|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| 9th
Infantry Division — World
War II — Normandy, France |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emile
Hardelay and Vincent Z. Whaley
|
Following
World War II, Emile Hardelay eventually
took over his father's duties as caretaker
of Le Bois du Hommet, or the Hommet
Woods in Normandy, France.
Hardelay found several personal belongings
of American GIs, spent rounds from
German MG 42 machine guns and some
jagged steel pieces used on American
Sherman tanks to bust through hedgerows.
During my April 1999 visit to Normandy
and following a tour of Le Bois du
Hommet, Hardelay presented me with
some of his findings from the Hommet
Woods, including a spent German MG42
round and a large piece of pointed
steel that was used for the "rhinoceros"
hedegrow busting devices on American
tanks. Hardelay also gave me an American
GI canteen he found after the war
in the vicinity of Omaha
Beach.
Merci beaucoup, mon ami, Emile!
Thank you very much to Emile Hardelay,
his wife, Yvette; Pierre Hebert, his
wife, Josette; and Claude Heller,
his wife, Isabelle, and son, Guilluame,
for a most wonderful trip in April
1999. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing
your wartime memories and cultures
during my stay, and I very much appreciate
all of your kindess and hospitality.
Merci beaucoup!
[ Back
to Photographs • Previous
Photograph • Next
Photograph ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
