(FEB 28, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – With a heavy heart, we learn the passing of DDAY veteran Ernest F. Corvese. He was 96.
Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Ernesto and Elsie (DiBiase) Corvese. Ernie was a photoengraver for the Providence Gravure for over 30 years before retiring in 1988. He and Dolores lived in Naples, Florida, for 18 years before moving to Smithfield in 2002.
Ernie served his country in the US Navy during WWII. The Navy trained him in demolitions, and at dawn on June 6, 1944, as part of the Naval Combat Demolition Unit, Corvese's job was to blow up obstacles on the German-occupied beach so the Allied infantry could land. He was 18 and the only person in his eight-man unit to survive.
He would spend 12 hours on that beach under enemy fire. He returned to Normandy to attend the 70th anniversary and walked the beaches. On July 9, 2016, he was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French Council, Frances's highest Civil and Military decoration. Ernie attended Eastern Nazarene College and was a Disabled American Veterans Association life member. He enjoyed playing golf and especially enjoyed woodworking projects.
Please consider donating to The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, a nonprofit designed to preserve the stories of the Greatest Generations and primarily supports return programs for combat veterans to memorialize our fallen heroes.

(FEB 28, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – With great sadness, we share the news that North African and Normandy World War II veteran Mr. Eugene Edwards, dies hours after parade celebrating 102nd birthday
Born during the Depression, Edwards never went past eighth grade and started working to support his family as a teenager.
Eugene enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 1941, shortly before the U.S. entered World War II. Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Division, Eugene survived all nine campaigns in WWII, including Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead); Tunisia; Sicily; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; and the Central European Pocket. Eugene was awarded many citations, including three Bronze Stars for his service in WWII.
After the war, he worked as an operational engineer for the James D. Morrissey construction company.
In 2016, Eugene returned to Normandy with The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation to revisit the battlefields of the 9th Division.

(MARCH 06, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS - With great sadness, we learn the news that IWO JIMA Marine and legendary veteran Bill White has died. He was 106.
Major William "Bill" White was born on July 31, 1915, in Long Beach, California. White was awarded several medals and honors, including the Purple Heart
White joined the military in 1934. His time in uniform took him across the country and world, including time in China.
He fought in the World War II battle of Iwo Jima.
"He went ashore after the first flag was raised, landing on the beach directly under Mt. Suribachi. As they were crossing to join the rest of the battalion, the second flag was raised (the one in the famous photo)," the Stockton Marine Corps Club said.
Before retiring from the Marine Corps in 1964, he was promoted to major the year prior. His accolades include dozens of awards, including a Purple Heart. White then served on the Huntington Beach Police Department in the mid-1960s.
The highly decorated veteran entertained others with his stories of combat or by singing.
"He continued to be active as you would find him either competing with other residents at bingo and table games or joining in sing-a-longs," the Stockton Marine Corps Club said.
He lived his last years at The Oaks assisted living facility in Stockton.
White went viral two years ago when friends at the senior living facility asked for Valentine's Day cards for the veteran. He ended up receiving hundreds of thousands of cards from people across the country.

