After receiving a phone call from Steve, the other day, I went out and bought the book

They Called it "Purple Heart Valley" written and photographed by one of my favorites, Margaret Bourke-White.

He said his uncle Omar was in one of the pics, featuring the 39th Combat Engineers. I said I wanted the book, so searched online and found a good copy for a good price.

I recognized some of the pics, which David Wagner ( also of the 39th), had sent to me years before.

One thing I have to say about Margaret, is this - she paid great homage to the combat engineers and there are many photographs of them. So pleased to see this.

Received a very nice letter and a generous donation to our WWII jukebox this morning. The gentlemen stated:

 

Just learned of your site tonight, I think that I have spent $25 in nickels already. I found you by searching for "Choc'lot Solders from the USA", a very popular tune when we landed in England in 1944. Any clues where I can find it? Thanks. Nav Fosse, US army retired some 100 years ago (it seems)

 

 

So got to looking around and found the lyrics:

Chocolate drop, always fast asleep

Dozin in his cosy bed

Chocolate drop has got no time for sleep

He's riding in a jeep instead

They used to call in lazy bones in Harlem

Lazy good for nothing all the day

But now they're mighty proud of him in Harlem

Chocolate soldier from the USA.

They used to call him just a chocolate dreamer

Until the day he heard the bugle play

They made a coloured Doughboy out of dreamer

Chocolate soldier from the USA.

Never in the school room

Always in the pool room

For a nickel or a dime he'd croon

His idea of heaven

Was seven come eleven

And dancing every evening neath the yellow Harlem moon

He used to get a scolding from his mammy

But now you'll hear his mammy proudly say

He's somewhere over there for Uncle Sammy

Chocolate Soldier from the USA.

I did locate the MP3 on the UK version of Amazon and have asked Colin if he would download it for me, for I can't purchase it directly with my US account. Can't wait to get a copy and share it with Nav. Of course will add it to our jukebox too. Oh the song is done by Lou Preager and His Orchestra.

I actually found a copy on some other sites, but you have to join, and I do not feel comfortable doing so anymore, due to "cookies" they place on your computer and the privacy issue, etc. I'd rather stick with Amazon.

Our very own Jim Hennessey of the 87th Infantry Division, was recently featured here:

Bayonne World War II Veteran Profiled in Irish Publication

http://www.bayonnenj.org/2013/10/23/bayonne-world-war-ii-veteran-profiled-in-irish-publication-2/

He also snailed-mailed me another article, which I still need to scan and share with you shortly. Stay tuned for more.

Thanks Jim and congrats!

Hope you have a great one!!

'Fallen 9000' Project: Thousands Of Stenciled Bodies In The Sand Serve As Poignant D-Day Tribute (PHOTOS)

You have to see this to believe it. Please click on the link and see back in awe.

An ambitious installation that was put together by hundreds of volunteers, the "Fallen 9000" project serves as a reminder of the staggering cost of lost peace.

A tribute to the roughly 9,000 civilians, Allies and German soldiers alike who lost their lives on D-Day, the project involved the painstaking stenciling of 9,000 silhouettes on the Normandy beach at Arromanches where so much blood was once shed.