It's hard to believe they're almost all passed on to history now...I was born in 58 and I well remember my Dad and his friends talking about their army days in backyard get-togethers. My Dad a was a paratrooper too and and as I have aged he is more and more of a hero to me.

The name of the paratrooper hanging from the churchtower was John Steele. He was very well loved and admired in st Mere Eglise

I was born on the south side of Chicago in 1950. One of my buddies that I played baseball with, lived on the next block, his dad jumped into St Mere Eglise with the 82nd Airborne. I got to meet some of the paratroopers, when his dad had a party. I was 12 years old at the time and didn't realize I was in the presence of heros. 6 years later I was in the 82nd Airborne and made a jump at Ft. Benning with a Lt. Col. That jumped into Normandy. Was proud then and proud that I am in the presence of heros in my Vietnam Veterans of America chapter. Airborne All the way!!!!!

These "Then and Now" photos are so poignant for me. My Dad was a Paratrooper in WWII (509th). Any time I see these photos, I always keep an eye out for him. After he passed away in 1993, I discovered an envelope with a bunch of negatives from his tour in Europe. He never mentioned he had them. I scanned them, and tried to make a "positive" from the scans, uploaded them to my FaceBook page, but many of them are not that clear. Thank you for doing this.

My grandfather was one of those troopers, I’m constantly on the lookout for pictures of him.

My son, then 17 years old, and I visited Sainte Mere Eglise on the morning of June 6th, 2013. The celebration was in full swing by that time and we enjoyed the morning before moving on to all the historic sites on and around the Invasion beaches. We had some memorable Father/Son moments that will last a lifetime and as Americans we felt proud but at the same time, profoundly sad when the realization of the human cost started to sink in. -

I walked in that Church in 2023 with my Dad. It's my favorite on the planet. Winters of the 101st landed in a field to the West.

My uncle, Harold Hibard, was with the 82nd Airborne. Killed the first day next to the church.

my dad was there June 44 ,82nd Airborne . thanks for showing this

My Dad jumped as 82nd war fighter was wounded there twice, still refused to stand-down. I'm looking for photos of him there in Sainte-Mere-Eglise,, he was buddies with a another 82nd war fighter named Ivan Woods.

Looks like nothing but a big parking lot

i was intrigued by the foto at 15,58 min, i looked at it over and over again as there was something off. Yes the tiny window and the bigger window fooled me too when i looked at it, but in the foto the front of the house allignes withe the other houses in the street where now its set back aprox 5 or 6 meters also the angle of the roof is quite differnent being a lot steeper in the old picture.

Children w families hv to hv something to do..and remember return when they get older

I really appreciate this! Great video!

My best friend's father was one of the troopers who landed in the town, was seriously wounded & captured. He had his left arm up to the elbow amputated in a German hospital a few days later & was a POW until the war ended. When the Longest Day came out he told us the guy on the church steeple was his sergeant.

Thanks for this excellent video!

If it was real or not? He was in E Company 505th 82nd Airborne Division and he was a friend and comrade in arms of my father Dominick DiBattista who survived that jump when he landed in the field. I met John Steele a few times my friend and there is no doubt about the truth of that story. One thing about Airborne and Special Forces vets-they do not lie and if someone is found out to BE a liar they will make that person come clean and renounce their untruthfulness.

Excellent video - so interesting to see the 'Then & Now' photos and latest video shots.

I was there last week...amazing

Really enjoying these videos. I’m thinking of a trip by motorcycle to Normandy late September/early October. Just wonder if you think this would be a good time to visit?