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Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
The eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, Teddy Jr. didn’t let a cane stop him from storming the beach on D-Day. Roosevelt was the only General to land with the first wave of troops at Normandy and he had to fight to get there. In addition to battling arthritis, Roosevelt Jr. had a heart condition and wasn’t originally scheduled to join the troops until he insisted in a written letter to the Major General. Roosevelt helped the troops navigate an erroneous landing spot apparently exclaiming, “We have landed in the wrong place, but we will start the war from here.” To top it all off, Roosevelt Jr. wore a knit wool cap in place of the more traditional army helmet.
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Birger Stromsheim
December 12 2012 at 11:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySomeone needs to get there story right, SOE was part of the British war effort. The US equivalent was known as the OSS.
You only have part of the story about Buck Compton. When he left his plane over Normandy on D Day, the prop blast broke the strap on his helmet and his leg bag, both of which disappeared into the early morning darkness with 99% of his gear. When he touched down, he said he was ready to fight the Huns with 2 grenades and a trench knife! It wasn't until hours later that he got a Thompson from an injured officer and took it into battle, unbeknownst to him that it had a broken firing pin which he promptly discovered at the Battle of Brecourt Manor in a German trench.
May 21 2012 at 9:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWhen asked his greatest achievement in life, he answered "my family". He also was the type of man who could see the best in people and bring it out of them without even trying. He was my friend and a mentor and I miss him tremendously.
Theodore Roosevelt Jr died of a heart attack on July 12th and was buried on July 14th, which was also the 26th Anniversary of his younger brother Quentin's death, killed during WW1. TR Jr was buried at Normandy and Quentin's body was exhumed from his original grave site and interred next to his older brother.
May 21 2012 at 2:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyReally should have included Hunter S Thompson in this list!
May 07 2012 at 8:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply