"Road to Bastogne" is hand-signed by a collection of WWII heroes! Signers vary print by print. Please click "editions" to see which veterans signed which prints.
Thomas Batey
P-47 and later P-51 pilot of "Shirley Jean, "319th FS, 325th FG, DFC, Air Medal w/4 clusters.
Jake Cooper
98 mission P-47 pilot in the 493rd FS, 48th FG. Flew in support of D-Day and later operated out of Normandy, and Belgium. Earned the DFC on Jan. 25th with his citation proclaiming: “while leading a squadron in close support of the ground forces, Lt. Cooper attacked an enemy truck and tank column with telling effect. Heedless of intense anti-aircraft fire and demonstrating superior airmanship and aggressiveness, Lt. Cooper returned alone to make numerous strafing passes until his ammunition was exhausted…”
Ed Cottrell
65 mission P-47 pilot in the 493rd FS, 48th FG. Supported armor units in Normandy, later flew from Belgium. On the second day of the Bulge, Ed’s P-47 was heavily damaged. Limping home, he was shocked to be intercepted by two 109s that inspected him, but didn’t shoot. Ed continued to fly close air support missions in 1945 with his last, taking place in May.
Ron Dove
P-47 pilot in the 318th FS, 325th FG. 1 Aerial Victory, DFC, Air Medal w/4 clusters, planned missions for all MTO fighter groups.
Brad Freeman
Easy Company (506th PIR, 101st Airborne), veteran of D-Day and the battle of Carentan, Market Garden, Battle of the Bulge, wounded in attack on Foy. Part of the 2nd Platoon's mortar squad under Don Malarkey & Bill Guarnere.
George Hardy
P-47 and later P-51 pilot in the 99th FS, 332nd FG (Tuskegee Airmen), where and flew 21 combat missions over Germany. During the Korean War, flew 45 combat missions in B-29s and later in Vietnam flew 70 combat missions as a pilot of an AC-119K Gunship. His decorations include: the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with eleven Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
Don Jakeway
H-Company (508th PIR, 82nd Airborne), landed near Ste. Mere Eglise on D-Day, fought in Market Garden until wounded by artillery. Returned for the Battle of the Bulge where he was shot through the lung by a sniper.
Wallce “Wally” King
75 mission P-51 & P-47 pilot, first in the 363rd FG, then in the 513th FS, 406th FG. Flew from France and supported the 101st Airborne during the siege of Bastogne. Wally and his FG flew 81 missions around Bastogne from Dec. 23-27. Later flew in support of Operation Varsity and was shot down in April 1945, near the Elbe River, on his 75th mission. Captured by the Germans, they later turned him over to friendly forces at the war’s end. Awarded the Purple Heart, DFC, and Air Medal.
Edward Lopez
100+ mission P-47 pilot in the 387th FS, 365th FG (“Hell Hawks”). Flew in support of Patton’s 3rd Army and the 101st Airborne during the Battle of the Bulge. Later rode in a Sherman tank as a forward air controller with the 3rd AD (“Spearhead”) during their drive on Cologne. Was wounded during a dive-bombing attack on Paderborn and was awarded the Purple Heart, in addition to the DFC, 10 Air Medals, EAME Campaign Medal with four battle stars, Belgian Croix de Guerre Fourragere, UN Service Medal, and the Korean Service Medal, earned by flying 100+ missions during the Korean War. Author of Flight of a Hell Hawk.
Al Mampre
101st medic, "Toccoa" man, helped prep paratroopers for D-Day. Joined Easy Company (506th PIR) for Market Garden & Battle of the Bulge. Saved the life of Lt. Brewer, shot by a sniper. The same sniper would wound Al.
Harry Miller
740th Tank Battalion 105mm assault Sherman gunner. Rushed to Sprimont during the opening of the Bulge, Harry readied derelict Shermans for the coming fight. Fought Kampfgruppe Peiper near Stoumont and participated in the liberation of Le Gleize. Later battled across the Cologne plain, and in the Ruhr Pocket.
Richard Rohleder
A glider artilleryman with the 320th GFAB, 82nd Abn., Richard was deployed near Webermont, Belgium, during the Bulge, where his unit fired more than 18,000 rounds of artillery to help stem the German assault.
George Smilanich
E-Company, 67th AR, 2nd AD. Sherman driver from North Africa, through Sicily, into Normandy where he fought at Carentan and to the Elbe river. Awarded the Bronze Star for pulling his commander from their burning Sherman. Consulted on "FURY" making the famous comment, "Who the hell is Brad Pitt?"
Walter Stitt
E-Company, 33rd AR, 3rd AD. As a Sherman gunner, Walt fought in Normandy including the battle for Saint-Lô and Operation Cobra. In the Bulge, his third Sherman was knocked out and he was evacuated to England to recover from his wounds. Once healed, he was assigned to the 95th BG as a B-17 bomb loader. Author of Surviving Three Shermans.
