LESS WE FORGET:

It was a dark night above Normandy , Europe was waiting for that day in History , D-DAY or decision day,Europe was waiting for the allies to come and liberate them from the German occupier , present on his soils since 1940 .Suddenly it began ....on the night of 05.06.1944 leading to 06.06.1944 , the first liberators , jumping from airplanes were hitting the soils of Normandy France , the begin of the ending of the German occupation ,the way to the liberation was now opened .Young men from every state of the USA came to fight the war in a continent they mostly didn't know ...many came and many went on ...but sadly enough many stayed there for ever , burried in the grounds of Normandy , France . In this part we're going to try to remeber what happened now 60 years ago ...LET'S NEVER FORGET THESE HEROES !! IT'S OUR DUTY TO CONTINUE TO REMEMBER ALL OF THEM , THOSE WHO DIED AND THOSE WHO SURVIVED ,LEAVING US BEHIND LITTLE BY LITTLE .

101st Airborne division Honor Roll of Normandy Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach

101st Airborne Division

HHC, 101st Airborne Division
327th Glider Infantry Regiment
401st Glider Infantry Regiment
502d Parachute Infantry Regiment
HHB, 101st Airborne Division Artillery
321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion
907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
81st Airborne Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
101st Airborne Signal Company
801st Airborne Ordnance Company
426th Airborne Quartermaster Company
326th Airborne Engineer Battalion
326th Airborne Medical Company
101st Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
Military Police Platoon, 101st Airborne Division

506th Crest

506th PIR TROOPERS WHO DIED ON THE LINE OF DUTY

1st Lt Thomas Meehan was the handsome and intelligent company commander of Easy 506th as they departed England to jump into Normandy on D-Day. He had been briefly assigned to Company 'B' before replacing Sobel as C.O. of E/506th. On the plane before takeoff, Lt Meehan penned a quick note to his wife, then handed it out the door, to a friend who promised it would be delivered. The note read:

Dearest Anne:
In a few hours I'm going to take the best company of men in the world into France. We'll give the bastards hell. Strangely, I'm not particularly scared. But in my heart is a terrific longing to hold you in my arms. I love you Sweetheart-forever. Your Tom

The plane bearing Lt Meehan and his entire stick of jumpers was hit by German ground fire near St Mere Eglise. All aboard were lost when the plane went-in between Beuzeville au Plain and Haut Fornel. A monument was dedicated on 6 June 2000, at Beuzeville, listing the names of those aboard. Excerpts from a thoughtful letter written by Lt Meehan, plus more biographical information, can be found posted by Barrie on the AWON website (see Links). Courtesy Barrie Meehan Meller and Dan Potter-posted by the webmaster on Tom Meehan's birthday, July 9th(2001).

Above, a photo taken in June 2000, showing the plaque on the Beuzeville monument which lists the victims of the C-47 crash. This is on the road about 5 minutes east of St Mere Eglise, near the Beuzeville church.
(article by Mark A Bando)

William S. Evans

1st Sgt. William Evans was killed in action on June 6, 1944 in the D Day invasion of France. 1st Sgt. Evans was killed with 16 other Currahees when the aircraft they were in was hit and exploded over Ste. Mere-Eglise, Normandy, France.

1st Sgt. Evans was buried with 22 others in Ste. Mere-Eglise. The remains were brought back to the United States in 1952 and reburied in a mass grave at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO.

A Memorial was dedicated in France on June 3, 2000 commemorating this D-Day crash.

Cosmo Ciano

Pvt Cosmo Ciano was killed in action on June 6, 1944 in the D Day invasion of France. He was missing in action for a four days. His tombstone reads:

COSMO CIANO

23 years old - Died on June 6, 1944

SACRIFICED HIS YOUNG LIFE

ON FRENCH TERRITORY

HIS REMAINS RETURNED TO HIS NATIVE SOIL

MAY HE REST IN PEACE

Remembered by Carlo Di Nitto and his hometown Gaeta Italy.

IN MEMORY

OF OUR FELLOW CITIZEN

COSMO CIANO

WHO DEDICATED HIS YOUNG LIFE

TO THE ALTAR OF LIBERTY

MAY HIS SACRIFICE NOT BE IN VAIN

I Marinai di Gaeta

(The Sailors of Gaeta)

Elmer L. Murray Jr.