(MAR 03, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS --Today we honor the beautiful Monique Hanotte, a Belgian resistance member who rescued 135 downed Allied airmen in World War II. She was 101.
The unarmed Belgian resistance — two-thirds of them women of all ages — hid, clothed, fed and created false documents for downed airmen, and then guided more than 800 of them on a long, dangerous trail through France, over the rugged Pyrenees to Spain, and finally into the British territory of Gibraltar, from which they would be flown to England.
Ms. Hanotte was one of the last handful of surviving members of the Belgian “Comet Line,” a resistance network dedicated to saving Allied airmen from capture, torture and likely execution by the Nazis.
The network’s motto was “Pugna Quin Percutias” (fight without arms), as it never undertook armed or violent attacks during the German occupation, unlike the neighboring French resistance. Around 160 members of the network, including many women, were captured by the Gestapo, often tortured, executed or sent to German concentration or extermination camps.
Ms. Hanotte’s resistance “career” began in May 1940, when she was 19, after two ragged British army officers showed up at the Hanotte family’s small hotel in the Belgian village of Rumes, just over a mile from the French border, soon after Hitler’s forces had invaded Belgium on their way to France.
The men had become separated from their units and were trying to get to the French port of Dunkirk to join the British mass evacuation in the face of the German onslaught. The United States had not yet entered the war.
Ms. Hanotte — then known by her birth name, Henriette — and her younger brother, Georges, helped feed and clothe the officers and removed anything easily identifiable as English (such as shirt labels). The Hanotte matriarch, Georgette, then dressed the men as coal merchants and guided them across the border into the hands of the local French maquis (resistance), who would get the officers to Dunkirk.
Soon after the massive Dunkirk evacuation that May and June, another British officer knocked at the Hanottes’ door. He was an agent of Britain’s military intelligence section MI9, set up to rescue Allied airmen shot down over Germany or German-occupied France or Belgium.
Having heard of the family’s anti-Nazi activity, he asked her parents if he could enlist Henriette in the endeavor as part of the Comet Line. She and her parents did not hesitate, and so began her new life with the code name Monique, a name she would retain for the rest of her life.
Mostly, she guided Allied airmen around German lines into France, then accompanied them by train to Lille or Paris, where the French resistance would take over and get them to Gibraltar. According to the Times of London, she would buy rail tickets from different booths to ensure they did not have consecutive numbers. “I always had an old loaf of stale bread in my bag,” she recalled. “If we were checked, I would say, ‘I went to get bread from the country.’ It was easier to get through as a woman.”
In late 1942, her clandestine family operation was “bursting at the seams,” the Times of London quoted her saying. “We didn’t know where to put them [the airmen, whom she always referred to in English as ‘my boys’] any more, and my mother said to me, ‘Hurry up.’ There were two of them who were leaving and two who were arriving.”
In May 1944, with the Allies preparing the Normandy invasion, Ms. Hanotte herself managed to get to England via Gibraltar to train as an intelligence officer to parachute behind German lines after the landings. She never did. A medical report said she was injured during training, although she played down her injury and suspected British Intelligence had decided she’d “already done enough” for the war effort.
So she spent the day of Germany’s unconditional surrender, in May 1945, celebrating with rapturous crowds, as well as British, American and other Allied servicemen, in the streets of London. One of her great regrets, she said, was not witnessing the liberation of her hometown of Rumes by the U.S. 2nd Armored Division on Sept. 2, 1944, when American soldiers were showered with flowers by her Comet Line comrades.
Henriette Lucie Hanotte was born in Sépeaux, France, on Aug. 10, 1920, to a Belgian veteran of World War I and his French wife. The family moved to Rumes when Henriette was a baby.
“The Comet Line included a series of places, but the Comet Line itself was made up of people,” recalls Hanotte.
“These were people whose country had been invaded and who wanted freedom and were so grateful to the Allied troops they tried to help. The people of the Comet Line — like ‘Monique’ — were just as heroic as the troops they saved.”

