#footprintsinthesand

[msmercury84]

"The Past Catches Up With Bill-An Army Records Snafu"

"I Double Dare You-A Rendezvous With Destiny. "

*Author's Note: All info about Guarnere's military records comes from his and Babe's book. Frannie Guarnere wrote letters to Dick Winters, etc. to obtain proof of Bill's being promoted to Staff Sergeant. Bill's son and eldest granddaughter told the stories included here in a podcast.*

One evening, after supper, Bill was helping Leigh with the supper dishes. She noted that he was unusually quiet.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Baby, I gotta tell ya somethin', an' I hope it doesn't upset ya." As Bill collected his thoughts on how to tell Leigh what was on his mind, she wondered what was going on.

"I wanna quit the government job. I know it's a good job, but bein' behind a desk all day ain't for me. This doesn't mean I'm gonna sit back an' expect ya to support us.

I read in the newspaper the other day that veterans can get money for school. I was thinkin' about learnin' a trade that would get more money for us. Now that I told ya, I hope you ain't too mad at me."

Leigh put her hand on Bill's shoulder,

"Honey, why would I be upset with you wanting a different job? I'm behind you 100 percent with whatever you choose to do." Guarnere felt more at ease.

"Thanks for understandin', Baby, an' for supportin' me. I had another idea about a job. Doin' something' wit' my hands is perfect work for me. I've really enjoyed construction work. "

"As long as it makes you happy, do what you want to do."

"Leigh, you're an angel."

Bill decided to take advantage of the G.I. Bill for educational expenses. He was interested in engineering and enrolled in classes. Unfortunately, he had to cancel his education after going to college for in Philadelphia for six months due to the government denying him the money.

When Guarnere was shot and wounded in Holland, he went AWOL from the military hospital when he learned that he was headed to a "Repo Depot," in other words, he would be reassigned to another unit.

Bill wanted to go back to Easy Company, so he painted his cast black with shoe polish to make it look like a boot. He made it as far as an airfield before being caught.

Guarnere told the Military Police that he would go AWOL again if he wasn't assigned to Easy Company. From that point until he was released from the hospital, Bill had to walk and then run in order to get himself in shape for combat. The military busted him down to Private from his previous rank of Staff Sergeant.

Somehow, the paperwork about his demotion got lost in the shuffle, so Guarnere remained Staff Sergeant.

His records only indicated that he went AWOL when he got back to the United States, his promotion to Staff Sergeant wasn't included.

Upon learning about the reason for losing the money for his education, Bill realized he was in for a long haul with the government.

Leigh wrote to Dick Winters and other officers, asking them to send letters on behalf of Bill to verify his claim that he was never officially demoted. He wasn't receiving the money for his disability due to this error.

In an interview many years after this event, Guarnere said,

"I had a hell of a time straightening out records." That was an understatement. He got officially and honorably discharged from the Army as a private in 1946.

The government then decided Bill owed them back pay since he was paid as a Staff Sergeant and discharged as a private.

Leigh was so irate that she wanted to give an interview on the radio and in print with the local newspaper, the Philadelphia Inquirer about the situation. She envisioned headlines along the lines of "Army Denies Songbird's Hero Husband Rank and Salary"

Bill discouraged this idea, saying,

"Baby, I know ya wanna help me, an' that ya love me an that you're pissed off wit' the Army, but this ain't the way to do it. I believe they (the Army) will do the right thing. We just need to be patient."

"After what you sacrificed, they have no right to treat you this way!"

"I was only doin' my job. If ya think about it, I went against Buck's orders to stay in my foxhole. If that would come out, if we had a hearing, it wouldn't help my case.

Leigh, I appreciate ya wantin' to help me, but a man has to fight his own battles sometimes." She immediately understood that Bill didn't want her doing what he thought was his work to do with the government and the Army.

Leigh didn't like not getting involved, but she respected and loved Bill too much to go against his wishes. This was an era where men were largely in power and a woman taking action like this would go against the societal norms.

It took about eight years for Bill to get his back pay. He was, at first, considered 60 percent disabled and he got about $145-$150 per month.

Since he took the disability money, he couldn't use that money for his education due to governmental rules.

By the 1960s, the artificial leg was causing blood clots. Bill went through several wooden legs. When they wore out, he burned some of them. Some kids in the neighborhood wanted the legs. He gave one of the legs to a friend of his son.

His son later recalled in a podcast that his friend's sister "screamed her head off" when she saw the leg in their basement.

Bill's eldest granddaughter said in the same podcast, that they "should've saved the legs and made a table."

There was a danger of the blood clots going to Guarnere's heart or lungs. He told his doctor, who in turn informed the government,

"You're gonna get me on the damn leg an' get me workin', or get me off the damn thing right now an' give me full disability." Bill was granted full disability in 1967.

After a couple of years of fighting the government, Guarnere went to a hearing in Washington, D.C. where he was exonerated and his records were officially corrected.

While this was going on, Bill worked as a salesman, he also sold rugs and worked for U.S. Gypsum. Prior to doing construction work full-time, Guarnere worked as exterminator.

When Stephen Ambrose interviewed Bill about the records snafu, he asked,

"Mr. Guarnere, are you angry with the government because of the mistake they made with your files?"

"Hell, no! What are you gonna accomplish? I was one of the ones who got lumped. You take your lumps and it all works out in the end."

[yeahjustnor]

I have a little spoiler

[oillampslit]

Footprints 👣 In The Sand

by Mary Stevenson (1922 - 1999)

Footprints in the Sand

One night I had a dream.

