101st Airborne Paratrooper Describes D-Day Jump | Tom Rice
Tom Rice, a paratrooper with the famed 101st Airborne Division, jumping into Normandy on June 6, 1944. On June 5, 2019 - at the age of 97 - he once again jumped into Normandy, landing near the exact same location he landed 75 years prior.
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Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:49 - Why join the service?
05:56 - Jumping at Normandy
24:50 - Allies secure beach heads
30:19 - Operation Market Garden
34:43 - The injury
43:58 - Eagles Nest
46:32 - One final jump
So I just want to point out to everyone that this man is still kicking, and just recently celebrated his 101st birthday. Not only that, but being the absolute machine that he is, for his 100th birthday he jumped yet again.
Wow! Good for him. My Aunt just turned 99. 🙏 🌿 💜 🇺🇸
Jumping at 100 is what convinced God to let him see 101. He may be the only 101st Veteran to make it to that mythical number.
He sadly passed in November 2022
@@Adam-kr8wy you are correct, I guess I was seeing old posts about his 101st. Regardless, the fact he lived through all of that and pushed on to 101, while still making jumps at 100, is one of the most incredible things I've ever heard. Edit: Just found that he had apparently been planning a jump for Feb had he not passed on. Truly remarkable.
Guys like this are what we called heroes when I was growing up. As a young boy in the 70's, I met a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge at the Beach. I got the impression he hadn't talked much about it, but for some reason, he decided to talk to me. I picked his brain for over an hour before his wife had enough, and decided it was time to go. I guess she did not find his stories as fascinating as I did. I wish I had spoken to more of these guys, and written down or recorded everything.
97 years old and parachutes into Normandy 70 years after he landed during the war. What a true American badass hero!
Airborne badass.
America would be much better off with a military full of 97 year olds like this man than we will with the woke military that’s being groomed as we speak.
After facing such an ordeal, the Great Master above rewarded him with many years to live.
@@anibalcesarnishizk2205 yea, many years of trying to cope with the horrors or war he witnessed/ was a part off. I can only imagine the psychological trauma. If imagine he has had many sleepless nights and so on
@@DavidEVogel]))
I stood in a Normandy field in 2019 watching this amazing man jump from a C-47. A memory that will live with me forever. Bless all these veterans and their stories.
He is definitely the sharpest tool in the shed! His memory is impeccable. What a unique and incredible man. Our military was lucky to have him
I am from the UK, and i say the world was lucky to have men like him.
Anna,with your comment,I bet you are from Wisconsin or Minnesota.
Dude remembers Jan. 1944 better than I remember Jan 2024.
The unbelievable amount of detail he recalls is extremely impressive.
Doesn't matter how long ago it was after trauma like war he won't forget any details since then. So amazing
No kidding. For 90 something his memory and story telling are second to none.
I can't remember what I had for dinner last Thursday and this man remembers everything. I am in awe, a true soldier.
I was thinking the same thing but some things you never forget
You never forget the combat tours, For me it’s been over 30 years and I remember faces, names and details like it was yesterday 😎👍🏻
"We have a few minutes each for two more stories". Seriously? Let this man speak for the next four months!
AMEN!, four months wouldn't be enough for the life of this man!
His stories are so much more valuable then any schedule.. If it took weeks.. I would keep recording and changing out media cards until he said , "that's it.. I am done.. I have no more stories to tell you".
Exactly my thoughts when I heard him say that! This veteran paratrooper has more energy than most men half his age. AND HE WAS READY TO KEEP TELLING HIS STORIES!!!
That’s what I was thinking I! I could listen to these men’s memories for hours!
Jeff N. the veterans face went blank after that like he completely lost his train of thought. the interviewer ruined key details we will never know
the way he said "I hope I got it all" at the end of the interview really hit me like he just wanted to make sure he did his job. As in that's all that ever has mattered to him.
What he did here is just as important as what he did all those years ago in Normandy. As long as the internet lives, his experience will not be forgotten.
