Flying into Normandy on D-Day, twenty-two year old Manny was on Joe Beyrle’s plane and landed in a garden on the eastern edge of Saint-Côme-du-Mont. Alone and separated from the rest of the stick he spent the next three days fighting for survival until being injured by allied shellfire (ironically on his 23rd birthday). Seriously wounded by shrapnel, Manny encouraged a passing German doctor (at gunpoint) to treat him. His ordeal came to an end after being discovered by soldiers from the 101st as they pushed forward into Saint-Côme. He was evacuated back to England by hospital ship around June 10th and returned to active duty six months later at Bastogne. Manny lives in Whittier, California where he is an active member of the 101st Southern California Chapter.