Celebration of a Hero’s Too Short Life

Posted on July 14, 2017 by annetbell

July 4, 2017 is an Independence Day we will never forget.  That is why I chose it.  All eleven of the the family were in Cambridge UK at the American Cemetery  to celebrate the life of my oldest brother George, a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division,  who jumped in the early hours of June 6, 1944. He  was  wounded at the battle for La Fiere Bridge in Normandy, and died on the ship back to England.  He was 20 years young.  I was not born until two years after his death.    As the last of my immediate family, I feel a responsibility to pass this story of our family’s hero to my children and their children.  I heard the other day that it takes 3 generations to forget history.  I am doing all I can to insure that my grandchildren will both  know and remember our history.

I have quite a few tales to tell as I share the steps my family took starting in Normandy and then to Cambridge. I hope this will encourage each of my readers to keep their own   heroes   and everyday  family  members and their stories alive by  repeating tales to  family today, recording,  and preserving them  for the generations to come.

Peace

http://www.AParatroopersFaith.org     Visit  to learn more.

About annetbell

I am a retired elementary teacher, well seasoned world traveler,new blogger, grandmother, and a new enthusiastic discoverer of the wonderfully complex country of India. Anne
This entry was posted in American history, family, history, service, Travel, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

14 Responses to Celebration of a Hero’s Too Short Life

  1. Lee says:
    July 27, 2017 at 12:41 pm

    I remember your Mother telling me a little about George years ago and giving me a copy of the small book she shared with folks in the military in his remembrance. I still have the book along with other treasures I have kept over the years.
    I hope you are healthy and happy.

    Regards,
    Lee Swats

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. annetbell says:
    July 27, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    I couldn’t find you on FB so here is my email anne.t.bell@gmail.com

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  4. brilliantviewpoint says:
    August 18, 2017 at 3:24 pm

    Thank you for sharing this story. It’s true that we must keep passing stories on from our family, so that hopefully the memories do not fade. Here in Dublin, I was at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and I was amazed at how many war memorials there were all over the walls of the church going back to when the Irish fought in China. If your children/grandchildren KNOW how much this means to you, and you explain how you want them to keep the history of your family alive, I do believe they will honor your wishes, because of the PRIDE they have for their family.

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    • annetbell says:
      January 11, 2018 at 9:07 pm

      Thank you for your reply and encouragement. For Christmas everyone received the tombstone rubbing they did on the 4th of July. The matting and framing were considerable so it was the main gift. I was uncertain as to the response but so proud when they were excited to receive the rubbing that they had done. There will be a small bottle of sand from Omaha Beach for each to remember DDay and the invasion. I wanted them to have authentic memorabilia. I am grateful that it seems to have been a life changing experience.

      Here is the website telling about my brother that my son created.

      http://www.AParatroopersFaith.org

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Pingback: Seasonal Greetings from Cambridge American Cemetery | TalesAlongTheWay

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