The US National D-Day Memorial Foundation says 2,499 Americans were killed on D-Day and another 1,914 from the other Allied nations.
This recognition of sacrifice rarely identifies who these individuals were. Since I began profiling the WW2 fallen 29 month ago, I have profiled 22 of these men.
These are the men who paid the full price for the D-Day victory.
Click their names to read their stories.
Cpl. Forrest Brewer, 82nd Airborne Division, Tennessee, a gifted baseball pitcher
Lt. John Butler, Waco glider pilot, Delaware, crashed with highest ranking Allied D-Day casualty
Cpl. William Copeland, 1st Infantry Division, Pennsylvania
Lt. Richard Dietrich, 82nd Airborne Division, Indiana, died during glider landing
Sgt. Frank Draper, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia, one of the Bedford Boys
Sgt. Roland Ehlers, 1st Infantry Division, Kansas, his brother earned the Medal of Honor on D-Day
Cpl. William Evans, 101st Airborne Division, Kentucky
PFC Nick Gillaspie, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia, one of the Bedford Boys
Cpl. Ruggiero Ginnetti, 1st Infantry Division, Connecticut, Silver Star recipient and medic
Stf. Sgt. Millard Hayden, 2nd Ranger Battalion, Virginia, assaulted Pointe du Hoc
Tech Sgt. Gerald Henderson, 1st Infantry Division, Arkansas, Distinguished Service Cross recipient, earned three Purple Heart medals
Sgt. Herbert Hornberger, 741st Tank Battalion, Indiana, his amphibious tank was swamped in rough seas
PFC Nalty Keen, 82nd Airborne Division, Mississippi, liberated first French town
Pvt. Clifton Lee, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia, one of the Bedford Boys
Lt. Howard Littell, 101st Airborne Division, New Jersey, lost the cricket toy given to all paratroopers after landing in Normandy
PFC Clarence Malott, 1st Infantry Division, Ohio, earned two Purple Heart medals
Lt. Francis Moke, B-24 navigator, Missouri, crashed into English Channel
Lt. James Monteith, 1st Infantry Division, Virginia, earned the Medal of Honor on D-Day
Sgt. Norman Nuckols, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia, his landing craft hit a mine before reaching Omaha Beach
PFC Harvey Osman, 29th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania, Silver Star recipient
Lt. Johnston Wiles, USS LCI(L)-219, Ohio, his girlfriend still thought fondly of him 58 years later
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
I think Delaware is spelled wrong.. in ... Lt. John Butler, Waco glider pilot, Deleware
ReplyDeleteThanks for catching the typo. I will fix it.
DeleteMy uncle Lawrence is still there.... buried on that beach. He never had the chance to return to the sweet air of the Adirondacks. He never got a chance again to kiss the girl he left behind, or taste his mother’s fresh baked bread or sit by the fireplace with his brothers and sisters. My dad’s words about his brother - from 1993, when he talked about D-Day.
ReplyDeleteCould not agree more… these people were the greatest generation.
My Dad went to North Africa, Middle Eastern Campaign - then Italy/Anzio/Rome and then Riviera- liberated Paris and Battle of the Ardennes (Bulge). Other uncles were at Schofield overlooking Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec ‘41... my Mom quit school in Boston to be a “Rosie the riveter” at Hingham Ship Yards...
They all gave so much.
We are better (and here) because of them.