The Final Salute: National D-Day Memorial June 4-9, 2019 - 30

was the assistant on a two-man flamethrower
team, meaning he carried most of the gear. He
hadn't had enough training to know how to operate the flamethrower, he says, something that
would come into play when his partner was
wounded later, and he was left with the gear.
"We got no information and no practice on
the flamethrower," he says. "I had no idea how to
get it started. I had a nozzle in one hand, the tanks
on my back and the M1 in the other hand. I junked
the flame thrower."
The Omaha landing with about 20 other soldiers "was mostly confusing." His platoon was
miles away from its intended landing spot and
the tide was out, creating a wide beach area. It was
"run-hide, run-hide" for much of the day. He and
four other soldiers finished the day by accepting
the surrender of four German soldiers (claiming
they were Polish) and "that was one prisoner each
for us." A pretty good finish to the day.
Later, he would be wounded seriously by

mortar fire near St. Lo and was in the hospital in
England until November of 1944. He went back
to his unit with the 116th and found few of his
original platoon still there. They had been
wounded or killed. Among those left, "were sergeants." They had been buck privates when
Neighbor was wounded.
"I saw more combat and spent Christmas at
the Roer River near Germany where I was
wounded again" in a "much less noble" fashion.
"I set off a booby trap." In May of 1945, while on
the way to rendezvous with the Russian army in
Germany, he learned the war in Europe was
over. "It was expected," he says, so the celebration was subdued.
Following the war, Neighbor finished college
at Kansas State University with a degree in engineering and ultimately wound up working for
Hercules in Radford. His son, Keith, talks about
all the time and distance his father traveled, only
to wind up in what is generally considered 29th
country, though the division was actually
formed during World War I at Ft. Belvoir in
Fairfax County. ✪

Bedford has left its mark on American and world
history. From a band of brothers to a founding father.
Hear remarkable stories of great bravery at the
National D-Day Memorial and stroll the grounds of
Thomas Jefferson's beloved retreat at Poplar Forest.

National D-Day Memorial

---- Where Ordinary Ends... ----

Bedford Begins.
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Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest

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The Final Salute: National D-Day Memorial June 4-9, 2019

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