NORMANDY PARATROOPER NEEDS A CAR TO CONTINUE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS.

Like most from the Greatest Generation, Mr. Joseph Reilly one was of 16 million Americans to serve his nation during World War II.  Born May 7, 1921, in Janesville, Wisconsin, Reilly enlisted into the United States Army Paratroopers in March 1943 because as a paratrooper he would earn extra pay.

Assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, Reilly and his comrades departed Merryfield Airport, Southwest of London at 2245 on June 5, 1944 five hours before the D-day Normandy Invasion was launched.

NORMANDY 
As the Allies assault force approached the French coast, they encountered fog and antiaircraft fire, which forced many planes to break formation.  Paratroopers from both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions missed their landing zones and were scattered over wide areas.  Reilly’s 501st drop zones were north and east of Carentan near Utah Beach.  Their objective was to capture the causeway bridges that ran behind a beach between St. Martin-de-Varreville and Pouppeville.  Reilly and the 101st Division suffered considerable personnel and equipment losses during those Normandy battles with over 1500 soldiers killed or captured during the battle of Normandy.

OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
In September 1944 during the Allied thrust into northern Europe, Reilly made his second combat jump during Operation MARKET-GARDEN. The operation was a dismal failure. Over 18,000 Allied personnel died or were captured, while the Germans suffered 13,000 casualties.

BATTLE OF THE BULGE
In December 1944, Reilly and the 101st were convoyed into Bastogne, Belgium, for Hitler’s Ardennes Offensive – generally known at the Battle of the Bulge.  Three German armies, with over a quarter-million soldiers, launched the deadliest and most desperate battle of the war in the mountains and dense Ardennes Forest that was plagued with extremely rugged roads.  Between 67,200 and 125,000 of their men were killed, missing, or wounded in action.

SUPPORT NEEDED
Today, the soon to be 96-year-old  Joseph Reilly continues to touch thousands of youth through a significant number of annual speaking engagements, school appointments and business meetings providing his insight into the human element of WORLD WAR II. 

This holds deep meaning to Joseph Reilly as he shares his experiences with those who care about the hardships our Greatest Generation endured decades ago when freedom was seriously jeopardized from evil tyrants and forces that they commanded across our globe. 

Joe Reilly continues to drive his broken down old 1998 SATURN to these functions but it’s clear that his old car has served its useful life.  Like most of Reilly's generation, they must renew there license each year in person, taking a written test and eye exam.

Joe Reilly and the Greatest Generation had a rendezvous with destiny seventy-three years ago when they risked their lives, above and beyond the call of duty. 

So please join us in this HAND HELPING HEROES campaign to raise funds to purchase a new CHEVROLET for one of America’s greatest treasures, Mr. Joseph Reilly.


Thank you for showing interest in the work we do to preserve the legacy of those that have served our nation in uniform.

Remember Those Who Served
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation