) As a 101st Airborne paratrooper and radio communicator with the 502nd PIR, David Tharp fought in Normandy, Carentan, Holland and the Battle of the Bulge. He was mystified with his life and body intact. Whatever you read or heard, it was much worse War changes a soldier. It changes his family too. A soldier things as many things in battle His fellow soldiers. His family and especially the letters from home. Those letters were his only link to home…..
Billy Walker Smith is our decorated WWII soldier and father featured today. Billy later became a member of company “F” of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment and spent time in Evansville, Indiana during the spring/summer of 1943 as part of the Tennessee maneuvers in preparations for the D Day invasion. I believe that my father, David Tharp (Comes A Soldier’s Whisper) was most likely at these maneuvers, as Dad lived in Petersburg, Indiana and was also in the 101st airborne…..
What makes one soldier different from the next? His strength? His attitude? His weapons? His uniform? His gear? It may be that a man’s energy makes him stand apart from the rest. Our energy defines to others who we are and what we are capable of. Energy puts the whole package together. The combined energy of many soldiers within a group creates a formidable tower of endurance and brotherhood, one they carry for the rest of their lives. The difference…..
Instead of shopping Amazon, choose Smile Amazon & make your purchase count by having a percentage go to the charity of your choice. You shop. Amazon gives @ http://smile.amazon.com/ Comes A Soldier’s Whisper supports Operation First Response who gives assistance to our veterans transitioning from the military to civilian life…. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates to the charitable organization of your choice. Who will you support? America giving back one day and one purchase at a time… www.comesasoldierswhisper.com…..
CURRAHEE BROTHER 101st Airborne 506th PIR In Eternal salute and appreciation to William Guarnere for his service to his country. May he rest in peace. THE SOLDIER’S GRAVE Breathe not a whisper here; The place where thou dost stand is hallowed ground; In silence gather near this upheaved mound – Around the soldier’s bier. Here Liberty may weep, And Freedom pause in her unchecked career, To pay tribute of a tea O’er the pale warrior’s sleep. That arm now cold…..
“Why preserve? Because we can’t know where we’re going unless we know where we’ve been- we can’t understand the future or the present until we have some sort of knowledge of the past.” ~ Martin Scorsese, Director & Film Preservationist Perhaps by preserving our past and understanding our father’s experience and the roles they played in history, we can understand ourselves a bit more in the process. Keep our soldiers and their families in your thoughts for the roles they…..
For those who served or have a family member or friend that served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan and wish to participate in our interview questionnaire forum for for review and consideration in our next project Comes A Soldier’s Whisper VIETNAM and Beyond, please send your request on the Contact Author page of our website at comesasoldierswhisper.com/contact/ We honor and respect all veterans of all wars and wish to pay tribute to them in our next project due…..
October 17, 1944, Lt. Peter “Mad Russian” Baranowski of Hq. Company, 506th PIR, is photographed here with his parachuting dog “Jaint de Montmorency”. In several instances, dogs jumped with their masters during training in the United States and England. Although this German Shepherd is the only dog that made a combat jump in the European Theatre of Operations with American airborne forces. The dog wore a U.S. flag on a yellow triangle shaped identification panel. During the siege of Bastogne…..
“The Golden Warrior and the and the bravest man I ever knew. When Dave and I fought together, no matter how severe the action, he would put his hand on my shoulder, and it gave me a calming effect. He was as fierce in battle as he was gentle in friendship.” ~ Charles E. Eckman, 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles, 502nd PIR, Regimental Headquarters The above words were spoken by 101st Airborne paratrooper, Charles Eckman who became life long friends with…..
David Tharp is pictured here with his comrades & friends at a reunion after the war. Dad is the tall one in back row second from left. I believe Jim Ott is seated in front. They were very good friends. I remember meeting him at one of the reunions as a child. Mr. Ott spoke fluent German and was the interpreter for German prisoners. Dad’s wartime letters would later reveal that he wrote that their unit “was awarded the Presidential…..
