Comments on: Walk Where They Fought: La Fière, 82d Airborne Division, D-Day 1944

By: Darryl Bowdoin

Darryl Bowdoin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:56:40 +0000

Juliane thank you for sharing you story. I was doing a search on my Dad James L Bowdoin and came across the comment you had made. My dad had offten talked about his friend Dale. He also named his first son Dale. He had told my brother were his name came from and the history. Thank you Darryl Bowdoin

By: JiL Launay

JiL Launay — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:43:00 +0000

Love reading all of this.I am the daughter of a 507th paratrooper who jumped onto Normandy on DDay near Fresville. For me history has come full circle as I now own a historical home at La Fiere not 3 km from where my Dad landed.To see such interest from those who have visited is heartwarming to me.

By: Janet

Janet — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:30:20 +0000

Thank you for your article. My Dad, William Buchta, was 82nd Airborne, 507th, Company D, First Platoon in WWII. As many others, I grew up listing to every word of every story Dad wanted to tell. When he and Mom visited the cemetery at Normandy back in the 80′s, the first 4 crosses Dad saw were of 4 men in his platoon… men he saw die. Needless to say, emotion got the best of him and they had to turn away. I’m sure you can well imagine what it was like went I went with my dad to see “Saving Private Ryan”, and can’t even begin to imagine what he was feeling when he saw that opening scene. The movie begins and ends at that cemetery. I think I watched Dad’s facial expression more than I watched the movie. Dad was injured in the Battle of the Bulge, and went home after over a year in hospitals in Europe and then stateside.

By: ralph wells

ralph wells — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:44:40 +0000

any body frome 3rd brig 1st of the 508 a co. 68-69

By: Harry W. Strahlendorf, Jr.

Harry W. Strahlendorf, Jr. — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:24:47 +0000

In June 2009 I was privileged to be taken to La Fiere by my Norman aviation researcher friends. I have been to Normandy many times, but this was my first visit there. I was awe-struck to think that I was standing on that very earth where our boys gave so much. As I walked that small bridge over the Menderet, I pictured those German tanks clanking along, heading toward Utah Beach to stop our assault. They were stopped in their tracks on the causeway, never allowing the enemy to retake the bridge.

My dad was a pilot with the 404th Squadron, 371st FG, 9th Air Force. He was lost over Cherbourg-Octeville on 24 June 1944 while attacking the German guns at Ft du Roule, overlooking the city. An 88mm round blew the tail completely off his aircraft and he went straight down from approx. 2000′, crashing into Octeville. Today there is a monument on his crash site on Rue du Poitoi in the town. The citizens of Octeville told me that he is their Liberator, since he was the only Allied soldier to give his life within the boundaries of the town.

By: Kevin Broderick

Kevin Broderick — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:39:35 +0000

The book near Iron Mike states (in French and in English):

To pass on the memory
To remind that today
we live in peace,
freedom, and dignity
Because others
gave their life for us

A wonderful memorial, highlight of my visit to Normandy

By: Micheal Poerio

Micheal Poerio — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:43:50 +0000

What is written on the book at the Iron Mike statue in Normandy, I was very touched by the saying but can not remember it.Thank You

By: Juliane Hass

Juliane Hass — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:35:48 +0000

My uncle Dale C. Hudson a 82nd Airborne 505 PIR Company F and Pasthfinder on Plane #10 survived D-Day, but was KIA on June 16, 1944. My father Lowell E. Hudson was drafted about 4 months later and served in the Army in Italy. His brother, Carl F. Hudson was in the Naval Air Corps and trained in the U.S. and before being deployed out of U.S., the WW II was over. Carl however, 1.5 yrs. after Dale’s death was in an air crash which took his life and was part of the USNR at that time. His sister Doris Hudson was a WAVE.

I found a letter that James L. Bowdoin wrote to Dale’s parents telling them of his sorrow of Dale’s death. I don’t know James Bowdoin, but it was comforting to know that Dale had at least one good friend while he was in the Army.

By: david jones

david jones — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:40:21 +0000

My father served in the 82nd airborne 505 company B Lt Weinberg’s platoon. He would occasionally discuss the war including D-day, the parachute drop, and the action in Ste Mere Eglise.

His only comment about La Fiere was when he moved out to the position at the bridge ; he stated, “and then it began”.

It was too painful for him to remember. He had 4 combat jumps. In addition to D-Day, he fought in Sicily, Italy, Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, across the Siegfried line into Germany. He was one of the few of the original men in his company to survive the war.

I have read a number of descriptions of the battle at La Fiere bridge and it must have been terrible for the paratroopers. Low on ammo and supplies, facing large numbers of well equipped German troops supported by armor. My dad had a photo of the his company boarding a boat after their 30 some days of action in Normandy , and his company had about 2 dozen survivors.

By: Mike Hayden

Mike Hayden — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:49:35 +0000

Thank God for the Late Syracuse Coach
Captain Floyd “Ben ” Swartzwalder