Tom recently passed away. I had the pleasure of meeting him. I got to watch him do one of his annual jumps. He was a wonderful person. So grateful for the brave men like him who have made this world a better place. Rest in peace and thank you for your service and sacrifice.
A great man. May he rest in peace. America saved Europe where I live.
No idea how the plane was able to even get off the ground with the weight of his enormous steel balls weighing it down
And those other guy's in his plane too. Lotta steel balls in all of those C-47's that night that they jumped. No wonder why they were flying so low when they got over Normandy.
Amen!
Plus many were dragging gliders too!
@@mstrdiver That's a fact. Years ago when I went to Normandy, I checked out some of the fields where some of the gliders had landed during the airborne drop. The hedgerows are thick and fairly high, and unfortunately a lot of the gliders crashed into them, causing a lot of fatalities. One guy was telling me about a glider that had a Jeep in it and when the glider landed in the field, the two glider pilots couldn't slow it down because of the speed of the C-47 that was towing it was flying faster than what they were supposed to, and for a lot of the C-47 pilots, it was their first time flying into a combat zone and had never experienced anti aircraft fire, and when the glider slammed into the end of the field, because the pilots weren't able to slow the glider down, you can imagine what happened to that Jeep and those 2 unfortunate glider pilots.
He couldn't get out of the plane because they kept bouncing off the fuselage and knocking him back inside.
He was my High School teacher, taught government in Chula Vista, California
Tremendous
You're very fortunate!!
Lucky you!
That's awesome.
Cheers from a former Otay Mesa resident.
"I didn't feel any bullets changing my plumbing." What balls this guy has!
What an amazing man, sharp as a tack at 98 years old. Jumped into Normandy and Holland at 97 years old, awesome. A real hero of our time. From a British paratrooper veteran to an American paratrooper veteran, respect Sir.
Thank you. What a great generation on both sides of the pond.
From a young canadien paratrooper to you , A British para veteran , and this hero veteran American paratrooper, thank you both , for your service , Mad respect ! Airborne! Lest we forget …
@@danielmarcelruest3196 cheers mate, back at you!
@@PreparedPathfinder cheers 🍻!!
@@danielmarcelruest3196 Thank you, merci beaucoup. Thank you to our Canadian allies. Please don't let the loyal Indians - Asian Indian troops - be forgotten, who volunteered to join the war effort to help the Allies. They lost many men and yet little is said in the UK about them. They have a grand memorial in India, but they deserve wider recognition. Thank you to the Aussies and Kiwis too, of course. Without those countries, Britain would have been alone against the Nazis and their allies, until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. Even Russia initially held a treaty with Hitler, undertaking not to invade Russia. They were not one of Britain's allies in the early days.
It was my honor to have Mr. Rice as one of my High school teachers. He is a great teacher and a great man. Thank you Mr Rice.
Hi, Cmoreson. Given what he's been through, it must have been great to have him as a mentor. With this being said, let me introduce to you our 101st Airborne Division Limited Edition Collection from www.praesidus.com. Together with Tom Rice himself, we re-created his lost watch. This is to honor, as well 101st Airborne Division's exceptional service, bravery, and resilience.
thats awesome. well done. he must have been so happy!!
@@praesidus4713 Cool website! Especially the Acme clicker.
@Christoph 1945 Thank you!
@@boomerang_911 So glad that you like it!
A now living person lucidly retelling a story from the 1940's is a treasure to us all.
seriously it blows my mind to actually see someone who was actually there fighting in WW2 on D-Day and is alive here today to tell his story. This man was alive fighting when Hitler was still alive... just amazing.
Couldn't agree more! He's definitely awesome
Look at how articulate he is retelling stories, young dudes like me these days can’t string sentences together
@@haydencouper6233 you have to remember that if you fight in a war and live through traumatic experiences such as getting shot like Mr. Rice, your going to remember it pretty well
@@vincelam1998 Yes agree .its amazing .My Dad only died 8 months ago age 99.He was at Normandy in 44 age 24. Because he was there on D Day 6 June. He was awarded the Legion d Honneur for his part in being there that day to help liberate France.He basically became a Knight of France .Any surviving ww2 vet who was there that day whatever country they come from can be awarded the medal ,but a relative has to apply to the French gov for it .Its a beautiful medal ,created in 1803 by Napoleon for services to France.Luckily I applied for it for him before he passed.
