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70 years later, Santa Claus is back...

Discussion in 'What Granddad did in the War' started by Alsa.se, Dec 13, 2014.

  1. Alsa.se

    Alsa.se Member

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    [SIZE=small]Hi,[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]This is the story of Corporal Richard COTTON (A Battery, 904th Field Artillery Battalion, 79th Infantry Division) I met him on december 11, 2014 :[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]He could no longer wants to hear about this war, the conflict that took him so far from home, almost at the end of the world. Corporal Richard Cotton was 19 when he landed on Utah Beach in Normandy on June 12, 1944. The Californian to look soft, round face, just out of high school, found himself plunged into the horror of combat bombed gunner in the 79th Infantry Division, in charge of "guns of 105". We would have understood that he wants to erase from his memory the long advanced into eastern France, the brothers in arms who fall, or his battle injury - despite medals, a Bronze Star and a Purple Hart. Income countries, the American has built a dream life: Richard Cotton married, had five children, became vice president of a company employing 47,000 people. At retirement, surrounded by his twelve grandchildren, he could watch the time pass, at his home in suburban San Diego, overlooking the ocean ...[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]The Alsatian girl was 4 years old when the Americans arrived in his village[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]But no. Seventy years later, the corporal has forgotten nothing. Especially a memory never left: the looks of three Alsatian children, amazed to receive gifts this Christmas 1944. Richard Cotton had received a parcel from his mother gifts to distribute, as encouraged in time American newspapers. The soldier was eager to give some toys and sweets, randomly choosing a family: siblings has marked forever, and all these years, he hoped to see them again.[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]His wish was granted yesterday (11 December 2014). At age 90, open heart surgery in there just a year and never being returned to France since 1945, Richard Cotton did not hesitate a moment to fly to Alsace with two of her son and two of his grandchildren son, to offer turn "a beautiful Christmas gift." At Dauendorf he was finally able to shake hands with Maria Martz, very emotional too. 74 years old, the Alsatian was 4 years old when the Americans arrived in his village. If she remembers Richard Cotton and his visit? "No, she admits. But I remember the toys: a small tree, which I unfortunately threw it two years ago, and a doll in a blue box. "Her younger sister Marlene (absent yesterday) talked about it a bracelet. Rene, their eldest brother, who sadly died at the age of 22 years.[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]These are the objects that had pushed Maria Martz to appear following the call in the DNA in November 2013, via the American Overseas Memorial Day Association and its representative dynamics in the East, Jocelyne Papelard. Renamed "Maigret" by Richard Cotton, she has conducted extensive investigations to find the Alsatian siblings from a few meager clues: three children, an absent father, near Haguenau.[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]Here the link to the pictures and vidéo :[/SIZE]

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/77272208@N02/sets/72157649707838072/
    [SIZE=small]http://www.itele.fr/france/video/alsace-un-veteran-us-retrouve-un-des-enfants-a-qui-il-avait-offert-un-cadeau-en-44-104008[/SIZE]


    [SIZE=small]Sincerly,[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=small]Eric SCHELL[/SIZE]
     
    Ruud and Skipper like this.
  2. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    You never know the effect you have on someone, good or bad. I'm glad Cpl. Cotton left those children with good memories.
     
  3. Smiley 2.0

    Smiley 2.0 Smiles

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    Wow. I agree Slipdigit. You never know the kind of impact you can have one someone's life by doing something as sweet and kind as what this man did. :salute:
     
  4. Alsa.se

    Alsa.se Member

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    You know, that girl was 4 years old. She was born at the beginning of the war. And since the beginning of the war, there were no Christmas with gifts. Cpl COTTON presented the first gift of his life to this little girl. This is a positive memory she could not forget.
    American soldiers arrived on an Alsatian land where people spoke German, while their hearts were French. There was mistrust on the part of GI's. While all were not clean, the vast majority quickly realized that the Alsatian people were a people who had suffered deeply. COTTON Richard was one of those. And he has never forgotten.
     
  5. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    A moving story indeed and great to read too .
     

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