Greene County Daily World

A War Story

Posted Thursday, January 3, 2008, at 8:07 PM
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Pvt. Durning

As I read about our fellow Hoosiers heading off to Iraq, I thought about a story that I had read quite some time ago about another soldier. I began reading the article because of my obsession with history and military history in particular. However, I also read it because it was about a man, whom I had seen many times in movies and on television and I had always thought that he was a great actor. Many of you would remember him as police Lt. Snyder from the Redford-Newman classic "The Sting", or with Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton as the Governor in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", or maybe as Governor Menelaus 'Pappy' O'Daniel in "O' Brother Where Art Thou". Charles Durning has made an excellent career as a character actor and I have thoroughly enjoyed his work. If you are not familiar with him, you might want to think about renting one of those movies.

Hold on for a second, while I take you back several years to the story of a young boy whose father, an Army Sergeant, had died when Charles was only 12. His mother worked as a laundress at West Point and he grew up in one of my favorite places, the village of Highland Falls, which is just outside the Academy's gate. At the young age of 21, Pvt. Charles Durning, landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6th, 1944. During the course of his service in this brutal war, he earned the Silver Star for Valor and was awarded 3 Purple Hearts. One of his Purple Hearts came as a result of being stabbed repeatedly with a bayonet. However, he survived the eight stab wounds and returned to the war. Later in the war, Charles Durning was one of the few survivors of the infamous Malmedy Massacre. This massacre of POWs took place as a result of Hitler's decree, late in the war, to take no prisoners. A few months later he took a bullet in the chest, which took him out of the war for good. He spent the next 4 years in and out of hospitals for his severe physical and psychological wounds. These wounds continue to haunt him to this day and Charles Durning will be 85 years old on February 28th. Sixty plus years is a long time to harbor those kinds of memories.

It was just a story that I wanted to tell. One of many that deserve to be told. If you would, when you get a chance, please tell a Veteran how much you have appreciated his service. Your thanks should not just be for what they have done, but for what they have endured for all of these years.

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I remember Charles Durning as Dr. Harlan Elldridge in a TV series called Evening Shade. He was funny and a great performer. Now I find out he was a hell of a soldier too.

God Bless Mr Durning and all the brave young men that have made my life so easy.

Thanks for wonderful story, Keith.

-- Posted by Wiglund on Thu, Jan 3, 2008, at 9:59 PM

My fave Durning character was definitely Pappy O'Daniel, "I've got no time to press flesh, we've got bigger fish to fry", kind of reminds me of the Iowa caucases.

Once again simmons you have written a thought provoking blog. Thank you for reminding me to thank some people that I too often forget about their sacrifice.

-- Posted by midnightrambler on Fri, Jan 4, 2008, at 2:39 AM

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE IOWA OUTCOME AND WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN IN MICH.?

-- Posted by onebyone on Sat, Jan 5, 2008, at 10:57 AM

Seriously, the candidates spent millions of dollars and will continue to spend millions more while we are trying to fight a war, wrestle with serious issues of homelessness, poor health care for the elderly, a deteriorating economy and scores of other issues which could benefit from these needless expenditures. Let's get rid of this money wasting process, let the political parties meet separately without all of the fanfare, choose their candidates and then we can hold an election. These candidates (senators, governors and congressmen)need to get back to work in the jobs they were elected to do. If they want to run for another office then they should resign and let someone else perform for the pay they are receiving. That is my take on the entire process. Sorry if my ideas of reform contradict the opinions of others, but I do believe it is time to take stock of what is important and what is unnecessary fluff.

-- Posted by simmons on Sat, Jan 5, 2008, at 12:15 PM

Now if you were talking about the Hoosiers beating the Hawkeyes, I'm all for that and when they play Michigan next, I hope they win that one too. There's a lot going on with Iowa and Michigan, so you need to be more specific, please.

-- Posted by simmons on Sat, Jan 5, 2008, at 5:33 PM

I want to thank all those that served.

Like Simmons I like my military history--proved by the number of magazines stacked in my house. I am in awe of those men and what they did-survived. Guys like Durning came home and did what they had to do at home too. They are Great Examples that I hope young people would emulate.

As for the primary suggestions: I think your right about haveing a political Job- you need to take care of first things first. I would change campaining myself. I would stop all Paid Advertisements by politicians. Then mandate that every TV,Radio, and newspaper Do shows on the canadates-asking them questions and having them answer then "UNSCRIPTED".

As a Vigo county resident I learned the most about the school board canadates when I was able to see them ansering questions in Debate form on TV2. This was 8 yrs or more ago and since then they have done this but not when people could watch them.

The reason I dont like advertisement is that a lot of ads contain "half truths" and "twists" and tweeked pictures.

-- Posted by silerCityDude on Sat, Jan 5, 2008, at 10:58 PM

Your war story and your opinion re politicians are both valuable and insightful. If you do retire, plan to spend your "next" career as a writer.

-- Posted by DianneM on Sun, Jan 6, 2008, at 9:46 AM