Remember: every old man was once a young man. I love these interviews, the living history of us.
Boy, ya think!
unless they were born a female and changed genders and prefer a different pronoun... then they are old men that were once young girls that were tricked into thinking you can change your gender or call yourself an "it," "they," "them," or "he/him" (moral of the story: accept yourself as you are and don't fall for the fads)
I was airborne in the army. I was told the history of the paratroopers. I've been to the museums at Ft Bragg and Ft Benning. I deployed all over the world, sometimes in combat, and sometimes just for training. But I never UNDERSTOOD what these guys really went through and what it was really like back then until I watched videos like this, and saw Band of Brothers. These guys are all certified badasses.
@@cadm1676 i hope this was a joke
Those museums are great!
@@cadm1676reading comprehension my friend… reading comprehension.
My dad was band of brother !!!
Tom Rice is the epitome of "bad ass". An American hero and national treasure.
Hi Jim. He is a hero, indeed. To honor his bravery, together with Tom Rice himself, we re-created his lost watch. And proudly present The 101st Airborne Division Limited Edition Collection to celebrate the exceptional service of these (101st Airborne Division) great men and to honor their sacrifice, bravery, and resilience. You can check our collection at www.praesidus.com
This guy's memory is unbelievable. I can hardly remember last week...
No one would forget a life experience like that. No one
Yeah i promise this is engraved in his head for ever.
The things that this man lived through would be hard to forget!
@Phil Mccrevasse Yeah, I don't think that's correct.
he is proud of his life he remembers the good and there's no bad just what had to be
My uncle was in the 101st and was in on D-Day, Market Garden, & the Battle of the Bulge. We are so proud of him! God bless them!
@Mark Summers My great grandpa was in the same division as your uncle!! Except he was in the 82nd AB before D-Day for Sicily and Italy
My great-grandfather was also in the 101st airborne and arrived on the beaches of Normandy (Utah Beach) on June 9th 1944. T
24:25 I love how the interviewer mentions him saving people pinned down by a German sniper and his completely humble response is that he isn't sure which time the interviewer is talking about. "Two or three things come to mind. I'm not sure which one you referred to." Because he did this more than once during the war. Legend.
you can also see him recounting those memories he had sad stuff
I wish this gentleman could've spoke for 5 hours...
I could listen to these WW2 veterans all day! He is sharp as a tack!
Ikr- I tease my hubby I have "serious little ole man itis"
We will never see the likes again of men such as these God bless them all...A greatful american
God Bless You Sir. [Hand-Salute!, Ready-Two!]
Andrew Farrell which is why we must strive to be like them and remember them. Hold them close to your heart.
Check out Al White - Vietnam. He had me cracking up kzhead.info/sun/pbuDZd2wrKiKgK8/bejne.html
Damn, it's like he's describing a movie. His memory is impeccable!
My 3rd cousin was shot as he landed in Normandy and died 2 days later, was also in that unit.From Alabama, he was Pvt.William Trammell. Rest in peace , dear William.🌹
Rest in eternal peace sir, thank you for your service 🙏🙏🙏
I loved how when the interviewer brought up dealing with the German sniper Mr. Rice was very clearly thinking, "well that doesn't narrow it down much". What a casual badass.
I thought the same thing 😆 when asked about the sniper Mr Rice said “we’ll let me see, I can think of 3 or 4 times we were held down by a sniper so I’m not sure which time you’re asking about” THAT ANSWER WAS EPIC
Mister Rice suddenly starts talking faster as he describes the flight over the channel close to France. Without a doubt, the feelings of that night are still fresh after all these years. My civilian salute to you Mr. Rice!
That is why his memory is so good... He went through something that imprinted on his every fiber of being.