(MARCH 10, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS -- With great sadness, Battle of the Coral Sea veteran of World War II, Roger Spooner, has died. He was 99.
We think we have experienced a lot throughout our lives thus far, but for some, the span of one’s lifetime far exceeds that of average life expectancy.
99-year-old Navy veteran, war veteran, and trucking veteran Roger Hern Spooner of Iron City, Georgia, is one of those individuals who saw and experienced so much in his lifetime – way more than most of us can even fathom. He was a living piece of history, full of information, stories, and, by definition, a time capsule.
Roger Spooner was born November 18, 1922, to Lewis and Delia Spooner, with Roger being one of their eight children. At 18 years old, in October of 1941, Roger enlisted in the U.S. Navy to look for something more than just working on the family farm as a plowboy with a mule. After completing boot camp, instead of going home on leave, he was sent to the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Yorktown with a destination of Pearl Harbor, which had just been bombed. As the First Loader on a 5”/38 gun, a common anti-aircraft gun used by the United States Navy on their larger ships, it fired a massive projectile that was five inches in diameter.
Back in those days, there was very little communication on board and the men never really knew where they were going. After getting to Pearl Harbor and seeing the remains of the invasion, as well as the lingering smoke, the crew of 2,500 people headed to the coast of Australia, and, in May of 1942, Roger saw action at the Battle of the Coral Sea.
The U.S.S. Yorktown endured damage in that battle, and they lost 61 men. At this point, they returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs, which only took a couple of days at the Navy yard there.
Once repairs were made, the carrier and crew made their way to Midway Island to join other ships in preparation for what would be called the Battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway took place in June 1942 and is considered the most important battle in the Pacific. It was a clash between the U.S. Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
During the battle, conditions were unfathomable between both sides and the U.S.S. Yorktown had been hit. The carrier was leaning sideways, and Roger said he could barely walk on the deck as it was leaning so far over. Word came over the loudspeaker and the crew was told to prepare to abandon ship. One-by-one every crew member went down a line into the water with their life preservers on. The water they went into was very oily and they were all covered in it (you could only see the whites of their eyes).
While the battle continued, Roger and his crewmates floated helplessly in the water. Roger said that floating in that water all night, wondering if a shark or whale might come up and get him, is something he will never forget, and something he still has nightmares about to this day. Thankfully, he and many others were rescued the following day. Roger spent an additional four years in the Navy, including going to submarine school and doing nine war patrols out of Perth, Australia. Later, he was discharged from the Navy after a motorcycle accident, at which time he returned home for good. Upon exiting, his rank in the Navy was Motor Machinist Mate Second Class.
On October 10, 1947, Roger got married to his wife Eloise. I could tell memories had come back into his mind as he said she was A-1 and just a really good woman. He also said that he really lucked out finding her – a loving woman who looked after their five children and himself. Sadly, the family lost Eloise on August 13, 2016.
After being gone in the Navy, Roger came back home to resume farming and raise a family, and also decided to start trucking. He worked for a company for about 18 months, but in 1948 he decided to go into trucking for himself and started his company, Spooner Farms Trucking, LLC. His first truck was a 1940s model “gas burner” GMC, but through the years since he has owned many Kenworths and Peterbilts. Roger recalled that he didn’t even need to have a driver’s license in the early years, making trips up north to Michigan, on a regular basis.
Through the years, Roger had as many as seven trucks running, and the company has always hauled farm products and the trucks always remain within a 125-mile radius of the shop at all times.
Spooner Farms Trucking, LLC is definitely a family operation, with Roger driving, along with Roger’s twin sons David and Dennis, and David’s son Jake.
In 2017, Roger was contacted by a person from the American Australian Association and invited, along with the other remaining survivors from the United States and Australia, to meet with President Trump and Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid in the Hudson Bay. It was a gala dinner to recognize those who fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, almost 75 years later to the exact date of the epic battle.
Up until his death Roger got his physical every year, and had his license renewed, allowing him to truck until it expiresd again. His current license was set to expire when he was 102 years old! At the time of his death Roger ran a 1999 Peterbilt 379 affectionately named “Miss Eloise” with a 12.7 Detroit and a 10-speed. The truck’s number (CV5) represented the U.S.S. Yorktown’s identification number, and hauled all agricultural products, including bagged and liquid commodities.

(MARCH 12, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – With a heavy heart, we share the news that FRANK DEVITA, the skinny kid from Brooklyn who found himself in the middle of one of history's most prominent battles of World War II, has died. He was 96.
Frank DeVita was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, during the Great Depression. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 16-year-old DeVita was anxious to join the Armed Forces.
Taking his mother's advice, DeVita waited until he graduated high school before he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard at the age of 18. At the same time, his brothers joined the Marines and Army because it was the branch that would send him out to defend his country the fastest.
By 19, DeVita found himself on the attack transport USS Samuel Chase as a gunner's mate third class; DeVita participated in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and Salerno before turning toward France to invade Normandy and Southern France.
On June 6, 1944, after the weather had delayed the invasion, DeVita set off toward Omaha Beach for the beginning of an 18-hour long battle that involved 15 trips to the beach.
DeVita recalled hearing the German machine-gun fire rain on the metal ramp that separated those on the ship from death and then received orders to drop the ramp. As soon as he lowered the ramp, 14 soldiers died immediately, and DeVita was introduced to the bloodbath that would occupy his life for the next 18 hours.
In 15 waves, DeVita and his crew pulled 308 bodies out of the water back to USS Samuel Chase and saw countless more die on the beaches. Men died or were mortally wounded standing right next to DeVita, most boys no more than 20 years old.
DeVita returned to Marseilles in August for the second invasion, where his ship lost no men. His service ended in Yokohama, Japan, when DeVita was honorably discharged in 1946. He returned to Brooklyn and married his childhood sweetheart, Dorothy. They had three children together.
Like many other men from his generation, DeVita never talked about the war. It wasn't until the 70th anniversary of the storming of Omaha Beach after receiving the French Legion of Honor medal.
Since 2014, DeVita has served as Ambassador with The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, traveling the world sharing his own war experiences and honoring the heroes who would never return.
RIP, Frank DeVita.

