50 years after I
was discharged from the 508th, I had not seen or heard any of
my paratrooper friends.
Then in the summer
of 1994, I was watching TV about the 1944 invasion of Normandy.
There on the TV I saw Colonel Louis Mendez being interviewed.
I was so excited
that I went straight to the telephone and called the TVchannel and told
them that I was Colonel Mendez Jeep driver, and the colonel always called
me Red Eye.
The TV station
passed on my details to Colonel Mendez and visa versa.
When I called The
Mendez home, Louis was not at home, but Mrs. Mendez told me that for years
he has been looking for Red Eye.
Later that day
Colonel Mendez called me.
Two war buddies
enjoyed a telephone reunion after 50 years of waiting. |