I got the feeling that he has told these stories many times.
The Germans never had a chance with men like this dropping behind their lines. These were our top boys - the cream of the crop. This warrior is a prime example of the quality of these troopers.
Do you know many men like that these days? I don't.
@@jasonclark5856 These men jumped out of a plane straight into enemy fire. Today we have cowards that are afraid of a vaccine.
@@GR44N just like people afraid of a bug with a 99% survival rating funny how people are dramatic
@@GR44N also I think it’s funny people don’t want to participate in experiments unknown what will happen in 10 years.sounds like a certain guy we fought in ww2 that did experiments on humans
@@GR44N you honor strong men from 70 year ago that we’re great but I honor the men that founded and recognize you’re damn right to have a opinion and freedom to put whatever they want in the body so NO I WILL NOT TRADE TEMPORARY SAFETY FOR LIBERTY IN THE END YOU DESERVE NEITHER.
Can you imagine if this interview would have been done right after the war. You can tell this soldier was very smart, energetic and formidable.
My Father WWII 29th Army 8th Armored Division Landed on Omaha Beach D-Day on June 6, 1944. First town St Glees, on to St Lo, in his words they got the sh-t kicked out of them in St Lo. Fought in the Battle of The Bulge where he carried two GIs under heavy fire to safety, he received the Medal of The Silver Star award in May of 45 for doing so. He told me the 82nd Airborne Division jumped into the wrong place, He passed away 12/2002. Forever my hero! God Bless all that served
Lucky to have had him, not many people have their fathers as actual heroes
Kevin that was a great read. God bless your father. Do you know if he served with ‘Richard Winter’ Band of Brothers?
@@tee1up785 Richard Winters was 101st airborne, my father was 29th army infantry. I doubt their paths crossed, but you never know.
If you talk jumping in Normandy, they all jumped at the wrong place.
My uncle was in the 29th, 116th Inf in 1st wave on Omaha, then around St. Lo. He was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge.
“Didnt feel any bullets changing my plumbing..”😂😂😂 I could listen to him all day long.
This man is a living legend! And a hero!
What an amazing man . My great grandfather fought in the First World War joining in 1916 he then fought in WW2 surviving Dunkirk and then died in a bombing raid at the age of 42 in the town of Falmouth England . He was from Dundee . I could listen to Tom forever. Thank you sir for your service and your courage . From Glasgow Scotland 🏴
My grandad, my mother’s father was a WW2 vet passed away in 1979 when I was 8 and wish he would have lived long enough to tell me stories. Found out years later that he commanded the first wave to Omaha Beach on D-Day. He was 29 years old at the time, born 5/11/1915. Thanks for these videos of the real heroes, they are amazing!!!
He can remember all the names of the those he was in contact with. Shows that he thought about his war experiences his whole life.
He still wants that watch back too. Probably some satisfaction in knowing he outlived the person who found it!
@@brandonday2494 That was an insanely expensive watch back then. And personally engraved? You're goddamn right he wants it back!
I am British,and could listen to your American heroes all day long.You should be so proud of these Supermen.This is one of the guys who made your Nation the greatest country in the world
Hat's off to you cousin, and Countrymen .Our unique , and storied friendship must continue .For as great a challenge to freedom confronts us all ,once again.
Don't discount the the men of the British military they are studs much respect for them having trained and drank with them I consider them brothers
Thank you sir, it means a lot to hear a Brit thanking us for not having to speak German today.
I am blown away by how amazing Mr. Tom Rice is! He's brilliant, strong, funny, and all-around enjoyable. What a lucky chance to listen to a real American Hero. I wish there was more time for all his stories. Thank you and God bless you, Mr. Rice!
Hi doll.
My great grandpa was with the 101st and he flew the wooden gliders into Normandy and fought in the Battle of the Bulge later that year. He passes before I was even born but I have so much respect for him and people like him who were caught up in the conflict.
Should be taught in schools in history class. I love these vets and there story's.
