RIP mr Freeman. The last surviving member of the famed Easy Company, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne has passed.
Bradford Freeman, last surviving member of Easy has died.
- Thread starter dukeboy440
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Agreed. He was 97 or 98 I think
As a retired paratrooper...the badassery of these guys parachuting in the 1940s is just amazing.
Rest Well Soldier.
"Airborne All the Way"
Rest Well Soldier.
"Airborne All the Way"
Treblig
Well-Known Member
My Dad (WW II Vet) would probably still be alive today despite losing his leg in the Ardennes Offensive He was young at 84 many years ago but fell and hit his head (the wooden leg surely made it hard for him to catch his fall). He's on the right. I've posted this pic before and can not understand why a man who had just lost his leg and suffered with gangreen could have such a big smile on his face??? He actually looks happy, maybe because he had just met my Mom who worked at the VA hospital?? He was 6' 2" when he joined but only weighed 95 pounds by the time he got back to the states (unconcious) on a stretcher.
My dad is 93 and was too young to get drafted. His older two brothers did though. One was in the South Pacific in the heat of things going island to island to root out the Japanese. My dad did get drafted during Korea but was posted stateside in California, as the US thought there would be attacks on the West Coast.
vntned
Well-Known Member
My Grandfather was 1st Cavalry and fought in the Philippines in the Pacific front. He fought in the Battle of Luzon. After the bomb was dropped, he went to Japan as an occupying force and to help with cleanup. 25yrs later, at the age of 46, he died from Childrens Leukemia. Speculated by doctors to be a result from the heavy radiation exposure while in Japan.
Truly the greatest generation of men to ever exist!
Truly the greatest generation of men to ever exist!
Even though he lived a long, full life, I'm quite sad right now.
What unit was he in
Treblig
Well-Known Member
His discharge papers say "infantry unassigned" but in his memoirs he wrote that he was (1943) with the 42 Div, Camp Gruber, OK then moved to Brackenrich (sp) Kentucky and was assigned to the 75 Div to go overseas. From Kentucky he was moved to Camp Shanks, New York to ship out to Europe (Liverpool, Eng) then to Normandy. Then he was assigned to the 3rd Army to move accross France. I guess during war the military just assigns you to any unit they wish to accomplish the main goal??
Yes/no. Paratroopers were all volunteers. But yeah, the rest mostly served at the needs of the army. 3rd army would definitely have been at The Bulge. 75th infantry div actually also served in Korea, but were transformed to the 75th Ranger battalion. My grandfather served in the 75th Rangers at the end of Korea . Though he was a combat engineer, not Ranger tabbed.
Treblig
Well-Known Member
Aren't the combat engineers the guys/gals that build bridges and stuff on the front lines so the troops can advance??
That, buildings etc and find mines and blow up IEDs (modern day)
Cuda Hunter
Well-Known Member
I thank all those who have helped preserve our Freedoms.
Thank you servicemen. Without you, we would be no more.
I hope that any of you that have kin that served in the war get as many stories as you can. When we forget, we repeat. Let's not forget these men.
Thank you servicemen. Without you, we would be no more.
I hope that any of you that have kin that served in the war get as many stories as you can. When we forget, we repeat. Let's not forget these men.
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