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --
Famed test pilot, retired Brig. Gen. Robert “Bob” Cardenas has died in San Diego. He was 102. (he actually died on his 102nd birthday)

From June 1947 to July 1949, Cardenas was an experimental test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and was awarded the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters for experimental flight tests at Edwards AFB.

During World War II, Brig. Gen. Robert “Bob” Cardenas served as a B-24 aircraft pilot in the European Theater of Operations with the 506th Bombardment Squadron. He was awarded the Air Medal and two oak leaf clusters for bombing missions before being shot down over Germany in March 1944.

Undoubtedly, his most notable achievement was piloting the B-29 launch aircraft that released the X-1 experimental rocket plane in which then Capt. Charles “Chuck” Yeager became the first human to fly faster than the speed of sound in 1947.

Cardenas also aided in pioneering jet aircraft development by test flying the P-59 Airacomet and XB-45 — the Air Force's first jet fighter and bomber. He was also the operations officer for testing of the YB-49 flying wing. Cardenas was the investigating officer after the YB-49 crashed killing Capt. Glenn Edwards and Maj. Daniel Forbes in 1948.

Before becoming a test pilot, he served as a B-24 Liberator pilot in the European Theater of Operations during World War II with the 506th Bombardment Squadron. He was awarded the Air Medal and two oak leaf clusters for bombing missions before being shot down over Germany in March 1944. Despite suffering head wounds from antiaircraft fire, he made his way back to Allied control.

After returning to the United States in November 1944, Cardenas was then assigned to Wright Field, Ohio, as a test pilot where he attended Experimental Flight Test School.

Cardenas’ last Air Force assignment was as chief, National Strategic Target List Division, Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff, at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. His mission was to develop and compile a listing of targets that must be struck in a general nuclear war by U.S. retaliatory forces and develop estimates of enemy defenses and offensive capabilities.

Cardenas was born at Merida, Yucatan, Mexico in 1920. He moved to San Diego at age 5 and attended San Diego State University. He would later graduate from the University of New Mexico in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and eventually, a Master of Business Administration in 1984 from National University.

His military career began in 1939 when he became a member of the California National Guard. He entered aviation cadet training in September 1940 and received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant in July 1941. He retired from the Air Force in 1973. In all, he flew 107 different aircraft types while serving in the Air Force, according to Air Force Test Center History Office documents.

Cardenas is a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Read his full Air Force biography here

(MAR 20, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS — Sam Sachs, a World War II veteran who received thousands of cards after having to cancel his 105th birthday party due to the COVID-19 pandemic, died Monday, according to the city of Lakewood. He died of natural causes, one month before his 107th birthday.
Sachs joined the Army in 1931 and served at posts in California, Arkansas, Georgia and Louisiana, according to Lakewood’s Veterans History Project. He was an Army paratrooper who landed behind enemy lines as part of the 1944 Allied D-Day invasion of Europe, the veterans project said.
Sachs, who attained the rank of lieutenant colonel, later led troops in liberating prisoners from a Nazi concentration camp.

(MARCH 29, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – With a heavy heart, we share the news that James Lee Sines, a combat veteran of the 99th Infantry, has died. He was 99.
James was born July 25, 1922, in Mason County, West Virginia. James was a lifetime member of the American Legion and V.F.W. and the 99th Infantry Association, having served in the 99th Infantry Division, 324th Engineer Combat Battalion, C-Company, in the European theater during World War II.
James enlisted in the Army at Ft. Benjamin Harrison on December 1, 1942. He began combat operations in Aubel, Belgium, to prepare to enter the front lines during the Battle of Elsenborn Ridge between Schmidt and Monschau.
Nicknamed the "Battle Babies," the 99th Infantry Division, outnumbered five to one, inflicted estimated casualties on the Germans in the ratio of eighteen to one.
The Division lost about 20% of its adequate strength, including 465 killed and 2,524 evacuated due to wounds, injuries, fatigue, or trench foot; German losses were much higher. In the northern sector opposite the 99th, this included more than 4,000 deaths and the destruction of 60 tanks and big guns.
After clearing towns west of the Rhine, it crossed the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen; the 99th Infantry Division was the first complete Division to cross the Rhine.
shortly after, the Division liberated two labor camps and a "forest camp" (Waldlager) related to the Mühldorf concentration camp, a subcamp of Dachau. After 151 days in combat, they sustained 6,553 battle casualties, with over 1100 listed KIA/MIA.
James was honorably discharged as a Sergeant on December 10, 1945, from Camp Atterbury, Indiana.
After the war, James went to work as an electrician with General Motors-Fisher Body Division until he retired. James and his wife Naomi enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, and traveling to historic sites in the United States. He enjoyed telling stories from the past and being with his friends and family.

