I've had the pleasure of meeting many of our heroes over the years, and on this day, I always recall the words of a good friend as he related this story to me so many years ago.

WWII Paratroopers

"We went in first, to soften things up for the invasion.  I'll never forget how scared I was as I floated helplessly down like the thousands of boys around me.  The German searchlights had the entire sky lit up so bright you had to squint just to see.

The sky was filled with tracer bullets, and as I looked around, above and below me, there were men everywhere hanging limp in their chutes.  We were all floating at about the same altitude, and it felt as if I was never going to touch the ground.

I remember as I was firing my Thompson (submachine gun) at the sources of the tracers, wondering which I would run out of first; ammunition or my life.

I recall kissing the ground after I landed, and will never forget the feeling of being in suspended animation and having no control over my destiny.

There was little time after that to think about my buddies who were DOA, as we had a lot to do!"

This story was not an easy one to pry out, because the Sarge didn't like to bring the memories forward, but he told me this story as we visited their memorial on another anniversary of our fallen heroes.

~~~ L'EST WE FORGET  ~~~

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Pick up the phone and let me welcome you home! Gary Swanson

If you need a Realtor® to help you buy or sell a home in Grants Pass, Josephine County or Jackson County, let me Google one for you.

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Posted by Gary Swanson on 06/06/2011 11:54 AM   Comments (0)   World War II in the Regional Channel   heroes, world war ii  
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