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Purple Heart, Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, & Presidential Citation...

post #1 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:02pm
Thread Starter 
My last remaining grandparent passed away this week. He "...was a physician paratrooper with the Screaming Eagles 101st Airborne division, 501 PIR who jumped behind enemy lines in the Normandy invasion June 6, 1944. There we was wounded by a German sniper while taking care of the wounded. He made a good recovery in a London hospital, then returned to his unit. Next he jumped into Holland in Operation "Market Garden," where they took heavy losses, including their Commanding Officer Col. Johnson. Next, and worst of all, they were sent December 1944 to Bastogne to face the last major German offensive in the Battle of the Bulge. They were surrounded by Hitler's best Panzer division, outnumbered seven-to-one, asked to surrender and refused -- with General Macauliff, their commanding officer, sending back the reply "Nuts."

A memorial service is scheduled with military honor guard, taps, presentation of the flag and salute on Tuesday, June 17 at 11am."
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post #2 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:04pm
I'm so sorry for your loss, honey.
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post #3 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:07pm
Thats rough, take care.
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post #4 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:19pm
I salute in honor of your grandfather, Matt.
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post #5 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:19pm
Screaming Eagles....D-Day.....Market Garden...Bastogne?

Jesus, he practically warranted a credited role in Band of Brothers. It must've been incredible to watch that, and to see the things he went through.

Sorry for your loss, Blo. That's definitely a family heritage to be proud of.
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post #6 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:23pm
I'm sorry to hear that, Matt. It's rough and I know there's not a whole lot I can say to make you feel better. Your grandfather sounds like a great, honorable man.
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post #7 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:24pm
Thread Starter 
It was difficult to watch.
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post #8 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:49pm
Well, I didn't mean incredible as in "great" or "fantastic", but more like "powerful".
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post #9 of 21
6/16/03 at 9:52pm
Thread Starter 
Powerful it was.
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post #10 of 21
6/16/03 at 10:10pm
I had a friend who's grandfather passed away. At the funeral, out of nowhere a full bird-colonel shows up and lays a flag on the casket and proceeds to tell the family about all the honors he had won during the war, honors he never talked about because, to him, it was his duty, not something to go home and brag about.

That truly was a special generation, and it's always sad when one of them passes. My condolences to you, Blo.
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post #11 of 21
6/16/03 at 10:16pm
Thread Starter 
My grandfather never talked about it. I've seen the medals. I've heard of the German uniform he's kept through the years with a single bullet hole in the breast. But, honestly, I didn't know exactly what regiment he was in, and exactly where he was during the war, until this letter I received today with the details.

He was interviewed recently for a book about his regiment, and I have an audio tape of his memories ... but only up to actual deployment. He was willing to talk about the time in training, but not about the moments after his first jump.

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post #12 of 21
6/16/03 at 10:16pm
I'm sorry for your loss, Matt. You and your family have my deepest condolences.
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post #13 of 21
6/16/03 at 10:42pm
My condolences to you Matt and my upmost respect to your grandfather. From the sheer aspects of war he faced and survived he was truly a great man. In deed and I must assume in life. Your grandfather fought to save Europe and perhaps the world. I envy you for even knowing such a man.
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post #14 of 21
6/16/03 at 10:47pm
Sounds like he was a terrific man and served his country well. Sorry for your loss....
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post #15 of 21
6/16/03 at 10:51pm
This Nation will never know a finer generation and none of us will ever fathom the scope of that war or era.
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post #16 of 21
6/16/03 at 11:56pm
I am sorry for your loss, Blofeld. *hug*
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post #17 of 21
6/17/03 at 12:55am
Sorry to hear about your loss Blofeld. He sounds like he was quite the hero.
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post #18 of 21
6/17/03 at 10:10am
Poor news, indeed.

My Grandad was at El-Alamein and used to want to talk about it when I was growing up, but my Granny would never let him and I was too young to pursue it at the time.

It's a world of experience, leaving this world behind. It's a sad thing. Hard to imagine having that kind of courage and commitment in the face of something so wicked.
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post #19 of 21
6/17/03 at 10:39am
You sir, have my most heartfelt condolences...We're here for you....always.
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post #20 of 21
6/17/03 at 10:44am
Amazing story. You have my condolences as well.
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post #21 of 21
6/17/03 at 10:56am
Quote:
Blofeld:
My grandfather never talked about it. I've seen the medals. I've heard of the German uniform he's kept through the years with a single bullet hole in the breast. But, honestly, I didn't know exactly what regiment he was in, and exactly where he was during the war, until this letter I received today with the details.

He was interviewed recently for a book about his regiment, and I have an audio tape of his memories ... but only up to actual deployment. He was willing to talk about the time in training, but not about the moments after his first jump.
My Grandfather is the same. He was posted in Africa and India and never speaks about what he saw in combat. Your Grandad sounds like a guy you can be proud of.
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