Ricky Smith my daughters social studies book about 15 years ago only had four pages on WWII but had three on Marilyn Monroe? Two pages on Nixon the president that lied and nothing about Clinton that lied? Our children are being re-educated to think we are bad so communism can take hold. It’s scary out there now in the re-education system! They don’t teach history at all they want us to forget it. The exact same thing mao did.
@@randallkarlin4115 The education system itself is designed to teach just the most basic footnotes about history. I don't have enough experience in American education to say whether they were being described briefly because there was little to describe or if they're skipping something, but I can assure you they aren't re-educating anybody.
@@randallkarlin4115 if your daughter signs up for AP and honors classes they’ll go more in depth about WW2 etc.. i took all AP and honors and i don’t regret it. History is my favorite subject as well so it was an easy choice to make.
Fun fact: When Mr. Rice retired from the military he went on to teach for several years at Hilltop High School (Chula Vista, CA)
The schools are too busy teaching bullshit.
This old gent speaks with more clarity than I do at a third of his age.
I know! Smh lol
That fellow is a national treasure, God bless him, and thank him for his amazing service.
As a man from The Netherlands, I thank you for your service, sir
My neighbor when I was a kid was a combat vet of the 82nd in WWII. Fought in Operation Neptune and Market Garden. I made this mistake of asking him about Bostonge as I came to learn later what actually happened there. I'll never forget as soon as the word left my lips, he was immediately transported back to a bad moment in time.. a look of horror covered his face, kept shaking his head slowly.. mumbled and walked back to his house. I felt so bad. Also, my uncle was an airborne ranger of the 82nd in Vietnam with two tours.
He’s a worldwide treasure. What a guy - sharp as a double-pointed nail.
This guy is amazing, he probably relives this memories several times a week
The greatest generation. They are and always will be heroes.
As a former paratrooper myself, I love the description of the jumping process. Not much has changed since then. Now we do 64 troopers a bird. Respect for these men.
I was thinking the exact same thing. 76 jumps myself. Static line jumping is just as bad now as it was then. Someone gets hurt on every jump. Miss the whole drop zone entirely. Get dragged across the DZ by strong winds etc etc. But at least we're not a dirty ol nasty leg!! A co. 2/75
As a vet myself, I can't stop listening to these interviews of WWII, Korean War & Vietnam War vets. All the hell they went through so we can enjoy our freedoms. You will never be forgotten. God Bless America Forever.
Thank You for Your Service, Sir.
As an AF vet myself its very interesting listening to all these stories. What memories this amazing man has.
I found these interviews and am currently on my fourth one in a row. They are truly amazing and these gentlemen are truly the greatest generation. With zero hesitation they protected our future. May his fellow soldiers and friends Rest In Peace.
He was the first to jump last to board. Tough as nails. Hope he has a few buddy's left. We all o him much. I trust he was an officer. If not a bad ass soldier. Thank you MR.RICE
He said in the beginning that he was a PFC.
I read here he was the last to jump and got stuck as he left the aircraft (praesidus.com/pages/about-tom-rice). What a story.
Hi Erwin! We have noticed you are a fan of Tom Rice. Together with Tom Rice, we re-created his lost watch and proudly present the 101st Airborne Division Limited Edition Collection to celebrate the exceptional service of these great men and to honor their sacrifice, bravery, and resilience. You can check our collection at www.praesidus.com
FCUKing hell. HERO for us 🇬🇧 too. any American who fought in WW2 I salute. Without you guys I never live to see freedom. always always love America. Blood Brothers. 🇬🇧🇺🇸
as beeing a soldier of the 101st airborne, air assault!. watching this was awesome to see someone so strong at his age, god bless you sir, and god bless america!
My gosh this gentleman remembers every tiny detail after 75 years! Hats off to you and many, many thanks for doing your duty, sir!
Are you sure this guy is at age of 97? The way he talks and responds feel so much like he's still at his 20s
😊😊👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I agree completely: he is in amazing mental shape for his age.
