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NBC News
His 18-man "stick" had 11 seconds to get out of the plane. He landed in a cemetery.
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This morning Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation, interviewed a paratrooper who jumped into Normandy on D-Day. The Today Show was covering the 70th Anniversary Services in France and the old soldier talking to the old reporter looked very familiar to us.
January 10, 2014
The massive national World War II museum in downtown New Orleans "tells the story of the American Experience in the war that changed the world — why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today — so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn."
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| Tom jumped out the side door of a C-47 like this… ended up way off target in a cemetery, alone. |
Stan and Kathleen examined three floors of artifacts, photographs, video presentations and exhibits today, but the biggest thrill was talking to Tom Blakely. He's the real deal. He jumped into France on D-Day with the 82nd Airborne and, even better, was eager to talk this morning. He was 21 years old in 1944, which would make him almost 90 today, by our calculations and he's still very sharp and conversant. A treasure.
There were 18 men in his "stick" in the C-47 and they were released far from their drop zone that night. Tom landed in a cemetery, in the dark, alone, but he had all of his equipment and his wits. You could see it in his eyes, that he remembered the experience very well.
Do you remember that scene in "Saving Private Ryan" where Tom Hanks and Matt Damon made a courageous stand at a bridge over the Meredet toward the end of the movie and were eventually saved by an air assault? Well, Tom actually fought in that battle. He's the real deal.
Tom had trained for eight months in Nottingham, England, getting to know Airborne tactics, his fellow members of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the local townspeople.
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| Photos by Kathleen Rolfsrud |
He remembers well the English woman who washed clothing for him and his buddies. Over their months of training, she had come to know her Americans, understandably forming attachments to these young Yanks.
After more than two months of hard-fighting in France, members of the 82nd returned to their home camp in Nottingham for rest and refitting.
The unit's sudden and secret D-Day departure had left no time for personal errands or goodbyes. Tom's voice softened today as he talked about finally picking up his laundry from a very disconsolate laundress. She was slowly becoming aware that many of her boys would never come back. She was holding washed and pressed clothing that would never be worn again. Who would come back to claim his wash? Who would not?
Out of respect for their fallen comrades, Tom and others redeemed the sad unclaimed bundles, a last gesture of support for their dear lost friends. "That's all we could do," he said wistfully, sadly, all these years later.
After more than two months of hard-fighting in France, members of the 82nd returned to their home camp in Nottingham for rest and refitting.
The unit's sudden and secret D-Day departure had left no time for personal errands or goodbyes. Tom's voice softened today as he talked about finally picking up his laundry from a very disconsolate laundress. She was slowly becoming aware that many of her boys would never come back. She was holding washed and pressed clothing that would never be worn again. Who would come back to claim his wash? Who would not?
Out of respect for their fallen comrades, Tom and others redeemed the sad unclaimed bundles, a last gesture of support for their dear lost friends. "That's all we could do," he said wistfully, sadly, all these years later.
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We look forward to more visits to this museum. We've been on the railroad passenger car simulating a cross-country passage to an Army assignment; we watched videos narrated by the late Ed Bradley; we'll soon go "under sea" in the Tang, simulating a submarine experience; but mostly, we hope to talk to other members of the greatest generation like Tom, to hear their personal stories of real experiences.
We look forward to more visits to this museum. We've been on the railroad passenger car simulating a cross-country passage to an Army assignment; we watched videos narrated by the late Ed Bradley; we'll soon go "under sea" in the Tang, simulating a submarine experience; but mostly, we hope to talk to other members of the greatest generation like Tom, to hear their personal stories of real experiences.