(APRIL 01, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS — Robert Strohm, an Auburn resident who served in Europe with the Navy during World War II and later became a beloved presence in his adopted hometown, passed away on Wednesday. He was 99.
A native of Kansas City, Strohm tried to enlist in the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. He was delayed by a couple months due to a medical issue. But he spent the next few years serving in the European theater on the USS Oberon, an attack cargo ship, as a pharmacist's mate 3rd class.
Over those years, Strohm saw intense action in Nazi territory four times: In Morocco in November 1942, in Italy in July 1943 and September 1943, and in France in August 1944.
After the war, Strohm settled in Auburn, where he started a family and worked at International Harvester and the American Locomotive Co. He also became active with several community organizations, including Polish Falcons and St. Hyacinth and Holy Family churches.

(APRIL 06, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – With great sadness; we learn the passing of D-DAY World War II veteran Eugene Waggoner. He was 99.
Eugene was born on July 9, 1922, near Crutchfield, Kentucky, to the late Shelby Waggener and Inez Atkins Waggener. An error on his birth certificate resulted in a misspelling of his last name, and all his life this has caused some confusion with family records and the like.
Eugene was a graduate of Murray State University with post graduate work at the University of Kentucky. World War II disrupted Eugene’s studies when he decided to enlist in the US Navy. His officer training was completed after graduating first from the Navy V-12 Officer Training School at Berea College and then the Navy Midshipmen’s School at Columbia University, New York City.
Eugene served his country in both the European and Pacific Theaters in the Navy amphibious forces. He was Navigator of LST 540, participating in the D-Day landings at Normandy and later in the assault of Okinawa. At the end of the war, he participated in the logistical support of the occupation of Japan.
Eugene’s involvement with the US Navy did not end with the war. His post-war Naval Reserve assignments included serving as Commanding Officer, Naval Electronics Division in Paducah, Kentucky, Fifth Naval District Manpower Representative, and Public Information Officer for the United States Naval Academy. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and was a member of The Retired Officers Association.
Eugene’s civilian career began as teacher of Vocational Agriculture in Fulton County, Kentucky. He left that position in 1952 to begin his career as licensed Professional Engineer at the Union Carbide Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, later known as Lockheed Martin. At the time of his retirement in 1982, Eugene was the Quality Assurance Manager for the plant.
On behalf of The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, “Our love and deepest sympathies to you and your family. May you take comfort in loving memory and the friends and family that surround you.” RIP Eugene.

(APRIL 06, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – With great sadness, we learn about the passing of Filipino/American World War II Veteran Celestino Almeda. He was 104.
Celestino Gonzales Almeda, a prominent leader of the Filipino World War II veterans’ fight for U.S. government recognition, died at 104 in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Almeda, born on June 8, 1917, in Biñan, Laguna, Philippines, fought against the Japanese during their occupation of the Philippines in 1941. He retired as a 2nd Lieutenant in the recognized guerrilla forces of the U.S. Armed Forces in the far East (USAFFE), commanded by General Douglas MacArthur.
Retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project said: “He embodies Patriotism and Duty to County. He survived the battles in WWII.
He and his fellow veterans want to be remembered simply for the honor and privilege to serve for their Duty to Country.”
Almeda survived the horrific battles in World War II as one of the 260,000 Filipinos and Americans who fought under the American flag from Dec 1941 to September 1945.
He survived the war but later experienced formidable challenges in pursuit of the U.S. and the benefits promised to him and thousands of his fellow soldiers. He was determined to fight for their use, but he did not realize how long this fight would last.
In February 1946, the U.S. Congress passed the Recission Acts, which denied the active-duty status and revoked the U.S. nationality status of 200,000 Filipino WWII soldiers. Promised compensation was revoked and not made available for their wartime service.
Almeda helped organize a national action organization comprised of WWII veterans, civic leaders, and community supporters to call attention to the veterans' injustice and inequality at the end of WWII.
Almeda and his brothers in arms never wavered in their faith, hope, and trust in the United States. They confronted and appealed to Congress in pursuit of their case for equity. They were undeterred despite being denied repeatedly by members of Congress, senior leaders at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Army and relentless in presenting their case to audiences at civic events across the country.
Almeda lived with his family in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and is survived by his daughter, Evelyn Campbell, and his sons, Roberto and Reynaldo, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
His favorite quote was from General Douglas MacArthur: “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.”
On behalf of The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, our love and deepest sympathies to you and your family. RIP Celestino.
You are a story of Patriotism and Duty to the Country

