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the fallen here in Normandy sixty-seven years on


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General Apathy

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A photo from the photograph album of 508th vet Roy Barger. Many of his photos are from the Normandy area as I think this one is. This is a real time burial party that might have occured at Blosville or somewhere around that area.

 

Kim

 

Hi Kim, Thank you for the photograph, it is believed that this one was taken at the temporary cemetery at Blosville. The American graves registration unit that first landed by glider in this field saw the hamlet of Blosville a couple of hundred yards away and used that name, however the field is actually in the boundary of Carquebut to the other side of the field.

 

Above is the monument that stands today on the edge of this field it lists 6,000 bodies ( 5,701 actual ), a few miles away in St Mere Eglise there are two similar temporary cemeteries #1 St Mere Eglise 3,000 bodies ( 2,195 actual ) and #2 St Mere Eglise 5,000 bodies ( 4,812 actual )

 

The photograph shows Col. ( Ret ) Elbert E. Legg visiting the monument around 2004, in June 1944 he was Sgt. Legg 603rd QM. Graves Reg. Co. and was the Sgt in charge of breaking ground for the first bodies to the side of gliders that landed in this field.

 

thanks.

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General Apathy

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June 12

 

Glen L. Buckner, Sgt 358th Inf. 90 Div. Texas. June 12 1944. ( 38098814 )

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Johan Willaert

Hi Ken,

 

Thanks for keeping this up!

 

The following might be interesting for future visitors to the area. The Blosville cemetery monument was recently moved West to the first intersection along the D70, to allow for more and safer parking...

This is how it looked last week, the former location of the monument being on the right side of the road just before the bridge visible in the distance...

I was surprised and saddened to see both the US and French flag absolutely in shreds and incomplete, especially during the commemoration week...

AND to add to that, someone had already ran into the new wooden barriers and broke them clean off...

post-92-1307867755.jpg

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Ken, Thanks for adding your insight into this picture. I'll include your notes with the photograph. And thanks for showing the pic of Col Legg.

 

John, Thanks for showing the picture of what the monument and lay of the land looks like today.

 

Kim

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General Apathy

post-344-1307914752.jpg

 

 

Ken, Thanks for adding your insight into this picture. I'll include your notes with the photograph. And thanks for showing the pic of Col Legg.

 

John, Thanks for showing the picture of what the monument and lay of the land looks like today.

 

Kim

 

 

Kim, the monument that Johan has kindly added in post #54 above is situated at the corner of the field where the gliders have landed which is centre left of the photo above, note other gilders and C-47's circling above this field.

 

Most of the buildings seen at the top of this photograph were destroyed when the National route 13 was built post war, these buildings were part of Blosville, the village of Carquebut is off the bottom of the photo.

 

ken

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General Apathy

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Cont ................

 

Kim

 

I have inverted this aerial photo of the crosses at the cemetery to try and align it more with the previous photo post # 56 of the gliders already landed in the field and the others circling above.

 

ken

 

 

 

.

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General Apathy

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June 14

 

Paul Button Snyder. Cpl. 80 AAA BN. 82 ABN DIV. Kentucky. June 14 1944. ( 35425236 )

 

 

 

.

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Brian Dentino

A wonderful tribute Ken.....thanks for keeping this thread (and these brave souls memories) alive for us today. We remember their sacrifice! :salute:

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General Apathy

I would like to say a joint thank you for all the forum members comments added to this topic, I really value that you give thought to these men ' who gave their all ' more often than not in the very prime of their life and in the most part without laying any foundations for family life to go on beyond their passing.

 

from the outset I have tried to keep my input to a lower level than I would if involved in my other topics, and that is my reason for adding joint replies, I would like this to be about the men who's headstones are shown.

 

thanks

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I agree wholeheartedly with your comments Lewis, thanks for taking the time to post and to share your thoughts........517th

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General Apathy

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June 15

 

John L. Nutter. Pfc. 325 Gli Inf 82 Abn Div. West Virginia June 15 1944. ( 35425236 )

 

 

 

.

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General Apathy

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June 16

 

Bernard G Wilson. Sgt. 80 AAA Bn 82 Abn Div. Ohio. June 16 1944. ( 35290704 )

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Simon Lerenfort
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June 16

 

Bernard G Wilson. Sgt. 80 AAA Bn 82 Abn Div. Ohio. June 16 1944. ( 35290704 )

 

The simplest of gestures, with the greatest of meaning. Many thanks Ken.

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General Apathy

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June 18

 

Rufus N. Schuster. S.Sgt. 9 Inf 2 Div. Oklahoma. June 18 1944. ( 18003643 )

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General Apathy

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June 19

 

Daniel B. Weaver. Pvt. 2017 Eng. Combat Bn. Connecticut. June 19 1944. ( 31331405 )

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General Apathy

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June 21.

 

John C. Fanning. Sgt. 463 Ord Evac co. Colorado. June 21 1944. ( 37701196 )

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Johan Willaert
June 21.

 

John C. Fanning. Sgt. 463 Ord Evac co. Colorado. June 21 1944. ( 37701196 )

 

Hey Ken,

 

Thanks for showing GIs from less 'exotic' units like this one...

 

Cheers,

 

Johan

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General Apathy

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Hey Ken,

 

Thanks for showing GIs from less 'exotic' units like this one...

 

Cheers,

 

Johan

 

Hi Johan, the purpose of the thread was to bring forward some of the unknown units and also to show many of the different states that they came from in the USA.

 

However I had intended to add a second headstone on the 19th June for a soldier that has had a book written about his life which might interest forum members giving the background history to one of the fallen here in Normandy.

 

June 19. Elmer N. Carter. Capt. 115 Inf 29 Div. West Virginia. June 19 1944.

 

http://www.walterfordcarter.com/

 

(Sorry to say that I ended up in hospital that day suffering blood poisoning and analphylactic shock from some sort of insect bite whilst peeling potato's for the village music festival, appears something nasty was hiding in one of the potato sacks and got me.)

 

thanks again to all members who follow this thread.

 

 

.

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Johan Willaert

Thanks for posting Capt Carter's grave, Ken.

I know his son will appreciate this.

 

Hope you're feeling better now and can keep this thread going.

 

Cheers,

 

Johan

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General Apathy
Hope you're feeling better now and can keep this thread going.

 

Cheers,

 

Johan

 

Hi Everyone, sorry to say that I am going to be off line for several days so I will be adding the rest of the headstones this evening.

 

regards

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