On the night of December 24, 1944, the Leopoldville, a Belgian liner converted into a troop transport in 1940, carrying soldiers of the 262nd and 264th regiments of the 66th US Infantry Division, was torpedoed at around 6pm off Cherbourg by the German U-Boot 486, commanded by Lieutenant Gerhard Meyer.
The Leopoldville had left Southampton that morning at around 9:15 a.m. to transport these troops to Normandy to reinforce the forces present for the decisive Battle of the Bulge. Unfortunately, her route was cut short just 9 km from Cherbourg.
This tragedy claimed 763 victims, including 493 bodies never recovered, not to mention those who escaped and carried the trauma for the rest of their lives.
No monument exists in Normandy or France to honor these victims, or their comrades-in-arms who survived, or even the men of the 66th Infantry Division.
The Association MEMOIRE & DATABASE, after carrying out and publishing the French translation of former New York City police officer Allan Andrade's book, Leopoldville: A tragedy too long secret, originally published in 1997, wanted to go further.
That's why we are asking you today to help us set up this monument in Cherbourg, on the pier facing the sea. We have the backing of the various authorities and have sourced a stonemason.
The monument will be inaugurated on May 6, 2025, in the presence of families of the victims, members of the Panther Veteran Organization, which also supports us.
To complete this project, which is so dear to us all, we need to raise 25,000 euros. There is no such thing as a small donation: every euro counts in remembering these young souls, lost too soon.
We would like to thank you in advance for your contribution

To help us, you can click on the Paypal link here: Paypal

 

To help us, you can click on the Gofundme link here:  gofundme

 

Photmontage

Photo montage including the future monument on the right. The one in honor of the fishermen is already installed on the left.

 

Presse de la Manche of 03/10/2024

Photmontage

Photmontage

 

The association met on June 19, 2024, the twinning between Deauville and Lexington Sister Cities.

The children worked on portraits of soldiers from Kentucky.
A very significant day, honouring the men of Lexington at the American cemetery of Normandy.

So grateful for our 2024 exchange participants and their commitment to our remembrance project.


Source: Fanny Hubart-Salmon

FEATHERSTON Robert E
 

En route vers le JOUR J et retour au bercail

par Bob BEARDEN    (Traduction de Nathalie Varnière)

The Bearden family, the associations "US Memory and Gratitude" and "Memory and Datbase" offer you the translation of Bob Bearden’s book.  Famille_Bearden_Asso_Livre_Bob_Bearden
Famille_Bearden_Asso_Livre_Bob_Bearden.jpg The Bearden family discovered the book offered by the two associations.
 

Léopoldville :

Une tragédie trop longtemps secrète

 

The publication of Allan Andrade's indispensable book Leopoldville : A Tragedy Too Long Secret in French is imminent.

The members of Mémoire & Database association were deeply moved by the tragedy that claimed the lives of 763 young men of the 66th 'Panther' Infantry Division on the evening of 24 December 1944 off the coast of Cherbourg.

We wanted to share with as many people as possible this poignant account of a tragedy that had been kept secret for too long, and which required years of research by the author.

We owe it to the men of the 66th 'Panther' Infantry Division and their families.

Come and share the emotions induced by this tragedy and tell others about it so that their memory lives on.​ 

Couverture Léopoldville
 
Couverture Tome 1

Who were they??

Portraits - Volume 1

 

An improved version of Volume 1, featuring some forty bilingual portraits of American soldiers who died on French soil fighting for our freedom, is about to be reissued.

 

 

You will soon be able to buy it in the shop on the association's website:

https://www.database-memoire.eu/bouticshop/en/

 

 

Discovering the path of these young men and women who sacrificed everything for us will help keep their memory alive.

 

The members of the Mémoire & Database association are saddened to learn of the passing of Vincent J. SPERANZA, veteran of the 101st AB, 501st PIR, who had fought at Bastogne.


