Photo By Sgt. A.M. LaVey | Col. Michael Foster, commander, 173rd Airborne Brigade, is joined by local officials...... read more read more
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VARENGUEBEC, France -- Away from the crowds and out of the spotlight from places like Sainte Mere Egise, Pointe-du-Hoc or Omaha Beach, a small ceremony was held under a canopied forest here, where chirping birds joined members of the local community and American paratroopers to honor American servicemembers who died when their plane crashed en route to their D-Day drop zone the morning of June 6, 1944.
Seventy years and a day later, paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade went to the Bois de Limor, French for “Woods of Limor,” as part of the 70th Anniversary of the Normandy invasion to pay tribute to the four aircrew from the 301st Trooper Carrier Squadron and the 18 paratroopers from the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, whose Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft was shot down by German anti-aircraft guns and crashed into the forest here before meeting its objective.
Escorted by a group of horn players in traditional hunting garb, a combined color guard of American paratroopers and French veterans led a small parade of local officials as well as French and American servicemembers, beginning a memorial service under a sprinkling of rain.
"It's our duty to remember these heroes of the 20th century," said Patrick Thelot, the owner of the hunting club on whose property a landscaped granite monument with French and American flags flying rests. "These American Soldiers sacrificed and gave their lives for freedom in the fight against tyranny."
According to historical records, the C-47 piloted by 2nd Lt. Eugene F. Henning, was part of the formation of planes that left the south of England en route to France, to airdrop paratroopers whose mission it was to secure the main road, destroy the bridges and secure glider landing zones.
Around 1 a.m. on the 6th of June, flying through thick clouds, the aircraft was shot down. Henning attempted to land the plane and the paratroopers attempted to jump out as they lost altitude, but then the plane crashed into the woods. There were no survivors and Henning's body was never found.
"These paratroopers, elite Soldiers from the sky, died without knowing the joys of victory or the country they had come to deliver - very few knew France and even less Normandy," said Thelot. "But we owe these young American men from the four corners of America, an eternal gratitude."
The servicemembers on that plane were from various backgrounds and came from places like California, Wisconsin, Kansas and Montana. Their ages ranged from 20 to 25 and their ranks from private to second lieutenant. All had volunteered and were ready for active service.
"One could argue that the rarest form of courage is midnight courage," said Col. Michael Foster, commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. "Not courage displayed against a known risk against the light of knowledge, but courage against the unknown … and the dangers that await in the dark. It's courage in the form of events that happen in the darkest of nights, in the darkest of times. Seventy years ago, a small group of men practiced midnight courage at this very spot."
While everyone in a battle has a part to play, these men never fired a shot, but were still an integral part of the mission.
"The crew of this plane provided courage and support to others in their formation," said Foster. "They may have navigated the way and drawn away enemy fire, allowing others to continue. Their presence flying in formation became part of the fist that was swung at the German defenses, and the troops they carried had great significance."
Significant perhaps only to the one hundred people gathered in the woods this day.
"We don't have the ability to talk about the brave actions of these men, because their opportunity to fight was cut short," said Foster. "The power of a wave is based on the individual strength of every drop of water and so a drop of that water came to rest here on that morning of June 1944. This was the unfortunate, but not insignificant, rendezvous with destiny for these 22 brave souls."
Little has been written about this crew, but their memory lives in the local community, who established the memorial in 1993.
"A wise man once said that no one owns a battlefield, that it rightfully belongs to history and all mankind," said Foster. "So it is fitting that we pause here today to acknowledge the duty, the care and the concern shown by our French comrades to honor and protect this spot."
After some words by the village priest and the playing of French and American "Taps" and national anthems, a civilian salute battery from the local hunting club fired a 21-gun salute, and each of the men's names were read aloud, followed by the people assembled saying "Mort pour la France" - a state honor usually reserved for French servicemembers killed in action.
"This ultimate sacrifice is noted in our community's history," said Jean-Claude DuPont, mayor of Varenguebec. "We will never forget their courage or sacrifice and will honor their memory here for many generations to come."
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2014 09:17 |
| Story ID: | 132750 |
| Location: | VARENGUEBEC, 1, FR |
| Web Views: | 383 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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