My father, David Clinton Tharp served with the 101st Airborne 502nd PIR, Reg. Hq.

Dad served in WWII as a paratrooper and survived D-Day, Carentan, Holland and the Battle of the Bulge, returning with this octagon shaped bronze plaque gifted to the soldiers after Bastogne. It was made from melted down artillery shells and hung on our dining room wall during my youth.

The pictures are of my mom and dad as sweethearts who later married in March 1946, after his return from the war. She saved every one of his letters written from the battlefields of Europe. The letters are filled with a lot of heart and soul and the reflections of a soldier, before, during and after battle, all of which resonate with our soldiers today. The letters are timeless…

I always knew of the letters that were kept in a simple cardboard box or in an end table drawer and pulled them out occasionally as a little girl, but never got past the “hello darling”. But later in 2012 and after both of my parent’s passing, I decided to read and place the letters in chronological order. It was then that I got to know my dad as an 18, 19 and 20 year old. To my surprise, a beautiful story was revealed with a beginning, middle and an end.

Those letters are now forever preserved in the book, Comes A Soldier’s Whisper, hence, the name of this Facebook page which has evolved to a veteran tribute page for all veterans and their families.

Thank you, Mom and Dad for teaching me the value of life and bestowing upon me the love of reading and writing.
Jenny
www.ComesASoldiersWhisper.com
about.me/jennylas51