Sgt. Elmer Murray Jr. was killed in action on June 6, 1944 in the D Day invasion of France. 1st Sgt. Evans was killed with 16 other Currahees when the aircraft they were in was hit and exploded over Ste. Mere-Eglise, Normandy, France.

Sgt. Murray was buried with 22 others in Ste. Mere-Eglise. The remains were brought back to the United States in 1952 and reburied in a mass grave at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO.

A Memorial was dedicated in France on June 3, 2000 commemorating this D-Day crash.

PVT. Charles T. Risner
D Company 506th PIR
Killed in Action June 8, 1944

All photo's courtesy of Franck Rossell

PVT. Charles T. Risner's grave at Colleville sur Mer, Normandy. Block F, Alley 4, Number 38.

Murray Roberts

SSgt. Murray Roberts was killed in action on June 6, 1944 in the D Day invasion of France. SSgt. Roberts was killed with 16 other Currahees when the aircraft they were in was hit and exploded over Ste. Mere-Eglise, Normandy, France.

SSgt. Roberts was buried with 22 others in Ste. Mere-Eglise. The remains were brought back to the United States in 1952 and reburied in a mass grave at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO.

A Memorial was dedicated in France on June 3, 2000 commemorating this D-Day crash.

Remembered by; his son Harry, his brother John, and his sisters Grace Sible, Dorothy Cooper, Evelyn Galbraith, Ruth Toenes, and Josephine Weaver.

Currahee Mass Grave

Jefferson Barracks St. Louis, MO.

Seventeen Currahees from E Company were killed in action on June 6, 1944 in the D Day invasion when the aircraft they were in was hit and exploded over Ste. Mere-Eglise, Normandy, France.

THE CURRAHEES

Tec 5 Herman Collins Pvt George Elliott

1st Sgt William Evans 1st Lt Thomas Meehan III

Pfc William McGonigal Pfc John Miller

Pfc Sergio Moya Sgt Elmer Murray Jr

Pvt Ernest Oats Sgt Richard Owen

Sgt Carl Riggs SSgt Murray Roberts

Pfc Gerald Snider Pfc Elmer Telstad

Tec 5 Ralph Wimer Pfc Thomas Warren

Tec 5 Jerry Wentzel

THE FLIGHT CREW

1st Lt Harodl Cappelluto 2nd Lt John J Fanelli

2nd Lt Bernard Friedman Sgt Norman E Thompson

Sgt Albert R Tillotson

These Currahees were buried in Ste. Mere-Eglise with their flight crew. They were brought back to the United States in 1952 and reburied in this mass grave at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO.

Remembered by the daughter of E Company Commander 1st Lt. Thomas Meehan III, Barrie Meehan Meller.

These troopers died in Normandy

BN	CO	RANK	FIRST	MI	LAST	KIA	LOCATION
3	HQ	Pvt	Philip	D	Abbey	6/6/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Sgt	Charles	H	Adams	6/44	Normandy
1	SRV	Tec 4	Charles	F	Allison	6/44	Normandy
3	H	Pvt	Secundino		Alvarez	6/10/44	Normandy
3	I	Pfc	Gilbert		Amabisco	6/6/44	Magneville Normandy
1	B	Pvt	Andrew	L	Andrako	6/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Pvt	Anthony	F	Andres	6/21/44	Normandy
3	G	Pfc	Milton	G	Anthony	6/6/44	Angoville Normandy
2	HQ	Pvt	William	E	Ash	6/6/44	Normandy
3	I	Tec 5	William	H	Atlee	6/6/44	Normandy
1	A	Pvt	Dale	H	Atwood	6/6/44	Normandy

