Lived D-Day

(cont'd)

Today Ralph Manley is 91 years old and lives in a home with other veterans. But 71 years ago, he jumped out of a plane at midnight in enemy territory over France, 20 miles inland from the coast.

As a high school senior from a dairy farm in Missouri, Ralph joined the paratroopers like his brother had done earlier. He learned while in training that his 19-year-old brother died on his first combat jump in Europe. He could have discharged for that (see "Saving Private Ryan") but stayed in.

A few dark hours before the D-Day invasion, he was the third of only five surviving jumpers from his plane. Enemy fire took it down and the rest all died. He carried 200 lbs. of gear and explosives for his mission to impede the Nazis by blowing up bridges and guns before the troops landed.

Surviving the Battle of the Bulge and other battles, he received five Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. He says "war is hell," but he's not angry about it. Like so many WWII vets, he's thankful for the troops and for America. See the rest of his story here.