- Veterans Day Salute -

Early on 6 June, 1944, Allied airborne forces parachuted into drop zones across northern France. This was the largest naval, air and land operation in history; D-Day.

The invasion was conducted in two main phases - by airborne and amphibious landings. Shortly after midnight on 6 June, over 18,000 Allied paratroopers were dropped into the invasion area to provide tactical support for infantry divisions on the beaches. Allied air forces flew over 14,000 sorties in support of the landings and, having secured air supremacy prior to the invasion.

One of those there, living the experience, was John Edward (Jack) Lang of Loring, Montana.

In honor of Veterans Day this article is being shared, there are many Veterans who have a story that is worthy of time to share. This one has been in the files for a while and with Veterans Day this Friday, we pay tribute and recognize our military. We hope to cover more stories in the future. This is just one story.

In a time capsule, the main focus of the article would the last entry. Today it is the first.

We share the story of Jack's bomber jacket and part of the history behind it. It was located several years ago in a pawn shop and is only one of five known to exist. The one that had obtained it, had it for 30 years and he wanted to get rid of it. This is just a bit of the history behind it.

The family of Jack knew little of his encounters and history in the service other than he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army and had seen action in WWII, was part of the troops sent on what is known as "D-Day," and had landed behind enemy lines into Normandy.

Jack and fellow troopers landed 17 miles off their target. The Nazis had flooded all the farmland; the family members presume the farmers there assisted with getting them safely across the marshland back to where they were to be.

The troops were all to burn their clothing as they were to leave nothing behind. How the jacket survived over time and was recovered and the family found out about it is nothing short of a miracle. But then, how Jack survived the war was also part of God's plan. On a side note, Jack was later engaged in the Battle of the Bulge. He was one of only nine that survived out of 160 that were in that particular group.

When the war was over, Jack, Sargent of the Guard and had been guarding Hitler's mansion. He sent a group to relieve the guards on duty and they did not return.

So, after a while, he and his friend went up to the mansion to see what was happening. When they got there he found them looting the place; they took two dueling pistols. The set was made in Austria; the friend took the other one and Jack kept one, which he gave to his son, Mike. Later, in 1959, the friend sent the gun he had to Jack, and Mike now has the set of two.

In the 1980's, Mike met a guy from Austria who was a gun buff. He took pictures of the gun and through research found out the the guns. They were handmade by a man in Austria in 1866.

A WWII History memorabilia collector, Arnaud Digard, a French citizen, came across the jacket. He went online and happened to locate through a search looking for the family of John Edward Lang, and made connections with Mike.

Jack's military information and Army serial number were still visible on the collar of the jacket. When Mike saw his dad's handwriting on it, he said it was an emotional time. History coming home, even if only by contact and pictures at the time.

Lang was drafted into the military when he was working in Alaska, along with friends, Lou Ivanish, Joe Eskildsen, Keith Stine and Earl Slade, fresh out of high school who had all left heading to Alaska to work. Earl was running a Cat, Jack and Keith had purchased a bar. Joe went to the post office to get the mail and they all received their "pink notices" - they had all been drafted, which ended their plans in Alaska completely. With $7,000 between them they left Alaska, Jack's dad had to send them money in Seattle because they had such a good time and went through all the money.

Harvey Bruckner and Ole Strommen went to Butte with him, but they never saw each other again. Leonard Anderson from Malta served six years.

Jack's military history is confusing, he was a Master Sargent, then a Private, then a Master Sargent, then a Private. Come to find out, few liked the West Point Graduates, and as Jack's group was marching, a couple of guys couldn't march. The WP guys would literally kick them (in the posterior) and continue kicking them after they fell to the ground, and Jack would bust the Lieutenant and get demoted. Come to find out, their toes were froze off.

Jack always maintained that becoming an Eagle Scout had allowed him to learn survival skills and tactics.

Jack Lang married Rita Maloney in 1948, and they were married until her passing in 1982. The couple had seven children; Mike, Mary (Lundstrom), Patty (Simons), Anne (Boothe), Jackie (Neff), Ken, and Laurel (McMahon).

Jack passed away in 1997.

His jacket is now on permanent display in Mere Eglis, France, at The Aviation Museum in its original shape. All seven of Jack's children have been to see it.

There is much more that could have been shared, like that the family has a set of his letters to home and they have been compiled for the family to share.

One of five. What an honor and legacy.

Thank you, Jack, for your service and dedication to our country. Thank you, all Veterans.