1	HQ	Cpl	George	R	Bailey	6/6/44	Normandy
1	B	Pvt	Leonard		Baranski	6/44	Carentan (France)
	HQ	Pvt	Roland	R	Baribeau	6/21/44	Normandy
1	C	1 Lt	Kenneth	A	Beatty	6/6/44	St Marie-Du-Mont (France)
3	I	Cpl	Donald	E	Bignall	6/6/44	Magneville Normandy
1	A	Pfc	George	H	Bjorness	6/44	Normandy
2	E	Pvt	Robert	J	Bloser	6/7/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Pvt	Robert	A	Boehm	6/6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pfc	John		Boggs	6/10/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Pfc	Herman	C	Bonitz	6/10/44	Normandy
3	I	Tec 4	John	E	Bray Jr	6/6/44	Magneville Normandy
		SSgt	Harold	J	Brogan	6/44
1	B	Pfc	Martin	I	Brown	6/6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pvt	Keith	K	Bryan	6/6/44

2	F	Pfc	Richard	K	Buchter	6/6/44	Ste. Mere Eglise Normandy
1	A	Pvt	Edward	K	Buffington	6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pfc	Harry	L	Burg Jr	6/6/44	Normandy France

2	F	Pfc	Richard	K	Buchter	6/6/44	Ste. Mere Eglise Normandy
1	A	Pvt	Edward	K	Buffington	6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pfc	Harry	L	Burg Jr	6/6/44	Normandy France

1	HQ	Pfc	James	G	Campas	6/6/44	Normandy
1	C	Sgt	Colin		Campbell	6/6/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Sgt	Thayer	U	Carlton	6/6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pfc	Warren	K	Carney	6/6/44	Magneville Normandy
3	G	Pvt	Woodrow	W	Carpenter	6/7/44	Normandy
1	B	Pfc	Donald	W	Carter	6/7/44	Normandy
3	H	Pvt	Franklin	A	Cato	6/6/44	Normandy
3	G	1 Lt	Turner	M	Chambliss Jr	6/6/44	Douve Normandy
1	C	Pfc	Jay	E	Cheel	6/6/44	Normandy
1	B	Pfc	Charles	J	Cheetham	6/24/44	Normandy
1	B	Pvt	Billy	G	Christian	6/6/44	Normandy
3	G	Pvt	Cosmo		Ciano	6/6/44	Normandy France
1	C	Sgt	William	H	Clements	6/6/44	St. Marie du Mont Normandy
2	E	Tec 5	Herman	F	Collins	6/6/44	Ste. Mere-Eglise Normandy
3	H	Pfc	Martin	P	Collins	6/10/44	Normandy
2	F	1 Lt	Freeling	T	Colt	6/6/44	Normandy
2	E	Pfc	Raymond	J	Coon	6/44	Normandy
1	HQ	Pvt	John	L	Corder	6/11/44	Normandy
1	A	Pvt	Herman	J	Cordes M.O.H.	6/12/44	Normandy
2	D	Sgt	Floyd	T	Corrington	6/6/44	Normandy
1	C	Pfc	William	J	Coyne	12/5/44	Paris France
3	G	Pfc	Wilbur	D	Croteau	6/9/44	Normandy

1	HQ	Pvt	John	P	Crowder	6/44	Normandy
1	A	Pvt	Raymond	M	Cutting	6/8/44	Normandy

3	HQ	Pvt	Ralph	G	Daudt	6/10/44	Normandy
2	F	Pfc	Donald	P	Davis	6/13/44	Carentan Normandy
1	SRV	Tec 5	John	L	Davis	6/44	Normandy
1	B	Tec 5	Robert	A	Dawson	6/44	Normandy
1	C	Sgt	Dale		Dean	6/6/44	St. Marie du Mont Normandy
3	G	Cpl	Anthony	S	Defatta	6/10/44	Normandy
	HQ	Pvt	Arthur		Demaio	6/6/44	Cherbourg Normandy
3	H	Pvt	Ralph	B	Devaney	6/10/44	Normandy
2	F	Pvt	Lyman		Dickey	6/12/44	Carentan Normandy
1	HQ	Pvt	Lawrence	R	Doyle	6/8/44	Normandy
	HQ	Pvt	Henry	A	Dziura	6/19/44	Normandy

2	HQ	Pfc	Donald	D	Eckels	6/6/44	Normandy
2	E	Pvt	George	L	Elliott	6/6/44	Ste. Mere-Eglise Normandy
2	HQ	Sgt	Simmie	C	Ervin	6/6/44	Normandy
2	E	1st Sgt	William	S	Evans	6/6/44	Ste. Mere-Eglise Normandy

