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My husband, William H. Chapman, was a paratrooper in World War II and died two years ago of lung cancer. He died at home and the Santa Clara Kaiser Hospice helped me care for him.
When Bill knew he was dying, he phoned his paratrooper buddy, who jumped with him at Normandy on V-E Day, and asked him to speak at his funeral.
His buddy, a tough paratrooper during the war, became a traveling speaking minister after the war. His name was Freddy Gladstone, of Darien, Georgia. He said he would come if Bill died before March 15, 2003, as he had a two week speaking engagement in the Bahamas.
My husband died on March 13, 2003, as God planned it.
When I phoned American Airlines to make the travel arrangements for Freddy, I told them their paratrooper-buddy story, and the airlines gave us the compassion family fare — it was like one brother flying to the funeral of another.
Indeed it was like the HBO "Band of Brothers" series — the story about the 101st Airborne, whose paratroopers jumped at Normandy and were like brothers during the long campaign ahead.
My husband and Freddy were in the 82nd Airborne, but both Airborne divisions jumped into Normandy on VE
day [sic], June 6, 1944. Another movie about the invasion was "Saving Private Ryan."
While giving the eulogy at the funeral, Freddy told how brave my husband was. As the radio operator, Bill was the second man to jump out of a C-47, loaded with 16 paratroopers. This was a scary position as Bill was right near the doorway, from where he could see the burning flak shells and the flashing of the enemy guns below and the thousands of tracer bullets cutting through the air. Freddy was in another plane, in the back, where he couldn't see the fireworks outside.
When they jumped on D-Day there were 130 men from "I" Company (508 Regiment, 82nd Airborne) jumping from eight or nine C-47 airplanes.
This was on June 6. By the morning of July 4, less than a month later, there were only 93 men from "I" Company. left on line. The other 37 men were wounded, dead, or taken prisoner.
On this 4th of July they fought all day to capture Hill 30 in France. By evening, there were only 15 men left on line. Freddy and Bill were among the 15 survivors. Even the Colonel was close to tears over the heavy losses. A costly victory, but it helped win the war.
Meanwhile on that same 4lh of July, 1944, I was a young 14 year old girl living in San Jose, California, celebrating the 4th like many other Americans, with a family BBQ and fireworks. I had no idea what my future, unknown husband was enduring.
My husband was wounded in Normandy and again, after the 82nd jumped in Holland, in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Purple Heart and a cluster to it. Freddy was also wounded and they all suffered during the Battle of the Bulge when they went 45 days without shaving.
They were cold without proper winter uniforms, and Freddy almost lost his toes from frostbite. Bill, Freddy, and the other men faced the danger of those days, took risks, enduring hardships and helped to preserve the freedom we have today.
On the 4th of July, I phoned his surviving buddies to say "thank you" for what they did over 60 years ago. I am so proud of them all.
Dolores Chapman, San Jose, California
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