Vince had entrusted us with the translation in French and the commercialisation of his biography, NUTS! This project was made possible thanks to the Amitiés Franco-Américaine Men of D-Day association, represented by Mitch Quiles.
We will remember the good times we had together when you came to Normandy, Dear Vince.

 

Speranza vince deces 1
  Speranza vince deces 1  
Speranza vince deces 1

We will never forget you.

 

Meeting with Major William CARRAWAY, historian of the National Guard of Georgia and Major NICHOLS.

pellouais_rencontre_major1   

Sunday, July 16, 2023, Brittany American Cemetery.

48 Inf Bde GA Army NG

48th Inf Bde Georgia Army National Guard

pellouais_rencontre_major
 

We had the great honour of meeting Major William CARRAWAY, commanding officer of the 161st Military History Detachment of the Georgia Army National Guard, and Major Daniel NICHOLS, programme manager of the National Guard. After a historic tour passing through Utah Beach, La Haye-du-Puits, Normandy American Cemetery, Saint-Malo, Dinard, Saint-Briac, Brest, Crozon, Saint-James, Mortain and Saint-Lô, they came to pay their respects at three graves of soldiers from the State of Georgia, more precisely from the 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division: Pfc. William GREY, Pvt. Elbert GRIFFIN and Pvt. John TAGGART, as well as Pfc. Ernest PRUSSMAN of the 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division.


Major NICHOLS had already been here in 2019 and had followed the same route, taking part in our October ceremony at the Brittany American Cemetery, at the request of Major CARRAWAY.

This Franco-American friendship was born thanks to a friend from Georgia, Bill Woofer CRANE, who wanted to tell Major CARRAWAY about our actions so that all these unknown heroes would not be forgotten. During this meeting, they were delighted to receive Volumes 1 and 2 of the Portraits produced and published by the Mémoire & Database association, especially as two soldiers from the 8th Division of Georgia are mentioned.

Thank you to Serge and my wife Céline for the photos.

Jean-François PELLOUAIS - Member of the Mémoire & Database Research group

 pellouais_rencontre_major  pellouais_rencontre_major
 

79th Anniversary of D-Day - 2023

79e_vince_speranza

 

Reunion with Vince J. SPERANZA

 

 

 


Signing session with Vince at the Normandy Victory Museum in Catz.

The association would like to thank the staff of the Museum
for their welcome.

79e_vince_speranza

Source : M&D

79e_vince_speranza
79e_vince_speranza 

79e_vince_speranza

During this session, Vincent J. Speranza was made an honorary member of the Mémoire & Database association.

Source : Chevallier Arnaud

The association offered the Chief of Staff of the United States Armies, General Mark A. MILLEY, a copy
of our book: Portraits Volume 2 during the AVA meal at Sainte-Mère-Eglise.

rencontre general Milley FL

Source : Thierry Leleu

79e_vince_speranza

Source : M&D

The association was present at the Book Salon at Tilly sur Seulles, organised by Tilly 1944, a big thank
you for their welcome.

 

Mémorial Day 2023

 memorial day 2023 Memorial day 2023   Memorial day 2023

The association laid a wreath during Memorial Day 2023 to honor the men and women who rest in the American cemetery in Colleville/mer.

 

The association participated in the 100th Anniversary of the ABMC on March 4, 2023.

Placing candles on all the crosses with the staff of the Colleville/Mer cemetery

frank sanford m visite la rae 1 frank sanford m visite la rae 1 frank sanford m visite la rae 1
 

ceremonie 10 abmc 2023 03 09 8
 

 Source : Thomas Bernard

Thanks to the work done by Maximilien, member of the portrait creators team on our site, the "US Normandie" and "Mémoire & Database" associations were able to welcome, during the the weekend

of September 10-11, 2022, La Rae Muller, daughter of Sanford M FRANK of company C of the 507 PIR - 82nd Airborne who died on June 12, 1944 at La Fière.

frank sanford m visite la rae 1 frank sanford m visite la rae 1
frank sanford m visite la rae

Visit of La Fière guided by Eric LABOURDETTE (President of the US Normandy association)

     

 A new logo designed by Romain

Vincent J. Speranza's biography, "Nuts!", still available in our store

Cérémonie au Cimetière Normandy de Colleville/Mer.