3	I	Pvt	James	J	Farrell	6/6/44	Magneville plane crash
1	B	Pfc	Leonard	L	Farrow	6/44	Normandy
1	C	Pfc	Frederick	J	Feneran	6/6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pvt	Edwin		Finder	6/6/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Cpl	Ralph	D	Fischer	6/10/44	Normandy
2	HQ	Pfc	Bryce	L	Fountain	6/6/44	Normandy
3	G	Cpl	Donald	B	Francis	6/7/44	Normandy

1	HQ	Pvt	Scott	S	French	6/8/44	Normandy
2	D	Pvt	Charles	C	Fruge	6/6/44	Normandy

1	HQ	Pvt	Finis	G	Gensler	6/44	Normandy
1	B	Pvt	Leo	C	Germon	6/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Pvt	Philip	D	Germer	6/6/44	Normandy
1	C	Pvt	Augustine		Gonzales	6/44	Normandy
	SV	Tec 4	John	B	Goodman	6/44	Normandy
	HQ	Tec 5	Arthur	M	Goodrich Jr	6/6/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Maj	George	S	Grant	6/6/44	Normandy
2	E	Pfc	Everett	J	Gray	6/8/44	Normandy
1	B	Pvt	Rufus	R	Griffin	6/44	Normandy
2	D	Capt	Jerre	S	Gross	6/8/44	St Marie-Du-Mont Normandy
2	D	1 Lt	Walter	J	Gunther Jr	6/6/44	Normandy
3	G	Pfc	Joe	B	Gurdak	6/10/44	Normandy

1	B	Pvt	Bernard	H	Hagen	6/44	Normandy
1	A	Pvt	James	H	Hagenbuch	6/7/44	Normandy
	HQ	Cpl	John	R	Hale	6/20/44	Normandy
2	F	Pfc	William	C	Hale	6/6/44	Normandy
1	A	Tec 5	John	D	Hall	6/6/44	Brecourt Mannor
3	HQ	Pvt	Soini	A	Hall	6/6/44	Normandy
2	HQ	Cpl	John	R	Halls	6/20/44	Normandy
1	HQ	Sgt	Clifford	M	Halstead	6/44	Normandy
1	B	Pfc	Terrence	C	Harris	6/18/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Tec 5	Jack	W	Harrison	6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pvt	Jesse	M	Hawkins	6/6/44	Normandy
1	C	Pvt	Alfred	T	Hedl	6/10/44	Normandy
		Pvt	Marvin	W	Hegel	6/6/44
1	C	Pfc	Robert	J	Hensel	6/6/44	Normandy
1	A	Pfc	Roland	M	Hibbitt	6/8/44	Normandy
2	F	WOJG	Andrew	F	Hill	6/6/44	Nomandy
3	I	Pfc	Bryant	L	Hinson	6/6/44	Normandy
2	HQ	Pvt	Charles	F	Hodgkin	6/6/44	Normandy
	HQ	Tec 5	Orval	B	Holand	6/44	Normandy
3	HQ	1 Lt	James	D	Holstun	6/6/44	Normandy
2	F	Sgt	Julius	A	Houck		Normandy
3	I	Sgt	John	J	Houk	6/6/44	Carentan France
3	I	1 Lt	Gerald	V	Howard Jr	6/6/44	Magneville plane crash
2	F	Pvt	Walter	J	Hult	6/6/44	Normandy
	SV	Pvt	Elmer	W	Husband	6/28/44	Normandy

		Sgt	James	A	James		Normandy
3	H	Sgt	Russell	A	James	6/7/44	France
3	I	SSgt	James	H	Japhet	6/6/44	Normandy
2	E	Pfc	Joseph	M	Jordan	6/6/44	Normandy
2	D	Pvt	John	E	Justice	6/44	Normandy

1	B	Pfc	Joseph	J	Kajack	6/6/44	Normandy
3	I	Pvt	George	J	Karalunas	6/10/44	Normandy
1	A	Pvt	Henry		Kautz	6/9/44	Normandy
3	HQ	Cpl<