After several days of house-to-house combat in the city of Nijmegen, and a perilous river crossing in canvas collapsible boats, the bridge at Nijmegen was captured intact. Later in 1944 and the winter of '45, the men of the 82^nd Airborne Division would again distinguish themselves as they helped stop the German offensive in Belgium in the costliest single battle ever fought by U.S. soldiers, the Battle of the Bulge. This young soldier would live to see many of his fellow troopers killed or wounded in combat.

When World War II ended in 1945 [after several months of occupation duty as honor guards and security forces for General Eisenhower's head-quarters in Frankfurt-am-Main] the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment returned to the United States] our young soldier would return to the family farm in Iowa where he married his high school sweetheart (now wife of 53 years). The soldier that I am writing about is my father, Kenneth Cuddeback.  

To my father and to all of the other men and women who have put on the uniform and defended our nation's freedom over the years, I say a heartfelt thank you.”

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Over the years,  Kenneth and Marion Cuddeback participated in the activities of the 508^Th Parachute Infantry Regiment WW II Association and Hq1. They attended reunions, cheered up ailing friends and comrades and were loved and respected by their contemporaries.

After Kenneth Cuddeback died in 2000, Marion, his wife, and James, his son, continued to participate in the Hq1 and Association activities.  Ken would like that!

Kenneth and Marion Cuddeback 

Marion Cuddeback resides at 1690 250^th Street, Washington, IA  52353