Posted on 06/06/2014 3:50:12 AM PDT by TurboZamboni
Ken Axelson is what you would call a survivor.
Seventy years ago Friday the 20-year-old Minnesotan was in one of the deadliest places in a big, bloody battle in the middle of a devastating worldwide conflict. He was an American soldier hitting Omaha Beach in the D-Day invasion of German-occupied France, a crucial turning point in World War II.
Axelson lived through what has been called "the longest day." But more bad stuff would happen before the war was over for the Welch, Minn., farm boy.
He became a paratrooper and fought in another brutal battle, the Battle of the Bulge.
Ken Axelson's parents, who had been told only that he was missing in action, didn't learn he was alive until they got this letter Axelson wrote to his mother a few days after he was liberated from a POW camp in April 1945 -- almost a year later. (Pioneer Press: Jean Pieri) He was captured and spent three months as a prisoner of war, where he wondered if he would live long enough to be liberated. But now at age 90, he's in his tightest jam.
"I know I'm not going to get out of this one," said the Wanamingo resident. "I read the obits, and most of them are younger than me."
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
Grouped into”common struggle” category by the mouth in cheese this day of days. Incredible.
WOW!! How did they stop him from aging?? We really need to investigate this fountain of youth he apparently found!
Thank you Sir. for your service and your wonderful spirit. I grew up around your brothers in arms and learned to live right before G_D and man.
What men these were ...
Real men.
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