9th Division Veteran Eugene Edwards
Returns to Utah Beach June 2016!


I'm grateful my friend, (9th Division Veteran Eugene Edwards) fulfilled his dream and just returned
from a trip to Normandy with the Greatest Generations Foundation! We all pitched in and helped
 Tim Davis  make it happen. The  9th Division landed on Utah Beach 10 June 1944 (D plus 4), cut off the
 Cotentin Peninsula, and drove on to Cherbourg penetrating the port's heavy defenses.

Its my hope, other 9th Veterans; Anton Dietrich and Tony Varone could also be included on the next trip with
TGGF in July. Of the more than 50 veterans I interviewed for 'Survivors' Stories', these three men are all
local and we've tried to stay in touch. Gene lives in Langhorne Pa. and we had several visits together.

In the summer of 2012 I introduced Gene to Matt Carroll's 9th Division reenactment group at one
of their annual events at Fort Mott in Pennsville N.J. Matt's guys did an outstanding job the last
few years helping shoot several re-creations for the documentary. Check out some great photos
below, (including TGGF, Matt Carroll and others). Thank you for your support!
 


Gene Edwards with the Greatest Generation Foundation enroute and in Normandy.
Gene can be seen shaking hands with a little girl and in the following photos he's
on the extreme left.



 

In these photos below left, Gene is (2nd from left) and photo right, you can see Gene sitting down to extreme right

   
 

These pictures below, (also taken in Normandy), show WWII enthusiast and great admirer of our veterans,
Ralph Peeters with Eugene Edwards. Notice Ralph's unique and personal way of honoring these men
as Gene autographs Ralph's special jacket!
 
   


And this is a very touching personal remembrance, (with candles), put together by Maurits Huijbrechtse honoring
the 9th Division veterans whom I hoped would make the trip (as a group), in May 2016.

Thank You Maurits!

  


These pictures below, were taken during the event with the guys at Fort Mott N.J. in Sept. 2012
Photo to the right, you can see Gene and son Dale, (I'm in the middle). We also see
Matt Caroll, Gerard Cortese, Kate Bolcar and Sean Bergin. 

 

 
 
 


And these photos were taken during my visits with Gene in Langhorne