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Norm:

My first name's Norman. I served in combat. I was in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. We jumped in France, in Normandy. We had combat against the Germans. Of course, they had us outnumbered something terrible.

They took us prisoner. So, I went up there to Dresden links.

If you’re ever in a bombing where they’re dropping 500-pound bombs, the concussion is so great. See, we were bracketed with bombs. The concussion picks you up and you can’t, you’re being picked up by an invisible hand. And it was terrible. I mean, you were scared as hell, you know, that one of the bombs is going to take you away.

You grow up real fast in combat. And then you’re seeing the other guys that you knew, get hit.

So that was what gave me the post-traumatic stress disorder.

When I got out, when I first got married, I had terrible nightmares.

Oh, you go in and they’ll ask you, “What happened to you in combat?”, “Do you have any problems?” Well, I knew I had problems because I’d saw so much. I saw so many people get killed.

I did have a counsellor. This was in Philadelphia. And between the counsellor and myself, I brought myself out, really, with their help.

And my wife helped. She was a teacher. And I married her, and she also helped, talking.

But the VA has done wonders for me. I just can’t thank them enough. I was lucky enough to get myself straightened out.

I’ll tell you, right now, if there’s guys out there that need help, the VA will give them all the help in the world. Any G.I. that has any fears, any kind of fears, or any problems, and doesn’t take advantage of these people that are schooled, these psychiatrists and psychologists. So they have to get help. They have to.

The VA has done everything they could do for me. And I’m thankful.