That's what we thought too. Superb memory and personality
🧢
Legends, all of them. At 97 and still sharp as a tac. Thx for sharing as always
Ben Miz 98!
What an amazing, brave man. Refused to go home after being shot and recovered, wanted to go back and join his men. On the other hand one man couldn't go into the army because he had a bone spur.
Pussy is that man's name.
And still managed to make a half way decent President.
@@milesruby3271 *Insurrectionist
@@milesruby3271 He still thinks he is President. Delusional narcissist.
@@RG-od8ri definitely not an insurrectionist. Turn of the cnn and fox news 🤣
I retired from the military after 30 years of service and I NEVER experienced what this man did. And YES, I was in Iraq. Salute to the greatest generation!
Thank you for your service sir! 😊
@@amymichelle1916 Thank you, it was my life.
@Les I understand, I come from a military family goes back to the Revolutionary War to Iraq My Grandfather served two tours in Vietnam. My brother retired after 22 yrs in the Army, was in Iraq 3 deployments. My older brother was in Iraq 3 deployments. My sister was the first Army convoy to go into Iraq.
@@amymichelle1916 Wow! Yes, you have a military family! My ancestors served in the Revolution, Lincoln's war, WW2 (grandfathers) and my father was in the Korean war. I think I am the last one, with a 2nd cousin who was also in Iraq and Afghanistan.
@@les3449 Wow! My Grandfather's brother was in WWll in the Pacific and Korea
This dude is sharp. He's remembering details and numbers that I would've never remembered.
This guy jumped again at 97. Amazing. I was an infantryman and fought in Iraq in 2006 and this man is a hero to me.
I am an 11B too - fought in Iraq 3 times, and Afghanistan once - It is my position that nothing I did in 4 years of combat compares to what this man experienced.
@@Keti9er correct, nothing you did will ever come close to what Mr. Rice did
11B here too. 05-07 was a wonderful time to be in that crap hole country. :)
@@davidfromhouston7889the hells wrong with you
what a guy!! Amazing!! We could never have repaid Tom Rice for all that he did for this country. What an meticulous remarkable memory he has of all the details. At age 97 ... WTF ??!!
Thanks for making these videos. A lot of these guys won't be around much longer, and their stories deserve to be heard and preserved forever.
True!
Greetings from the Netherlands, we owe a lot to your actions and sacrifice.
Jason Bouphasavanh LOL, yes Stalin was such a good friend to them and his own people too! If you’re a Russian sympathizer you won’t find many friends around here.
@Jason Bouphasavanh America's folly was ceding massive swaths of Europe to Stalin's grasp. I apologize for that. Patton was right.
Yes. We should be so thankful to the other signers of Hitlers nonaggression pact. Should the Poles, Latvians, Estonians and Belorussians thank them as well for occupying their countries? How nice of them to partition Poland with the Nazis
Now you live in a multicultural shithole like the rest of western Europe.
2/3 of the invasion force was from Canada and UK. Credits where credits due.
It's hard to believe that we have MEN like this in the world. Every single Paratrooper in every theatre of WW2 are my heroes. I've had the great honor of sending time with a few years ago and still get goosebumps whenever I remember those hours. It's as close to greatness as I will ever get.
❤
What about the boys on those beaches
PATRICK McShane You mean the ones that lived ?
@@jlyle51 what's that supposed to mean?
NOT in the newest generation
My pawpaw was in the Screaming Eagles (101st Airborne) and he’s 87 and he jumped into Vietnam a couple times but he was just a supporter but he has some crazy stories he told me about the tanks and how humid it was but he didn’t see much combat but still it’s pretty cool because he was in the best of the best of any airborne troop🦅🇺🇸
Tom Rice was one of my High School teachers, he was a fun guy as a teacher and we never dreamed of his time in WW2, he was that modest.
Jumped into Normandy in 1944 and again in 2019 - what a guy. Thank You Mr. Rice!!
I saw that..........when he jumped this time I mean= AMAZING HERO
He also jumped into the Netherlands in September for the 75th Anniversary of Market Garden! I was there!