(APRIL 08, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS -- It is with great sadness we learn the passing of Warren C. WILT, Normandy Paratrooper with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He was 99.
He was born November 5, 1922, in Plevna, KS.; the seventh child of Harry and Edna Clement Wilt.
Orphaned at the age of two, Warren traveled between homes and depended upon the kindness of strangers for most of his childhood. By the age of seven, he slept on barn floors and did manual labor before and after school for his room and board.
He often stated that the army was his first “real” home because he finally “felt at peace knowing what tomorrow held.” This statement is especially poignant, coming from a man who experienced the atrocities of a major war and the accompanying uncertainties firsthand.
Along with three of his brothers, Warren served in the military during WW II. Warren enlisted in the Army in 1943 and was sent to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to begin training as a paratrooper. He was initially in the Army Air Corps, but he volunteered for the airborne soon after enlistment. After passing the arduous and elite program, he shipped to England, serving with the 82nd Airborne, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR).
He participated in the D-Day Normandy Assault on June 6, 1944, as a private in Company H of the 508th PIR, landing on Picauville, France (June 6, 1944). Picauville was one of the first towns liberated by Allied forces following the Normandy landings.
On June 26, 1945, he was hit by a German mortar round, leaving him with multiple wounds, requiring hospitalization for months. After recovering from the injuries, he returned to the front lines for the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium as a Private First Class (Pfc) in Company G. His specialties was Bazooka Gunner and Radio Operator. That winter was one of the coldest in Europe, and Warren suffered from frostbite and was again wounded on January 7, 1945, from shrapnel that hit his left arm and shoulder.
Fragments from this blast hit a small prayer book tucked away in his left breast pocket, directly over his heart, protecting him from the flying shrapnel. The piece of metal went three-fourths through the small book, stopping on the page where the words were “I will protect you.”
He recovered from these injuries and was assigned to a 713th Military Police (MP) Battalion. He was stationed in post-war Berlin, where he served on the security detail for President Truman during the Potsdam Conference. Following the surrender of Germany, Warren was discharged on December 24, 1945, and made his way back to Kansas on Christmas Day.
Warren was awarded the Parachutist Wings and the Combat Infantryman Badge; the Bronze Star Medal; Purple Heart Medal; Victory Medal; European Theater Medal with Bronze Arrowhead; Distinguished Unit Citation; and a France Croix De Guerre for his service during the D-Day invasion.
His return from the war brought an immediate proposal to his high school sweetheart, Charlyne Bridgeman, and the two were married in the Abbyville Methodist Church on August 8, 1946. They were married for almost 72 years, had four children, and lived most of their married life in Abbyville, Kansas. Warren retired from Singleton-Joyce after 31 years and opened his own mechanic shop, working there until his retirement in 2012 at 89. Warren could fix, build or remake just about anything that needed a repair, even creating and building unique tools for specific jobs. He made much of the furniture in the household and was constantly remodeling his long-time cherished family home.
Warren moved to Overland Park, KS., after the death of Charlyne in 2018. He lived independently but had the constant attention and care of his youngest daughter, Judy, and her husband, John. They lovingly cared for him until his death.