2nd Lieutenant William J. McGowan, Second World War pilot, laid to rest at Normandy American Cemetery.
An aviator in the U.S. Army Air Forces, he was buried at the Normandy
American Cemetery, almost 80 years after being killed during operations in
France during the Second World War.
 logo

NUTS2

Link to Nuts! Page

mcgawon_william_j_tombe

The association was invited to this ceremony and was able to lay a wreath.

mcgawon_william_j_tombe

Portrait of William J McGOWAN

 

 

 

Private signing session with Vince in Carentan during the 78th.

NUTS2

4th June 2022- Sainte-Mère-Eglise

Signing session of Vincent J. SPERANZA's biography, NUTS!, in

English or in French, in collaboration with Marion van Hellemond and Marco Kilian.

The members of the association Mémoire & Database,

publisher of the French version, were present: Fredo Lav, our

president who did the page layout - Romain Vattier who

worked on the cover and Nathalie Varniere who translated

Vincent's biography.

Source : Romain Vattier

vince_dedicace_ste_mere_eglisevince_dedicace_ste_mere_eglise

The site will evolve, thanks to the work of our webmaster Renaud

accueil site MD

 

The associations Amitié Franco-Américaine Men of D-Day and Mémoire & Database are proud to present you Vincent J. Speranza's acclaimed biography, NUTS!, translated in French for the first time.
All profits from the sale will be donated to Vince Speranza.


Vince Speranza gives us an incredibly honest and compelling account of what happened to (with - and to -) this mix of fresh-faced kids and grizzled veterans, when all hell broke loose and the snow turned red, during those days that went down in American history.

Fred Thompson, former senator and presidential candidate On December 22, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, as the Germans surrounded the Belgian town of Bastogne, a German messenger brought a message from his commander to General Anthony McAuliffe, commander of acting of the 101st Airborne Division, demanding its surrender.

McAuliffe's response was quite simply, “NUTS! Holding a manhole in the perimeter around Bastogne was 19-year-old soldier Vince Speranza, a machine gunner with the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment.

This is Vince’s story of the Battle of the Bulge, but also his life before and after the fighting.

Vince shares his childhood memories, his service in WWII and his life thereafter to today as he approaches 90 - a story you will remember for a long time.

Vince went to Bastogne to see his manhole on the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, drank Airborne beer, inspired by his actions decades before.

NUTS2

 

 Buy the book 

Hello 

You will find below the number of portraits per American cemetery that we have registered in the database in English: 

Colleville/mer cemetery   St James cemetery    Rhone cemetery 

2188

 

1079

 

176

 
and in French

Colleville/mer cemetery

2216

 

St James cemetery

1091

 

Rhone cemetery

185  

 

And 290 archived records (Old site)

History with a capital H does not read like a novel. It was not written by a single person, but by a multitude of actors, each at his or her own level contributing to the edifice.

The Mémoire & Database website aims to honour these men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice by offering their lives for our freedom.

History may represent the past, but that past has determined who we are today.

Let us never forget that if we are able to enjoy this magnificent wealth of FREEDOM today, it is largely thanks to them.

Our aim in creating this site is to tell their story and to try to give a face to those who lie beneath the crosses or are inscribed on the Walls of the Missing in Normandy's American cemeteries.

They were sons, fathers, husbands, fiancés, far from their native land, and they never returned.

Sometimes we are lucky enough to meet their families. Each time, it is a very special experience.

Through our portraits, we hope that visitors to these cemeteries will feel that these heroes are familiar to them.

Our aim is to never forget them.

 

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Visit the site regularly to see the latest entries.

New soldiers are added to the base almost daily.

Thank you in advance