Hello Everyone

Messages : 3 Date d'inscription : 25/08/2013

My grandfather's older brother, Harold Henry Swingler Jr., was an 82nd Airborne trooper and officer during WWII. He was something of a family hero and losing him was very hard on the family. My father and grandfather spoke so much of him that I feel like I knew him. He would write the sweetest of letters to his wife during the war. He also wrote some of the most outrageously funny letters to my grandfather, counseling him on how to get the attention of women. My grandfather, both parents and I also served in the Army. My grandfather was in the Army Air Corps. My mother was an Army dietitian and officer. She left the Army after I was born. My father was an Army officer from 1967 until 1989 and retired an Lt. Colonel. I was an enlisted Soldier and Army Combat Photographer.

When I was a kid, my father was stationed in Germany. In 1984, when I was 11, we made a trip to Normandy. At the time, my father was reading "Night Drop" by S.L.A. Marshall. The book describes action Harold participated in at Salerno, Biazza and Ste. Mere-Eglise. We made a visit to Ste. Mere-Eglise, where Harold had dropped in on D-Day minus 1. At one point during the visit my family and I were attempting to look through the gates of a farm for "Hill 20." The owner walked up and asked if he could help. Through my mother's broken French and the farmer's limited English, he figured out why we were there. Turns out he was reading a French version of "Night Drop". My father pointed out the passages which mentioned Harold. The farmer gave us the grand tour of his house, pointing out bullet holes in his home from the battle. He also took us to see a museum dedicated to the 82nd. There we found my uncle's name: "Captain Harold Henry Swingler, "Swede." The time I spent in Ste. Mere-Iglies was one of the most memorable vacations of my life. (I'll post a photo of my family with the farmer the next time I visit my parents.)

I want to thank you all for keeping the memory of Harold and his comrades alive. It means a lot to families like mine.

Marc Swingler

Fichiers joints

Gavin.jpg: Letter from Gen. Gavin to my Great Grandfather about Harold; Vous n'avez pas la permission de télécharger les fichiers joints.; (368 Ko) Téléchargé 9 fois

Capt. Harold Swingler England.jpg: Harold in England; Vous n'avez pas la permission de télécharger les fichiers joints.; (140 Ko) Téléchargé 9 fois

Hello Marc.

You are our very welcome guest here. We sure have a lot to learn from you.
Don't hesitate to have a look to our different posts and if you have questions we'll do our best to give you an answer.

One of our members "Gennaker" is our english translator, he's better than me for this job but i'll do my best to help you if I can.

Our president (taylor) is also active member of the famous museum you visited in Sainte-Mère-Eglise when you where a kid.

Thank you very much for the added letter and picture of your uncle.
Where was it taken and when ?

Be welcome on this forum and in Normandie (and perhaps next year for the 70's D-Day anniversery Question

)

Thank you for your very interesting mail.

Mirabelle

You are welcome.

I wish I will meet you next year for 70th anniversary in Normandy.

Best Regards

Voici la traduction de la présentation de Mr Marc SWINGLER.

Le frère ainé de mon grand-père, Harold Henry Swingler Jr, était un soldat de la 82nd Airborne et il était officier durant la seconde guerre mondiale. Il était une sorte de héro familial et sa perte a été très dure pour notre famille. Mon père et mon grand père ont tant parlé de lui que j'ai l'impression de l'avoir connu. Il écrivait de tendre lettre a son épouse durant la guerre et il écrivait aussi des lettres désopilantes à mon grand-père lui conseillant dans la manière d'attirer les filles. Mon grand-père, mes parents et moi-même avons servi dans l'armée. Mon grand-père a servi l'army air corps. Ma mère était diététicienne militaire et officier.Elle quitté l'armée à ma naissance. Mon père a été offocioer de l'army de 1967 à 1989, il a pris sa retraite avec le grade de Lt Colonel. J'ai été engagé volontaire et photographe de guerre.

Marc Swingler

Pour le reste voyez son intervention sur notre forum ici

https://carentanlibertygroup.forumgratuit.org/t677-le-tigre-de-biazza