(APRIL 25, 2022) FORVER IN OUR HEARTS – Beloved World War II veteran and activist Johnnie A. Jones Sr dies at 102
It was the most massive amphibious invasion the world has ever seen, with tens of thousands of Allied troops spread out across the air and sea aiming to get a toehold in Normandy for the final assault on Nazi Germany. And while portrayals of D-Day often depict an all-white host of invaders, in fact it also included many African Americans.
Born in Laurel Hill, Louisiana back in 1919, Dr. Johnnie A. Jones Sr. grew up during the Jim Crow laws and had no idea what he would accomplish in his life.
After graduating from Southern University, Jones was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He was assigned to the 494th Port Battalion, an all-African American port battalion attached to the 6th Engineer Special Brigade that took part in Operation Overlord leading to the invasion of Normandy, France (D-Day) at Omaha Beach.
Jones served as a Warrant officer (United States) responsible for leading a unit unloading equipment and supplies onto Omaha Beach. Jones was the first ever African American Warrant officer (United States) (Junior Grade) in the U.S. Army.
Just last year, Jones received a Purple Heart for fighting on the beaches of Normandy while injured. He later earned many other awards in his life, for his achievements. He went on to get a law degree from Southern University, where from there he began his work advocating for civil rights.
“People recognized Johnnie A. Jones Senior as being a civil rights attorney and helping to shape the social aspects of life in the state of Louisiana and in the United States,” said Dr. Jones’ cousin John A. Jones Jr.
As an attorney, Dr. Jones was involved in several landmark cases. One of them included the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott of 1953. Jones also defended students arrested during sit-ins as civil rights protests gained momentum in the South. His car was bombed twice.
It took decades for Jones' sacrifice and courage during World War II to be recognized. In 2021 — at age 101 — he finally received a Purple Heart, which is awarded to U.S. service members killed or wounded in action. The French government in 2020 presented Jones with the Legion of Honor award for his World War II service.

(April 27, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS -- With death of 99-year-old Wisconsin veteran, four Merrill’s Marauders remain.
Raleigh Nayes, 99, died Thursday in Chippewa Falls, Wis., just one day after the Army veteran had received the Congressional Gold Medal for his role in fighting with the famed Merrill’s Marauders in Burma during World War II.
Nayes was born Sept. 8, 1922, in Cadott, Wisc., and raised on a dairy farm with seven brothers and one sister. He joined the Army in November 1942 and was told his unit would be tasked with guarding the U.S. Capitol. That did not appeal to the 20-year-old just off the farm, and he volunteered for more hazardous duty, serving on White Combat Team, 1st Battalion, which shipped out for Burma in late 1943.
The Marauders’ namesake was Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill, who led the Army unit as it fought behind Japanese lines in Burma during the war. The Army Rangers trace their lineage to the Marauders.
The unit’s ultimate mission was to capture the Myitkyina airfield in northern Burma, which it did on May 17, 1944, but not before a 1,000-mile slog over the Himalayan foothills, through jungles and enemy resistance. The soldiers were plagued by disease, parasites, exhaustion and malnutrition, winnowing their ranks from the original 3,000 to roughly 200 by the time they seized the airfield.
After the war, he was shipped back to the U.S. in May 1945, and was stationed at Camp Fannin, Texas, until being discharged in October 1945.
He worked at paper and woolen mills in the Chippewa Falls area before retiring in 1987. He and his wife, Betty, were married for 74 years before her death last year.
Nayes will be buried Friday at Prairie View Cemetery in Chippewa Falls with military honors provided by the Army Rangers and the Chippewa Falls Patriot Council.

(MAY 03, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS
The beautiful and beloved Columbia resident Vivian C. “Millie” Bailey, a dedicated public servant and philanthropist, died peacefully at her home on May 1, 2022 surrounded by family and friends. She was 104 years young.
Affectionately known as “Millie,” she was born in Washington D.C. on February 3, 1918 and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She graduated as the valedictorian of Booker T. Washington High School and worked for eight years in the Tulsa area as a stenographer and medical records clerk.
Millie entered the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, later known as the Women's Army Corps, in December 1942 and served until January 1946.
She was stationed at Fort McClellan, Alabama and then Fort Benning, Georgia serving as the Unit Commander of the Women's Detachment #2.
Despite the added challenges of serving in the military during a segregated era, she wore her uniform proudly and walked with dignity navigating the challenges while serving in the deep South. She earned the admiration and respect of her superiors and subordinates.
Promoted to First Lieutenant, Millie’s intelligence, attention to detail, and moral courage served her well. Nominated to attend the Adjutant General’s School at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, her only non-segregated posting, she was honorably discharged and earned the Women's Army Corps Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and a Letter of Commendation.
After the war, Millie moved to Chicago where she worked for the Veterans Administration and later the Social Security Administration (SSA).
In 1970, she and her husband William “Bill” Harrison Bailey, moved to Maryland where she continued to work for the SSA and they both became active Howard County residents.
Millie was drawn to and thrived in Columbia, a visionary community that reflected her world view of embracing all people. When she retired from the SSA in 1975, Millie was a Division Director managing over 1,100 employees. She attended both DePaul University in Chicago and the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

