We Who Are Alive and Remain (38 page)

My older brother and I went to the funeral parlor to make the final arrangements. I couldn’t imagine the funeral parlor playing all that generic music at the wake. I just love Big Band music from the 1940s, the music of my father’s era. I had a Glenn Miller CD with me, so I asked the funeral director if it would be okay if we played that for background music. The music turned out to be perfect. CJ, my youngest (my father absolutely loved him), drew some pictures that we put in the casket.

For Dad’s wake, a line of people stretched out the door of the funeral parlor and around the block; sixteen hundred people came to his funeral to pay their respects. There was not enough room for everybody.

Dad was buried with his medals on his chest, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and others. We had no idea that he had medals. He had never told us about them. He was buried at the Veterans’ Cemetery in Exeter, Rhode Island. It’s a beautiful spot with a lot of flowers around. They make it beautiful there.

At the funeral, I (George Jr.) sat in the front row of the church with my mom, wife, sister, brother, and family. Person after person came by and told us how much my father meant to him or her. One man I didn’t know touched the top of the casket and said with tears in his eyes, “Good-bye, George”—that really touched me. I had no idea who the man was, but Dad had obviously meant a lot to him.

Strange that it took my father’s death for me to really understand the impact he had on people. Right there at the funeral I said to myself, From here on I want to be the best I can be, someone I hope he would be proud of. I wanted to do something more with my life to measure up to what my father did with his.

One of the hardest parts for me was simply realizing he wasn’t there anymore. I’d think of something during the day and want to call my dad to talk, but then have to stop and realize he was really gone. In 2000 my sister and I were able to convince Mom to attend the Easy Company reunion in Biloxi. Mom had one condition: “as long as we go as a family,” and we did. I went so I could reconnect with the men who had meant so much to my father. When I saw Johnny Martin, he recognized me right away, and he welled up. Babe Heffron came over and told me how great my dad was. Jack Foley told me that every unit needs a George Luz. While at a conference at the Army War College in Carlyle, I and my friend John had the privilege of having dinner with Ethel and Dick Winters. My mom and dad admired and loved them both very much. I hadn’t seen Dick since the 1981 reunion in San Diego. To me, connecting with the men felt like connecting with Dad again.

I (Lana) paid tribute another way. Three years after Dad died, the
Band of Brothers
miniseries came out. Some people in West Warwick got cable just because of that series. At first, watching the series felt private to me. So my mom came up and we watched it at my house. Then we decided we needed to do something larger. We rented the Elks Hall and a big-screen TV with surround sound and gathered family and friends. I took snippets of all the scenes actor Rick Gomez was in (who played my dad) and spliced them together. We watched the clips and then played the final episode. It was just wonderful. I think Dad would have really enjoyed being there—he would have loved seeing all his friends and family, watching it together.

This memory puts my father’s life into perspective for me—sure, life continues, but losing a parent is about the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. As a child I remember lying in bed at night saying my prayers and asking God to let me die before my father died. Isn’t that strange? I didn’t know what I’d do without my father. I just couldn’t fathom life without my dad.

In many ways that’s still how I feel today. Not that I want to be gone, but I truly miss my father. It’s hard to imagine life without him. I know a lot of people feel the same way. George Luz Sr. was a great man. He is truly missed by many.

Easy Company’s Campaigns 1944-1945

July-Nov. 1942:
506th PIR activated at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. Basic Training. Hike from Toccoa to Atlanta in late November.

 

Dec. 1942:
Parachute training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Additional training at Benning through February ’43.

 

Feb.-May 1943
: Additional training exercises at Camp Mackall, North Carolina. More training jumps.

 

June-Aug. 1943:
Additional training in Kentucky and Tennessee, then to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

 

Sept. 1943:
Regiment moves to Camp Shanks, New York, boards SS
Samaria
for England. Arrive in Swindon and moved to Aldbourne.

 

Sept. 1943-May 1944
: Additional training in Aldbourne. In May moves to marshalling area near Exeter, England, then to Upottery Airfield.

 

June 6, 1944:
Jump into France. June 7-8 various battles in Normandy.

 

June 8-16, 1944:
Battle for Carentan.

 

June 29, 1944:
Company is relieved and returns to Aldbourne.

 

Sept. 17, 1944:
Company jumps at Zon, Holland, and advances into Eindhoven, heading for Arnhem. Series of intense battles along “Hell’s Highway” throughout September.

 

Oct. 3, 1944:
Company is relieved from duty around Eindhoven and transported by truck to the Island, the area between the Waal and the Neder Rhine. Patrols and battles until November when Company is relieved and sent to Mourmelon, France.

 

December 17, 1944:
Company sent to Bastogne, Belgium, to fight in Bois Jacques woods.

 

January 13-16, 1944:
Fighting around Foy, Noville, and Rachamps.

 

Jan. 19-Feb. 25, 1944:
Company is relieved and moved to Hagenau. Fights along the Moder River.

