“Those were MEN.”
I knew one. But really didn’t know ALL about him.
Jack McNeice, a member of an elite fraternity: walked out of
four combat jumps over WWII Europe.
He was a postal carrier and I attended church with him and his kids
(my age) when I was growing up.
Maybe when I was about 16, someone tried to tell me that “Mr. McNeice”
had been a romping, stomping paratrooper in WWII. I simply refused to
believe it...until I saw his name and address in one of the Cornelius Ryan
books (”A Bridge Too Far”?) and his home city, as an interviewee.
Mr. McNeice only made any sort of public comment about his past to
Guard members that were on their way to Iraq for Gulf War I.
His story in in this book:
FILTHY THIRTEEN: From the Dustbowl to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest -
The True Story of the101st Airborne’s Most Legendary Squad of Combat Paratroopers
by Richard Killblane
thanks for the heads up and thanks for the link to the book ...will surely check it out.
I didnt know many of my fathers stories until his funeral. My uncles told the tales of my fathers experiences, one having been on a ship in the Pacific and getting word that his mother had died. My uncle was at Normandy...never did talk about it. They all were proud of their involvement and passed down love of country and responsibility to it...they came from a family of 13. 3 girls the rest boys ..and everyone of the boys have served in the military. WW2, Korea and Vietnam.