Replies: 14
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110%er [5461]
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A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 8:44 AM
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2nd Lt. William Harth was killed when his bomber was shot down during the raid on the Ploiesti oil fields in Romania during WW II. His unidentified remains were buried in Romania and later moved to Belgium. Through extensive DNA testing his remains were finally identified. Lt. Harth's remains arrived at CAE last night at 9 PM and claimed by his relatives. It is often said that the real heroes are the ones that don't return home, but in this case a hero is returning home. Lt. Harth's remains will be interned in his final resting place tomorrow at Fort Jackson with full Military Honors. Lt. Harth was a Gamecock and a hero! I salute and thank you sir!
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Heisman Winner [131739]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 9:03 AM
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a sad story with a happy ending. God bless the family.
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Legend [15354]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 9:30 AM
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Glad he has been found and identified. Thankful for his service and sacrifice for our country!
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CU Medallion [54856]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 6, 2018, 9:30 AM
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Yep, and one of the sad things is that, a lot of people act towards our military like no one ever dies, yet Americans lay in the ground all over the world with their families wanting them home, and no body still don't know where they have been buried in unmarked graves. War is no game!!!
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Starter [359]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 9:40 AM
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My Grandmother's brother was MIA/KIA on that same mission: Tidal Wave, August 1 1943. He was never found, certainly not reurned. There was only a letter from the Air Corp that he had been lost on that mission. In the 1990s I decided to pursue his fate. It was an interesting journey thru so many publications, web searches, interviews. etc. But success. I was able to gather SO much info. Though those that grieved his loss were all long deceased, it gave me much satisfaction to know what all went down. My respect was certainly confirmed for those boys defending our freedom.
Here's to you Capt. HL Jarvis. 93rd Bomb Group aka Ted's Travelling Circus.
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CU Medallion [67093]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home- all heroes
Apr 5, 2018, 9:57 AM
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I hope there is a big turnout to honor this ms man.My dad was on B-24's and I have found his squadron and some of the crew survivors. even talked to the co pilot who was till alive. it was a very enriching experience for me as my dad has been gone 50 years and never shared much on this period of time
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Orange Blooded [2281]
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A Salute to all those brave men!
Apr 5, 2018, 10:19 AM
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A friend's father flew 25 missions in a B-17 over Germany. They said he almost never talked about it. I never knew him, but my friend once told me that one night, when his father was drunk from a Christmas party, he remembered his dad telling him that of the 25 missions, 17 of them his plane came home with some damage, 3 of them major damage and a dead crew member. I saw pictures of him at college before WWII, athletic and black-haired and after, shrunken and gray haired although he was only twenty three years old. He finished law school and became a successful lawyer, but died at age thirty two. His family was always convinced that it was the stress of those missions that killed him. I knew a minister, one of the most gentle men on earth. One day his daughter showed me something she found hidden in old chest in the attic. He was a sergeant in the 82nd Airborne and had won a bronze and silver star for killing over 17 known Germans and possibly a dozen more on D-Day, in Market Garden, and at the Battle of the Bulge. I could not believe this gentle man with that killer in those commendations so I had to ask. He told me, "I figured I had killed enough people and the Good Lord wanted me to save more than I killed to make up for it." God I loved that man. He taught me a lot.
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Orange Blooded [3321]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 11:35 AM
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Tremendous news about Lt Harth. I hope there is a large turnout for his interment. A cousin from Brevard is buried in England and I'm fairly certain few of his family including his mother have been able to view the grave. He was a tailgunner on the B-17 nick named Dry Gulcher. Early on a mission to bomb the rocket factory at Peenemunde, the plane caught fire as it was forming up with other bombing units over England. He was the only one of the crew failing to make it out after being trapped by severed control cables. The citizens of the town near the crash site provided an impressive marker commemorating the crew. The Plane's commanding officer was Irving J Moore who went on to have an impressive career in the entertainment industry directing over 300 television and movie productions.
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All-In [40432]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 1:20 PM
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I’m so grateful his remains finally get to come home and get a proper burial.
My grandfather was a crew member on a B-17 in Europe. He never would talk about it. There are so many heroes from that generation that so many from this generation of youth coming up will never know anything about. It’s very sad to know that they are coming up knowing nothing about what it means to sacrifice for freedom.
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Heisman Winner [131739]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 3:20 PM
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A Men. You are so right. My son and I talk about history a lot.
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Hall of Famer [22127]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 5, 2018, 4:55 PM
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DNSA testing has had some wonderful results identifying unknown casualties. I know his return opens old wounds but at the same time it can be comforting knowing he is finally home. My deep appreciation for his service.
One of my high school buddies made several raids over the Ploiesti Oil Fields and he told me about their flying just over the tree tops to avoid detection. On one flight his plane took some flak but were able to make it safely back to his base.
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Orange Blooded [3750]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 6, 2018, 6:28 AM
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THANKS FOR POSTING+1
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110%er [5093]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 6, 2018, 8:17 AM
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I was rewatching band of brothers the other night when I couldn’t sleep.
It’s sad to think of all the men who died from their airplanes being shot down. Especially the infantry guys. They spent months/years training and never even made it to the fight.
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CU Medallion [54856]
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Re: A Hero Returns Home
Apr 6, 2018, 9:35 AM
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That is an awesome series, and I have watched the whole movie every part several times!!!
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All-In [45288]
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These men are without a doubt the greatest generation.....
Apr 6, 2018, 8:37 AM
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I admire and acknowledge all who served, but these men were extraordinary. My Uncle James, an infantryman, received a Silver Star from General Patton himself. Never talked about the war. If you looked at him you would never suspect any of the above. Yet there it was. My father was in Panama when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He didn't believe when first told. Started in the Army Air Corps. Spent 27 years in USAF serving in WWII and Korean War. His plane was a P-61 Black Widow. One of the first with radar in the nose and rockets on the wings. He gave me the heavy coat that the USAF gave him. They were going to set up the first U.S. Airstrip in Russia during WWII. This would have allowed bombers to land in Russia and refuel and reload with bombs to double the load on Germany. Hitting them coming and going. The Russians scrubbed this idea at the last minute. They feared us. He was never a hero except in my eyes. May these brave men rest in peace. God bless them.
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