81 years ago, getting ready to leave for Omaha Beach in Normandy, a young soldier is torn between love and war!
He often sat after an exhausting day in training in Georgia and wrote letters home to family and to his love, Marguerite. He had a special notebook called a “yearbook”. On the front cover, it reads 1942, given to him by a local insurance agent who made these up for the local soldiers at Fort Indiantown Gap leaving to train to go overseas to fight for our freedom.
This is so often the story if you are lucky to have the handwritten notes in your possession. Milton had broken his hip from a fall. He hit his head as well, which showed he had a major bleed in his head on which they could not operate.
To keep Milton and his love home, Hospice care was brought in to help support the many days he would lay in the front room, in a hospital bed that was provided by Hospice and oxygen to help him breathe. The chaplain and nurse happened to come by while I was there to offer support to his love and hold his hand. It was May Day, not too hot, in fact the air was breezy, and the front window was open to bring in the fresh air, which provided some comfort to Milton and his bride as they were surrounded by staff from the Hospice and me, the granddaughter in- law. It was time, and there were tears, but he was ready, the family was as ready as you can be, but it was the peacefulness as he drifted off to sleep forever.
The long days of training that led to D Day, and a war injury in Germany later, to raising a family with the love of his life, will always be remembered along with a Hospice team of experts who helped this family and patient embrace the most important days spent with those whom he loved.