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A late story regarding the anniversary of June 6th, 1944.
My thoughts today have been on all of the brave men who have fought in wars far and near to secure and maintain our freedom that I fear so many take for granted today. Tomorrow is the 65th anniversary of D-Day and as I write this, it is particularly poignant as it is a few minutes after midnight, June 6, 2009 in England, and at this time 65 years ago a young James T Barnett was loading on one of more than 900 DC-3 aircraft to fly off in the night sky to be dropped via parachute behind enemy lines. Jim would survive the rigors of D-Day and as he always managed would bring an element of humor into the experience when he spoke of it. Perhaps it was his way of coping with the horror and fear of it all. Sometimes you could see it in his eyes.
As a member of the 101st Airborne, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Jim would go on to participate in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944). He was severely wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge and laid in a snow covered trench for three days until an American aid vehicle came through and picked him up. On the way back to the aid station the vehicle was ambushed by a German patrol and Jim was even more severely wounded. Bad luck for Jim, but good luck for many who will read this.
Barnett was placed on a hospital ship and sent back to the states, and then a long train ride back to California to an Army hospital to cope with his injury's. The doctor's wanted to amputate his leg, but he implored them not to do so. After some 18 months and nearly 30 surgery's he was discharged from the Army with his leg intact and semi functioning. During his stay in the hospital he would meet a newly commissioned nurse by the name of Shirley Jean Sanborne. She would eventually resign her commission and the two were married.
At the time of his discharge Jim was told that he was 60 or 70 percent disabled (I can't remember which), and he refused to accept it! Just because one leg was three inches shorter than the other it was no big deal. He finally accepted a 20 or 30 percent disability rating just to get out of there. Absolutely amazing by today's standards. I never agreed much with Tom Brokaw's analysis of the news but when he coined them as the "Greatest Generation", I concurred. Jim and Shirley were married for 57 years and the most important thing that they accomplished (from my perspective) was having Anne Catherine Barnett, my wife of nearly 40 years! Jim would leave the military with the CIB, Bronze Star, and three purple hearts.
As I conclude this note it is already the 6th of June in Vietnam and as such marks the 40th year since the death of Mike Lafromboise. I remember Mike as a great Marine Officer, great friend and an always prepared observer. He was fearless, relentless and a great warrior. I was fortunate to have had him in my backseat during my first mission with "troops in contact". I know for a fact that through his efforts many men are still alive today and if he had it to do all over again, he would not change a thing. Through his mentoring I became a better pilot and that legacy was passed to others. It was with honor that Cathy and I named our first born son after him and his warrior legacy continues to this day. Our son Michael is a Major serving on active duty and flying the Army C-12.
The flag will fly high over the ranch tomorrow!
Jack Bentley
PS. Check out the newly published book about our unit at:
http://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Feet-Over-Hell-1968-1969/dp/0760336334/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244255218&sr=8-1
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