Memorial Day at the cemetery was terrific. First, I think that is the first Memorial Day regretting I had forgotten my sunblock. After rain all day on Sunday, we were prepared for the worst and instead were greeted with sunny skies and downright hot weather. Second, our own Fred and Nancy Diedrich were honored guests at the ceremony. Eli Longacre, a local Boy Scout, read Fred’s story in the first person. He did a tremendous job and the crowd loved it. Fred, of course, was a paratrooper with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment who jumped into Normandy on June 6th. Of the 2,056 men who jumped, only 995 returned to England with the rest being dead, wounded or captured. Fred met Nancy on his return to England. Courting was done via mail when Fred return to combat and he proposed via a letter. Nancy said yes and, like they say, the rest is history. Of course, Nancy had to write to Fred’s commanding general (as an old E-5 I can only gulp on that one), and wrangled a couple of days for Fred before he was shipped to the states in preparation for the invasion of Japan. The general had Fred hitch a ride on his personal airplane and the wedding was a success since it’s beginning to look like the marriage will work out. It was a real honor for Fred and Nancy. Post 8870 and American Legion Post 66 do a great job on the ceremony and I only hear compliments from those who attend.