.

Never forget the many sacrifices made on The Longest Day!

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

[img][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b291/VirgilHiltz1/FritzB.jpg[/img][/img]

Here is a man who everyone knows but few have seen......Fritz Niland.

He was the basis of Saving Private Ryan.

If you think Fritz was tough, here is a picture of his father Mike who was one of Teddy Roosevelt's Roughriders. Mike is in the upper right corner and Col Roosevelt in the lower left corner.

[img][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b291/VirgilHiltz1/Sanjuan.jpg[/img][/img]

God Bless his brothers who did not return.


Photos are from Mark Bando's website TriggerTime. A fabulous site devoted to the 101st airborne. For more on Private Niland and Band of Brothers ,visit TriggerTime , you won't be dissappointed

I was in Normandy a few years ago on June 6, and met a guy who came ashore in the same company that photographer Robert Capa was with. I think his name was Silvio Marcusy, or something like that, from Schenectady, NY. Also met Nobby Clark at Pegasus Bridge, he was on one of the gliders. It seemed like the British vets were a lot more talkative about their experiences, don't know why, but they were fascinating to listen to.

It is an amazing place, everybody should go there at least once.

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http://www.biplanerides1.com/