@@mccuenoirfilms To me, that is just mindblowing.
This nation could never be thankful enough, for the job that was completed by these men. And all veterans from WWII. Thank you, Sir.
This man is an absolute savage. “I didn’t feel any bullets changing my plumbing.” 😂 15:45
Sad to think in 10-15 yrs such a great wealth of knowledge and experience will no longer be available and is why these interviews are so important, keeping alive the info and experiences these heroes lived thru that is so precious and priceless to the generations of today and the future.
This man is so precise you can see him physically reacting to certain times
I'm so proud of this guy and i'm Australian.God bless him. Thank you Tom and every other solider who fought and died to give us the greatest gift of all, our freedom!.
I second that thought!
Mr. Rice is sharp for his age! I can't imagine being part of D-Day. These vets saved our tail or I would be speaking German.
He's just incredible 🙏🇺🇸
Thank God for men of his generation...and their sacrifices and honor....
Out Greatest Generation, what a memory this gentleman has for a 97 year old. God Bless You Sir.👍🇺🇸
Please have this man on again and let all of the vets talk for as long as they would like to :( so many beautiful stories
You never forget! What I find impressive is his jump into Normandy 75 years later at the ripe age of 97! From one combat veteran to another, thank you!
Tom is a true American badass! I’ve traveled back to Europe with him twice in the past two years and have been able to stand with him in places that he fought during the war! I’ll never forget those experiences I had with him!
What a fascinating experience, Patrick!
KingoftheCatnap a dream come true! He and I also sat in one of the foxholes in the woods outside of Foy together!
@@mccuenoirfilms That's priceless.
Thats awesome. I just saw that they are reproducing the watch he lost on dday in his honor. Im sure he will be happy to get another one. Lol
The greatest generation !
I am in no way a history professor but watching gents like Tom talk about what they went through makes me want to remind the newest generations of what men used to be and what they went through to give them their current reality. Without them who knows where we would be. We all appreciate you Tom. Thank you for being the man you are. God speed.
Well said🇺🇸
I had 5 deployments before I was medically retired. I met people of this man's caliber. They are everywhere.
We STILL have them. They are ALL over the world tonight keeping us safe ! They just do not get the attention, the left wing Communists haters of our country get !!
Jakal9712 Son, you know that Vietnam was a worse military/political cluster than the ME. Thank you for shedding your blood there, but for what? At least our current military has prevented another 9/11 for two decades so far. I served in two branches during VN, btw
A 19 y.o. today couldn't even come close a 19 year old man back then. Young men today aren't fit to be this man's shoelaces. Today's millennials are hardly men OR women. Whiners.
*Thank you Mr. Rice. For your service and for your amazing recall of events that occurred 75 years ago.*
The worlds bravest. It’s incredible how vivid his memories are. It’s so sad to see this incredible man in a uniform a bit too big now, and a little frailer now as he recalls the awe inspiring actions he was involved with. You can still see that bravery and fight in his eyes. There are few men like him these days.
This man would still put up one hell of a fight that I can guarantee. Thank you and all soldiers for my freedom.
I'm sorry this only has less than 500 views. Thank you, Tom Rice, for your heroism. This was truly our greatest hour.
Don't worry...it was uploaded only a few days ago. Now it's at 35k views and growing fast!
50,000 views in the last 6 days.
Nope 61k now
67,000 now
And I'm so glad.
Thank you Sir for your amazing service to our country.
This man is very sharp. I cant remember what i did last week and he remembers details from over 70 yrs ago. A true hero and a remarkable man. I could listen to him all day.
He could write a compelling book, mind as a steel trap, vivid memory..
Just look at the light in his eyes as he recounts a genuine story of his glory days. I'll bet he was a sight back then when we all were patriotic, and loved our country. I can only pray we could come together as a country and stand up for what's right as we are only a shadow of these men, really our greatest generation! Thank you for your service, & sacrifice good sir!👍👍
You are right. It reminds me of when my Nana and Papa would talk about that time. He was in Italy in WW2 where he met my Nana and married. I could see them as those young kids for a moment when they talked about it. It makes me said that they, my grandparents, and men like him will be gone.