I dreamed I was walking along the beach

with the Lord..

Across the sky flashed scenes from my life..

For each scene, I noticed two sets of

footprints in the sand,

one belonging to me, and the other to the Lord..

When the last scene of my life flashed before me,

I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

I noticed that many times along the path of my life

there was only one set of footprints.

I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest

and saddest times in my life.

This really bothered me

and I questioned the Lord about it:

"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

you'd walk with me all the way.

But I have noticed that during the most

troublesome times in my life

there is only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why

when I need you most you would leave me."

The Lord replied:

"My precious child, I love you and would

never leave you.

During your times of trial and suffering,

when you see only one set of footprints, it was then

that I carried you."

by Mary Stevenson

#jesusisnotreligion #jesuslovesyou #jesusiscomingsoon #jesusisarelationshipnotareligion #jesusisking #jesusislord #jesussaves #jesuschrist #jesus #oillampslit #footprintsinthesand #marystevenson #poems #poem #poetry

Oillampslit 🪔©

Find us also over on Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. God Bless!

[surfgirlbobi]

#footprintsinthesand

[beautybossnikki]

Introducing the locket of hope! This stainless-steel necklace is perfect for everyday wear, with its timeless design and functional locket. And the best part? It's engraved with a quote from the famous Footprints in the Sand poem: "It was." Let this beautiful piece serve as a reminder of the strength and resilience within us. #LocketOfHope #FootprintsInTheSand

[philkoch]

"It was Then that I Carried You" Horizons by Phil Koch, turning landscapes in to natural portraits. http://phil-koch.artistwebsites.com/

[speakyourmindofficial]

GRANITE

[shaunstenning2020]

Wherever you go, bring your own sunshine.

[kalyepilipinas]

08-21-20 #footprintsinthesand #ricohgrdigital2 #ricoheveryday #kalyepilipinas #pointshootwalkrepeat (at Morong, Bataan) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEIgqsVnzt7/?igshid=u1skd1u2ut2

[lioness-arising]

👣"It was then that I carried you"👣

[mayexa]

#hennatattoo #shadow #sunset #footprintsinthesand 🏜🐪⌛️🌵 (at Desert Safari Dubai) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9T53d1Jh2wtzyQRR1_0BwyYZxLDRB0qFeofPc0/?igshid=g9ctcypexhd3

[m-lapino]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by La Maison du Lapino (@lamaisondulapino)

Sanderlings on stage today😄 本日ご主演は鳥さん🐚 . . . #bird #birdwatching #bythesea #beach #florida #sanderling #videooftheday #lineart #linedrawing #sketch #coloring #videography #seashells #cuties #starfish #travel #traveljournal #footsteps #footprintsinthesand #footprint #kawaii #鳥 #四方八方 #スケッチ #illustration #ぬりえ #イラスト #貝殻 #バードウォッチング #ちょこまか (at St Augustine Beach) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8PV6kAns_J/?igshid=ddbo0lh7erwz

[yeahjustnor]

WELCOME!!!

Hi guys. My name is Nor (well, yes, just Nor). I'm a writer. I'm an enthusiastic person, but as much as I hate to admit it, I'm not very sociable. My blog is a collection of some of my writings, drafts, and memes (when possible) and my hobbies (I am a terrible music lover). If you want to contact me for cooperation, please write to my email address yeahjustanor@gmail.com. For other questions, please use the private message. I reply slowly, but always try to reply. If you wish to follow me on other social media, I will provide the links below. Twitter: https://twitter.com/YeahJustNor Telegram: https://t.me/yeahjustnor Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/yeahjustnor AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeah_Just_Nor Ficbook: https://ficbook.net/authors/018f4956-2155-70d9-a01c-1edddd5df863

Привет, ребята. Меня зовут Нор (ну, да, просто Нор). Я писательница. Я человек увлеченный, но, как бы мне ни было неприятно это признавать, я не очень общительная. Мой блог - это подборка некоторых моих работ, черновиков и мемов (по возможности), а также моих увлечений (я ужасный меломан). Если вы хотите связаться со мной для сотрудничества, пожалуйста, напишите на мой электронный адрес yeahjustanor@gmail.com. По другим вопросам, пожалуйста, используйте личное сообщение. Я отвечаю медленно, но всегда стараюсь отвечать. Если вы хотите подписаться на меня в других социальных сетях, я предоставлю ссылки ниже. Twitter: https://twitter.com/YeahJustNor Telegram: https://t.me/yeahjustnor Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/yeahjustnor AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeah_Just_Nor Ficbook: https://ficbook.net/authors/018f4956-2155-70d9-a01c-1edddd5df863

[ravenleigh85]

Footprints in the sand

Our feet in the sand

We can watch the sun fall

 Listen to my heart

Every beat for you, for us

 Put your lips against mine

I want to own all of your kisses

 Let’s join hands

As we stay here forever

Leaving our footprints in the sand

[tebb0]

#footprintsinthesand #laplayadelopez #animaltracks (at Silver Sands State Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bznh2ItB5-q/?igshid=1hibi8bi1zhd7

[mybikiniflex]

#Tropical #Paradise 😝

#tortola #stvincentandthegrenadines #universalorlandoresort #turquoisesea #toesinthewater #poolview #maldivesbeach #footprintsinthesand #beachbumming #erholen #thecoastallife #beachinspo #beautifulresort #ilovepalmtrees #whitebeaches #vacayallday #italianbeachwear