My Memorial Day Remembrance

The following are facts. What isn't revealed is the suffering of so many, the human face that goes with each casualty and those who are left behind to mourn.  I never knew the story until I did research about my family and the letters and poems left behind by a mother who lost her only son.

"The 80th Division set sail aboard the SS Queen Mary on July 4, 1944, landing a few days later on July 7 at Greenock, Firth of Clyde, Scotland. The arrival of the 80th Division in England brought the European Theater of Operations total of U.S. Divisions to 22: 14 infantry, 6 armored, and 2 airborne.

The Division proceeded south to Northwich, England via trains for additional training. Training included learning how to waterproof equipment for the upcoming channel crossing. The Division crossed the English Channel in LSTs and Liberty Ships landing in Normandy on Utah Beach shortly after noon on August 2, 1944, D-Day + 57 and assembled near St. Jores, France. A few days later on August 8, 1944, the 80th was initiated into battle when it took over the LeMans bridgehead.

By the end of the war, May 7, 1945, the 80th Division had seen 277 days of combat. It had captured 212,295 enemy soldiers. The 80th Division returned to the United States in January 1946, after spending time in Europe helping to restore and keep peace after the war. The 80th Division had been one of the stalwarts of Patton's Third Army, but it cost them dearly. During their 277 days of combat, the 80th Infantry Division had 17,087 casualties:

Killed in Action	3,038
Wounded	12,484
Missing	488
Captured	1,077
Total Casualties	17,087

According to reports, the 80th Division's "bloodiest day" was 8 October 1944, where approximately 115 Men lost their lives. The "bloodiest month" was September, 1944.

The words on the marker for her dead son who lay buried elsewhere read:

Memorial
To my Son
First Lieutenant Harry Lewis Sadler
Killed in Action Sept 13, 1944
Buried Lorraine France

The other facts are: 

Harry L. Sadler

Captain, U.S. Army

318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Divison

Entered the Service from: New Jersey

Died: 13-Sep-44

Buried at: Plot F Row 15 Grave 37

Lorraine American Cemetery

St. Avold, France

Awards: Purple Heart

No one else in my family died in a war.  My mother told me that my great grandfather made it back to his home after the surrender at Appomattox with his horse, Old Rock.  He was wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1963. He was shot twice the same day. The first wound so disabled him that he could not walk. He attempted to crawl off the field when a fuse plug out of a bomb shell entered his side and lodged under his backbone. He was considered mortally wounded; fell into enemies and was a prisoner for 9 months at Port Lookout, MD. This was a terrible wound and greatly shortened his days. He was at Appomattox Court House and was paroled on April 9, 1865.  My grandmother was only 2 months old when he died.

My uncle was at Normandy Beach and did not talk about what he saw.  I used to wear his uniform which was many sizes too big for me. Another uncle was captain of a troop ship and carried many troops to their destination in World War II.  I have no idea of the sacrifices they made and cannot conjure up what it was like for them.

 To the dead, so many of them lying where few visit or even know the struggle on that ground, I wonder about the brutality of it all,  perhaps as the poet Langston Hughes did:

Ice-cold passion
And a bitter breath
Adorned the bed
Of Youth and Death –
Youth, the young soldier
Who went to the wars
And embraced white Death,
The vilest of whores.

Now we spread roses
Over your tomb –
We who sent you
To your doom.
Now we make soft speeches
And sob soft cries
And throw soft flowers
And utter soft lies.

We would mould you in metal
And carve you in stone,
Not daring to make statue
Of your dead flesh and bone,
Not daring to mention
The bitter breath
Nor the ice-cold passion
Of your love-night with Death

We make soft speeches.
We sob soft cries
We throw soft flowers,
And utter soft lies.
And you who were young
When you went to the wars
Have lost your youth now
With the vilest of whores.