Robin Morris I totally agree with your comment, those were the days when people were very patriotic, I wish we can go back to those days, this is what America should be, it should stand for.
Listen to Gore Vidal talk the truth about WW2 soldiers if you have the courage.
charlie morris I probably disagree more, with his views, then the ones that I do agree on, that’s my point of you. This gentleman,Gore Vidal, His point of you about America, America is not perfect, but but it’s better than being in Russia, or China.
He could lead a group of men into battle right now!
I liked what he said about; courage, fear, frieght then going forth to complete your mission. What a memory he has. Wish I knew what he has been doing to keep his memory in tact.
What a true treasure. God love you sir and and thank you for service for keeping me and mine free!
Still sharp as an axe at 97. He's a real All American hero and a valued member of the greatest generation. Thank you for your service Mr. Rice.
“I didn’t feel any bullets changing my plumbing” lmao this guy is an American Hero.
Friends, I'd like to point out to you that recounting war stories often results in several nights worth of nightmares. While I see many people posting how much they appreciate what these guys endured in combat please know that after these interviews they probably had a tough time for a week or so. They are telling us these stories because this first hand reporting is very important. Thanks Tom. Airborne!
Very precise recall given both the years since D-Day as well as his age. Thanks for sharing these priceless memories from these truly courageous warriors.
Thank you for your service. As my family left poland to escape the Holocaust men such as yourself are the epitome of the word heroic.
28:47 you've just heard the secret of the greatest generation. Words to live by, words to die for ! My father was there, he was Patton's 3rd Army but crossed paths with the 101st on more than one occasion and said they were hi-level hard core.
Such a wonderful memory!!! And great humor! I could hear him for 6-7 hs talking!!! What a mind! Lovely to see his love for his country to his older age! Thank God for men like him!
This man has the most insane recall I've ever heard. It's like he's reading it . The detail is impressive.
I love how he got a little kick out of saying, "Now here is a captain / company commander leading a squad of 5 or 6 men". What an amazing man and storyteller.
“They beat us to the chics & wine”. 😂 98 years young sir! God Bless you sir and the fine men that never came home. 😢
Interviewer, "Tell us about the German sniper?" Response: "Oh ya." The balls on these guys aren't measurable in today's terms.
Absolutely!
I have the highest respect for my four deceased uncles who served in WWII, all of whom were exposed to danger. One was in the Marine Corps and one was a paratrooper. However, they were no better as people than other generations nor is their any reason to believe that today's young people or my baby boom generation would not have risen to the same challenges they faced.
What a great guy. A true hero. God bless him.
Deep respect for this paratrooper at age 97. I served the Dutch Army Air Assault also as a paratrooper and had my 'war experience'' in Srebrenica Bosnia in 1994. But that doesn't count hearing the story of Tom Rice. They are all heroes no question about that and we thank all the Allied soldiers that came to Europe to liberate us from the Nazi's. Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.
Thanks for your service Henny - your task was no less heroic.
@@jduff59 thank you for that. But i think you know what i mean.
Thanks for your service. American's in general are against genocide which was the Bosnian war.
These Men Literately saved Western Civilization. How does one pay tribute? Thank you. Just amazing!
Have you ever heard of the eastern front,does stalingrad ring a bell?
zack grumet They just ensured that jewish bolsheviks invaded east europe.
@@colorchanginchev Excellent point. Soviet Sacrifice bought time. No country suffered more. Thank you for pointing out my mis-statement
@@osmanemral6092 surley you can state your point more eloquently...
@@zackgrumet8712 yes the western front should have started a year or two earlier than 44
Mr. Rice. You are a true National treasure! Thank you for your service and incredible stories.
wow... THESE MEN ARE HEROES TO ME. I was medically retired in 2005 and had the honor of jumping in for the 50th anniversary of Normady. That is a jump and honor I will never forget.