Floribelle, the mother of PVT Glendon Place, was understandably grief stricken at the loss of her son.
She was also convinced that her son was not dead.
In her desperation for answers, Floribelle consulted ouija boards and mediums. She also traveled to interview surviving paratroopers who had jumped with Glendon, and wrote several letters to military officials from her home in Saginaw.
Touching so closely to a mother’s grief reminds us why we strive to bring these medals home.
It is difficult to comprehend the particular courage required to jump into moonlight behind enemy lines in the hours before the storming of the beaches began on DDay.
Along with the other men from the 505th of the 82nd Airborne, PVT Place did exactly that.
He was reported as killed on June 6 in St Mere Eglise, the first village in France to be liberated from the iron fists of the Nazis who had been terrorizing the French for four long years.
We were honored to sit with Ronald and listen to his stories.
Knowing that his Uncle made the ultimate sacrifice on such a decisive day makes Ronald extremely proud.
We don’t have a photo of PVT Place to share with you.
But, we all share the Freedom that his life secured for us.
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PVT Glendon L Place rests in Normandy American Cemetery in France.
Floribelle lived until 1980. She is buried in Saginaw.
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