June 5th, 1944 - The men were called together, and they stood in the orchard on either side of a low earthen mound which fenced the fields. Upon the earthen hedgerow stood Lt. Col. Robert L. Wolverton, commanding officer of 3rd battalion, 506th PIR. And Col. Wolverton said...
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"Men I am not a religious man and I don't know your feelings in this matter, but I am going to ask you to pray with me for the success of the mission before us. And while we pray let us get on our knees and not look down, but up with faces raised to the sky.
God All Mighty, in a few short hours we will be in battle with the enemy. We do not join battle afraid. We do not ask favors or indulgence, but ask that if You will, use us as Your instrument for the Right and an aid in returning peace to the world.
We do not know or seek what our fate will be. We ask only this, that if die we must, that we die as men would die, without complaining, without pleading, and safe in the feeling that we have done our best for what we believed was right.
Oh Lord, protect our loved ones and be near us in the fire ahead and with us now as we pray to you."
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All was silent for two minutes as the men were left, each with his individual thoughts. Then the Colonel ordered, "Move Out".
A few hours later, Colonel Wolverton was shot dead by the enemy as he hung tangled in a tree in an orchard just outside of St. Come-du-Mont, Normandy, France.
Prayer courtesy of Joe Beyrle II, son of Joe Beyrle from Company I, 506th PIR.
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