Memorials

Below left is the 22-foot bronze statue, "The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves", which is centered in the Memorial part of the cemetery. To the right is the grave of Lt. Colonel John C. Pappas, the first commander of the 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion. He would be killed by a German 88 artillery shell in the battle for Carentan on June 13, 1944. Taking over the battalion for the remainder of the war would be Lt. Col. Hugh Mozley, a man beloved by the Engineers. Five days after Pappas's death, the commander of the 326th's Baker company, Captain Jack Rogers would also be killed by the deadly 88. He would be replaced by Lt. Donald Froemke who would be promoted to Captain and be killed coming to my Dad's aid on October 5,1944, also by an artillery shell. Fromeke's replacement was Lt. William Deas, who served as commander for B company until it's deactivation in late 1945. Lt. Deas would return to his home state of South Carolina and die in 2003.