(MAY 22, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS - With great sadness, we learned about the passing of Ernest J. "Ernie" LAMSON, Company A, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
Born on March 28, 1922, and growing up in the St. Paul area, after high school, Ernie enlisted in the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division.
He completed jump school in 1943 but badly broke both legs during a jump that August. To add to his injury, a handle of the stretcher he was on broke and punctured one of his lungs, and he had to spend seven months in the hospital. Due to his injury, he missed D-Day, a fact he has bittersweet thoughts about, “the injury probably saved my life.”
After the war, Ernie became an accountant and worked with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. He attributes playing weekly golf and his other healthy living to keeping him fit, healthy, and socially connected.
In 1984, Lamson attended the 508 reunions in Omaha, Nebraska, and served went on to serve as the president and treasurer for several years to honor the memory of the 82nd Airborne.
In 2014, Lamson returned to Holland, Hürtgen Forest, and the Ardennes Forest with The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation.
Ernie Lamson is a proud American -- a World War II Veteran and a member of the Greatest Generation. We will never forget you. RIP Ernie.

(MAY 19, 2022) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – With a heavy heart, we learn about the passing of American HERO and Pearl Harbor survivor, Mr. Harold “Hal” Mayo. He was 100.
IN HIS OWN WORDS, “I was born at a very young age in our family home in Herkimer, New York.” He said, “When my mother first saw me, she said, ‘This is it. This will be my final attempt if I can do no better.’ Thus, I was the last of six children.” Hal was known for his sense of humor and his humility and strength.
He joined the Navy in 1940 and, after a brief assignment on the USS Constellation (sister ship to Old Ironsides), he attended Aviation Machinist School in Norfolk, VA. After graduation, he was transferred to the USS New Orleans stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On November 30, 1941, Hal received orders transferring him to Kaneohe NAS, Hawaii, and the newly formed VP-14 as a crewman on the PBY-5 Catalina ‘flying boat’ aircraft.
On December 7, 1941, Hal and his squadron had the duty, and at around 7:45am, they heard planes coming in low and thought it must be the Army Air Corps doing maneuvers. Then, after hearing machine-gun fire, they realized that the base was under attack. Kaneohe was attacked a few minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor would begin. Hal would explain that this was the day where he truly learned the meaning of frustration, having only a Colt 45 Automatic to fire back at the attacking aircraft.
After Pearl Harbor, Hal served in the South Pacific at hot spots such as Midway and Guadalcanal. He finished his Navy career as the Plane Captain (Crew Chief) on a PB4Y-1, the Navy version of the B-24 Liberator bomber. Hal and his crew of “Mr. 5x5” flew 206 missions, including 24 bombing missions in the South Pacific and patrols, searches, photographic, and other missions. Hal would log more than 1,296 flight hours from June 1942 to the end of 1943.
After the war, Hal went to work for Pacific Rating Bureau out of San Francisco as an inspector specializing in fire safety. At this time, Hal married his wife of many years, Evelyn. The two were married for 46 years until her death in 2004. Hal’s children fondly remember “chasing fires” when they were young so that Hal could inspect the scene and help develop safety standards to make buildings safer. He was so proud that his son, Don, followed him into the business and the three granddaughters Don provided.
Hal went to work as a fire insurance safety inspector in San Francisco, Fresno, and later Las Vegas. Upon retiring, he became the head of the Fire and Safety Department for the Las Vegas Convention Center. Hal enjoyed travel, watching the SF Giants, smoking cigars, and spending time with family.
He was so proud of his 3 children. Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Evelynn of 46 years, parents, and his 5 siblings. He is survived by his second wife, Sonja Avila of Groveland, CA; daughter, Judi Wilkinson, of Tacoma, WA; and sons, Don of Pleasant Hill, CA, and Terry of Las Vegas, NV. And by 8 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren, all who adored their Papa.
No funeral is being held as per Harold’s request. He wished that everyone remember something nice about their time with him instead of being sad.

-Thanks for a good string of posts F4.It's important to honor these men and women of "The Greastest Generation"

Billy Young, the last survivor of Sandakan camp, dies from COVID-19.

Enlisted at 15. Japanese prisoner of war at 16.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05...ndakan-camp-dies-from-covid-19/101086708