D-Day Soldier's Dog Tag Found in Sand

MSNBC ^ | 06-06-07 | By KRISTIN M. HALL

[MNJohnnie]

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. - The family of Pvt. William Bernice Clark never had a funeral for him, never got to say goodbye and never really accepted his fate among the fallen during the Normandy D-Day landings in World War II. That was until his dog tag was discovered in the sands of Omaha Beach.

On Wednesday _ exactly 63 years after that tragic day _ the aged tag was returned to his native Tennessee.

"This feels like an ending," said the soldier's first cousin, 79-year-old Lota Park, who along with another cousin accepted the dog tag at a ceremony in the small town of Huntingdon, about 90 miles west of Nashville.

[MNJohnnie]

Thank you Pvt Clark. Rest in Peace.

[SE Mom]

Goosebumps...

Our thanks, Pvt Clark..

[chrisser]

From later in the article:

"The collector from New Jersey, Bill Santora, said the dog tag was the most cherished piece in his World War II collection, but he was happy to give it up when the memorial officials told him it could be returned to his family."

Often amazing how a small gesture can make such a large difference in the lives of people who you don't know. Thanks for doing the right thing Bill Santora.

[Dubya]

Soldier rest, Gently pressed,
To the calm, Mother Earth's
Waiting breast;
Duty done, Like the sun:
Going West.

SEMPER FI SOLDER.

[passionfruit]

RIP brave soldier.

[Palladin]

God Bless You, Private Clark. I’m sure you have been rejoicing with Him and the angels and the saints for these past many decades.

Thank you for your great sacrifice.

[Joe 6-pack]

Welcome home Pvt. Clark.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

What a story.

[MNJohnnie]

You might find this story intresting.

[EternalVigilance]

[Tennessee_Bob]

Welcome Home, Fellow Tennessean

[VOA]

The story sort of reminds me of the British movie “Overlord”.
About a “Tommie and all the work he and thousands of others put in
to make their assault.
And never cleared the beach.

May G-d give their souls rest.

[Dubya]

[Badeye]

‘Thank you Pvt Clark. Rest in Peace.’

Amen.

[VOA]

Often amazing how a small gesture can make such a large difference
in the lives of people who you don't know. Thanks for doing the right
thing Bill Santora.

Amen to that.

Sort of reminds me of that motto from the Romans about how mortals most
resemble "the g-ds" in the kindness they do the their fellow mortals.

[MarineBrat]

[johnny7]

Goosebumps...

Yup.

[CDB]

He was from the 29th (”Blue and Gray”) Infantry Division. Same Division as the one portrayed in the movie “Saving Private Ryan.”

Here’s a link to a map of where his company landed on Omaha Beach (Easy Green):

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/wwii/7-4/~MapXI-big.htm

[SandRat]

Bill Mauldin tribute (b/w), Illustration by Kevin Kilgore