Paratrooper's Helmet returned 60 years later

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agonyea
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Joined: September 18th, 2005, 5:18 pm

Paratrooper's Helmet returned 60 years later

Post by agonyea »

A delayed 'thank you' to soldier's family

Late WWII soldier's helmet delivered to his family after 60 years
BY LARRY GIERER
Staff Writer

Leroy Paul has lived what he considers a blessed life. Good health, a successful career, a loving wife of 54 years, children and grandchildren -- all have made his 76 years a joy.

Curtis C. Morris died the day before his 27th birthday. A U.S. paratrooper, his chute failed to open properly during a World War II combat mission. In his pocket was found a rosary. Also, a photograph of his infant daughter.

"Morris never got to enjoy the kind of life I have," Paul said. "His sacrifice and that of other soldiers made mine possible. I feel a sense of gratitude."

It's why, 60 years after Morris' death, Paul took part in a mission to find the soldier's daughter and return her father's helmet, which was found in the field where Morris landed on his final jump.

Paul, who once co-hosted the Auburn Football Review television show with coach Ralph Jordan, retired as Aflac Broadcasting Division president in 1996. Retirement has given him plenty of time to read history books, especially those about his favorite subject, World War II.

"I was 15 when the war ended," he said, "and felt guilty about not being able to participate."

In 2004, he took his family to Europe to take part in the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. They traveled with a group of ex-soldiers from the 82nd Airborne.

"I wanted my grandchildren to understand what this was all about," he said. "Too many kids today don't realize what a heavy price was paid. Freedom isn't free. We rode on the bus with the veterans and they heard from real humans who had been in a real war."

It was while the group was visiting the city of Grave in the Netherlands that he was approached by a local resident, Jan Timmermans.

"Jan knew an elderly man who had an American soldier's helmet from World War II and now felt it should go to the soldier's family. He wanted to know if I could help," Paul said.

Once he was sure everything was on the level, Paul jumped at the chance.

Fatal jump

Morris, a native of Lake Charles, La., entered the U.S. Army in October 1940. In 1943, the paratrooper, who spent time at Fort Benning, took part in the Sicily campaign. In Salerno, Italy, he was wounded by mortar grenades, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. After spending time in a hospital, he took part in the Battle of Anzio.

The private first class was a member of Easy Company, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at the time of his death. The 82nd was taking part in Operation Market Garden. "This was the operation told about in the movie, 'A Bridge Too Far.' " Paul said.

In was Sept. 17, 1944, when Easy Company landed in the village of Velp, near Grave. Its objective: Seize the Maas Bridge.

During his jump, Morris had a "streamer" -- some of the chute's 24 suspension lines tangled about his canopy, keeping it from opening properly. He tried to open his reserve chute but was too close to the ground. The soldier plummeted through a plum tree in the yard of farmer Jan Van der Hoogen.

Morris was carried by stretcher to the farmhouse. A Roman Catholic priest was called and Morris was given the last rites. He died later that day and the body was taken to a nearby Jesuit monastery. The next day, five American soldiers arrived in a truck and took his remains away. Morris was buried in a temporary U.S. military cemetery on Sept. 21. Five years later, he was reburied in Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C.

His grave number is NCM 12-8055.

The quest

Paul, an Army veteran who served in the Marshall Islands, said it's not that strange that Van der Hoogen would keep the helmet. "Many folks have mementos from the war. Some homes are practically museums. I guess he figured that after all these years it was time to find someone for whom the helmet would really be important."

Paul and Timmermans worked together to seek information from different sides of the ocean.

Paul asked then U.S. Rep. Mac Collins, who then represented Columbus, to forward a request for information to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Collins did so.

"They'd had a major fire at the center and many records had been lost, but fortunately not what we were looking for," said Paul.

Paul received a copy of an Army pay voucher -- Morris had requested an advance -- and a number on it told Paul that Morris has done prior service in the Louisiana National Guard. It was suggested that Paul check with the state's adjutant general, but he got no help. The Department of Defense gave no aid, nor did veterans' groups contacted. "A clear unwarranted invasion of privacy," the Defense Department said of Paul's request.

An advertisement was run in the Airborne Static Line magazine, a publication aimed at former and present paratroopers. There was one response, but no new information.

Paul decided to take a chance, picked up the telephone and called Lake Charles.

"I asked for Curtis C. Morris and there was one," he said.

No relation.

He called others with the name Morris.

"I found a woman who said she believed her husband had some cousins that might be of help," said Paul.

Paul told the woman that if the daughter was found, it would be up to her whether she "wanted to pursue the helmet thing any further."

The daughter, Carol Cady, did want the helmet. She lived in Deweyville, Texas.

"She called and told me that she didn't know much about her daddy, but that she'd love the helmet," said Paul. "We didn't want to just mail it for fear something would happen to it."

Timmermans took the helmet to the U.S. Embassy. He was assured it would be delivered.

On Jan. 7, 2006, in a special ceremony sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2775, the helmet was presented by Lt. Gen. Ed Soyster, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, who flew in from Washington.

Along with the helmet, Soyster brought a booklet put together by Timmermans that included photographs of the place where Morris died, the priest who gave the final sacraments, his temporary grave and the bridge that was part of the last mission.

Cady told the local newspaper, The Orange Leader, "It's amazing to me after all of this time that something like this could happen."

It was 18 months from the time Paul heard about the helmet until Cady received it.

"Morris died for this country," Paul said. This was one small way to say, "Thank you."
US Army 1968 to 1991 Retired SFC/E-7
A Co 75th Ranger Ft Hood, Texas '72- '74
CGoog

Post by CGoog »

:cry: Thats a sad story, my eyes started to water up while I was reading it.
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