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The
stained glass of the 377th Infantry Regiment
Church
of Trevieres, Normandy (France) (located
at 6 miles of Omaha Beach)
Many veterans heard about this window dedicated to them
but no one saw it. We went in Normandy to take photos so
that we can show it to those who had paid it 60 years ago...
Why a window dedicated for the memory of the 377th
Infantry Regiment?? Some explanations are mentionned below...
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The
church of Trévières in 1944. |
The
curch of Trévières today. |
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Above :
Invasion
money used for the sodlier's pay in France:
this kind of money has generously been given
by GI' s of the 377th Infantry Regiment for
the reconstruction of the Church of Trévières. |
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Testimony of
Stephen J. BODNAR,
Company "I" - 377th Infantry Regiment:
"After landing at Omaha Beach, the 377th
Infantry Regiment was bivouacked near Trevieres,
just few miles behind Colleville-sur-Mer. One
Sunday morning, a Catholic chaplain was having Mass
in a field where we were bivouacked. His altar
was the tailgate of his jeep. I, of course,
was at that Mass. He told us about the Church
at Trevieres that was destroyed in the fighting. The
chaplain asked the American soldiers to
contribute money towards rebuilding the church.
We all contributed some of our invasion money.
After the war (I think), I received a small white
stone made from some of the ruins of the church,
which had a little piece of paper saying what it was.
A friend of mine in the Second Infantry Division (Indian
Head) was engaged in that fighting. I gave him that
Stone. The members of the Catholic Parish
in Trevieres placed the window to the 377th Infantry
in the church in the honor and memory of
the generosity of the soldiers of the 377th
Infantry.I would very much like to have the pictures
of the Church and the window. I have never
seen that church but the next time I am in France I
shall go to see it."
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| Bird's-eye
view of the stained glass.Saint Michel strikes the
devil down.
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A
bronze angel protect the window. This one is at the
left of the altar, in the chancel of the church.
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| A
detail of the top of the window. Left of the
American eagle are the differents kinds of service:
Chaplain, Medical Department, Infantry... Right are
the different officer's grades: Major,
Lieutnant-Colonel, Captain.
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At the
bottom is visible the following text: "To the
memory of the officers and soldiers of the 377th
Infantry Regiment of the 95th Infantry Division. Men
of America, Friends of France ". You can notice
the grades of the troop and the warrant officers.
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| Crest
of the 377th Infantry Regiment of US 95th ID. The
meaning of the figure above is the Minute Man. |
On all
sides, there is the patch of the 95th ID like the
different grades and services which constitute the
division. Here, Technician 5th Grade and Technician
3rd Grade are next to the divisional badge. |
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Rhineland