Back in the late 1970's I worked at a college summer break job in my old hometown where a man who'd been in the 101st Airborne Gliders also worked.
Some days I went on the road with him.
I never got him to talk much about his experiences, but he did tell me some things.
For starters, he told me he saw things nobody should ever have to see.
He said he was dropped in behind enemy lines on D-Day in "one of those god d*amned gliders!", but wouldn't say any more about D-Day.
He said he was also later at Bastogne.
One day I got him to begin talking about Bastogne.
He said a little, then said, "They had us surrounded. They kept shooting, and shooting, and shooting, and shooting.... (which he repeated over and over with a look in his eyes like he was reliving it).
He then came back and got really quiet.
He walked with a bit of a limp, as he'd been wounded in the hip.
Said "I cuss the Germans with every step I take!".
And even though the war had been over for 30+ years, it was clear he still hated the Germans.
In doing other genealogical research at the local library, looking through old papers, I did run across a story about him and found that he'd been twice wounded in combat.
People who knew his family well told me that up til his dying day, he had frequent nightmares, and his wife knew to NEVER touch him to wake him up, as he'd come up swinging.
My point is, the war really affected this man, and countless others who saw a lot of action.
We owe these men a debt we can never repay.
Some days I went on the road with him.
I never got him to talk much about his experiences, but he did tell me some things.
For starters, he told me he saw things nobody should ever have to see.
He said he was dropped in behind enemy lines on D-Day in "one of those god d*amned gliders!", but wouldn't say any more about D-Day.
He said he was also later at Bastogne.
One day I got him to begin talking about Bastogne.
He said a little, then said, "They had us surrounded. They kept shooting, and shooting, and shooting, and shooting.... (which he repeated over and over with a look in his eyes like he was reliving it).
He then came back and got really quiet.
He walked with a bit of a limp, as he'd been wounded in the hip.
Said "I cuss the Germans with every step I take!".
And even though the war had been over for 30+ years, it was clear he still hated the Germans.
In doing other genealogical research at the local library, looking through old papers, I did run across a story about him and found that he'd been twice wounded in combat.
People who knew his family well told me that up til his dying day, he had frequent nightmares, and his wife knew to NEVER touch him to wake him up, as he'd come up swinging.
My point is, the war really affected this man, and countless others who saw a lot of action.
We owe these men a debt we can never repay.