Reply #13: D-Day [View All]

[GoldenOldie]

Because I was watching the WWII Memorial dedication I was able to go to their wwiimemorial.com site and find information on a much loved uncle who was reported as missing in action in the summer of 1944. Although I was only 9-years old, when he left to play his role in WWII, I have never forgotten this handsome young man who never grew old in my memories. Through the WWII Memorial website, and searching other websites, I discovered that he was in the 977th Field Artillery and had died on August 15, 19444, while attempting to unload their equipment on the beaches of Normandy from the LST 282. It was only one of those ships in the area that was hit by a German smart bomb. What is so ironic in this tale is that my mother who was an orphan had found an older sister during this time and she had a son who we had never known until his return from the war, was also at Normandy. He had been at this same site and had witnessed the bombing of LST 282 and was able to tell my parents what happened. Being young I overheard the conversation and did not relate to the significance. Fortunately when I related my latest discoveries to my sister, she also remembered this story. Although my father was also serving in Italy during WWII, and I had sad times with his absence, this Memorial Day and the D-Day remembrances have brought special meaning to me.