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Discussion: War Stories: He Survived Omaha Beach

Great article about a great citizen soldier. It hits home with me. My father-in-law arrived in France early in January of 1945. As an 18 year old he became a member of the 3rd Army, 90th Division, 359 Infantry Regiment. He started the war somewhere in Belgium and was on the road to Prague, Czechoslovakia when the war ended. His short time in combat also took an emotional toll. At his first Sunday dinner after returning home a siren from a nearby fire station sounded and as a reflex he turned the dining room table over as he jumped up. He also was troubled by nightmares for most of his life. He once told me he had dreamed all night about having to pick up German grenades and throw them back before they exploded. Alzheimer’s eventually took these memories as well which I guess in a way was a good thing.
 
A few years ago, well after my great uncle Ernie had passed, I learned that he had been wounded in St. Mere-Eglise. The only thing I was able to find out was it was on June 8th, 1944. I don't know when he returned to finish out the war. I have to guess that he must have been a paratrooper as they were the units that far inland at that time. I certainly wish I had known that he had served so I could have talked with him about it. We were really close while I was growing up and not once did he ever mention being in the service.
 
Great story! What the greatest generation did was nothing short of amazing. Those that made it back never complained about PTSD, although you know it had an effect on the rest of their lives. My dad was in the European theater as well, but never really talked much about it until late in his life. I'm not sure he had nightmares but I would guess he did for a while at least. One thing I do know is he would never touch a gun again, or hunt or camp, he claimed he "did all of that in the service and never wanted to do it again". It took me years to more fully understand that the more I learned about WW2 and some of his experiences when he was there. What an incredible group of people that grew up in that time, both here and over seas. I wonder if we could ever deal with something like that again. I'm so very proud of that generation, "the greatest generation".
 
Hi. New to the group. Powerful story. My wife's uncle, Rene Pellitier, served on the Italian Front with the Fifth Army, 351st "Spearhead Regiment" of the 88th "Blue Devil" Division. A German Major attempted to escape in a staff car during an attack on a city in the final days of the campaign. Rene ordered him to stop, but he ignored the order. Rene brought his grenade launcher into play and killed him at a range of 20 yards with one shot. Later in the campaign, Rene went missing for 30 days until he was found and returned to his outfit. He never spoke about this incident until he died at a young age. I tried researching this but could not find anything.
 
Pdiamond said:
A few years ago, well after my great uncle Ernie had passed, I learned that he had been wounded in St. Mere-Eglise. The only thing I was able to find out was it was on June 8th, 1944. I don't know when he returned to finish out the war. I have to guess that he must have been a paratrooper as they were the units that far inland at that time. I certainly wish I had known that he had served so I could have talked with him about it. We were really close while I was growing up and not once did he ever mention being in the service.
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When they came back from the war, they tried to not remember what happened, and they try to keep it from us younger people. They were the Greatest Generation.
 
Wyo58 said:
Great story! What the greatest generation did was nothing short of amazing. Those that made it back never complained about PTSD, although you know it had an effect on the rest of their lives. My dad was in the European theater as well, but never really talked much about it until late in his life. I'm not sure he had nightmares but I would guess he did for a while at least. One thing I do know is he would never touch a gun again, or hunt or camp, he claimed he "did all of that in the service and never wanted to do it again". It took me years to more fully understand that the more I learned about WW2 and some of his experiences when he was there. What an incredible group of people that grew up in that time, both here and over seas. I wonder if we could ever deal with something like that again. I'm so very proud of that generation, "the greatest generation".
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I learned from some veterans that they did not want to handle a gun, because they were afraid a memory might come back and they might use it on someone they love. I had an Uncle that felt the same way. He died when I was 3, but Dad told me he never touched a gun again and they had hunted together all the way up to the war.
 
Nice story, but how does an arm full of grenade frag and two lost toes not count as being scathed?: "His mom threw a party, inviting friends and family from all around to celebrate his coming home unscathed from the war."
 
I am a huge, huge fan of Will Dabbs. This story was very dear to my heart as my father was a 2nd Battalion, Company D Ranger. One very minor correction. Companies A, B, C landed at Omaha Beach. Companies D, E, F went up the cliffs at Point Du Hoc. Believe me, the guys at Point Du Hoc had a rough day, but not nearly the hell that the guys went through on Omaha Beach.
 
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