 

March 1945:
Now back in Mourmelon, the entire 101st Airborne Division receives the Presidential Unit Citation. This is the first time an entire division has been honored this way.

 

April 1945:
Company heads into Germany. Finds concentration camps. Occupies Berchtesgaden.

 

April 8, 1945:
Victory in Europe day.

 

April 6-10, 1945
: Company moves to Kaprun, Austria. Begins occupation duties.

 

May-November, 1945:
High-point men are rotated home.

Understanding Easy Company’s Placement: Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne, World War II

Known Members of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
³

Aldrich, PFC

Alley, James H. Jr., Sgt.

Andrews, Owen L., Pvt.

Ansell, Keith

 

Bain, Roderick G., T/5

Baker, Pvt.

Baldwin, Kenneth T., Cpl.

Ballew, Raymond L., PFC

Barnwell, Archibold Smith, 2nd Lt.

Bay, Conrad, M., PFC

Bealke, Frederick G., Pvt.

Becker, Paul L., Sgt.

Bellino, Salvator F., PFC

Benton, James V., Cpl.

Berg, Richard F., Pvt.

Bernat, Edward J., PFC

Blake, Homer T., Pvt.

Blithe, Albert, PFC

Bloser, Robert J., Pvt.

Bond, Donald S., Pvt.

Boyle, Leo D., S/Sgt.

Bray, Richard L., Pvt.

Brewer, Robert B., Col.

Broska, Charles F., Pvt.

Bruce, Earl V., Pvt.

Burden, PFC

Burgess, Thomas H., PFC

 

Campbell, James

Campbell, James D., Cpl.

Capoferra, John J.

Carillo, Leopollo P. [Alex], T/5

Carlino,Matthew J., PFC

Carson, Gordon F., Sgt.

Childers, Ora. M., Pvt.

Chow, Pvt.

Christenson, Burton Pat., T/Sgt.

Cipriano, Robert, Pvt.

Clark, Maxwell M., PFC

Cobb, Roy W., PFC

Coleman, James F., Pvt.

Collette, Vincent S., PFC

Collins, Herman F., T/5

Comba, James

Compton, Lynn. D. [Buck], 1st Lt.

Connell, John G., Pvt.

Conway, Pvt.

Coombs, James [Tex], Sgt.

Coviello, Phillip, Pvt.

Cowing, Robert H., 1st Lt.

Cowthu, Samuel M., Pvt.

Crosby, Seth O., PFC

Cunningham, Bernard S., Sgt.

Cushman, Pvt.

 

Damon, Pvt.

Dassault, Barry J.

Davenport, Richard P., PFC

Davis, James K., 1st Lt.

De Tuncq, Edward R.

Dickerson, Jay S., Pvt.

Diel, James L., 2nd Lt.

Dike, Norman S. Jr., Capt.

Dittrich, Rudolph R., Pvt.

Doe, John, Pvt.

Dominguez, Joseph P., PFC

Donahue, Edward J., PFC

Dukeman, William H. Jr., Sgt.

 

Eckstrom, Carl F., PFC

Eggert, Walter F.

Elliott, George L., Pvt.

Ellis, Taskel, Sgt.

Eschenbach, Chester, Pvt.

Eubanks, John L., Pvt.

Evans, William S., 1st Sgt.

 

Fenstermaker, Carl L., PFC

Fernandez, PFC

Fieguth, John F., Cpl.

Flurie, Gerald, L., PFC

Foley, Jack E., Capt.

Ford, Norman A. [cadre, 2nd Pl.], S/Sgt.

Freeman, Bradford C., PFC

 

Garcia, Antonio, PFC

Garrod, Richard R., PFC

Gates, Roy, 2nd Lt.

Gathings, Johnnie E., PFC

Geraghty, John L., Pvt.

Gier, William D.

Giles, Terry G., Pvt.

Gilmore, Eugene S. [Bob], Pvt.

Ginn, Jack O., PFC

Glass, Milton B., Pvt.

Gordon, Walter S. Jr. [Smokey], Cpl.

Grant, Charles E. [Chuck], Sgt.

Grant, Frank B., Pvt.

Gray, Everett J., PFC

Griffith, Genoa H., Pvt.

Grodski, Stephen E., Pvt.

Guarnere, William J., S/Sgt.

Guth, Forrest L., Sgt.

Guy, Lloyd D., Sgt.

 

Hagerman, Stanley L., Pvt.

Hale, Earl L., S/Sgt.

Hale, Franklin W., Pvt.

Haley, Robert, Lt.

Hanes, Sgt.

Hansen, Herman E., T/5

Hansen, Walter E., PFC

Hargroves, Elwood, Pvt.

Harrell, Thomas A., Pvt.

Harrellson, Siles E., PFC

Harris, Terrence [Salty] C., S/Sgt.

Hartley, Dale L., PFC